This time last year Danielle and I were on a flight to Athens. We were seated next to a friendly college student from Pennsylvania who was on his first #EUROTRIP (sorry but I’m pretty sure that’s only allowed to be written in all caps with a hashtag). Sadly he didn’t get a chance to tell us about his crazy antics in Amsterdam and Munich though, because Danielle and I were deep in discussion about curtains.
We had just spent 16 hours in Belgrade and decided that we simply had to live there, which we were going to manage by opening a hostel! Sure, 16 hours isn’t long to get to know a place, but when you know you know.
When I returned to Belgrade in May I was curious if I would love it as much as last time.
Danielle and I are always scheming up new business plans to fund our travels (by the time we landed in Athens we had decided instead to bring the 2 liter plastic beer bottle packaging that’s so popular in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to the U.S. We would call it Picnic Ale and the hipsters would love it). But should we have stuck with our Belgrade hostel idea?
In short, no.
It turns out Belgrade already has over 90 hostels. I think the term here is saturated market. I know, I know, I’m a travel blogger so that’s clearly not the sort of thing that bothers me, but Belgrade also happens to be home to the best hostel in the world. Danielle and I could never have competed.
I guess I’ll have to come up with a new career plan because, you guys, Belgrade is it. The best city in Europe.
There, I said it.
This is going to sound vague and annoying, but it just has that vibe. Dan described it to his mom as similar to Berlin, but I think it’s more than that. It’s what Berlin is trying oh so very hard to be, but Belgrade just is, you know?
No?
You see? There are no words. Here are some photos:
Belgrade is full of character, life and yes, a few battle wounds (you can still see remains from where NATO bombed buildings in 1999).
But most importantly, Belgrade has some of the world’s best food. Seriously.
I’ve been dreaming about burek since Nate bought a slice each for Danielle and me when we visited last year and it was oh so good to bite into that freshly baked meat (or spinach or cheese) pie again. It’s usually served with a glass of yoghurt, which is the perfect refreshing complement to the greasy layers of filo pastry.
I’d be drooling on my keyboard just writing about it, but luckily burek is common throughout the Balkans, so I’m typing this in Albania with a fresh slice next to me.
*Unrelated* Does anyone know a good way to remove grease stains from a keyboard?
And then there’s pljeskavica, aka the best burger in the world. It has a flatter patty and somehow much, much more flavor than a traditional hamburger.
I’m not a big fan of hamburgers, but I’ve been craving this one ever since my last bite.
If you’re still hungry, there are pizza and palacinke (Serbian pancake) stands around every corner. After being cheese-deprived in Asia for so many years, I don’t want to admit how many slices of pizza I ate in Belgrade.
So you see, food heaven. And that’s not even mentioning the delicious tinned meat pâtés that I first discovered in Macedonia last year and cannot get enough of – I’m not mentioning them because it’s been suggested that my lack of Balkan language skills may have led me to fall in love with cat food.
Um, let’s talk about street art.
If you’re a fan of street murals and ruin bars, then Belgrade is your place.
And if you have any interest in Brutalist architecture at its most bizarre, then just head across the river into New Belgrade.
The staff at our hostel were fairly horrified to hear that we had spent one of our few precious days in Belgrade roaming the Communist styled streets of New Belgrade instead of say, Zemun, which used to belong to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and with its old cobblestone streets and views of the Danube is now one of Belgrade’s most picturesque neighborhoods.
I would love to visit Zemun next time I’m in Belgrade, but Dan and I have priorities, and they look like this:
But don’t worry, I’ll be back in Belgrade very soon.
Where to Stay in Belgrade
Remember how I said Belgrade has the world’s best hostel? I really think it might be true. Dan and I chose to stay at Hostel Bongo because Dan’s cat in London is named Bongo, but it could not have been a better choice.
In fact, Hostel Bongo is so nice it’s almost absurd. There were lots of whispers amongst guests about how nice it was.
Hostel Bongo is beautifully decorated – I particularly loved all the beautiful wallpaper – ideally located in the city center, and basically perfect in every way. It’s like a boutique hotel with dorm rooms and a hostel vibe.
Dan and I still sometimes talk about these amazing mattresses.
My only problem with Hostel Bongo was that I had such huge friend crushes on the staff that I often tried to come up with excuses to stay and talk to them instead of go out and explore the city like a good tourist. Whoops. Check here for current prices for Hostel Bongo
This post contains affiliate links, which means if you book any hostel or hotel through my link I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps keep my site running!
