Breaking the Chain: A Sweet Serbian Getaway After 6 Long Years

I hadn’t explored a new culture since 2018, but finally in 2024, I broke that streak and had the chance to visit one of the gems of the Balkans—Serbia. With its visa-free entry and affordable travel options, Belgrade turned out to be a great addition to any international travel itinerary.

Let’s talk about my impressions of Belgrade.

First and foremost, what I loved the most was how welcoming the Serbian people were toward tourists. I’ll admit, I had heard rumors that they might not be too fond of Turks, so I approached with a bit of caution. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t impressed by both their friendliness and their general level of English. People were kind and genuinely helpful. To be fair, I’m referring mostly to those working in touristic areas—they're likely used to foreigners. Still, having spent 9 months in a place like the Czech Republic (which takes nationalism to the next level), I can say that I didn’t come across a single person in Belgrade who looked at tourists with disgust. (Maybe I’ll save my Czech experiences for another post.)

Secondly, Belgrade is surprisingly affordable. Considering how weak the Turkish lira is, I can honestly say I left the city quite satisfied after a few days. That said, local purchasing power in Serbia isn’t very strong either. Oh—and their currency is a bit unusual. It reminded me of the Hungarian forint, with all those zeros still intact. So when someone tells you “That’ll be 2,000 dinars,” you might go “What?!” at first—but once you convert it, you realize how cheap things actually are.

The third highlight of my trip: the Danube and Sava rivers. I first encountered the Danube in Budapest and was instantly captivated by it. Seeing where it meets the Sava River in Belgrade, from the stunning Kalemegdan viewpoint, gave me that same awe-struck feeling all over again. Kalemegdan was easily my favorite spot in the city—a massive green space with activity areas, a zoo, cafés, and of course, an enormous fortress. If I lived in Belgrade, I’m pretty sure I’d hang out there with a cold beer in hand.

And of course, no visit to Belgrade would be complete without stopping by the Nikola Tesla Museum. The most moving part for me was the area where Tesla’s ashes are kept—goosebumps, once again. And as if that wasn’t enough, one of the museum staff realized we were Turkish and casually said: “Her şey çok güzel olacak” (everything will be alright), which totally caught us off guard!

Our accommodation was insanely close to the city center, so we walked to almost every tourist attraction. In just three days, we got so used to the streets that by the first night we were already saying, “Let’s go home and chill,” like we’d lived there forever—no map, no help, just vibes.

Now the trip is over, but what’s left is a sweet longing and a bunch of unforgettable memories.