Travel Guides: All Countries, Europe.
 |  | Travel Reviews : Europe |
|
| | | | An unpolished gem
Want to get ahead of the city break crowd? Felt like you missed the plane to Prague or the boat to Budapest? Many cities behind what was the Iron Curtain are now familiar to us, but if you're after an unpolished gem, Belgrade should be top of your list.
Before Yugoslavia's bloody break-up in the early 1990s, tourists flocked to the Dalmatian coast (now part of Croatia) and largely bypassed the Serb capital. But the White City is slowly opening up and offers a nightlife which is hard to beat.
It is a place that embraces pleasant excess. There is no such thing as a rushed restaurant meal, with wonderful fish and meat dishes consumed at a leisurely pace in a haze of cigarette smoke while tamburitza groups play folk favourites at the tables.
It's all going on underground in Belgrade - and half the fun is finding a local hotspot you might not stumble upon again if you tried. One such bar is the Ben Akiba (on the first floor of Nušiæeva 8) where £2 cocktails are served by friendly waitresses in a place which oozes cool.
If you're not in the mood to seek out hidden watering holes, Strahinjica Bana is a popular strip of bars cheekily nicknamed "Silicon Valley" for its surgically-enhanced female clientele.
Also worth exploring are the bustling houseboats on the Danube and Sava rivers, which cater for drinkers and dancers of all persuasions.
Once your hangover has subsided, there is plenty to see in Belgrade on the morning (or possibly afternoon) after. Be warned though - street signs are in Cyrillic. Most young Serbs speak English however and will happily point you in the right direction.
For excellent views of the Danube and Sava, head to the imposing Kalemegdan fortress. The city's dominant building is the St Sava Church, the world's second biggest.
Further out of the city centre on the Dedinje Hill is the Royal Court compound, which is a must-see. It has only just been opened to tourists and has been a runaway hit. It's best to contact the local tourist office to arrange a tour, which should cost less than £3 each. And if you're lucky the royal family might pop down from their first floor quarters to say hello.
The compound houses two palaces - the White Palace, built in 1934-6 and the Royal Palace, built in 1922. The underground section of the latter is stunningly decorated in the style of the Moscow Kremlin Terem Palace.
Travel guide: Europe
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | Reasons to get Sad
For music fans an extra incentive to head out to Belgrade next month is the annual Exit festival in Novi Sad, an hour's drive from the city.
It's the biggest festival in south-east Europe and the line-up for the July 7-10 event is impressive - Fatboy Slim, The White Stripes, Sasha, Underworld and Garbage. A four-day pass will cost you just £30.
If those names aren't enough of a draw, the location certainly is. Exit is held within the awesome Petrovaradin fortress. This massive 18th-century edifice, situated across the Danube from Novi Sad's city centre, is a marvel of engineering. It took more than 80 years to build and is worth a visit, festival or not.
It has an intricate network of underground tunnels which covers 16kms - and you can explore part of it yourself. A museum and a number of artists have studios there, and you can even go clubbing after dark in its nooks and crannies.
Novi Sad is a pleasant, relaxed city of 300,000 youthful souls which once played home to Albert Einstein while he was working on his theory of relativity. Its nightlife might not match the throb of Belgrade, but the Trcika tram bar in Liberty Square is usually packed with an up-for-it crowd.
When it's time to fly home, don't forget to buy a bottle of sljivovica (plum brandy). A nip of the local firewater back on home soil will act as a perfect reminder of those hazy nights in a buzzing city.
Some useful tips if you're planning a trip to Belgrade.
- A good quality three-course meal with wine will cost under £15 a head. Fish dishes are popular and extremely good.
- In bars, the local brews are excellent and usually about £1 a pint.
- Hotels are often still government-run enterprises, but three-star establishments in Belgrade are not bad value at about £30 per night for a double room with breakfast. In Novi Sad, the five-star Hotel Park costs from about £45 per night.
- British Airways and JAT fly to Belgrade with return prices starting at £137pp. Abercrombie & Kent (01242 547700) offers three-night stays in Belgrade from £575pp, including flights and accommodation.
Feel inspired? Book a holiday
|
|
|
|
|
| | Available rental properties in Europe |
|
| |  | | Les Trois Epis
2-bedroom apartment for up to 7 in central Nice - Promenade des Anglais. Terrace with Mediterranean view. Minimum 3 nights stay. Available all year.
|  | | YOUR PERFECT HOLIDAY AT GRAN VISTA
A 3 bedroom air conditioned house located in the Gran Vista complex - Gran Alacant. 4 Swimming pools, 2 Tennis courts, 24h internet, etc...
|  | | 1 bedroom apartment in central london
In Kensington Olympia, available for short stay self catering rental. Well placed for Central London and can provide accommodation for 6 persons.
|  | | 3 bed Villa A/C & private Pool.
Detached Villa, Pool, A/C & Heated, 3 bed, 2 bath, Brit TV, DVD.15 mins from Alicante airport.5 min walk to shops pubs & resturants.5 mins to Beach.
|  | | ¡Que Vista! - La Azohia, Costa Calida
Fabulous new 2 bedroom apartment in La Azohia, Costa Calida. Tranquil, panoramic sea views, private 50m2 roof terrace. 500m from beach, swimming pool.
| | Click here for more properties... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
