rashport
travel blog for budget travelers
rashport
Places Visited
Useful Information
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If you arrive in Belgrade in summer, there is a high probability that there is no car available for rent at the airport unless paid in advance. Note that car rentals at Belgrade-Nikola Tesla Airport wouldn’t do an effort to find alternatives
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In my opinion, the country generally lacks attractions. I went to Serbia with “no expectations”, and it did not change my expectations
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By far, Serbia is one of my least favorite countries in the 35 countries I have visited. Add it to your itinerary (if and only if) you are planning a trip throughout the Balkans. If planning a Balkan tour, start in Serbia because once you visit Bosnia & Herzegovina or Croatia and learn about the atrocities committed by the Serbs and their militias, you will surely get disturbed and would not favor visiting Serbia after that
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Shockingly, smoking is permitted everywhere… including indoors in restaurants and cafes
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Note that a visa to Serbia can be waived with a valid Schengen or United States visa
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Generally, Serbia is not discovered by tourists yet. The country was quite empty in summer. Most of the tourists come from the Balkan countries
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If planning to travel all over the country by bus, plan day trips from Belgrade. It has a central location and good bus network. Connections between towns/villages means that a traveler often needs to return to Belgrade. Buses are not equipped with WiFi. Checkout the bus schedule on www.bas.rs
Belgrade
Activities, tours and attractions
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I thought Belgrade was unimpressive. There is no old town (as what is expected in any European city). There are no iconic attractions or major places of interest
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Belgrade is famous for the night life. I am personally not a party animal so I don’t have any recommendation. Several boat bars can be seen along the Danube
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Enjoy breathtaking views of Belgrade and the Danube river from Kalemegdan Fortress… from any section and at any elevation
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Visit Novi Beograd (New Belgrade) by a public bus if you have some time to kill. The district has several modern cafes and restaurants, most of the crowds are locals. In Novi Beograd, visit Gordos Tower (aka The Millennium Tower) which has 360° views of Belgrade and the Danube. Entry ticket is 200 Dinars = €2. There is an old church with a cemetery opposite Gordos Tower which is interesting to check out as well
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There are no tour operators in Belgrade. The travel offices I found were catering for holiday packages outside the country
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Museum of Yugoslavia houses a collection of souvenirs and gifts awarded to the former Yugoslav president, Josip Tito. It also houses the tomb of Tito and his wife in what’s known as the House of Flowers. The museum was way below my expectations and I did it on a rainy day, but I thought it was a waste of time and money. There’s a discount for students with a valid ID. Staff inside speak very poor English!
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Saint Sava Church is regarded the largest in the Balkans. Some criticize the grandeur, lavish interior and amount of money spent on the decoration and mosaics. Some locals dubbed it as “the pregnant elephant”! The interior is gorgeous
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I deliberately crossed out major Serbian cities such as Novi Sad and Nis from my itinerary because I did not find anything interesting to do or see. In fact, I had to add Belgrade to my itinerary as it is the main gateway to the country with the best bus network
Transportation
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"Centralna Autobuska Stanica" is the main central bus station of Belgrade. Stay close to it if planning for day trips from Belgrade to other towns, villages or national parks
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Bus drivers (public buses with routes within Belgrade) are very kind. Whenever I got on a bus and asked if the bus route was going to my destination, drivers sometimes offered a free ride and told me where exactly to get off
Restaurants and cafes
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On my way to Belgrade Museum of Contemporary Art, I stopped at Restoran Nacionalna Klasa for breakfast. I ordered omelet with potatoes and cow cheese, and orange juice. The portion is quite big and very delicious. The waitress was very attentive as well. The restaurant has nice views over the river Sava and the famous fortress, Kalemegdan
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I ordered pasta with cheese, oregano and tomato at Campania Trattoria. The dish had a big portion and was very delicious. The waiter was friendly and patient, offered some time to explain each dish and ingredients. The restaurant atmosphere is very nice and washrooms are clean. There is a little section for kids. I recommend this place for Italian food lovers
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Mayka is a popular restaurant with a vegetarian and healthy theme. My dish was the French Ratatouille; the dish had a massive portion of vegetables but with only two falafels. I also ordered a lemonade which was quite warm! I wasn’t happy with my orders but I guess I should have ordered something else as the menu had a plenty of options. I paid 1225 dinars (around €10), which was very expensive compared to Belgrade prices
Accommodation
