Belgrade Big Tour: Top Attractions and Belgrade Neighborhoods

Kalemegdan Park & Belgrade Fortress

Your trip will begin with a pick-up from your hotel/accommodation in Belgrade. We won’t stay in the vehicle for long, as our first stop is Kalemegdan, the oldest and largest park in the city center, and the magnificent Belgrade Fortress. Starting from Leopold’s Gate, we will pass by the remains of the Roman castrum – Singidunum- and the medieval walls built upon it, including Zindan Gate, Despot’s Gate, and Jakšića Tower, all dating back to the 15th century. We will visit two Orthodox churches in this part of the fortress: The Chapel of St Petka and Ružica Church (Virgin Mary Church). Entering the Upper town (Gornji grad), we will see the magnificent sight of the confluence of two rivers: the Sava and the Danube.

The Victor monument

We will continue our walk through the Upper Town: the Victor Monument by world-renowned sculptor Ivan Meštrović, one of Belgrade’s landmarks; the Roman Well; the King’s Gate; the Sava Promenade; the Damat Ali Pasha Tomb; the Clock Gate; and the Clock Tower. Passing by the Military Museum and through Istanbul’s gate, we will leave the fortress behind us, entering Kalemegdan Park again. There is a Monument of Gratitude to France (again by Ivan Meštrović) in the park, and many busts of the famous Serbian writers. We’ll re-enter the vehicle and continue our tour.

New Belgrade

Continuing with our tour, we’ll have a chance to see New Belgrade’s impressive modern architecture. Built as a new part of the town after WWII and during the socialist regime, it has many remarkable buildings. Former Central Committee of the Communist Party; Federal Executive Council; also known as the Palace of Federation, Genex Tower, or the Western Gate of Belgrade; Sava Center, one of the largest congress halls in this part of Europe; etc. Even the famous MOMA in New York dedicated a special exhibition, “Toward a Concrete Utopia,” to the architecture of New Belgrade. New Belgrade will show you the city’s different face, including buildings in the architecturally similar former Eastern Bloc “brutalist” style and modern business buildings built in recent decades. Finally, we will pass by the restaurant “Novak,” owned by the family of the famous tennis player Novak Đoković, and the Belgrade Arena, the most important sports venue in this part of Europe.

Zemun neighborhood

After New Belgrade, we’ll reach Zemun, a northern area of Belgrade known for its Central European architecture, charming quarters, cobblestone streets, and fish restaurants along the Danube River. We’ll pass by Avijatičarski Trg, where the old city of Zemun begins. Surrounded by the massive monument to WWII heroes and the Air Force Ministry, one of the finest examples of modernist architecture in pre-war Yugoslavia, this square is home to Zemun’s oldest elementary school building. We’ll continue our ride along Gospodska Street, where we can see beautiful examples of Zemun architecture, including the Post Office, Hotel Central, the Town Museum, and the House with a Sundial.

We’ll leave the vehicle on the Danube bank and begin our walking tour through the heart of old Zemun. We’ll continue along the bank of the Danube River – Zemun Promenade, where numerous old fish restaurants have nested under the shade of the century-old plane trees. Passing by the oldest Orthodox church of St. Nicholas from the 17th century, we’ll climb the Gardos Hill – the heart of Old Zemun. Its curvy cobblestone streets and small houses will give you the impression that Zemun is a melting pot of Mediterranean and Middle European cultures. When we reach the top of the hill, we’ll see the remains of the Zemun citadel, which still stands alongside the Millennium Tower, Zemun’s central landmark. This romantic structure, built in a mix of historical styles at the end of the 19th century, marked the southernmost point of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The majestic view from the top of the tower will leave you breathless: Zemun Old Town from above, but also the confluence of the two rivers and the Belgrade Fortress on the other side. We’ll head down Gardos Hill to the town center and arrive at the Main City Square, where a daily market is located. Old buildings, including the Bishop’s Office and the Roman Catholic Church of the Blessed Virgin, dating back to the 18th century, surround the square. We’ll conclude our walking tour here, and you’ll have some free time for lunch, coffee, or simply to explore the streets of Zemun.

Lunch break

Zemun offers a variety of lunch options. Perhaps you would like to sit in one of the restaurants overlooking Danube and try the freshly prepared Danube fish, or maybe you would like to taste one of the most famous pastry of the area, called “burek”, or you would like a quick portion of small rolls of seasoned ground meat, better known as “chevapchici”, the choice is yours.

