- Important points
- Choosing wings
- Hotel or apartment
- Transport subtleties
- Nightingales are not fed with fables
- Useful details
- Perfect travel to Serbia
Part of the former Yugoslavia, the Balkan Republic of Serbia gained state independence in 2006 and since then has proclaimed tourism a priority area of its economy. Initiates do not need to talk about the delights of traveling to Serbia, while the rest are happy to inform that tourists are welcomed and loved here. Guests are offered active outdoor recreation, acquaintance with the national customs and ethnic characteristics of the Balkan republic, visiting ethno-villages and the opportunity to enjoy Serbian cuisine, which is based on centuries-old traditions and ecologically pure natural products. And the traveler in Serbia is waiting for an inexpensive ski program on the slopes of the Kopaonik massif, health tours in thermal resorts and pearls of the architecture of ancient Belgrade.
Important points
- Good news for tourists from Russia: visiting Serbia for up to 30 days does not require a visa. For the trip, only a valid one month after the expected date of return of the foreign passport is sufficient.
- Toll tolls in Serbia are charged at the highway exit.
- Visiting Kosovo is not safe for tourists.
Choosing wings
Regular direct flights from Moscow to Belgrade and back are operated by both Russian and Serbian air carriers. Airlines of many European countries fly with connections:
- The cheapest ticket for an Air Serbia plane is about 200 euros. The journey will take almost 3 hours. Aeroflot accepts passengers on board flying to Belgrade every day.
- A flight with connections in the case of Serbia most often turns out to be unprofitable either in cost or in the duration of the journey. Swiss, Germans, Dutch and French fly to Belgrade with a transfer in Zurich, Frankfurt, Amsterdam or Paris, but you will have to spend at least 8 hours on the way, and pay from 220 euros for a ticket.
Every day from the Belorussky railway station in the capital of Russia there is a train from Moscow to Sofia, which has trailers to Belgrade. Travel time to the Serbian capital takes about 40 hours, and for a ticket in a compartment you will have to pay from 220 euros.
Hotel or apartment
The hotel fund of Serbia has undergone significant restructuring and reorganization in recent years and, at least in the capital, there are modern hotels that meet international standards. Accommodation prices even in Belgrade will pleasantly surprise budget travelers. For example, a room in a three-ruble note in the center of the old city with free internet and parking will cost 30-35 euros per night, and private apartments of the same level for a few days can be rented even cheaper.
Hotels with five stars on the facade in Belgrade are quite expensive, as elsewhere, and to stay for a day at the Hyatt Regency or Metropol Palace, you will have to pay about 200 euros.
But in the city of Novi Sad there are "five" quite budgetary. The keys to the room in the local 5 * hotels will be given to you for 60-70 euros per day. The price includes an English breakfast, free Wi-Fi in rooms and public areas, and access to the indoor pool and gym.
Serbs willingly offer rental of their own accommodation on websites for foreign tourists. A room in an apartment with an owner in the center of the capital will cost 15 euros per day, and the keys to a separate studio-type apartment in Belgrade will be given to the guest for 20 euros.
On the slopes of the Kopaonik ski resort, you can rent an inexpensive room for 25 euros per day or stay in a more respectable hotel, paying from 80 euros per night.
Transport subtleties
The main type of intercity transport in Serbia is railways, which connect not only large settlements of the country, but also connect the republic with other European powers.
The four types of Serbian trains are passenger, high-speed, fast and express. They differ in travel speed and ticket prices. The popularity of railways is the reason for a certain shortage of tickets, and therefore they should be booked at least a day in advance.
Public transport is represented by buses and trams. Travel coupons are sold at newsagents. You can pay for the fare directly to the driver, but it is much more expensive. Taxis in Serbia are relatively cheap, but the price of the trip should be negotiated before starting.
Any owner of an international driver's license at least 21 years old can rent a car in Serbia. Serbian roads in many places leave much to be desired, and the repaired sections are likely to be paid.
Nightingales are not fed with fables
Seasoned travelers believe that Serbia is the gastronomic crossroads of Europe. Life here, indeed, resembles an incessant feast. The reason for this is the hearty, tasty and extremely healthy dishes that the local cuisine abounds in.
Serbs love meat and know how to cook it, moreover, an adherent of marbled beef, and a fan of dietary turkey, and a lover of juicy pork will find the dish of their dreams here. The most popular dish, Serbian pleskavica, is a grilled beef cutlet served with a generous portion of fresh sweet onions, herbs and vegetables, complete with a heated fresh roll. This luxury will cost 2-3 euros.
In Serbia, you can and should taste homemade cheeses and peach and nut jam, for which it is best to go to the local market. You can bargain, but not too persistently - Serbs do not unreasonably overstate food prices, but they always do not mind giving a discount to a good person.
The typical Serbian restaurant is called "kafana" and is more of a pub or tavern with home furnishings and antique furniture. In the evenings, musicians play in such kafans. The average bill for a hearty dinner for two with meat dishes and wine will not exceed 30 euros.
Useful details
- Fines for non-compliance with traffic rules in Serbia are quite substantial. Talking on the phone while driving or not wearing seat belts will "cost" the offender at least 40 euros.
- The price of 1 liter of gasoline in Serbia is about 1, 08 euros.
- Serious portions in cafes and restaurants in Serbia allow you to order one hot and one salad for two.
Perfect travel to Serbia
Located on the Balkan Peninsula, Serbia boasts a continental climate with distinct seasons. Summers are hot here, with temperatures not lower than + 25 ° С and minimal rainfall. Winter is short, but snowy and cold. In January, thermometers often show - 2 ° С in the plains and -15 ° С in the mountains.
At the Kopaonik ski resort, the season starts in November, when a stable snow cover is established on the slopes. Thermometer columns are kept in the region of -10 ° С in December-February, and it is possible to ride comfortably on local tracks until the end of March.
Fans of national exoticism prefer to travel around Serbia during holidays and festivals. Gourmets will love the Leskovac Meat Festival and the Smederevo Grape Harvest Festival, while music lovers will be delighted with the repertoire of the bands participating in the Belgrade Summer Jazz Festival, the Lido Island Contemporary Music Festival on the Danube and the Guča Brass Band Festival.
