I walk past Brutalist apartment blocks and concrete murals, on my way to a five-star hotel in a contemporary high-rise. The rooftop bar overlooks a meandering river lined with graffitied warehouses that host late-night dance raves. It’s the kind of post-war counterculture scene I’d expect to find in Berlin—but I’m not in Germany’s edgy capital.
Belgrade, the largest city in Serbia, is called the “Berlin of the Balkans” because it has that same rebellious spirit that stems from decades of political unrest. But amid its battle scars are vibrant performance spaces, laid-back sidewalk cafés, and pockets of people sipping Turkish coffee and chain-smoking.
Right now, Serbia’s capital is seeing an influx of new venues because its tech sector is rapidly growing and the city is hosting the Expo 2027, a three-month world’s fair bringing more than 100 countries to Belgrade to showcase new ideas in technology, sustainability, and the arts. More expats and tourists are discovering that the city is cheaper than more sought-after European cities, especially now that it’s made all its public transportation free.
Here’s what to do in the Berlin-esque gem of the Balkans.
Stay up late for electric dancing
Try cheese-infused gin and Serbian rakija (fruit brandy) at Demokratija, surrounded by Stari Grad’s graffiti-lined charm.
Photos courtesy of Demokratija
Belgrade is known for its bustling nightlife scene—in particular, the splavovi (floating clubs) on its banks. The city’s favorable position at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers means party people flock to the water to dance until 5 a.m.
In the winter, the scene shifts from open-air discos on the river to warehouse raves. Belgrade’s old buildings are being reclaimed as performance and contemporary arts spaces. Two new examples are Ložionica, a stage-equipped cultural center in an old railway depot, and Esthetic Joys Embassy, an immersive listening bar inside a stately property from the 1920s.
Belgrade’s nightlife has also expanded to more speakeasy-style cocktail lounges: New Money Bar, Šira Cocktail Bar, and Demokratija have opened in the past couple years.
Explore Belgrade’s artsy enclaves
Street art meets city skyline views under the Old Sava Bridge along the Belgrade Waterfront.
Photo by Bada1/Shutterstock
A short walk from the central Republic Square, Belgrade’s Design District is a conglomeration of creative minds housed in an abandoned outdoor mall from the 1990s. Dozens of boutiques sell handmade jewelry, ceramics, original prints, and indie fashion to bring home as souvenirs.
To see spray-painted masterpieces that symbolize the city’s defiant spirit, head to the 200-year-old neighborhood of Savamala. Here, you’ll find the black-and-white La Santa de Beograd or the massive blue whale known as Imitation of Life n°9.
Extend your street art tour to Dorćol or Čavketov Pasaž, a pedestrian alleyway, and don’t forget to admire the buildings themselves as you wander streets blending communist-era exposed concrete with neoclassical landmarks. Visit the Belgrade City Museum—soon to reopen in a new location on Resavska Street—to learn more about the eclectic architecture.
Follow the cool crowds to Belgrade’s best food and coffee
Try freshly made Istrian pastas from Michelin-recommended Comunale.
Photos by © Jovana Rakezić
Serbia’s metropolis is big on coffee. D59B is a trendy haunt with specialty drinks, but you can order an exceptionally strong Turkish coffee—aka “domestic” coffee—at any café you come by.
To dine among Belgrade’s coolest crowd, choose a restaurant at Beton Hala, a row of converted warehouses whose current name translates to “concrete hall.” It’s home to Comunale Caffè e Cucina, a Michelin-recommended spot serving house-made pastas and other Italian and Mediterranean dishes. Or, for a slightly more casual vibe, you can order small plates of traditional Balkan dishes like drpana prasetina (pork shoulder with a cream called kajmak) and stevine sarmice (beef stuffed grape leaves cooked in a clay pot) next door at Ambar. Wherever you go, there’s a good chance you’ll be serenaded by a traditional folk band roaming the dining room.
Choose between edgy boutique hotels and luxe historic properties
Visitors searching for a lively vibe should book their stay at Mama Shelter, an outpost of the global chain that has fashionable properties from Dubai to Los Angeles. Belgrade’s iteration has a club and a rooftop overlooking the pedestrian Knez Mihailova Street and one of its iconic murals. That edginess is echoed at Moxy, which is marked by a retro neon sign in the cosmopolitan Vračar district.
Belgrade also has its share of opulent heritage hotels such as the palatial Bristol, a five-star splurge that once accommodated members of the Rockefeller family. Or book the St. Regis Belgrade, which has glass architecture that reflects the ripples of the Sava and Danube rivers.
