Ultimate Itinerary For 2 Days In Belgrade, Serbia 2026

Sat where the mighty Danube and Sava rivers meet, Serbia‘s beautiful capital, Belgrade is one of the oldest continually habited cities in Europe. With such rich history, culture and culinary influences from around the continent, it makes the perfect weekend city break.

In this blog I share my tried and tested itinerary for the best two days in this fascinating city. From the must-see sights and tastiest restaurants to the best time to visit and how to get there. Read on to discover all my tips or use the options below to jump to the sections you’re most interested in.

1. Is Belgrade worth visiting & is two days enough?
2. How to get to & around Belgrade
3. Best time to visit Belgrade
4. Day 1: Explore ancient fortresses, paddle on the Danube & watch electricity jump at the Nikola Tesla museum
5. Day 2: Explore a golden church, learn about Yugoslav history and watch sunset from Mt. Avala
6. Best places to stay
7. How much a trip to Belgrade costs

Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links, so if you do make a purchase through them I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Belgrade at a glance:

• Best Belgrade underground tour (with wine!): Serbia Excursions
• My favourite budget place to stay: Balkan Soul Hostel
• Best mid-range apartment: Simma Luxury Apartments & Rooms
• Easiest Serbia eSIMS: Airalo
• Best museum: Museum of Yugoslavia
• My favourite coffee shop: Kafeterija Magazin 1907

Is Belgrade worth visiting & is two days enough?

First things first, you might not have heard that much about travelling to Belgrade (or even Serbia) and be wondering what it’s like and if it’s worth a visit… If you couldn’t tell from this blog so far, my answer is a big fat YES! Serbia is a beautiful country with some of the friendliest and most generous people I’ve met while travelling and its capital is no different.

I think Serbia is a seriously underrated travel gem and as a result you can enjoy exploring the city and get a true taste of Serbian life without the crowds you often find in neighbouring countries like Croatia and Montenegro.

But that doesn’t mean you need two weeks here! While there is a lot to see and do, Belgrade is still a pretty compact city and you really only need a weekend to get a great flavour of the place. If you’re on a super tight schedule, you could even see a lot in just one day but to do Belgrade justice I think two days is best.

How to get to & around Belgrade

Now you know why Belgrade is such an appealing travel destination and how long to spend there, you need to know how to get there. Here’s how to get there depending on where you’re travelling from…

By air: If you’re travelling from further afield, fly into Belgrade Nikola Tesla International Airport (BEG) and take the A1 shuttle bus 30 minutes into the city centre. From there you can take the train, tram or bus to your accommodation.

By train: If you’re travelling from neighbouring countries like Montenegro, Croatia and Hungary, or from other cities in Serbia, you’ve also got the option of taking the train. We chose to do this from Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital, taking the overnight train straight into Belgrade. While this might take a little longer than flying, that particular route is known for its beautiful views and being an experience in and of itself. Just don’t forget lots of water and snacks and be prepared for a couple of delays!

To book this route, you’ll need to visit the ticket office in Podgorica as they’re not sold online. You’ll be able to choose from a slightly more luxurious one-bed private berth all the way up to six-bed berths. You can book other routes below:

• Book trains from Zagreb, Croatia to Belgrade
• Book trains from Budapest, Hungary to Belgrade

By bus: Lastly, there’s also good bus connections across the Balkans so you can generally find services from major cities into Belgrade. To find up to date timetables and book tickets online use Busbud.

When it comes to getting around Belgrade, I’ve also plotted the major sights in this itinerary on the map above so you can see that they’re all relatively close together. As I mentioned earlier, Belgrade is a pretty compact city that’s really walkable and with a decent public transport system.

Where you can, I’d recommend walking between sights as this is the easiest option. The streets of Belgrade are generally very safe with low crime rates and we felt comfortable walking around the centre of town even into the evening. Of course exercise usual caution with valuables like any other European city.

