Highlights of Serbia in 5 days

Arrival at “Nikola Tesla “International Airport.

Regardless of your arrival time on day 1 of the tour, we’ll wait for you at the airport. Our guide will meet you in the arrivals hall with your name on the signboard. In case your flight is delayed, there is no reason to worry. We will monitor your flight, and our guide will meet you accordingly. There are no additional charges for flight delays.

After a 20-minute ride, you’ll be in the city center. Check in at the hotel, and spend the rest of the day getting more familiar with Belgrade. You can walk around or follow your guide’s recommendation for dinner.

Overnight: Belgrade

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you arrive in Belgrade a few days before the tour departure, you can book additional nights with us, at the same hotel, for a surcharge of 40€ (Standard package), 60€ (Superior package), or 80€ (Premium package). Prices are per person, per night, in a double or twin room. 

Our tour starts from your accommodation, and we will head toward Eastern Serbia. Two hours of the ride we’ll spend enjoying the beautiful landscapes and listening to interesting stories about this part of the country.

Golubac Fortress

Our first stop is the Golubac fortress, a defensive complex used to defend many kingdoms through the centuries. Golubac is the perfect fairy-tale castle, wonderfully set off by its location in the rugged landscape at the head of Đerdap Gorge. There are nine towers in all, each between 20 and 25m high, combined with the interesting position of the fortress leaning over the Danube; they make Golubac undoubtedly one of the most beautiful castles along the 2850km Danube odyssey from source to the Black Sea.

Lepenski Vir Museum

After around 30 minutes of driving, we will reach our next stop – Lepenski Vir. The early settlement of Lepenski Vir was first uncovered in 1965. The works brought to light sacred architecture and monumental sculptures from one of the oldest Danube cultures, dating back to 7,000-6,000 BC, also marking the beginning of civilization in Europe. Here we will see more than 100 items (utensils, tools, and instruments, jewelry, altars, sculptures, Neolithic ceramics) illustrating the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods in Lepenski Vir. The setting also involves the reconstruction of burial methods in Lepenski Vir and a holographic reconstruction of houses in Lepenski Vir.

Lunch break

After the museum, we will stop at a unique, authentic restaurant with a fantastic view overlooking the Danube to enjoy a traditional lunch made of specialties of Eastern Serbian cuisine (not included).

We believe that you will have a completely different aspect as we return to Belgrade in the evening hours.

Overnight: Belgrade

Kalemegdan Park & Belgrade Fortress

Your trip will begin with pick up from your hotel/accommodation in Belgrade. We’ll not stay in the vehicle for a long time since our first stop is Kalemegdan, the oldest and largest park in the city center, and the magnificent Belgrade Fortress. Starting from Leopold’s Gate, we will pass by the remains of the Roman castrum – Singidunum and the medieval walls built upon it – Zindan Gate, Despot’s Gate, Jakšića Tower, all dating back to the 15th century. We will visit two Orthodox churches in this part of the fortress: The Chapel of St Petka and Ružica Church (Virgin Mary Church). Entering the Upper town (Gornji grad), we will see the magnificent sight of two rivers’ confluence: the Sava and the Danube.

The Victor monument

We will continue our walk through the Upper town: the Victor monument by world-renowned sculptor Ivan Meštrovic, one of Belgrade’s landmarks, the Roman well, the King’s gate, and the Sava promenade, the Damat Ali Pasha Tomb, Clock Gate, and Clock Tower. Passing by Military Museum and through Istanbul’s gate, we will leave the fortress behind us, entering Kalemegdan Park again. There is a Monument of Gratitude to France by Ivan Meštrovic in the park and many busts representing the famous Serbian man of letters. Here we’ll enter the vehicle again and continue with our tour.

New Belgrade

Continuing with our tour, we’ll have a chance to see New Belgrade’s impressive modern architecture. Built as a new part of the town, after WWII and during the socialist regime, it has many remarkable buildings. Ex-Central Committee of the Communist Party, Federal Executive Council, also known as Palace of Federation, Genex Tower or Western Gate of Belgrade, Sava Center, one of the biggest congress halls in this part of Europe, etc. Even the famous MOMA museum from New York dedicated a special exhibition called “Toward a Concrete Utopia” to New Belgrade’s architecture. New Belgrade will show you this city’s different face, including the buildings architecturally similar to former Eastern block “brutalist” style and modern business buildings built in recent decades. Finally, we will pass by the restaurant “Novak,” owned by the famous tennis player Novak Đoković’s family, and the Belgrade Arena, the most important sports venue in this part of Europe.