TaseSerbia says
Hi,
Great write up on Belgrade, we really liked how you saw and described it 🙂
As for food, let is know next time you are in Belgrade, we have a few places off the beaten path 🙂
Happy travels!
Silvia says
Thanks, I would love to discover more Serbian food!
Laura @ Bottled Air says
Belgrade seems awesome! And wow, Hostel Bongo looks SO NICE.
Silvia says
Hostel Bongo was absurdly nice – worth a trip to Belgrade in itself!
Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki says
I love the decorations in this hostel! There are so many places I have never heard much about, like Belgrade, but thanks to your blog they are now on my radar!
Silvia says
I hadn’t known much about Belgrade before my first visit last year but now I’m obsessed 🙂
Mwanje says
Silvia you are so beautiful
Sandra says
Love your blog! I would recommend you visiting SIV building or also called “Palace of Serbia”, interior design inside is just amazing and building itself is so unique.
Rachel says
I love how you give your heart out so openly and so freely! Belgrade looks amazing, that Zepter building – with the odd revolving (?) thing on the top – looks very familiar, I just can’t place where I’ve seen a similar building. Come to think of it, it may be a old Bond film!
Hostel Bongo looks gorgeous, I love the colourful kitchen.
Is all the food in Serbia massive?
Silvia says
Haha BEST city! BEST hostel! I do get pretty enthusiastic about things… I’m so curious about that Bond film now!
Iain says
Great story.. love your sense of humour!!
Silvia says
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Joella // Paper Crane Stories says
I’m so glad I’m not the only one constantly scheming up ideas for random travel-money making business..but never actually doing them. not sure why as obviously they are all brilliant ideas haha! I love the look of the hostel. I stayed in a great boutique hotel type hostel in Chengdu last summer called The Loft- I definitely think the slightly more “grown up” hostel is the way forward!
Silvia says
Haha I would love to hear your travel money making schemes (but I can’t promise I won’t try to steal them…).
jennifer says
Ah burek! When I came home from my last #EUROTRIP I decided that I should be able to easily find this, I live in NYC for crissakes. So I asked Google who told me there was a burek place only 1.5 miles from my apartment. PERFECT. I can walk the three miles round trip and that will make it okay to gorge on burek. Except that after walking the first 1.5 miles, I discovered the place was now closed. I took this as a sign and blocked it out but now I am craving it like crazy thanks to your picture. Sigh.
Silvia says
Ahh you need to find burek again!! I’m dreading leaving the Balkans and no longer having it several times a day, ha.
Cecilia says
You’re totally right, seriously. I have three favorite places in the world and Belgrade is one of them. It’s an amazing city; I also have friends there and I can’t stop dreaming of coming back! (I think by the beginning of 2016).
It is so curious but every people I know that have reached Belgrade have the same feelings as you and me. I think there’s a word for that and it’s MAGIC.
Greetings from Argentina,
Cecilia
Silvia says
It’s so interesting that everyone has such strong feelings for Belgrade! It’s clearly a very special city 🙂
Brooke says
Me too! We just did a 28-day trip of Croatia/Serbia/Bosnia, and Belgrade was our favorite! (Your blog and another, plus chatting with Yomadic, made me add it to the itinerary–so glad I did!)
Even for 40-somethings who aren’t into nightlife… we agree, it has that edgy, exciting feel. (We love Berlin, too. 🙂
Silvia says
So glad you also loved it! Belgrade really does have that special something – I haven’t met any travelers who didn’t like it!
Karisa @ Flirting with the Globe says
I’d love to visit Belgrade! And, I know what you mean about the burek, I had some while in Bosnia & Herzegovina – DELICIOUS!
Silvia says
I don’t know what I’m going to do when I can’t have burek everyday anymore…
Gordana says
I really enjoyed your sense of humor. I am very happy and proud to the fact I spent the first +/- 30 years of my life in Belgrade. I live now already 25 years in Holland, but I still have the time of my life every second I spend visiting my Belgrade.
Silvia says
Wow, growing up in Belgrade must have been such an interesting (and crazy) experience! I guess Holland is pretty nice too though 🙂
becky hutner says
You’ve got my attention, Miz Backpack. Gonna have to give this Belgrade a closer look. Starting with the artist of that Robin Williams piece!
Silvia says
YES.
Heather @ Ferreting Out the Fun says
I was actually considering a move to Belgrade at one point, and this makes me seriously wish I’d gone through with it! Looks like a fab city to explore!
