Travel Escapes: Belgrade!
Belgrade is quickly entering the limelight shared by exciting European travel destinations such as Berlin, Paris and Prague. Complimented by the Sava/Danube River that flows through the capital, the city’s non-stop nightlife, fascinating history and delectable traditional restaurants have been attracting thousands of visitors since Serbia’s tourism boom during the past decade. Perhaps best known for the Yugoslav crisis during the 1990s and Nato’s bombing of Belgrade in1999, which among other buildings left the Police & Army Headquarters desecrated. The remnants of the bombings and Serbia’s eventful past propels Belgraders of all ages to treat every night like a Friday night shaking off the past.
Eat
Restaurant: ‘Question Mark’ 6 Kralja Petra St.
Opening Times: 7am-12pm
Tel: +381 11635421
Belgrade’s oldest and most famous restaurant ‘Question Mark’ is the best place to experience the finest Serbian cuisine. Influenced by Mediterranean, Greek and Turkish gastronomy, Question Mark’s wide range of traditional Serbian dishes include a young bulls sex glands and Vodenicarska Muckalica, a beef and vegetable stew inside a hollowed out loaf of bread. The intimate, time-honoured setting of Question Mark gives a conventional Serbian experience and is guaranteed to be the culinary highlight of a trip to Belgrade.
Drink
Club River
Location: On the Novi Beograd side of the River Danube/Sava between the tram bridge and the Gazela Bridge.
Tel: +381 631294596
Belgrade prides itself on its extensive range of late night bars and floating river clubs that serve the capital’s hedonistic culture. The most popular of floating river clubs is ‘Club River’ that, in typical Belgrade style, stays open until 5am and usually begins to get busy around 12.30am. Belgrade’s selection of watering holes and non-stop nightclubs just don’t stop along the banks of the River Danube/Sava. Playing a varied selection of genres Belgrade’s self-indulgence carries on in the underground bars and nightclubs located throughout the capital under what’s known as the ‘city beneath the city’.
See
Belgrade Fortress
Address: Kralja Petra 71/111, 11000 Beograd
Tel: ¬+381 112620-685
Originally built as a fortified camp by the Romans during the 1st century AD. Belgrade’s fortress is free to enter and offers free walking tours that give a touch of colour to Belgrade’s fascinating history. Inside the fortress is also Belgrade’s military museum following the history of former Yugoslavia and Serbia. Starting with the Romans going all the way to the Nato bombings of 1999, the museum is extremely comprehensive and boasts a large collection of WWII memorabilia including tanks and anti aircraft guns.
Sleep
Queen’s Astoria Design Hotel
Milovana Milovanovica 1
11 000 Belgrade
Serbia
Located in the centre of Belgrade and immaculately furnished, Queen’s Astoria Design Hotel incorporates a traditional elegance with the latest technology. Offering 85 guestrooms including 6 luxurious suites with rates to suit every guest. Complete with free WIFI, the hotel is within walking distance of transport routes and Belgrade’s major sights.
Getting there
From Luton Airport / London Heathrow: Wizz Air http://wizzair.com/ +44 (0) 906 959 0002