Zemun neighborhood

After New Belgrade, we’ll reach Zemun, the northern area of Belgrade, characteristic of its Central European appearance, charming quarters, cobblestone streets, and fish restaurants on the Danube River banks. We’ll pass by Avijatičarski Trg, where the old city of Zemun begins. With the massive monument to WWII heroes, this square is surrounded by Zemun’s oldest elementary school building and the Air Force Ministry, one of the finest examples of modernism in pre-war Yugoslav architecture. We’ll continue with our ride through the main street called Gospodska Street, where we have a chance to see some beautiful examples of Zemun architecture: the Post Office, Hotel Central, Town Museum, the House with a Sundial, etc.

Following, we’ll leave the vehicle on the Danube bank and start our walking tour through the heart of old Zemun. But before that, we’ll take a short coffee break to refresh and enjoy the view. We’ll continue along the bank of the Danube River – Zemun Promenade, where numerous old fish restaurants have nested under the shade of the century-old plane trees. Passing by the oldest Orthodox church of St. Nicholas from the 17th century, we’ll climb the Gardos Hill – the heart of Old Zemun. Its curvy cobblestone streets and small houses will give you the impression that Zemun is a melting pot of Mediterranean and Middle European cultures. When we reach the top of the hill, we’ll see the remains of the Zemun citadel that still stands together with The Millennium Tower in the center, Zemun’s central landmark. This romantic construction, built in a mixture of historical styles at the end of the 19th century, served to mark the most Southern point of the Austro-Hungarian empire. The majestic view from the top of the tower will leave you breathless: Zemun Old Town from above, but also the confluence of the two rivers and the Belgrade Fortress on the other side. We’ll go down Gardos Hill to the town center and reach the Main City Square, where an everyday market is situated. Old buildings, including the Bishop’s Office and the Roman Catholic Church of the Blessed Virgin from the 18th century, surround the square. We’ll finish our walking tour here, enter the vehicle, and continue our ride.

Lunch break

New Belgrade’s Goce Delčeva street is famous in the city, nicknamed “The Valley of Hunger .” The road is full of fast food joints, offering “pljeskavica and ćevapi”, pizzas, Chinese food, plates of pasta, and different delicious fast food sales arrangement. Over here, fast food here is prepared and sold in all shapes and sizes, suitable for everyone’s taste. Here we’ll make a 30 minutes lunch break.

Dedinje neighborhood

After we cross the Gazela Bridge, we’ll head for Dedinje – Belgrade’s most luxurious residential area. Here, we’ll see some of the most beautiful mansions in the city, perfectly nestled in the greenery and serenity of Topčider Hill. Your guide will give you some interesting information about the properties’ history and what was happening with them during the very turbulent 20th century. We’ll see the country’s biggest football stadium, “Rajko Mitić Stadium”, the home of Red Star Belgrade. Red Star is the last club from Eastern or Southern Europe to win the prestigious Champions League. Their biggest competitor, Partizan Belgrade, has a stadium just across a small hill. Their rivalry is lasting for more than 70 years.

Avala mountain

We will leave the city and head towards Avala, Belgrade’s green mountain. Situated less than 20km south of the city center, it is one of Belgrade’s most popular green areas, a perfect spot for recreation, picnics, or just enjoying nature. It is entirely covered with wood and is home to many birds and animal species. We drive through green forests until we reach the highest spot of Avala. In the 1930’s Aleksandar I, King of Yugoslavia, decided to destroy the medieval fortress of Žrnov that was situated here to build the largest monument in the kingdom – Monument to the Unknown Hero. For this job, he engaged his court artist, world-renowned sculptor Ivan Mestrovic who created a majestic structure made of black marble with colossal sculptures to resemble Antique tombs. We’ll hear some exciting stories about how it was constructed and the monument’s symbolism.

Avala Tower

After that, we go down to the second largest hilltop of Avala, 440m high, where the Avala tower is situated. Built in the 1960s as a TV tower, it was the largest concrete structure and the tallest structure in the Balkans. During the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999, the tower was bombed and destroyed. It was reconstructed according to the same plans and reopened for visitors. The two elevators take us up to 123m with a viewpoint from which you stay breathless: you can see the Central Serbian province of Sumadija and the entire Belgrade, including the two rivers’ confluence in the region of Vojvodina behind. After a short break, we get back into the vehicle and head toward Belgrade.

Saint Sava Temple

Coming from Avala, we’ll visit the Vračar area, where we can see one of Belgrade’s most prominent landmarks – The Church of St. Sava (also known as St. Sava Temple), one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world. The Temple of St Sava has an enormous dome that you can see from all over the city. Size apart, the church is undeniably a highly impressive structure. Construction began in the 1930s at the site where the occupying Ottoman forces burned the relics of St. Sava (1175-1236). St Sava was the founder and the first archbishop of the independent Serbian Orthodox Church, and Serbians widely recognize him as one of the most important figures in Serbian history. Built in the Serbian-Byzantine style, the church occupies an area of 3500 m² at floor level, with an additional 1500 m² in the three galleries on the first level. At its highest point, the dome is 70 m in height, while the central gilded cross is an additional 12 m high, giving the Cathedral a total height of 82 m.

