A first-time guide to Serbia

14.09.2024 - 15:50 / lonelyplanet.com

Sep 13, 2024 • 8 min read

Set along the Balkans’ spine, in between tourism heavyweights Croatia and Greece, landlocked Serbia isn’t exactly known for bucket-list appearances. Yet the lack of crowds and globally recognizable Instagram-bragging snaps makes the experience of traveling here all the more authentic.

What you will find – and perhaps be surprised by – is diversity, both in terms of nature’s gifts and cultural influences stemming from a stormy history. Needless to say, there’s more to Serbia than its ever-transforming capital. As you traverse the country, striking contrasts are revealed: from the Austro-Hungarian art nouveau of Subotica on the sunflower-coated northern plains where alluvial forests by the Danube echo with the roar of red deer, to the Ottoman-era mosques of Novi Pazar in the windswept Dinaric highlands of the south where griffon vultures prey high above the serpentine Uvac canyon. Bring your curiosity and hit the road.

With four distinct seasons and year-round festivities, the best time to visit really depends on your interests. The pleasant weather in spring and fall is ideal for hiking or mountain-biking in Serbia’s national parks and nature reserves. Belgrade’s packed cultural calendar – including the Belgrade Dance Festival in March and the renowned Bitef international theater festival in October – is complemented by exciting sports events.

Summers are scorching, so rafting on Ibar or Lim rivers and kayaking in Ovčar-Kablar gorge or Uvac canyon are great ways to cool off. Major summer music events include Exit in Novi Sad, Nišville jazz festival in Niš and the rowdy Guča trumpet festival in central Serbia. 

In winter, hit the slopes of Kopaonik ski resort or go snowshoeing on Golija to escape the crowded trails. Drvengrad village in the western mountains hosts the Küstendorf international film festival in January.

For a first-time visit, a long weekend allows you to dive into Belgrade’s heady urban scene with a day devoted to chilling out in Novi Sad, a half-hour ride away by fast train.

A week is reasonable for exploring areas closer to the capital – the northern Vojvodina province or central Šumadija region – rich in tradition and gastronomy and known for thermal spas and wine routes.

With about 10 days, you can choose one (or two!) of the national parks for hiking, cycling and other activities depending on the season, or road-trip the more remote regions where traditional villages and historical attractions await.

Serbia is well connected with most of Europe and beyond through Belgrade airport plus a smaller one in Niš. Currently, the only international train route links Belgrade with Bar on Montenegro’s Adriatic coast. Because Serbia doesn’t recognize Kosovo border crossings as