For a couple of the sights that are further away, take the tram, bus or train (there’s no metro). Just allow a little extra time as English is not as widely spoken in the country and making sure you’ve bought the right tickets and are at the right stop can be tricky. It’s also worth noting that a lot of signs we came across were only in Cyrillic and not the Latin alphabet which can make translating train stations a challenge. But with a bit of extra time you’ll be able to navigate across town with ease. You can learn more about the public transport system and where to buy tickets here.

Best time to visit Belgrade

To plan the perfect trip, the last thing you need to know before we dive into the itinerary is when to visit. As you can see from the table below, the best months to visit Belgrade are May, June, September and October. These months are perfectly sunny and warm without the more extreme heat of July and August. Plus, you’ll avoid more of the summer crowds and the heavier rain in earlier spring.

Month	Average High Temperature (°C)	Average Low Temperature (°C)	Average Days of Rain
January	4°C	-1°C	10 days
February	6°C	-1°C	7 days
March	11°C	4°C	10 days
April	17°C	8°C	14 days
May	22°C	12°C	12 days
June	24°C	14°C	12 days
July	28°C	17°C	10 days
August	27°C	17°C	9 days
September	24°C	13°C	10 days
October	18°C	8°C	10 days
November	9°C	3°C	11 days
December	5°C	0°C	12 days

Day 1: Explore ancient fortresses, paddle on the Danube & watch electricity jump at the Nikola Tesla museum

On your first day in town, spend it soaking up the history and sights in the heart of the city and around the old town. Here’s the best things to see and do…

See the city by water on a War Island kayak tour

Start your first morning in Belgrade by getting your bearings from the river at its heart – the Danube. This is such a unique way to see any city but it’s particularly special here.

Join a guided kayak tour to literally get off the beaten track and paddle on one of Europe’s most famous rivers, explore nature reserves and spot wildlife, learn about the island that served as a strategic military outpost through the centuries, and stop at a secluded sandy beach to swim. Book your place here.

GOOD TO KNOW: You can also do a version of this trip at sunset. So if you’d rather save your dip in the Danube for later, it’s a great way to see the golden glow over Belgrade too! Learn more and book your place here.

…if you’d prefer to stay on dry land, take a city walking tour

If you’re more of a land lover, on a tighter budget or just want to take in more of Belgrade’s fascinating history, joining a walking tour is always a good idea. With a local guide, you’ll get to grips with the city so much faster and build a deeper understanding of the history and architecture. From free walking tours to help preserve your travel budget to foodie focuses and even heading underground, here are my picks of the best Belgrade walking tours…

Best free walking tour: This is officially the best-reviewed walking tour in Belgrade and as the name suggests, is free to join. Just remember it’s important to tip your guide afterwards as this is usually their main source of income. Plus, I’ve found the quality of tour guides is usually really high and you’ll most likely want to show that in your tip. These tours depart every day at 3pm Monday to Friday and 11am on weekends – just click the link above to reserve your spot.

Best underground walking tour & wine tasting: Yes, you read that right! If you want to get into the underbelly of Belgrade (literally!), join this tour that takes you underground to an ancient Roman well, a hidden Cold War bunker, tombs and more before enjoying a glass of wine by the river. The reviews speak for themselves here, I’ll be back for this tour myself!

Best street food and drinks walking tour: If you’re a foodie, choose this tour to not only learn about the history and culture of Belgrade but taste over 20 different local dishes and treats.

Stroll Belgrade Fortress

If you’d rather explore the city at your own pace rather than joining a tour, start your morning at the city’s most historic point – the fortress. At this scenic and strategic hilltop overlooking the confluence of the Sava river into the Danube, a fort has existed since the 3rd century BC. From Celtic tribes and Romans to Ottomans and Austrians, the fortress has seen a lot of different rulers over its lifetime and been adapted by each.

Which is why it’s such an interesting spot to visit, and the most popular in Belgrade. Today, you can wander over the drawbridge and into the fortress walls for free, taking your time to explore the various towers and features while taking in the views.

