DAY 01: Arrive in Belgrade

Arrive in Belgrade and be welcomed by a representative before being transferred to the Leisure hotel for the rest of the overnight.

DAY 02: Full-day Belgrade City Tour

Following breakfast at the hotel, you have the entire day to explore Belgrade. Discover all that Belgrade has to offer in the city centre and its surroundings. Combining a walking tour with a scenic automobile trip will give you an idea of the entire city and the wider picture of life in Belgrade With live, expert guidance, you can explore Zemun, the Museum of Yugoslav History, the House of Flowers (where Josip Broz Tito is buried), Avala mountain, and Avala Tower, as well as New Belgrade, Saint Sava Cathedral, the Old and New Royal Palaces, the Serbian Parliament, a monument to Nikola Tesla, Republic Square, Kalemegdan Fortress, and many other attractions.

The tour starts from your hotel and drives to New Belgrade, which is located across the Sava River. It has several spectacular buildings which were built as a new section of the city during World War II and during the communist era such as The Sava Center, one of the largest conference halls in this region of Europe, the Federal Executive Council, commonly known as the Palace of Federation, the Genex Tower, or the Western Gate of Belgrade, etc.

We continue to Zemun, a part of Belgrade renowned for its northern location, picturesque neighbourhoods, cobblestone lanes, and seafood restaurants along the Danube River. Avijatiarski Trg, which marks the start of Zemun’s historic district. This square, with the massive monument to WWII heroes, is surrounded by Zemun’s oldest elementary school building and the Air Force Ministry, one of the most significant examples of modernism in pre-war Yugoslav architecture.

Then we head to Gospodska Street, the major street, where we can see some stunning examples of Zemun architecture, such as the Post Office, Hotel Central, Town Museum, House with a Sundial, etc. After parking at Stara Kapetanija on the Danube’s banks, we begin our walking tour of the historic centre of Zemun. As we go down the Zemun Promenade, which runs alongside the Danube River, we will see several quaint seafood restaurants that are shaded by plane trees over a century old. We ascend Gardos Hill, the centre of Old Zemun, passing by the oldest Orthodox church of St. Nicholas from the 17th century. This will give you the impression that Zemun is a mix of Mediterranean and Middle European cultures thanks to its curved cobblestone lanes and tiny houses.

When we reach the top of the hill, we can see the ruins of the Zemun citadel still standing there, with the Millennium Tower serving as Zemun’s prominent landmark in the centre. The romantic structure, created at the end of the 19th century in a fusion of historical styles, served to mark the southernmost point of the Austro-Hungarian empire. You will be speechless when you see Zemun Old Town from above, together with the meeting of the two rivers and Belgrade Fortress on the opposite side, from the top of the tower. We then go down Gardos Hill to go to the town’s main square, where there is a weekly market. The area is surrounded by historic structures, including the Bishop’s Office and the 18th-century central city Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Mary. We continue walking until we reach the Magistarski Trg, where the town’s administrative buildings, including the Town Hall and the Magistrate’s Building, have stood since the 19th century. Now, we come to the end of our walking tour and hop in the car to continue exploring.

We cross the Gazela Bridge and drive to Dedinje, the most affluent neighbourhood in Belgrade, where we will visit the Museum of Yugoslav History and the House of Flowers, where Josip Broz Tito, a founding member of Second Yugoslavia, is buried. To familiarise ourselves with the cultural legacy of the former Yugoslavia, we will visit all three locations: the May 25 Museum, the House of Flowers (not required to pay for a ticket on the spot), and the Old Museum, with a focus on the social history of the socialist era.

We will then depart the city and travel to Avala, the green mountain in Belgrade. One of Belgrade’s best-known open areas is less than 20 kilometres south of the city centre. It offers an ideal location for relaxation, picnics, or simply taking in the scenery. It is entirely made of wood and is inhabited by several bird and animal species. Until we reach Avala’s highest point, we go through lush woodlands. The mediaeval castle of Rnov, which was situated here, was destroyed in the 1930s by Aleksandar I, King of Yugoslavia, to build the Monument to the Unknown Hero, which is the largest monument in the country. He hired his court artist, the well-known sculptor Ivan Mestrovic, for the task, and together they built a spectacular building out of black marble with enormous statues that resembled ancient graves. We’ll learn fascinating tales about its construction process and the monument’s inherent meaning. Afterwards, we come down to Avala Tower, located on the second-largest hilltop of Avala (440 metres high). It was the largest concrete construction and the highest structure in the whole Balkans when it was built as a TV tower in the 1960s. The tower was attacked and destroyed during the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. It was rebuilt using the same blueprints and reopened to the public. The two elevators take us 123 metres up, where we get a breathtaking view over Belgrade, including the intersection of the two rivers and the province of Vojvodina behind, as well as the Sumadija region of Central Serbia. We take a little rest before getting back in the car and heading back to Belgrade. We’ll stop here for a typical Serbian lunch at one of the area’s oldest restaurants. On our way back from Avala, we stop at the Vraar neighbourhood for photography, where we can see the Church of St. Sava, also known as St. Sava Temple, one of the biggest Orthodox churches in the entire world.

