Have you ever been to Belgrade? Or to Serbia in general?
If not, I think you really should go. If you've already been there, then I suggest you go back and do things that, perhaps, you didn’t do the first time.
When I travel I like doing quite odd and weird things that make me feel at home anywhere. These strange habits help me find new surprises in each city I visit. Even though these actions go a bit ‘out off the beaten track’, they are likely to remain in my memory forever.
From resting in a park to taking a bus on the outskirts of town, to getting a glimpse inside the homes of locals; these are all things that can fill my imagination (quite hyperactive, I have to admit) and give me so many new things to tell.
On this basis, I would like to suggest some weird things to do in Belgrade, a city that I really love.
1. Have a 1 or 2 hour rest in Kalemegdan, the amazing park surrounding the city manor. Here, people of all ages meet and enjoy the green spaces . My activity was sitting down there and observing the people, so lively despite my image about Serbia, which was still bound to the sad war news that worried me as a child.
2. Witness an Ortodox marriage ceremony. They look like a slow theatre-dance representation, with bride and groom going around a crown and an altar. I don’t know where this rite comes from, but it’s so amazing and full of intensity that it’s going to make you shiver!
3. At the marriage that I had the opportunity to witness, there were women and men dressed in old local dresses. In my opinion some of the details and accessories were very cool and trendy. I literally fell in love with their belts and petticoats. If you are a trendy-traveller you should really go to some local open air vintage markets to look for some sweaters, belts, and petticoats, which you can pair with many modern styles for a very cool effect.
4. Take a bus trip. A bus can tell you a lot in a very short time about the local life outside of the main cities. I took a ride from Belgrade to Novi Sad and it was grand to see the country landscapes crossed everyday by city and local buses, taking people to work or to their beloved living in the outskirts (or vice-versa). When people understood I was not a local – and it wasn’t difficult to understand since I asked questions through hand signing to a non-english-speaking bus driver to tell me where I was supposed to get off – they counted down with me the missing stops before my arrival. At each stop some of them (or all of them) indicated 5- 4- 3 with fingers. It was so sweet!
5. If it’s rainy at night, you must go and have a walk in Knez Mihailova, the main central street. With the rain it looks like a crystal mirror reflecting shapes, shop lights, and the moon.
There are so many other things to suggest doing here in Belgrade, but you’ll have it suggested in any good guide.
Try to do the above mentioned weird things and you’ll be able to write an alternative guide yourself!
The original content (article & images) is owned by Sabrina Barbante. Visit the site here for other interesting stories.
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