The site is open from 10am – 5pm every day apart from Mondays. Plus, there’s some other unique parts of the fortress you can’t miss…

Spot chandeliers made from weapons at Ružica Church 

On the fortress site there’s also a church with some resourceful decorations! This church known as ‘Little Rose‘ is a Serbian Orthodox church that was originally built in the 15th century dedicated to the birth of the Virgin Mary.

Unfortunately, in 1915 the church was badly damaged during WW1 and had to be remodelled in 1925. The new architect wanted to link the church more to its military surroundings and so made use of trophy weapons from the war to create the church’s new chandeliers and bronze sculptures from cannon shells. This has created a very unique design that you really have to check out while you’re in the city!

Again, it’s completely free to enter and open at the same times as the fortress.

Spot old tanks, cannons & more at the Military Museum

As you’re exploring the fortress you’ll also see lots of weapons and military equipment in the grounds. That’s because the site is also home to the Military Museum with exhibits inside a newer building and outside in the grounds.

The museum houses over 3,000 ancient and modern artefacts including Roman swords, Greek daggers, Serbian heavy knight’s armour and WW2 tanks and weapons. There’s a lot to see here so if you do want to visit the full museum allow at least an hour to explore.

Entrance tickets cost 350 RSD (about £2.50) and like the fortress and church is open from 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday. You can’t buy tickets in advance, just pay on entry when you arrive.

Explore Park Tašmajdan & St. Mark Orthodox Church

If your walking tour hasn’t already taken you through Park Tašmajdan then make this your next stop. The central city park was once a Roman quarry, then a cemetery before it was turned into a park. It’s also seen conflict after being bombed during WW1 and again during NATO bombing in 1999.

This complex history is on display with various monuments and sculptures dedicated to the victims and leaders of the time. Today, you can stroll through the park to learn more, admire the beautiful Serbian Orthodox church built in 1940 and take a minute to relax under a tree and take it all in.

There’s also lots of leisure facilities here too so you’ll see lots of locals out playing tennis and basketball, swimming in the pool or watching performances in the small stadium.

Hunt down creative street art

While you’re exploring downtown and beyond, you’ll also start to spot more incredible street art. There’s so many creative murals to look out for which was one of our favourite things to spot in the city. You can easily just admire the art as you go or for more insight, join a free street art walking tour.

You can find a really well-reviewed 2-hour tour here.

Visit the museum and resting place of genius Nikola Tesla

In the afternoon, head over to the brilliant Nikola Tesla museum. It houses over 160,000 books, technical drawings, photographs and plans that the Serbian scientist and inventor developed over the course of his life. It’s also Tesla’s final resting place, with his urn on display in the building.

Join a guided tour which tells the story of Tesla’s life, explains how he developed concepts like the design for modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply and lets you get hands on with experiments. The most impressive being the Tesla Coil which produces electrical lightning in the building.

The museum is open every day from 10am to 8pm apart from Mondays when it closes at 6pm. Adult tickets for tours in English cost 800 RSD (about £6) and you buy them when you get there. Just note, they only take local currency in cash, no credit cards and tours start at the beginning of every hour so aim to get there in time for the start.

Watch the sun set at Gardoš Tower

Round out your first day in Belgrade by grabbing dinner and drinks at Gardoš Tower (also known as the Millenium Tower) as the sun sets. The 36m tall tower is sat in the suburb of Zemun, less than 30 minutes northwest of Belgrade. Its position on the riverside gives you sweeping views of the surroundings and across to the capital which is why it’s such a great spot for sunset.

The tower was built in 1896 to celebrate 1,000 years of Hungarian settlement in the region and after falling into disrepair over the 20th century, has been lovingly restored. Today you can enter the tower for 200 RSD (about £1.50) to admire the views from the top and then enjoy dinner on the terrace of Restaurant Gardoš next door.

To get over to Zemun, you’ll need to take a bus or taxi across from Belgrade. By bus the journey is only about 15 minutes to the bottom of the hill.