Slavija square

When we finish with the Temple, we’ll enter the vehicle one more time. Through Slavija Square, we will enter Nemanjina Street with almost all state governmental institutions: Government Building, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Staff of Serbian Army, the Ministry of Railways, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Court, etc. – all being beautiful examples of Belgrade’s pre-war architecture.

The National Assembly and Terazije Fountain

After that, we’ll ride through Kralja Milana Street, the city’s artery where some significant buildings are situated, such as the Old and New Royal Palaces. We’ll pass by Nikola Pasic Square, with a monument to the first Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. We’ll stop in front of the Parliament Building, where we will take a short break to take pictures. We will also see the Old and New Royal Palaces and hear stories about the two dynasties that ruled Serbia in the 19th and 20th centuries. Following, we’ll reach Terazije Square with its recognizable 19th-century white stone fountain and one of the most beautiful buildings in the city – the Moskva Hotel.

Republic Square

We’ll continue our ride and reach Republic Square, the heart of the capital, where the city’s most prestigious cultural institutions are situated. Here you will hear information about the most important buildings surrounding the Square: the National Museum and National Theatre, and a short explanation of why Prince Mihailo is one of the most important figures in Serbia’s modern history. Here we will see the National Museum and the National Theater and Opera buildings, with an equestrian monument to the most important city and state ruler from the 19th century – Knez Mihajlo.

That will be the end of our tour, and after Republic Square, we’ll drop you off at your hotels.

Optional Bohemian night

In the evening, visit the Old Bohemian Quarter of Skadarlija, frequently compared to Montmartre in Paris, both in appearance and its artistic atmosphere. It’s a perfect opportunity to get more familiar with traditional Serbian cuisine and the famous Belgrade nightlife. (Optional: 30€ per person)

Overnight: Belgrade

Your trip will begin with pick-up from your accommodation in Belgrade, and we will head toward the Northern Serbian province of Vojvodina.

An hour of our ride we will spend enjoying the colorful landscapes of the Pannonian plain and hearing stories about the turbulent history of this area.
Home to more than 25 ethnic groups, with six official languages in use, Vojvodina represents a diversity unheard of in the rest of the country.
Fine chernozem soils make Vojvodina the agricultural heart of Serbia, and the region supplies much of the country’s wheat and corn (maize). They have a saying in Vojvodina: “If you drop a button into the ground, next spring, you will harvest a full coat.”

FRUŠKA GORA: We reach Fruška Gora, the only mountain in this region, covered with woods and filled with vineyards on the lower slopes, one of 5 National parks in Serbia but also one of the oldest and best wine regions. The thick Lyndon forests served as a perfect hiding place for 17 medieval Orthodox monasteries that have nested within it.

Krušedol Monastery

Fruška Gora, or “The Serbian Holly Mountain,” as it is often referred to, is a home for 17 active Orthodox monasteries. The monasteries were founded during the period of wars and migrations caused by Turkish occupation. They became vital communities that ensured that Serbian identity and Orthodox religion would survive through difficult times. Founded in the early 16th century, Krušedol is probably the most important one. Despite the large-scale destruction on several occasions, some original paintings remain on the dome’s pillars, while frescoes and icons date back to the mid-1700s. The church contains the remains of many members of the Serbian noble Branković family, as well as King Milan Obrenović (died 1901).

Sremski Karlovci

A quiet, Baroque town where time has stopped will impress you with its small houses, Baroque churches, palaces, gardens, and fountains. It also has an impressive history: in 1699, a peace treaty between Christian European forces and the Ottoman Empire was signed here, putting an end to the Ottoman conquest of Europe.
The town was a religious and educational center of the Serbs for more than 250 years, which makes it one of the most critical places in Serbian history.
First, we will visit the Chapel of Peace, where the peace treaty was signed. Then we’ll stroll through the streets of Karlovci down to the main square. Here we will see the Four Lions Fountain, The Karlovci Gymnasium (High School), the Town Hall, the Roman Catholic Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas, the Patriarchy, and the Serbian Orthodox Theological Seminary. In one of the oldest wine cellars in the city, we’ll taste the most famous product of the area: the Bermet wine.

