Serbia Travel Guide


The latest travel Information on Serbia, includes ideas on Things to See and Do, Local Events, Consulate & Embassy Contact Addresses and much more, all from a first-time visitors point of view.

Serbia Information

Overview

Following civil war and the break-up of Yugoslavia, Serbia has survived international sanctions and NATO bombing to emerge as one of Eastern Europe’s hottest ‘undiscovered’ destinations. The capital Belgrade has plenty to offer, with excellent museums and galleries, a wide range of restaurants and cafes, and some of the best nightlife in southeast Europe.

Away from the capital, Novi Sad is an attractive, lively city with an elegant centre and picturesque fortress overlooking over the Danube. In the far north, Subotica has an array of secessionist architecture and a notable Hungarian character.

The province of Vojvodina, north of Belgrade, has some excellent wetland habitat that is home to numerous bird species, while south of the capital, the countryside consists of lush, wooded valleys with hidden-away Orthodox monasteries. Scattered among the country’s more mountainous regions are a number of vast national parks.


Top Things To See

Explore Djerdap National Park (website: www.npdjerdap.co.yu), which spans 64,000 hectares (158,146 acres). Its main attraction is the Djerdap Gorge, a river valley made from four gorges. Other national parks are Sara, Fruska Gora, Kopaonik and Tara.

Near Kraljevo, visit the restored Monastery of Zica where the kings of Serbia used to be crowned. In this same part of central Serbia, the Kalenic and Ljubostina convents are fine examples of the Serbian Morava School of architecture.

Take a pleasure ride on the Sargan Eight Railway (website: www.yurail.co.yu/eng/prezentacije/sargan/sarganrv.htm) at Mokra Gora, close to the Bosnian border. The hour-long railway journey climbs 300m (1,000ft) in just 3.5km (2 miles).

See the Ottoman sights of Nis (website: www.nis.org.yu), Serbia’s third largest city in the southeast. Visit the Turkish fortress, the Skull Tower and the remains of the Roman town of Mediana.

See Novi Sad (website: www.gradnovisad.org.yu), said to be the ’Serbian Athens’, and the country’s second city. This attractive city on the Danube is a cultural centre with museums, galleries, libraries and theatres along with numerous churches that represent a wide variety of denominations.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.


Top Things To Do

Explore Belgrade, the national capital. In the Old Town, visit Kalemegdan Park and Belgrade Fortress overlooking the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. Nearby landmarks include the Orthodox Cathedral (Saborna Crkva) and Princess Ljubica’s Konak, an 1831 Turkish-style residence.

Dine out in Skadarlija, Belgrade’s 19th-century bohemian quarter with its national restaurants and art galleries, or have a meal at one of the floating restaurants along the Danube.

Visit some of Belgrade’s excellent museums and galleries: the Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Ethnographical Museum, Fresco Museum, Nikola Tesla Museum and, eventually, the National Museum (website: www.narodnimuzej.org.yu), which has sadly been shut pending renovation since 2003.

Follow one of Serbia’s wine routes. The Palic wine route follows the trail of ’Wines from the Sands’ where the wine-making tradition is over 2,000 years old. Other wine routes in Serbia are: Vrsac, Oplenac, Smederevo, Negotin and Zupa.

Go hiking or birdwatching in the Fruska Gora (website: www.npfruskagora.co.yu) hills to the south of Novi Sad, following woodland trails and discovering half-hidden monasteries.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.


Going Out

Food and Drink

Grilled meat dishes are popular and a good bet. Many fish dishes are of freshwater fish. Vegetarian choices are limited.

National specialities:
• Pihtije (jellied pork or duck).
• Cevapcici (charcoal-grilled minced meat).
• Raznjici (skewered meat).
• Sarma or japrak (vine or cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice).
• Pljeskavica (meat patties of pork, beef and lamb).

National drinks:
• Slivovica (a potent plum brandy).
• Rakija (spirit usually made from grapes).
• Loza and maraskino (made of morello cherries).
• Wine: Ljutomer, Traminer, Riesling and Vugava.
• Turkish coffee (Turska kafa).

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: 10% is expected.

Nightlife

Cinemas stay open until 2300, restaurants until midnight and nightclubs until 0300 or later. Belgrade has excellent nightlife with a range of performance arts to enjoy: o peras, concerts, theatre, many late-night cafes and clubs. Many splavovi (rafts) on the Danube and Sava rivers in Belgrade also serve as floating restaurants and nightclubs.

Shopping

Special purchases include embroidery, lace, leatherwork, knitwear, metalwork and Turkish coffee sets. Belgrade has many designer clothing shops along the pedestrian street of Kneza Mihaila.

Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1500-2000, Sat 0800-1500 (many shops are open all day Sat). Supermarkets and grocery stores keep longer hours. Many shops on Belgrade’s Kneza Mihaila stay open until late in the evening.


Climate

Serbia has a mild continental climate with cold winters and warm summers.