Best places to eat & drink

Kafeterija Magazin 1907 $

For the best breakfast, brunch and lunch head to this beautiful spot. Set in a stunning historic building in the centre of the city you can sit back and enjoy everything from pancakes and smoothie bowls to sandwiches, soups and cakes. We loved this place so much we actually came back twice!

Aviator Coffee Explorer $

For excellent coffee to keep your energy up for exploring, swing by Aviator. They serve great barista quality coffee in their open and welcoming café or outside on their patio in the sun.

Smash Burgers $

For an easy and oh so satisfying lunch or dinner, head to the best burger spot in the city – Smash Burgers. The reviews of this place speak for themselves but you’re guaranteed a really tasty juicy burger loaded with toppings and cooked to perfection.

Velika Skadarlija $$

For a taste of more traditional Serbian cuisine, head to this beautiful restaurant. Sit inside their candle-lit space or outside on their terrace to enjoy fresh grilled meat dishes, tasty salads and hearty stews.

Restaurant Gardoš $$

As I mentioned earlier, if you’re keen to grab dinner over by Gardoš Tower then this is the place to choose. A popular local spot that’s right next to the tower with the same incredible views overlooking the city. Sit back on their terrace to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy fresh dishes with flavours from around the globe.

Day 2: Explore a golden church, learn about Yugoslav history and watch sunset from Mt. Avala

On your second day in Belgrade, it’s your chance to learn more about recent Yugoslav history and get out into nature. Here’s where you should head…

Marvel at the golden Church of Saint Sava

Start the day off at one of the most beautiful churches I’ve ever seen. This is the Church of Saint Sava, a Serbian Orthodox Church built on the presumed grave of Saint Sava. Construction on the site started in 1935 but the exterior was only completed in 2004 and interior by 2020 due to conflict and political changes over the course of the 20th century.

Today it stands as one of the largest churches in the world with an enormous domed ceiling and incredible symmetry. Not to mention the fact it’s absolutely covered in gold!

I mean just look at that ceiling! That’s just a fraction of the golden glow you can see inside together with different shrines and paintings to Serbian Orthodox saints.

The church is open every day from 7am to 8pm and you can enter for free to admire this incredible place.

GOOD TO KNOW: Just always be respectful of worshippers and any services taking place. It’s also better to dress more modestly or cover bare shoulders or legs with a scarf or wrap, the female members of the church will cover their hair but this is not necessary for tourists.

Learn about regional history at the Museum of Yugoslavia

From the church, head slightly out of town to the very interesting Museum of Yugoslavia. This museum is dedicated to charting the history and heritage of Yugoslavia through the 20th century until its breakup in the early 1990s.

With unique collections, personal stories and a range of artefacts this is a fantastic museum to help you understand not only Serbia but the wider region. There’s lots to see so expect to spend an hour or two here and don’t miss Tito’s Mausoleum which is also on-site but more on that next!

The museum is open every day from 10am to 6pm apart from Mondays and adult tickets cost 600 RSD (about £4) which you can buy there.

Visit Marshal Tito’s Mausoleum

As I mentioned above, on the site of the museum you also have the chance to visit Marshall Tito’s resting place. Josip Broz Tito, known as Marshall Tito during his leadership of Yugoslavia was both loved and criticised and this exhibit surrounding his mausoleum helps explain this complex relationship.

The exhibition is known as the ‘House of Flowers’ and is open at the same times as the main museum above and can be accessed with your main museum entry ticket.

Relax in Topčider Park

After a morning of history, it’s time to relax in nature. For that, start by heading to Topčider Park, a sprawling green space with sculptures, monuments and fountains.

It’s a local favourite to relax, enjoy picnics or read under the shade of a tree. So why not pick up some food for lunch and head into the park to enjoy your own picnic and moment to rest before your final destination.

Climb Mt Avala & Avala tower at sunset for the best city views

To round out your final day in Belgrade, start the journey over to Mt Avala. This is the 511m mountain that overlooks Belgrade and the surrounding countryside. At the top you’ll find two key sights – the Monument to the Unknown Hero and Avala Tower.