BERMET WINE TASTING: Our next activity will be Bermet wine tasting, for which this area is widely renowned. This picturesque town has a wine-making tradition longer than 250 years, so it is a perfect chance for us to get acquainted with the Bermet, a Serbian wine that even made it to Titanic.
Bermet is a unique kind of locally-produced aromatic dessert wine. Its delightful sweet taste is easy to underestimate, although it holds around 15-18% alcohol! Mostly prepared as red wine, it was quite trendy within the European royal families in the 15th century and was exported to the United States in the late 19th century. Even mighty Maria Theresa was fond of it.
We’ll hear stories about the history of wine-making in Sremski Karlovci, discover the secrets about Bermet production that every family keeps for themself, and we will learn why they say that Bermet is “the best wine for men, but when ladies drink it”.

Petrovaradin Fortress

Next, we’ll visit the mighty Petrovaradin Fortress, nicknamed ‘Gibraltar on the Danube.’ One of the largest strongholds in Europe, still preserved, covers the surface of 100 ha. Built by the Austrian Empire in the 17th and 18th centuries, it played a significant role in defending the Middle European countries from Ottoman attacks. We’ll walk through the fortress, pass through some of its gates, and see the most exciting places on the top of it, like the City Museum, Old Military Barracks, and the Clock Tower. We’ll enjoy the view over the Danube and the city of Novi Sad.

Novi Sad

Novi Sad is the second-largest city in Serbia, with its typical Middle European appearance and proud history of being a cultural and intellectual center of the Serbs in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, for which it earned a name – Serbian Athens. Here we’ll see the most famous sights: the Museum of Vojvodina and Dunavski Park – the largest green area in the city, and the beautiful Neo-Romantic Serbian Orthodox Bishop’s Palace. We will not miss the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. George from the 18th century, with its valuable iconostasis painted by famous Serbian painter Paja Jovanovic. We’ll walk through the main street further on, enjoying the 18th and 19th-century architecture, as well as endless rows of cafes and restaurants, until we reach Liberty Square, a central point in the city. Here we’ll find The Town Hall, Roman Catholic Cathedral, Finance Palace, and the Neo-Classical edifice of the oldest city hotel called Vojvodina. Finally, we’ll pass by the Serbian National Theater and reach the city Synagogue, a beautiful Hungarian Secession-style building, one of the largest European synagogues to be preserved.

Free time / Lunch break

After that, we’ll take a break, and you can enjoy your free time in Novi Sad. Perhaps, take your guide’s advice for a traditional Serbian lunch (at own expense), go shopping, visit The Museum of Vojvodina, or wander around the streets of Novi Sad. At the arranged time, get back into the vehicle and head back to Belgrade.

Your tour concludes with transportation back to your hotel/accommodation in Belgrade, where we’ll arrive in the afternoon. End of services.

Overnight: Belgrade

Breakfast. Free time until your flight. Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. End of services.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are departing from Belgrade a few days after the tour ends, you can book additional nights with us at the same hotel for a surcharge of 40€ (Standard package), 60€ (Superior package), or 80€ (Premium package). Prices are per person, per night, in a double or twin room. If you decide to extend your stay, your departure transfer will still be included.

• 4 nights with breakfast in a chosen category centrally located hotel in Belgrade
• Arrival & departure airport transfers
• Sightseeing per the given itinerary in a modern, air-conditioned vehicle
• Services of English-speaking tour guides throughout
• Wine tasting during the trip to Novi Sad
• Tour organization and 24/7 support from a licensed incoming tour operator

• Arrival and departure flights
• Food & drinks (except for breakfast in the hotels)
• Golubac Fortress entrance fee: 6.5€ per person
• Lepenski Vir museum entrance fee: 5€ per person
• St. Sava Temple: 4€ per person
• Avala TV Tower: 3,5€ per person
• City tax: 1.35€ per person / per night

OPTIONAL:

• Bohemian night in Belgrade = 30€ per person (three-course meal, one drink, and transportation included)

• Children from 0 to 2 years old – FREE of charge.
• Children from 2 to 12 years old, sharing the bed – 50% discount on the price in a double room
• Children from 2 to 12 years old, extra bed – 30% discount on the price in a double room.

• Up to 60 days before the departure date = 100% refund
• 59 days to 46 days before the departure date = 90% refund
• 45 days to 31 days before the departure date = 80% refund
• 30 days to 16 days before the departure date = 70% refund
• 15 days to 8 days before the departure date = 50% refund
• 7 days or less before the departure date = 0% refund

• You MUST confirm and obtain any visa requirements prior to the booking. All visa requirements are the sole responsibility of the traveler. A current valid passport is required on the day of travel.
• Gratuities are not included in the price (not mandatory, but common)
• The final choice of hotels will depend on the availability at the moment of your booking. We reserve the right to change the hotel due to availability, but we promise the same category, location, and level of quality
• The minimum number of guests required for the tour to departure is three.
• Tour duration: seven days