Required Clothing

In winter, mediumweight clothing and heavy overcoat; in summer, lightweight clothing and raincoat required.


Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2008-December 2009 period.

2008
1-2 Jan New Year’s Day.
7 Jan Orthodox Christmas Day.
27 Jan* St Sava’s Day.
15 Feb Constitution Day.
25 Apr Orthodox Good Friday.
28 Apr Orthodox Easter Monday.
1-2 May Labour Days.
9 May* Victory Day.
28 Jun* St Vitus’ Day.

2009
1-2 Jan New Year’s Day.
7 Jan Orthodox Christmas Day.
27 Jan* St Sava’s Day.
15 Feb Constitution Day.
17 Apr Orthodox Good Friday.
20 Apr Orthodox Easter Monday.
1-2 May Labour Days.
9 May* Victory Day.
28 Jun* St Vitus’ Day.

Note

Orthodox Christian holidays may also be celebrated in most parts.
* Working holidays.


Health

Diphtheria

Special Precaution: Yes

Hepatitis A

Special Precaution: Yes

Malaria

Special Precaution: No

Rabies

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Tetanus

Special Precaution: Yes

Typhoid

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Yellow Fever

Special Precaution: No

Health Care

Doctors are well trained but medical facilities are limited. Some medicines may not be as freely available as at home. Medical treatment is free to UK residents but prescribed medicines must be paid for. Health insurance with emergency repatriation is recommended. Pharmacies are open Mon-Fri 0800-2000 and Sat 0800-1500.

Further Health Information

We advise you to check health requirements for the country you are traveling to with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic as health requirements and vaccinations can change at short notice.

Money

Currency

The official currency in Serbia is the New Yugoslav Dinar. New Yugoslav Dinar (RSD) = 100 paras. Notes are in denominations of RSD5,000, 1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of RSD20, 10, 5, 2 and 1.

Currency Exchange

As elsewhere in the ex-Yugoslav republics, the most frequently exchanged currencies are the Euro and US Dollar (Pound Sterling is rarely used). Money should be exchanged through official exchange offices only. There are an increasing number of ATMs that accept international bank cards. There are several money-exchange machines in Belgrade (including one at the airport), accepting Pounds Sterling, US Dollars and Euros, giving back Dinars. Scottish and Northern Irish Pound Sterling bank notes are not accepted.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

International credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are accepted in most shops, hotels and restaurants in Serbia. Diners Club and American Express are not so widely accepted.

Traveller's Cheques

Although acceptable in theory, in practice these can be very hard to exchange. It is advisable to take hard currency and credit or debit cards.

Currency Restrictions

Restrictions apply.

Banking Hours

Mon-Fri 0800-1900, Sat 0800-1500. Some are open on Sunday.


Passport/Visa

British

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Australian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Canadian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

USA

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Other EU

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No/1/2
Return Ticket Required: No

Passport Note

Visitors not staying at hotels must register with the police within 24 hours from arrival. All nationals staying longer than three days must register with the police.

Passports

Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visas

Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days for touristic purposes except:
1. nationals of Bulgaria for stays of up to 30 days for touristic purposes;
2. nationals of Hungary and Romania who do require a visa.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Types of Visa and Cost

Prices vary according to nationality. Nationals are advised to contact the embassy to check visa cost (see Contact Addresses).


Contact Addresses

National Tourism Organisation of Serbia (NTOS)

Decanska 8A/V, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Tel: (11) 334 2521 or 323 2586.
Website: www.serbia-tourism.org

Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in the UK

28 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8QB, UK
Tel: (020) 7235 9049.
Website: www.serbianembassy.org.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1300 (visa section); 1400-1600 (visa telephone enquiries).

Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in the USA

2134 Kalorama Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 332 0333 or 5974 (consular section).
Website: www.serbiaembusa.org


Travel Advice

Warning

Most visits are trouble-free.

On 17 February 2008 the Government of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. The overall security situation in Serbia remains calm, though there is an increased risk of sporadic incidents and a high likelihood of political protests. Several embassies and border posts have seen violent protests. Travellers are advised to exercise extreme caution when travelling around, keep a low profile and avoid public gatherings, political rallies, protests and polling stations, and pay close attention to local media reports.

Residual landmines and other unexploded ordnance remain in Serbia. You should exercise caution when travelling within the Presevo and Bujanovac districts of South Serbia.

The Serbian authorities will not allow you to travel into Serbia from Kosovo unless you began your journey in Serbia and are returning there directly. Following the declaration of independence by Kosovo, crossing of the land border between Serbia and Kosovo may be problematic or subject to demonstrations and protests.

There is an underlying threat from terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

When visiting Serbia, you must register with local police within 24 hours of arrival. If you are staying in a hotel or official tourist accommodation, you will be registered automatically on check-in. If you do not register you risk a fine, detention or a court appearance.

You should carry your passport at all times for identification purposes.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organisations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel




Disclaimer
We've tried to make the information on this page as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information with the relevant authorities before you travel.