Lady’s Guide to 1 Day in Belgrade, Serbia

Today I want to share my travel itinerary for 1 day in Belgrade. Throughout my Balkans trip, I heard from fellow travelers, hoteliers, and others about what an amazing city it was. From the famous nightlife to the great grilled meats and the cafe culture, the capital of Serbia came highly recommended.

1 Day in Belgrade

My 1 day in Belgrade started at 5:45am after a 10-hour night train from Sofia. Bleary-eyed and feeling a serious disconnect between brain and body, I stumbled onto the platform and into a cafe to nurse a strong espresso until daylight.

Where to Stay in Belgrade

When the sky was sufficiently blue, I walked up the hill to the city center and found my accommodation, the Belgrade Art Hotel.

It was a chic boutique hotel in a great location right on Knez Mihailova, the main pedestrianized shopping street in the city.

My room wasn’t going to be ready for another six hours, so I dropped off my bag at reception and set off to officially start my 1 day in Belgrade.

Things to Do in 1 Day in Belgrade

The streets were empty at that time of the morning, and I felt like I had the whole city to myself.

I walked down the pedestrianized street with its shops and cafes, stopping for a great pastry at one of the many coffee places before continuing my 1 day in Belgrade.

At the end I found myself in Kalemegdan Park in front of Belgrade Fortress, one of the city’s most famous landmarks. I went through the gates, passing by several monuments and a military museum. I loved the peace of the empty space.

Back in the city center, my 1 day in Belgrade continued as I wandered along the streets, taking in the mix of historic architecture and open squares.

At one point I found myself on the bohemian street of Skadarska, with its colorful cafes and restaurants. I sat at one of them for a while and watched the city awaken with the morning.

Further afield, I walked down to the famous Church of Saint Sava, a massive place of worship that was completely unfinished on the inside.

On the way back to the area where my hotel was located, I passed the famous Hotel Moskva and the beautiful House of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.

Near there was the Cathedral Church of St Michael the Archangel and the famous “?” restaurant, which is one of the oldest in the city.

My 1 day in Belgrade continued as I walked around there and had a caprese sandwich for lunch at a local cafe before checking into the Belgrade Art Hotel.

My room, which the hotel had offered me on a complimentary basis for the night, had a big bed with a fluffy white duvet, a desk with a chair, a TV, and a good size bathroom.

The Belgrade Art Hotel had been decorated with almost all Italian furnishings, and the room was accordingly stylish.

I spent most of the afternoon working, and later continued my 1 day in Belgrade by going to dinner on the riverfront. The area had great places to eat.

I had a delicious dinner, and I particularly enjoyed the calamari served in a spicy sambal sauce. The Serbian wine was good, too. It reminded me of a lighter version of my favorite California Cabernet Sauvignons.

The next morning I woke up and enjoyed the breakfast buffet at Mosaic Restaurant in the Belgrade Art Hotel.

Afterwards I met the deputy general manager for coffee in the chic lobby cafe. She told me about the hotel, its design, and the live music nights they host.

I had an hour to walk around after our meeting. I rounded out my 1 day in Belgrade by making my way down to a street called Strahinjica Bana, where I’d heard there were great cafes.

There were. Every block had one or two, and they were all packed. Some, particularly one called Pastis, was full of Belgrade’s impeccably-dressed beautiful people.

1 Day in Belgrade

When my hour was over, I returned to my hotel and took a taxi to Nikola Tesla Airport. It was hard to believe my Balkans trip had come to an end.

I’m glad it ended with 1 day in Belgrade, though. My time in the city had been short and sweet, but I left Serbia happy to agree with the people who’d told me great things about the capital.

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