Serbia Mini Guide
Serbia is a Balkan country in northern Europe which is surrounded by many other nations and land locked.
Serbia is a land of lakes, woods and mountains and so is a good place to go on holiday. With numerous nature parks which are open to visitors in the summer and some of Europe’s best skiing in the winter, Serbia could certainly be called an all year around destination.
It is possible to drive from Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro or Romania into Serbia.
The capital of Serbia is Belgrade which was built on the banks of the Danube, while the country’s infamous Kosovo region spent much time in the news recently after declaring its independence from Serbia, though this has not been recognised fully. The break up of the Yugoslav Union in the early 1990’s caused much unrest in the region. Serbia’s previous leader Slobodan Milosevic was brought before the war crimes tribunal in Den Hague, Holland, though he died before a judgement could be passed.
However, as with many countries which have had recent political turmoil, this is best not discussed with the locals, and even if they bring it up you would do well to assess their views before making any comments, if you comment at all. Kosovo is a particularly sore point. Another cultural tip is that if any drinking toasts are made be sure to make eye contact before drinking otherwise this is considered extremely rude.
Belgrade has gained a reputation as being an excellent city for nightlife and there are many bars and clubs with all types of music being played. Serbia’s massive music festival Exit, which is set in beautiful surroundings, is also becoming more and more popular every year.
Some foods to try are cevapcici, small parcels of minced meat which are grilled with hot spices. The various Serbian stews which are served with cabbage and Sauerkraut are always good.
Regions worth seeing are the ski resort of Zlatibor, the north Serbian city of Subotica, and the Palic Lake on the shores of which the World Ethno Music Festival is held.
Many airline companies fly into Serbia including Aeroflot, Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, German Wings, Lufthansa and Tunis Air. The main international airports are at Belgrade and Nis. There are train routes between Serbia and Sofia, Zagreb, Bucharest, Vienna and various other European cities.
The currency of Serbia is the Serbian Dinar and there are roughly 80 Serbian Dinars to every Euro.