Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia, set at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. Known for the Kalemegdan Fortress, the bohemian Skadarlija quarter, the Temple of Saint Sava and a lively splavovi (river barge) nightlife, it blends Ottoman, Habsburg and Yugoslav layers into one of the Balkans' most energetic cities.
Top attractions
The most popular and significant attractions in Belgrade.
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1
Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park
Belgrade's defining landmark, a layered Roman, Byzantine, Serbian, Ottoman and Austrian fortress on the ridge above the Sava and Danube confluence, set inside the city's largest park. Visitors walk the Upper Town ramparts, the Victor monument and the Lower Town gates, with the Clock Tower and Roman Well as paid add-ons.
Tip: The grounds are free; paid sites such as the Clock Tower and Roman Well use small separate tickets, with a bundle cheaper than buying individually · Arrive about an hour before sunset for the best light over the confluence · Wear comfortable shoes, as paths are cobbled and uneven · Enter from the end of Knez Mihailova for the shortest walk from the city centre · Allow extra time to combine the fortress with the Military Museum and the Lower Town
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2
Military Museum (Belgrade Fortress)
Serbia's national military museum holds a very large collection, from Roman and medieval arms to First World War uniforms and Yugoslav-era weapons, housed in Fortress buildings. An open-air terrace displays tanks, cannon and artillery.
Tip: The museum is closed on Mondays, so plan the fortress visit around that · The outdoor tank and cannon park can be seen free at any time · Last ticket is sold about an hour before closing · Combine with the Upper Town ramparts and the Victor monument in one trip · A family ticket is cheaper than buying individual tickets for larger groups
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3
Temple of Saint Sava
One of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, a white marble and granite dome rising above the Vračar plateau on the site where the Ottomans burned the relics of Saint Sava in 1594. The interior mosaics, including the gold dome mosaic, have been completed in stages. The crypt of Saint Lazar is richly mosaicked.
Tip: Dress modestly: cover shoulders and knees, and remove hats inside. · Church entry is generally free; the crypt and gallery are paid, about 600-1,200 RSD for guided groups. · Visit on weekday mid-mornings to avoid service-day crowds. · Allow 1-1.5 hours including the exterior plaza. · Walk about 10 minutes from Slavija Square, which has tram and bus stops.
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4
Nikola Tesla Museum
A small villa museum guarding Tesla's urn and the largest archive of his papers, with live demonstrations of the Tesla coil and wireless lighting. Tours are guided and run in English at set hours, so arrive early to join the next slot.
Tip: Arrive about 15 minutes before the hour to secure a place on the next tour. · Bring dinars: the English tour is about 800 RSD and payment is cash only. · Weekday afternoons are quieter than midday. · Ask the guide before taking photographs. · Pair the visit with the Temple of Saint Sava, a short walk away.
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5
Skadarlija Bohemian Quarter
A cobbled bohemian street, nicknamed Belgrade's Montmartre, lined with traditional kafanas, old-style restaurants and live musicians. The quarter flourished from the late 19th century as the home of writers and actors, and today it is the best-known place for Serbian grilled meat and rakija.
Tip: Come in the evening for live music; lunch is quieter. · Reserve a table for groups, especially on summer weekends. · Check menu prices before ordering, as tourist-facing venues can cost more. · Budget about 1,800-3,500 RSD per person for a meal. · Walk five minutes east of Republic Square along Skadarska.
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6
Gardoš Tower and Zemun Old Core
A Hungarian-style millennium tower built in 1896 on Gardoš hill, overlooking the Danube and the red-roofed old town of Zemun. The cobbled lanes below, once an Austro-Hungarian border town, are full of small cafes.
Tip: The hilltop and lanes are free; tower interior hours are irregular, so confirm locally before climbing · Wear sturdy shoes for the steep cobbled streets · Walk up from the quay and descend through the lanes for the best route · Visit late afternoon for softer light and cooler walking · Plan lunch or dinner on the Danube quay afterwards
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7
Museum of Yugoslavia and House of Flowers
The museum complex on Josip Broz Tito's former residence grounds includes the House of Flowers, where Tito is buried, and the Old Museum with gifts to the leader and Yugoslav-era art. A sculpture park surrounds the complex, and the displays also cover the Non-Aligned Movement.
