This is part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2024—find more travel inspiration here.
26.10.2023 - 17:55 / nationalgeographic.com / Sophia Loren
Belgrade’s foundations stand above a network of prehistoric caves — some of the scattered shells found within them date back up to eight million years. These cavernous spaces have housed a Roman aqueduct system and military tunnels; more recently, they served as Second World War bunkers for Nazi occupiers. Enter the network from Tasmajdan Park and explore a section used by German soldiers escaping Belgrade’s liberation in 1944.
Continue to the site of a second-century castrum (fort). During the city’s Roman era, a frontline legion was stationed here to defend the city (then known as Singidunum) against impending forces from the east. Traces of the garrison are minimal today, but you can still find evidence of the monumental gate that once stood at its entrance: keep a close look out for its stone foundations at the intersection of the city’s Knez Mihailova and Pariska streets.
Take a break from the underworld to lunch at one of Belgrade’s most storied restaurants. In its 70-year history, Klub Knjizevnika (‘The Writers’ Club’) has hosted stars including Sophia Loren and Richard Burton, as well as some of the region’s most acclaimed literary figures — it was here that author Ivo Andrić celebrated his 1961 Nobel Prize in Literature. Tuck into rich servings of pork alongside savoury beignets (deep-fried dough).
Back on Pariska street, Belgrade Fortress — a more modern iteration of the castrum — is a treasure trove for history-lovers. Inside, an underground space once used as a gunpowder warehouse now holds Roman and Byzantine antiquities; the sculptures and sarcophagi were excavated from beneath the city. Moving on, there’s a Roman Well — used, according to legend, as a place to abandon prisoners — and a bunker used by Cold War leader Josip Tito.
Take a short walk along the Sava River to the hip Savamala neighbourhood. Here, the Galerija Stab art gallery is located within the eastern arches of Brankov Bridge and features a subterranean passage leading out of the gallery’s main hall. On display are some of the city’s best contemporary works, astutely juxtaposing young Serbian creativity with the history of the space that surrounds them.
This family-run establishment has been serving wine below street level for 90 years, persevering through the strictures of the Communist era. Wall-mounted candles flicker in the arched interior, casting a low light over wooden furniture and barrels full of wine. Book a tour and a tasting, settling in for a glass of Traminac in the atmospheric cellar.
This is part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2024—find more travel inspiration here.
The Cycladic island of Ios is a rocky, mountainous environment of winding roads sometimes blocked by herds of bleating goats and sleepy villages hugging cerulean coastlines. In the 1960s, backpackers discovered the nearly untouched island and it became known as a hippie haven, hosting all-night beach parties, with a handful of cheap bars operating in the Chora (main town). A few decades later, nearby Santorini and Mykonos began to outshine their neighbor, attracting hordes of tourists each summer and investing in new developments. Meanwhile, Ios only got electricity across the entire island in the 1970s and most residents here are goat herders or farmers. Today, Mykonos has taken the nightlife crown and both it and Santorini have become severely over-touristed. Ios on the other hand, remains a quiet, mostly undeveloped paradise.
Founded in 508 BCE, Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world and it's regularly touted as one of the Mediterranean’s best capital cities to visit. From the iconic Parthenon and the unique street art rivaling that of Berlin to the city's glittering coastline, there’s so much to see and do in this ancient capital.
This series of articles about credit cards, points and miles, and budgeting for travel is brought to you in partnership with The Points Guy.
The 18th Dubai Airshow is upon us, and this year’s is setting up as a contest between UAE and Saudi Arabia – which country will order more aircraft?
Girl dinner doesn’t have to be basic. And if you know someone who indulges in girl dinner on a regular basis, this gift guide will help them make the most of doing the least, deliciously of course. Whether it’s specialty tinned fish, internationally sourced snacks, gourmet pasta or dishware that make girl dinner feel gourmet, these girl dinner gifts from around the world elevate the humble meal to a truly gift-worthy occasion.
With rugged mountains, untouched beaches and fertile soil that grows coconuts, tea and spices, Sri Lanka offers travelers a wondrous mix of experiences unmatched for an island of its size.
With a new year approaching and new resolutions in mind, learning a language is one of those items that often appears on many personal lists. Travel experts and language institutions regularly publish surveys on the best destinations to do so, echoing the simple fact that in our interconnected, “globalized” world, the ability to communicate in more than one language opens new opportunities, experiences and understanding.
Americans have been left baffled by a British woman's perspective of what locations were considered close to her hometown, sparking a conversation about the vast geographical differences between the countries, and their differing takes on distances.
Today, flight attendants often wear business-casual designs in classic color combinations of navy blue, red, black, and white.
There’s been a rockslide somewhere in the Maurienne Valley, deep in the French Alps. By the time I’m due to set off on an intricately planned, early autumn European rail trip from London to Athens, nearly a week has passed since the incident. My intended path through France, Italy and then on to Greece via sea had relied on a connection from Lyon to Milan passing directly through this region. Now the route is out of action and it could be months before the railway tracks are dug out from the rubble. Initially, I’m irate. En route to the Eurostar terminal at London’s St Pancras at 6.30am, however, I encourage myself to think differently.
Ever since travel roared back from pandemic lockdowns, Greece has been one of the hottest destinations in the world. While some visitors go for the gorgeous beaches the Greek islands are famous for, Athens is its most visited spot, with more airlift, great hotels, great restaurants and the number one historic attraction in a country legendary for historic attractions, the Acropolis.