A local’s guide to Belgrade: the best sights, restaurants and nightlife in a city in flux

Belgrade is in a celebratory mood after the student-backed list won an outright majority in parliamentary elections, making it a lively time to visit its bars, clubs, markets and riverside spots.

The mood follows almost two years of student-led protest over accountability and corruption, which began after a concrete canopy at Novi Sad's newly renovated railway station collapsed in November 2024, killing 16 people. Last month's election result was a dramatic shift in Serbia's politics, and crowds gathered in Slavija Square. A new government has yet to be formed, but the city feels full of possibility.

The city's historic streets, neoclassical and art nouveau buildings, and modernist architecture make it easy to explore on foot. Dorćol has independent galleries, speciality coffee and murals, while Savamala and Vračar offer waterfront restaurants and the Nikola Tesla Museum. The National Museum covers prehistoric finds and Serbian and European painting, and MoCAB, designed by Ivan Antić and Ivanka Raspopović and opened in 1965, is worth visiting for its architecture alone.

Nightlife centres on electronic music, with the Karmakoma club bringing international and local DJs together. Cocktails at BIFE cost €8 to €10, and Hotel Balkan has doubles from about €100 a night. Public transport, including buses, trams and trolleybuses, is free, and there is no metro.

Key points

• Protests followed the November 2024 Novi Sad canopy collapse, which killed 16 people.
• The student-backed list won an outright majority in last month's parliamentary elections.
• A new government still has to be formed.
• Dorćol, Savamala and Vračar are the main neighbourhoods for galleries, restaurants and walking.
• Food markets include Zemun, Kalenić and Palilula, with Stara Hercegovina for traditional dishes.
• Doubles start from about €89 at Pavilion Hotel, and public transport is free.