Tip: Go on a weekday morning for the fewest crowds. · Buy one ticket of about 800 RSD for the full complex. · Visit between April and October when the park is in bloom. · Take trolleybus 40 or 41 to the Muzej Jugoslavije stop. · Check the museum website for short closures before travelling.
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8
Ada Ciganlija
A former river island joined to the mainland and turned into a 7 km shore of pebble beaches, cycling loops and sports facilities around a Sava lake. Known as Belgrade's sea, it is the city's main summer playground and has a bungee jump, rope park and water sports.
Tip: Avoid hot summer weekends if possible, as the beaches become crowded · Hire a bike for around 300-500 RSD per hour to circle the lake · Bring sandals, since the shore is pebbly · Buses from the centre take about 25-30 minutes; check routes in advance · Visit in September for warm water and fewer people
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9
Church of Saint Mark
A Serbo-Byzantine style church from 1940 with five domes in red brick, holding the tomb of Emperor Stefan Dušan, in Tašmajdan Park. Inside are replicas of medieval frescoes, including the White Angel of Mileševa.
Tip: Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered · Avoid visiting during services, when the church is closed to tourists · Entry is free; a small donation for candles is customary · Ask before taking photographs inside · Pair the visit with a walk in Tašmajdan Park
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10
National Museum of Serbia
Serbia's oldest and largest museum, reopened in 2018 after fifteen years of renovation, holding about 400,000 objects including the 12th-century Miroslav Gospel, Roman gold, and works by Rembrandt, Renoir and Serbian masters. The permanent exhibition spans prehistory to the 20th century.
Tip: Visit on a weekday morning for quieter galleries. · Thursday and Saturday hours run later, 12:00-20:00. · A permanent exhibition ticket is about 300 RSD; both exhibitions about 600 RSD. · Ask about the combined ticket with related museums. · Combine with a walk around Republic Square and Knez Mihailova.
Attractions by category
Explore by your interests.
Landmarks
Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park
Belgrade's defining landmark, a layered Roman, Byzantine, Serbian, Ottoman and Austrian fortress on the ridge above the Sava and Danube confluence, set inside the city's largest park
Gardoš Tower and Zemun Old Core
A Hungarian-style millennium tower built in 1896 on Gardoš hill, overlooking the Danube and the red-roofed old town of Zemun
Knez Mihailova Street
Belgrade's main pedestrian boulevard, a stone-paved 19th-century promenade running about 700 m from Republic Square to the gates of Kalemegdan fortress
Republic Square (Trg Republike)
The city's central meeting place, anchored by the equestrian statue of Prince Mihailo Obrenović, the National Museum and the National Theatre
Avala Tower and the Monument to the Unknown Hero
A rebuilt 205 m telecom tower on top of Avala hill (rebuilt in 2010 after its 1999 destruction) with an observation deck over the Šumadija forest
Royal Compound (Kraljevski Kompleks)
The residence of the Karađorđević royal family, with the Royal Palace (1929) and the White Palace (1937) in landscaped grounds
Museums
Military Museum (Belgrade Fortress)
Serbia's national military museum holds a very large collection, from Roman and medieval arms to First World War uniforms and Yugoslav-era weapons, housed in Fortress buildings
Nikola Tesla Museum
A small villa museum guarding Tesla's urn and the largest archive of his papers, with live demonstrations of the Tesla coil and wireless lighting
Museum of Yugoslavia and House of Flowers
The museum complex on Josip Broz Tito's former residence grounds includes the House of Flowers, where Tito is buried, and the Old Museum with gifts to the leader and Yugoslav-era art
National Museum of Serbia
Serbia's oldest and largest museum, reopened in 2018 after fifteen years of renovation, holding about 400,000 objects including the 12th-century Miroslav Gospel, Roman gold, and works by Rembrandt, Renoir and Serbian masters
Museum of Contemporary Art
A modernist white museum building from 1965 by Ivan Antić and Ivanka Raspopović in Ušće Park, with Yugoslav art from 1900 onward
Princess Ljubica's Residence
