Belgrade: Ultimate Travel Guide

Travelling from the Airport and around

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Belgrade is heavily known for its taxi scams. Once you land, this is so clear as you will be approached by various people asking if you need a taxi. The scammers are even blended amongst the legitimate taxi rank. If you are going to be getting a taxi, download the app at the airport Car:Go and use this throughout your stay. The app is just like Uber and therefore tracked and the fee estimation is agreed up front and paid via card. 

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You can also use public transport. You must download the app: BeogradPlus. You can purchase tickets on here. Unless you will be going right down into Zone B which we did not do, then you can just purchase an all day Zone A pass for 120RSD (86p) or a 90-minute Zone A pass for 50RSD (36p). You can use this app to buy tickets for all trams and buses around the centre. 

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Use Google Maps to determine which bus you need. There is an A1 shuttle bus from the airport which costs 400RSD cash and is a small red mini van which shuttles you straight into the centre. We didn't use this one out of caution but there is no reason not to it seems from our research. 

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Money

 

We are huge advocates of not using currency exchange shops unless you absolutely have to. It works out so much cheaper for you to just use an ATM or pay everywhere in RSD via card. In Belgrade, you will need cash for certain things, such as most coffee shops and using the A1 shuttle. Ring your bank up first and check that your card will work in Serbia and then use an ATM to withdraw cash. There are some at the airport and the one we used did not have a charge fee. Most ATMs do have a charge of 500RSD (£3.57). 

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Explore whether you can open a Revolut account for travelling or if you're in the UK, some banks like HSBC have a Global Money account. These accounts let you transfer and exchange money freely between currencies without fees and is a lifesaver when moving around.

 

Cost of living

 

Expect evening meals with a drink in a restaurant to cost around £40 for two. A beer or glass of wine in a side street cafe to cost £3/£4. A double scooped ice cream £4. A cocktail £5-£7.

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Tipping

 

Nothing frustrates us more than having to tip, don't worry, we understand. When we were in the States, it was such a culture shock. Good news is that tipping is NOT expected in Serbia. But, if you're dining or drinking in a place where there are tourists, your server is putting in a good effort and is accommodating for you by speaking English, then consider a 5-10% tip. The economy is not strong so if you can afford to tip £2/£3, why not?

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Staying Safe

 

Belgrade is an extremely safe place and not once did any of us feel an ounce of unsafeness. In order to make sure we were safe at all times, we made sure not to get into any taxis that were not booked through Car:Go, had Google Translate on us at all times and kept all our belongings in a zipped up bag. If you are worried about travelling to this part of the world then don't be. London and Paris are two of the most unsafe places to visit in Europe. 

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When to travel

 

Serbia gets extremely hot in the summer and unless we can strip off into swim wear and dive into the ocean, then the extreme heat is just not for us in a city. This summer they had 41-45 on some days towards the end of August. We travelled in the second week of September and had highs of 27oC and the evenings cooled right down to a nice 16oC. Spring and Autumn are definitely the best times to travel.

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Attractions not worth it

 

Nikola Tesla is a huge household name out in Serbia and they are extremely proud of his work. The museum on the exterior is gorgeous and inside is worth the 800RSD (£6.83) charged. However, the museum is simply not worth your time unless you are a huge physics fan that does not mind waiting in a queue for over an hour. The way the museum works is that every hour there is a guided tour, you cannot just enter and browse the museum. You need to check on the website to see which hour there is an English-speaking tour. You need to get in the queue during peak season, a good 45 minutes ahead of the hour and wait your turn. We turned up on a Saturday at 16:10 and the queue was already 70 people long. They only accept 60 in at a time and that meant that we would be waiting for entry until 18:00. We gave up and returned on Monday morning at 10:45 with the attitude that if we didn't get in, it was fine. We were 56-60th in the queue and just squeezed in. They do not sell tickets ahead of time and therefore it is just a waiting game. There are no toilets either and it is cash only. 

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If you're wondering whether or not the museum is worth your waiting time, then here is what the tour consists of:

1. 15 minute long informative video shown on a projector. There are only 40 seats so 20 are expected to stand and watch. 

2. A 5 minute demonstration of how transformers work and Tesla's original attempts. 

3. A 10 minute demonstration of a big transformer that was actually really cool and showed how electricity can create lightning and pass through our bodies without impact. 

4. The opportunity to be slightly electrocuted for a photo. 

5. Independent browsing of the museum's artefacts and Tesla's remains. 

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The Botanical Gardens - you pay 400RSD (£3.42) per person to walk around a park. Nothing interesting to see here.