Silvia says
I’ve been considering moving to Belgrade since my first visit… Such a wonderful city!
Victoria@ The British Berliner says
I’m loving this post about Belgrade and sounds very much like my cup of tea. Scoooooore!
OK then perhaps I’ll bring my own tea LOL!
Silvia says
I’m positive you would adore Belgrade!
Vanessa @ The Travelling Colognian says
Wow, Belgrade seems to be a paradise for foodies, your post made me really hungry! Also, the city seems to be very pretty – your photos are great! Hostel Bongo looks super-cute, its decoration and design reminds of a doll’s house. I can totally understand your statement about the staff being so nice that you didn’t want to go out. I made pretty much the same experience with the staff at my accommdation in Barcelona. They were absolutely lovely as was the hotel itself so that I didn’t want to leave. I will definitely make sure to stay there again when I return to Barcelona.
Silvia says
Hostel Bongo was like a doll’s house! I love connecting with hostel staff like that 🙂
Camille says
After reading this post and seeing the photos, I’m surprised I haven’t heard a lot more about Belgrade before! I wonder how I would feel about it though, as I must be the only person in the world who doesn’t like Berlin… But that hostel looks amazing – I love the fake garden painting in the courtyard, it’s brilliant!
Silvia says
I guess it depends why you don’t like Berlin. I thought the comparison was unfair, because Belgrade is much cooler! (And less pretentious, in my opinion).
Jenia says
This is so great – when we visited Belgrade it was only for 36 hours and it was cold and rainy. Although we saw some glimpses of the city you describe, we either didn’t have the weather or the time to discover the city you fell in love with. Your post is making me want to go back 😉
Silvia says
Oh you really do need to go back then! I know I definitely want to return to Belgrade again and again 🙂
Dejan says
_Thank you so much_ for a wonderful blog post about my hometown! I love it so much! ♡Btw, I’m pretty much sure that you can find easily burek in NYC; just look for Turkish restaurants! 😉
Silvia says
I love it too! And I hope I can find burek somewhere in Norway…
Danielle says
Ugh,drooling on the keyboard. I want a burek!
Silvia says
I have a brand new layer of fat on my stomach that I solely attribute to my month in the Balkans. Need to hike in these Norwegian mountains to get rid of it now! (But oh so worth it, duh)
Eric Anderson says
Belgrade! We were influenced to visit by that highly persuasive couple, Nate and Phillipa, while we were hanging out with them in Kyrgyzstan. I loved it! It’s one of four cities we fell in love with immediately. It was the start of this Balkans trip and we’re on a train headed there now to finish it.
Silvia says
Haha Nate and Phillipa are certainly persuasive! I hope you enjoyed the Balkans as much as I did!
Perica says
Its great to hear that you had a nice trip in Belgrade. Nice pics of you there, you realy tasted Serbian food 🙂
Silvia says
Oh I want to go back to Belgrade so badly!
Indie says
Awesome article! Glad to hear you have had a great time in Belgrade! It’s definitely one of the best cities to explore in south east Europe, I agree! The food, the people, the nightlife, the street-art… 😉 Next time also visit Novi Sad, especially somewhere around famous Exit Festival (July)… It’s an hour away from Belgrade, and very cool destination to explore 😉
Lena says
Haven’t been to Belgrade yet, but you sparkled my curiosity and cravings for best street food 🙂
Silvia says
It won’t disappoint!
Dika says
I just stumbled upon this article – wow. I lived in the city for so many years but I never could have said this better. Your observations are quite inspiring. Definitely sharing this with people. Safe travels!
Silvia says
Oh that makes me so happy!
Samantha says
I’m headed to Belgrade later this spring and wanted to write how much I appreciate this post! I feel like it’s a city that bloggers typically don’t cover (or maybe I’ve just personally had a difficult time researching it) — thank you for giving me ideas about what I should see/do when I’m there. Very excited after seeing this!
Silvia says
Oh lucky you! I really miss Belgrade. Have an amazing time!!
Julia says
I just got back from Belgrade the day before yesterday and all I can think about is finding my way back there. The people were friendly, the food was amazing, and there is so much to see and do. I was fortunate enough to be able to stay there for close to two weeks. This was my first trip outside of the United States and though it might be too soon, I kind of want to move there.
Silvia says
Oh wow, what an incredible first trip! I really, really want to spend more time in Belgrade.
Vuk says
I am so happy you loved it. Belgrade is warm, cozy, cultured, traditional, modern. All at once.