Through Slavija Square, we will enter Nemanjina Street, which is home to nearly all state government buildings, including the State Court, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Staff of the Serbian Army, the Ministry of Railways, and the Government Building, all of which are stunning examples of pre-war Belgrade architecture. Following that, we take a trip through Kralja Milana Street, the city’s main thoroughfare, where important structures like the Old and New Royal Palaces are located. We drive through Nikola Pasic Plaza, where there is a memorial to the first prime minister of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and we stop to take pictures in front of the Parliament Building. Once there, we can hear the story of the two dynasties that governed Serbia in the 19th and 20th centuries as we stroll between the Old and New Royal Palaces.

Later, we arrive at Terazije Plaza, which features a distinctive 19th-century white stone fountain and one of the city’s most attractive landmarks, the Moskva Hotel. We keep riding until we arrive at Republic Square, the centre of the city, where the National Museum, the National Theater, and the Opera buildings are located, along with an equestrian monument honouring Knez Mihajlo, the most significant town and state ruler of the 19th century. We arrive at Studentski Trg, where we leave the car and start the walking part of our trip. We walk through Kalemegdan, the biggest and oldest park in the heart of the city. Beginning at Leopold’s Gate, we will go through the ruins of the Roman castrum, Singidunum, and the mediaeval walls that were constructed on top of it, Zindan Gate, Despot’s Gate, and Jakia tower, all of which date to the 15th century. We will tour the two Orthodox churches: the Ruica Church (Virgin Mary Church ) and the Chapel of Saint. Petka, which is located in this fortress.

When we enter the Upper Town (Gornji grad), we will be rewarded with a spectacular sight of the Sava and Danube rivers uniting. We’ll continue our stroll through the Upper Town, passing attractions like the Victor monument, a famous landmark in Belgrade created by sculptor Ivan Meshtrovic, the Roman well, the King’s gate and Sava promenade, the Damat Ali Pasha Mausoleum, and the Clock Gate (Sahatkapija) Clock Tower ( Sahatkula ). We will leave the fortress behind us and re-enter Kalemegdan Park after passing the Military Museum and via Istanbul’s gate (Stambol gate). In the park, there is a Monument of Gratitude to France by Ivan Mestrovic, as well as several busts of the great Serbian writer. We will reach the Republic Square through the pedestrian street Knez Mihajlova, passing by several remarkable examples of civil architecture from the 19th and 20th centuries, such as the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts.” Then return to the hotel to relax for the night.

Day 03: Northern Serbia: Novi Sad and Sremski Karlovic Tour

Just after breakfast at the hotel, spend the entire day experiencing Northern Serbia and discovering everything there is to know about the region on this tour. Choose between a private or small shared group with a live, professional guide and an a/c car. You will visit one orthodox monastery in the region known as “The Holy Mountain of Serbia,” as well as the picturesque baroque village of Sremski Karlovci, the massive Petrovaradin Fortress, and Serbia’s second-largest city, Novi Sad. With more than 25 different ethnic groups and six official languages, Vojvodina is a “melting pot” where visitors can experience the distinctive atmosphere of these diverse communities. Last but not least, you will get the opportunity to taste some distinctive, locally-made wine.

Your tour will start when we pick you up from your Belgrade hotel and drive directly to the Vojvodina region in northern Serbia. We will spend the next hour taking in the vivid scenery of the Pannonian plain and learning about the violent past of this region. Vojvodina is an ethnically diverse region with more than 25 different ethnic groups and six official languages. Vojvodina is the agricultural hub of Serbia thanks to its fine chernozem soils, which also provide the majority of the nation’s wheat and corn (maise). In Vojvodina, people say, “if you drop a button into  the ground, next spring, you will harvest a full coat.”

Fruka Gora: Afterwards, we travel to Fruka Gora, the only mountain region in this area, which has one of Serbia’s five national parks and is also one of the oldest and best wine districts. It is covered in woods on its upper slopes and is surrounded by vineyards on its lower slopes. The dense Lyndon woodlands provided an ideal hiding place for the 17 mediaeval Orthodox monasteries that had nestled within them.

Kruedol Monastery: Fruka Gora, also known as “The Serbian Holly Mountain,” is the home of 17 operating Orthodox monasteries. During battles and migrations brought on by Turkish domination, monasteries were established. They developed into crucial groups that made sure the Orthodox church and Serbian identity would remain through difficult times. Kruedol, which was established in the early 16th century, is perhaps the most significant. Several original paintings still hang on the dome’s pillars despite having suffered damage multiple times, and frescoes and icons date to the mid-1700s. The church houses the bones of King Milan Obrenovi (who died in 1901) and several other Serbian nobility from the Brankovi dynasty.

