A friend suggested that we visit Belgrade for a couple of days. I admit it, I was wary. After all, Serbia is a country that I have only heard of in the context of conflict. I allowed the spirit of adventure to guide me though and agreed. We would go to Belgrade.
The two night stop in Belgrade was a business trip for my travelling companion who had decided that, as we needed to go to a few different places, it would be easiest to hire a car.
Our journey started in Skopje, Macedonia, which is where he lives. The road to Belgrade was fairly uneventful. Peaceful rural scenery. Border crossing was fine - papers all in order. We sailed through the Macedonian side of the border. On the Serbian side my travelling companion had a conversation with the police officer. I thought something might be wrong. But he was smiling - surely everything was okay. He turned to me. “There's a police officer here who'll be coming in the car with us. He needs a lift home.”
Surely he was joking. But no, when we pulled over at the border post money exchange bureau, a police officer climbed into the back seat and we drove him about 40 km down the highway and dropped him off in a small village. So, surprisingly I entered Serbia with a police escort and an amusing travel tale to tell.
I hadn't ever thought about visiting Belgrade and the decision to go there was made in haste so I didn't have much time to do any research. I had no idea what to expect. Not to mention that we were booked into the rather absurdly named Design Hotel Mr President for our two night stay. My first look at Belgrade came as we crested a hill on the outskirts and my enduring memory is seeing a couple of massive, concrete, socialist era tower blocks rising above the city. We drove to the hotel which is in a great location - near the railway station and across the road from the bus station. An easy 10 – 15 minute walk to the centre. If you drive, it also has free parking.
Belgrade is a modern city with a range of shops, and fascinating architecture, ranging from the 60s socialist to the beautiful art nouveau Hotel Moscow, from the mix of styles cobbled together over centuries at the Kalemegdan Citadel to the orthodox churches.
Each room of the Design Hotel Mr President pays tribute to a current or former world leader with a portrait over the bed. A little strange. The very reasonable hotel room rate includes both breakfast and dinner. Breakfast was fine, but we ate out each night and didn't get to try the dinners. It is definitely worth visiting the restaurant where breakfast and dinner are served to see the two replicas of Mt Rushmore – one with the original faces, and one with the heads of various local figures. Service in the hotel cafe was friendly and sitting outside on the pavement was pleasant, even though it was next to a road. The hotel is also next to a a small park which is great for people watching, or just sitting to rest your feet after walking around the city.
In the city centre we stopped for coffee. There were heatwave conditions in parts of Europe at the time. This cafe's response to the heat was to spray a light fog over the guests too cool us down. If you've ever been lucky enough to visit the Fog Sculpture at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, you will understand the concept.
The pedestrianised main street hosts a string of familiar and unfamiliar shops, including one shop that seemed to be made up of artisans' stalls. Along this street you will also find people selling souvenirs and art. At one end of this street, cross the road and you will find yourself in a lovely park and near the city's fortress, Kelamegdan Citadel. During the day the park is cluttered with small stalls selling mainly tourist tat, but get there early in the morning and it's a different place. Quiet, peaceful. A few joggers and dog walkers populate the park, but it's so large you barely notice them. There are panoramic views to Belgrade's two rivers, the Sava and the Danube, and to the point where the two rivers meet. At the other end of the pedestrian zone, walk on for a hundred metres or so and you will find the green and white facade of the Hotel Moscow.
If you only eat one meal in Belgrade, I suggest you have it at the fortress terrace restaurant, Kalemegdanska Terasa. The interior is decorated with fake frescos, but don't hold this against the place. The food is some of the best I've eaten. The highlight of my meal was the homemade pasta with brie, porcini, and truffles. My travelling companion laughed at the look on my face when I took my first mouthful, perhaps reminded of a certain scene in the film When Harry Met Sally. I savoured the creamy flavours, and the gentle al dente texture of the pasta. It wasn't until he tried some that he really understood. Next time I come here, I'm ordering this ... When you visit, make sure you sit outside on the terrace. It overlooks the river and is a lovely place to enjoy the balmy Serbian summer evening and it was a welcome respite from the heat of the day. Rows of pink and red geraniums in pots. A majestic stone tower of the fortress in view. Pure magic.
Belgrade is not the easiest city to find your way around. It doesn't conform to a neat grid pattern. But it is one of the most inviting cities to get lost in. I ventured out early one morning on foot. The city was wakening - except for a few sleeping travellers in a small green park near the bus station. I wandered through the quiet streets, able to stop at leisure to look at the buildings without interrupting the flow of busy people which takes over the pavements later in the day. The park around the fortress was practically deserted. a few early morning exercisers and dog walkers. A couple of other camera-toting tourists. and beautiful views of the river and the fortress structures as the sun climbed higher in the sky. I then managed to get completely lost getting back to the hotel, but found the city market where I picked up a couple of Serbian silk and cotton tops very cheaply.
For our second evening we went to the Supermarket. Now this isn't a place to buy your groceries. It's a hip and happening concept store, packed with the city's young urban professionals. Stop here for a drink. It's not somewhere I would come back to for a meal, but it's a fascinating store with an eclectic mix of things from high fashion shoes, to dog accessories, from coffee table books to knick-knacks and clothes. And the drinks were good.
Belgrade is a bustling city full of life and energy. There is entertainment available everywhere - perhaps not the array of big names that go to Croatia, but interesting entertainment nonetheless. When you think of Belgrade and Serbia, put thoughts of the conflicts behind you. The people here are getting on with their lives, and enjoying them.
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