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Staff at Hostelche Hostel are very friendly, attentive and do their best to provide a good stay for guests. Location is very central and close to the main shopping district and Belgrade fortress. There are two bathrooms but only one shower, so guests may need to wait for others to finish during peak time in the morning or evening, however, it’s not a big deal as the hostel has 3 rooms only. Mind you: guests can only pay in cash; credit cards aren’t acceptable as of August 2019. Also, guests tend to smoke near the window but the smell goes all around the property
SERBIA
Golubac
Activities, tours and attractions
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The fortress has a visitor center includes a ticket office, toilets, restaurant and free WiFi
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There are three types of entry tickets to Golubac Fortress. I recommend purchasing the cheapest one with the shortest route
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The fortress is magnificent but from outside. In reality, someone can simply go there, capture a picture from outside and leave momentarily without purchasing the entry ticket
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The interior has an exhibition and paintings with historical captions although I thought the captions were biased and “too nationalist”
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Gloubac town is a small and cozy town. In summer, there are local fairs next to the bus station, filled with locals selling handmade souvenirs, food and toys
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Bring your swimming suit to join the locals who are swimming in the river, beside the bus station. In addition, there is a restaurant with a swimming pool at the bus station
Transportation
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How to reach Golubac Fortress from Belgrade?
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Check the bus schedule at Belgrade central station. Buses to Gloubac are not frequent. There are two buses to Golubac in summer
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The bus drops you in Golubac town, journey is around 4 hours from Belgrade
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Take a cab or walk for 25 minutes to the fortress
Topola
Activities, tours and attractions
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Do not miss visiting Saint George church, known as Oplenac. It is an impressive Orthodox church with stunning mosaics. The ground floor is a church, while the crypt is a mausoleum, houses the tombs of the Serbian royal dynasty. The entry ticket includes admission to Kuća Kralja Petra museum
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I fell in love with the little town of Topola. It is very quiet, yet very pleasant with cafes and restaurants full of locals. Surprisingly, my friend and I were the only two tourists in the entire town in the mid of the summer season!
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My friend and I were walking from Oplenac church to the royal winery. We randomly asked an old man and his son, who were renovating their house, about the direction. A kind old man brought his car key and drove us to the winery in his 1960’s-model car
Transportation
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Topola is one hour away by bus from Belgrade. Buses are very frequent
Feel free to leave a question/comment below in English, Arabic or Spanish (hablo un poco de español). I will reply as soon as possible OR leave a comment on my Instagram page
Tara National Park
Activities, tours and attractions
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Bajina Basta is the main city in Tara National Park. It is well serviced and has a tourist information center. Bajina Basta (pronounced Baina Bashta) is a good starting point to discover the natural attractions in the national park
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The famous wooden hut on a rock called Drina river house is 25-minute walk from the town’s center
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I signed up for the stand-up-paddle with the Green Bear. It was a superb experience, paddling on the crystal-clear waters of Drina river beside the famous river house. The left bank of the river belongs to Bosnia and the right one to Serbia. Even if you have never tried it before, you must sign up for this activity, the worst-case scenario is that you would fall in the refreshing cold water of the river (you’ll be tied to the board, with a rescue vest). After the stand-up-paddle, I decided to sign up for a private tour for the next day with Green Bear. The manager is a local who knows the area so well. He offers numerous activities in the surrounding area. Visit greenbear.rs
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Banjska Stena is the most prominent view point and hiking trail. The starting point can be reached by public bus from the town’s center
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Swim in Zovine Lake, do not go to the public beaches. Drive around the lake, there are few secluded beaches where you can swim alone
Transportation
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Rent a car to travel around the national park. Attractions, lakes, hiking trails and small villages are relatively far from the town’s center. Tour operators are expensive and rare
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There are two buses from Belgrade to Bajina Basta. The trip takes around 4 hours with a stop for a quick lunch
Restaurants and cafes
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Studenac is a restaurant overlooking the Drina river house with breathtaking views. I cannot recommend the food as I only had ice cream over there
Accommodation
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I highly recommend Mystic River Hostel. The rooms are spacious and clean. The communal area is very cozy. There is a seating area in the backyard with fruit trees and views over the mountains. Bathrooms are spotless clean. Hosts are very kind and would do their best so the guests enjoy their stay