Things to do in serbia road trip

Kworld Trend / Things to do in serbia road trip, You may have preconceived notions of what a road trip through Serbia is like – we sure did. We were concerned about how safe it would be and whether foreign visitors would be welcomed.

Things to do in serbia road trip

Serbia is one of those countries where you only need a rental car to experience all it has to offer! It’s not easy to explore via public transport, so we decided to rent a car with Auto Europe and set off on a road trip in Serbia!

After an amazing European road trip through Switzerland with Auto Europe last year, I knew the process was going to be seamless. Upon getting off our plane, we made our way to the rental car counter and transferred to our brand new Citroen C3 – and it still smelled like new!

You can put this idea aside. Our road trip in Serbia was full of stunning scenery, interesting history, and friendly, helpful people.

Road tripping  in Serbia is the perfect way to explore this landlocked country, either on its own or as part of a larger Balkans road trip.

Continued

Serbia, which was once part of Yugoslavia, has beautiful mountains, historic cities and until now, remains off the tourism radar. It is home to the UNESCO-listed Djerdap National Park and its historic capital, Belgrade, and lies at the meeting point of two major rivers, the Sava and the Danube.

Nikola Tesla, famous engineer and physicist, was born here and another son of Serbia, with recent fame, is Novak Djokovic, one of the best tennis players in the world.

However, Serbia still suffers from youth unemployment of 60% as many of its talented youth leave Serbia to live and work elsewhere, a phenomenon called,  brain drain . Perhaps, with Serbia attracting more tourism, this will help the recovery of the economy.

We spent a year  traveling across Europe  in a campervan and have to say the Balkan people were some of the friendliest people we came across.

Where to start your Serbia itinerary

Belgrade (the capital of Serbia) is the main transportation hub in the country and a natural place to start your travels if you are traveling to the country. There are also regular bus services between Belgrade and neighboring countries: Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Having said that, I don’t necessarily recommend starting your Serbia travels in Belgrade.

Belgrade is quite a polarizing city that many people find overwhelming (or depressing, depending on how you look at it). I wasn’t a big fan of Belgrade, and I think if I started my trip there it would probably have affected my impression of the whole country.

Instead, I recommend that you start your Serbia itinerary in Novi Sad, the second largest city, also located in the north. The two are only an hour and a half apart, so you can easily commute to Novi Sad by bus after arriving in the capital. If you are flying into Belgrade, I would recommend pre-organizing  an airport transfer  to take you to the bus station.

Of course this is just my opinion – you could easily turn around the itinerary and start with a few days in DC before continuing north.

However, If you are entering Serbia by road from Hungary, western Romania or eastern Croatia, you can easily find bus services to either Novi Sad or Subotica. We entered the country from Osijek in Croatia and had Novi Sad as our first stop.

Interactive road trip map to Serbia

How to use this interactive Serbia map

To use this map, expand it using the square icon on the top right side and you will find the key on the left side. By clicking on each site you will find additional information. 

For example, each overnight Campervan stop on the map has a web link to Camper Contact where you can view available facilities, price, opening times and helpful user reviews at each motorhome camping site in Serbia.

• Orange motorhome symbol =  overnight motorhome stop
• Purple location icons = places to visit

Where to road trip in serbia

We entered Serbia after  trekking through Bosnia and Herzegovina  and started our wilderness Serbian camping trip in a parking lot at Gornja Koviljaca. We couldn’t find the campsite we were heading to – not the first time on our trip to Europe, I have to admit.

In fact, we thought we were wild campers, but we actually found the campsite and didn’t realize it!

However, It wasn’t until I wrote this post, and researched a camper site that we were trying to figure out. It was a free park for us but usually they ask you to pay… oops.

Belgrade

Driving on the outskirts of Belgrade and past stark apartment buildings was a reminder that rule under communism did not end long ago. The year 1990 ended when Serbia was still part of Yugoslavia. Serbia did not gain independence until 2006.

Below, we have listed some of the best spots to visit in Belgrade but there is a lot more to see if you are in  Belgrade for more than a day.

Belgrade Fortress

The main attraction of Belgrade is its fortress, Kalemegdan which has been destroyed and rebuilt over 40 times over the centuries. A sign of Serbia’s turbulent past.

However, Belgrade is known locally as Belgrade (the White City) because the castle was built on a white ledge that overlooks the converging rivers below.

From the castle walls, there are great views across the Danube, Sava, and the surrounding park. Kalemegdan Park is the largest and most beautiful park in the city.

Republic Square Trg

Trg Republike is Belgrade’s main square, and a popular meeting place. You’ll also find the National Museum, National Theatre, Prince Mihailo Monument and tourist information about the square.

And on Republic Square, we met our guide for the  Free Walking Tour  of Belgrade.

Moreover, We recommend taking part in a free tour, or booking a guided tour. To appreciate the history of the city and hear first-hand accounts of what life is like in Serbia.

Monument to Prince Mihailo (Michael) sitting on his horse in the middle of the square  , which is a monument of great cultural significance.

It was founded in 1882 in honor of the liberation of Belgrade from the Turks. Mihailo Obrenović (1823-1868), Prince of Serbia, played an enormous role in liberating Serbia from Ottoman (Turkish) rule in 1867. However, his assassination in 1868 cut short his reign.

However, The National Museum in Trg Republik is finally open   to visitors after being closed for 15 years due to supposed renovations. It displays artifacts and arts that represent the history and culture of Serbia.

Note that the museum is closed on Mondays and admission  is free on Sundays .