Dedinje neighborhood

After we cross the Gazela Bridge, we’ll head for Dedinje – Belgrade’s most luxurious residential area. Here, we’ll see some of the most beautiful mansions in the city, perfectly nestled in the greenery and serenity of Topčider Hill. Your guide will provide you with information about the properties’ history and what was happening with them during the turbulent 20th century. We’ll see the country’s biggest football stadium, “Rajko Mitić Stadium”, the home of Red Star Belgrade. Red Star is the last club from Eastern or Southern Europe to win the prestigious Champions League. Their biggest competitor, Partizan Belgrade, has a stadium just across a small hill. Their rivalry has lasted for more than 70 years.

Saint Sava Temple

Coming from Dedinje, we’ll visit the Vračar area, where we can see one of Belgrade’s most prominent landmarks – The Church of St. Sava (also known as St. Sava Temple), one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world. The Temple of St. Sava features an enormous dome visible from across the city. Size apart, the church is undeniably a highly impressive structure. Construction began in the 1930s at the site where the occupying Ottoman forces burned the relics of St. Sava (1175-1236). St Sava was the founder and the first archbishop of the independent Serbian Orthodox Church, and Serbians widely recognize him as one of the most important figures in Serbian history. Built in the Serbian-Byzantine style, the church occupies 3,500 m² at ground level, with an additional 1,500 m² in the three galleries on the first level. At its highest point, the dome is 70 meters high, while the central gilded cross is an additional 12 meters, giving the Cathedral a total height of 82 meters.

Slavija Square and Nemanjina Street

When we finish with the Temple, we’ll enter the vehicle one more time. Through Slavija Square, we will enter Nemanjina Street with almost all state governmental institutions: Government Building, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Staff of the Serbian Army, the Ministry of Railways, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Court, etc. – all being beautiful examples of Belgrade’s pre-war architecture.

Republic Square

We’ll continue our ride to Republic Square, the heart of the capital, where the city’s most prestigious cultural institutions are located. Here you will hear information about the most important buildings surrounding the Square: the National Museum and National Theatre, and a short explanation of why Prince Mihailo is one of the most important figures in Serbia’s modern history. Here we will see the National Museum and the National Theater and Opera buildings, with an equestrian monument to Knez Mihajlo, the most important 19th-century city and state ruler.

The National Assembly and Terazije Fountain

Next, we’ll reach Terazije Square, featuring a recognizable 19th-century white stone fountain and one of the most beautiful buildings in the city – the Moskva Hotel. We’ll pass by Nikola Pasic Square, with a monument to the first Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and finally we’ll stop in front of the Parliament Building. This is an excellent location for taking high-quality photos. Here you will see the Old and New Royal Palaces and hear stories about the two dynasties that ruled Serbia in the 19th and 20th centuries. This is where your tour will conclude, and your guide will offer suggestions for the rest of your afternoon.

• Pick-up will be 15-30 minutes before departure. We’ll email or WhatsApp you the pickup details the day before the trip, no earlier than 6 pm.
• Pickup from any hotel, Airbnb, or pension within 5 km of Republic Square, or from Belgrade Port, is free of charge.
• For pick-up locations more than 5 km from Republic Square, please contact us directly.
• Important note: Depending on the traffic conditions, location of your hotel/Airbnb, the number and the positions of the pick-up locations on the day of your trip, we may ask you to walk to the closest pick-up point (never more than 7-8 minutes of walking from the place where you’re staying).

09:00 – 09:30 Hotel pick-ups
09:30 – 11:30 walking tour through Belgrade Fortress
11:30 – 12:00 New Belgrade panoramic ride
12:00 – 13:00 Zemun walking tour
13:00 – 14:00 Zemun free time
14:00 – 14:45 Topcider and Dedinje panoramic ride
14:45 – 15:30 Saint Sava Temple
15:30 – 16:00 Old Belgrade panoramic ride
16:00 – 16:15 National Parliament Building, Old and New Royal Courts. End of the tour. *(all the times are given approximately, depending on the traffic conditions)

• Confirmation will be received at the time of booking.
• Travelers should have a moderate level of physical fitness.
• The minimum number of guests required to operate a shared tour is three.
• At least 16 hours before the trip, we will inform you in case there are not enough guests on the tour, and we will offer a choice between:
  1) canceling the tour with no fees applied;
  2) changing the tour date;
  3) moving to another available tour.

We apply very simple rules. If you cancel the tour up to 24 hours before, you’ll get a 100% refund. If you cancel the tour less than 24 hours before the trip, you will not receive any refund.