Sremski Karlovci: This tranquil, Baroque village will amaze you with its little homes, Baroque churches, mansions, gardens, and fountains. It has a rich history because a peace treaty was signed here in 1699 between Christian European armies and the Ottoman Empire, ending the Ottoman invasion of Europe.  For more than 250 years, the town served as a religious and educational centre for Serbs, making it one of the most important locations in Serbian history.

The Chapel of Peace, where the peace agreement was signed, will be our first stop. After that, we will walk through Karlovci’s streets till we reach the main plaza. The Four Lions Fountain, the Karlovci Gymnasium (High School), the Town Hall, the Roman Catholic Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas, the Patriarchy, and the Serbian Orthodox Theological Seminary can all be found in this area. We will try the most well-known local product the Bermet wine at one of the city’s oldest wine cellars.

The Winery: The renowned Bajlo winery will be our next stop. The Bajlo family has made wine for more than 250 years. As the current owners are the fourth generation to run the company, we think they are the best place for us to learn more about the Serbian wine from Bermet that even made it onto the Titanic. Bermet is a uniquely delicious aromatic dessert wine made locally. While containing between 15 and 18% alcohol, its delightfully sweet flavour is simple to underestimate.  It is commonly made as red wine, and in the 15th century, it was in high demand among European royal families. In the late 19th century, it was exported to the United States.

We’ll learn about the history of winemaking in Sremski Karlovci, find the secrets of Bermet production that each family keeps to themselves, and discover why they believe Bermet is “the best wine for men, but when a lady drinks it.” We will be sure not to leave the cellar without trying some of this sweet nectar, which even the formidable Maria Theresa is said to have enjoyed.

The Fortress: Our next stop is the impressive Petrovaradin Fortress, often known as “Gibraltar on the Danube.” One of Europe’s largest protected strongholds covers a 100-hectare area. It was constructed by the Habsburg Empire in the 17th and 18th centuries and was crucial in protecting Middle European nations against Ottoman assaults. We will stroll around the fortress, pass through some of its gates, and see the most intriguing locations on top of it, such as the City Museum, Old Military Barracks, and the Clock Tower. So you can rejoice with the view of Novi Sad and the Danube.

Novi Sad: Novi Sad is the second-largest city in Serbia, with its classic Middle European style and great history of being a cultural and intellectual hub of the Serbs in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, for which it earned the name Serbian Athens. Here, we will visit the most popular attractions, including the Museum of Vojvodina, Dunavski Park, the city’s largest green space, and the stunning Neo-Romantic Serbian Orthodox Bishop’s Palace. We won’t miss the 18th-century Serbian Orthodox Church of St. George with its priceless iconostasis created by renowned Serbian artist Paja Jovanovic. We will continue along the main street, admiring the architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries as well as the endless rows of cafés and diners, until we reach Liberty Square, which is the major part of the city. The Town Hall, Catholic Church, Finance Palace, and Vojvodina, the oldest hotel in the city, are all located in this area. Lastly, we’ll pass through the Serbian National Theater on our way to the city Synagogue, a stunning Hungarian Secession-style edifice and one of Europe’s largest preserved synagogues.

Following that, we will take a break, so you can spend your free time exploring Novi Sad. Consider following your tour guide’s suggestion to have a typical Serbian lunch (at your own expense), go shopping, check out The Museum of Vojvodina, or just stroll through Novi Sad. After your free time return to the car and will be driven back to Belgrade.

Day 04: Western Serbia: Full-Day Private Tour to Zlatibor Mountain

After breakfast at the hotel, take a full-day tour of Zlatibor, one of Serbia’s most stunning and well-known mountains.  The region of Zlatibor is famous for its traditional architecture, traditions, and cultures, rich and varied ethnic history, delectable culinary specialities, and healthy cuisine. Zlatibor has a mild temperature, making it one of Serbia’s most popular tourist attractions and a place notable for its clean air.

One of the latest and most popular tourist attractions is located here, the “Gold Gondola Lift,” the longest panoramic lift in the world. This cutting-edge air route, which is nine kilometres long, connects the town of Zlatibor with the ski resort “Tornik” through Lake Ribniko, where a stopover station is situated.

Visit the 55 buildings that make up the Sirogojno “Old Village” open-air museum to learn about construction techniques, interior design, and how locals managed their businesses and families. Then visit Stopia Cave, which has a 35-meter-wide and 18-meter-high entry hole. It is divided into five sections: the river canal, the canal with baths, the great hall with baths, and the gloomy hall. Go for an adventure on a 550-meter-long zip line that connects two hills, with the highest point being 130 metres above the ground, making it one of the longest zip lines in all of Europe. The ride lasts around one minute. Then return to Belgrade hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 05: Departure

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and catch your flight home.