The Monument to the Unknown Hero was created in 1938 where the body of an unknown Serbian soldier killed in WW1 was buried after battle with German forces. It’s a very impressive and moving structure that is worth taking some time to see.

From there, head over to Avala Tower to catch the sunset. Avala Tower is 204m tall and was completed in 2010 after the original was destroyed by NATO bombing in the 90s. Today, you can ride the lift up to the top of the tower to take in the views and enjoy a meal in the restaurant.

To enter the tower costs 400 RSD (about £3) and it’s open every day from 9am to 8pm. To get there, take the bus, a 30 minute taxi from Topčider.

Or join a great private tour like this one to take you from your accommodation straight to the mountain.

Have more time in Belgrade or want to see beyond the city?

If you have an extra day to explore beyond Belgrade or are curious about seeing more of Serbia, there’s an excellent day trip you can take to see some of the hidden gems in the east of the country. Stops on the tour include a 15th century monastery with an incredible 12 towers, an 80 million year old cave rich in stalagmites and stalactites, one of Serbia’s most beautiful waterfalls, and a mountain spring with turquoise water.

If that sounds just as good to you, click here to learn more about this day trip and book your place. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time or budget for this tour on my previous trip but it’s on my bucket list for next time!

Best places to eat & drink

Cafe & Factory 8 $

For a quick caffeine fix after exploring the Church of Saint Sava, head over the road to the cute and cosy Cafe & Factory 8. With tasty coffee and sweet treats, this is the perfect pit stop on your itinerary!

Single Origin $

For a beautiful aesthetic lunch, head to Single Origin. Their space is like something from a contemporary interiors magazine and it’s just a delight to be there. Plus, they have some great light lunch options from avocado toast to eggs and sandwiches alongside brilliant coffee.

Mezestoran Dvoriste $$

For a taste of the Mediterranean in Serbia, head to this laid-back indoor-outdoor restaurant with relaxed southern European style spaces serving fresh grilled meat, fish and veggie dishes. Everything is so fresh and tasty!

Little Bay $$

For something a little different, head to opera-inspired Little Bay. The interior is beautifully ornate with plush seating and you can enjoy your dinner with a show as there’s often live music or performances. Plus, the food is really high quality and the portions are pretty generous!

Best places to stay

That’s a wrap on your whistle-stop tour of the city, let’s look at the best hostels, apartments and hotels for your stay to suit every budget…

Budget: Balkan Soul Hostel (dorm beds from £16 per night)

If you’re on a tight budget, look no further than Balkan Soul Hostel. Their clean and fresh dorms get rave reviews for a reason – the beds are comfy, the location is brilliant and there’s plenty of communal space to relax on your own or meet other travellers.

Mid-range: Simma Luxury Apartments & Rooms (from £36 per night)

If you’re looking for a little more privacy, choose this incredible value apartment in the perfection position. The main sights are just a stone’s throw away and you have plenty of space to sit back and relax or get cosy under your high quality sheets.

Luxury: Prezident Palace Belgrade (from £222 per night)

For ultimate luxury, choose glamorous Prezident Palace. This place literally feels like you’re entering a royal residence with gilded rooms, lavish dining rooms, rooftop pool and hammam spa. What could be better than sipping a cocktail on the terrace and watching the sun set over the city…

How much a trip to Belgrade costs

Lastly, let’s look at your travel budget. This is one of the extra benefits of travelling to Serbia – it’s incredible value! Even with a packed two day itinerary, saying in a fantastic quality hostel and eating out for most meals, you could expect to spend under £75. For a little more luxury and your own apartment, expect to spend £150 or more.

There we have it, that’s my ultimate tried and tested itinerary for the best two days in Serbia’s capital. I hope you love this city as much as I did and if you have any questions about visiting Belgrade or wider Serbia leave them in the comments below and I’ll do my best to help. Happy travelling!

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