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Serbia

Western Balkans Travel Guide

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Belgrade and the Sava river.

©Vladimir Nenezic/Shutterstock

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Overview

Diverse, welcoming and a hell of a lot of fun – everything you never heard about Serbia is true. Best of all, this landlocked country in the heart of the Balkans is still delightfully off the tourist trail. While the feisty Serbian spirit is embodied in Belgrade’s world-class nightlife and Novi Sad’s epic EXIT Festival, look beyond these historic metropolises and you’ll discover a crucible of cultures and unsullied outdoors ripe for exploration.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Belgrade Fortress

    Belgrade Fortress

    Belgrade

    Some 115 battles have been fought over imposing, impressive Belgrade Fortress (aka Kalemegdan); the citadel was destroyed more than 40 times throughout…

  • Uvac Canyon

    Uvac Canyon

    Serbia

    The Uvac River's spectacular meanders are the highlight of the 75-sq-km Uvac nature reserve in southwestern Serbia. The incredibly green river snakes…

  • Studenica Monastery, Kraljevo, Serbia ; Shutterstock ID 631705469; Your name (First / Last): Brana V; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Serbia destination pages

    Studenica Monastery

    Serbia

    One of Serbia's most sacred sites, Unesco-listed Studenica was established in 1196 by the founder of the Serbian empire (and future saint) Stefan Nemanja…

  • Kadinjača Memorial Complex

    Kadinjača Memorial Complex

    Serbia

    Serbia's most grandiose spomenik (Yugoslav-era memorial), Kadinjača commemorates the Partisans from the Workers' Battalion who perished on this spot…

  • Exterior of National Museum.

    National Museum

    Belgrade

    Lack of funding for renovations kept Serbia's National Museum mostly shuttered for 15 years, but its much ballyhooed 2018 reopening has been a great…

  • Memorial Museum '21st October'

    Memorial Museum '21st October'

    Serbia

    Šumarice Memorial Park is home to a sombre museum that tells the harrowing story of the 1941 massacre of around 3000 Kragujevac civilians during the…

  • Petrovaradin fortress in Novi Sad, Serbia

    Petrovaradin Fortress

    Novi Sad

    Towering over the river on a 40m-high volcanic slab, this mighty citadel, considered Europe's second-biggest fortress (and one of its best preserved), is…

  • Vratna Gates

    Vratna Gates

    Serbia

    The remote Negotin region hides one of the country's more dramatic natural phenomena. Three gigantic stone arches – known as Small Gate (Mala kapija), Big…

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Best Things to Do

From festivals to food, go beyond Belgrade with these top experiences in Serbia.

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