A restored 1831 Balkan-style residence built for Princess Ljubica, wife of Prince Miloš, with period furniture and a courtyard
Ethnographic Museum
Serbia's oldest ethnographic collection, in an inter-war building on Studentski trg, showing 19th-century rural life, costumes, jewellery and folk crafts of Serbs and other Balkan communities
Museum of Vuk and Dositej
A small museum in the former Great School building, showing the lives and writings of Dositej Obradović and Vuk Karadžić
Nature
Ada Ciganlija
A former river island joined to the mainland and turned into a 7 km shore of pebble beaches, cycling loops and sports facilities around a Sava lake
Topčider Park and Prince Miloš's Residence
A large royal park, once the country residence of Prince Miloš Obrenović, with the 1831 Residence, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul and old plane trees
Sava Promenade and Belgrade Waterfront
A riverside walking and cycling route along the right bank of the Sava, passing the old Beton Hala food hall, the Belgrade Waterfront towers and the Brankov most bridge
Great War Island (Veliko Ratno Ostrvo)
A protected landscape of river wetland at the confluence of the Sava and Danube, with Lido beach on the Zemun side and more than 200 bird species
Jevremovac Botanical Garden
A small botanical garden established in 1874 by Josif Pančić, with a greenhouse and tropical collections, owned by the University of Belgrade
Cultural
Temple of Saint Sava
One of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, a white marble and granite dome rising above the Vračar plateau on the site where the Ottomans burned the relics of Saint Sava in 1594
Skadarlija Bohemian Quarter
A cobbled bohemian street, nicknamed Belgrade's Montmartre, lined with traditional kafanas, old-style restaurants and live musicians
Church of Saint Mark
A Serbo-Byzantine style church from 1940 with five domes in red brick, holding the tomb of Emperor Stefan Dušan, in Tašmajdan Park
Cathedral Church of Saint Michael the Archangel
Belgrade's main Serbian Orthodox cathedral, finished in 1840 in neoclassical style with a notable carved iconostasis by Dimitrije Avramović
Belgrade Zoo (Beo Zoo Vrt)
One of Europe's oldest zoos, in the Lower Town of Kalemegdan, with around 2,000 animals including lions and tigers
Zemun Quay (Kej oslobođenja)
A long Danube promenade in Zemun lined with fish restaurants and cafes, with views of the Gardoš tower and river barges
Practical information
What you need to know before you go.
- Hours
- Most museums are open Tuesday-Sunday about 10:00-18:00 and closed Monday; fortress grounds, parks and promenades are open all hours
- Fees
- Museum tickets are typically 300-800 RSD (~$3-8); most churches, parks and walks are free; the Tesla Museum takes cash dinars only
- Best Times
- May-June and September-October for mild weather; summer evenings for river life and splavovi
- Booking
- The Royal Compound requires advance reservation at royalfamily.org; most museums sell tickets on site; the Fortress facilities and Tesla Museum sell at the entrance
Tips for visiting attractions
Make the most of your sightseeing time.
Carry cash dinars: the Tesla Museum and several smaller museums do not accept foreign cards
Use a route planner such as Moovit or the city's BG Navigator app for bus and tram numbers
Dress modestly (covered shoulders and knees) when entering Orthodox churches
Walk Kalemegdan at sunset; the Upper Town is lit after dark
Museums close on Monday, so plan fortress and park visits for that day
Summer afternoons can reach 35C (95F), so schedule indoor museums for midday
Frequently asked questions
How many days do visitors need in Belgrade?
Two to three days cover the Fortress, Knez Mihailova, Skadarlija, Temple of Saint Sava and the Tesla Museum. Add a half day each for Zemun, Ada Ciganlija and Dedinje.
Is Belgrade Fortress free?
Kalemegdan Park and the fortress grounds are free and open 24 hours. Individual facilities such as the Clock Tower, Roman Well and Nebojša Tower charge about 80-200 RSD (~$1-2) each.
What should visitors see first in Belgrade?
Start at Republic Square, walk Knez Mihailova to Kalemegdan, then visit the Military Museum and the confluence viewpoint at sunset.
Do museums accept cards?
Large museums such as the Museum of Contemporary Art generally accept cards. The Nikola Tesla Museum accepts cash in dinars only, so carry about 1,000 RSD (~$10) per person.