A local’s guide to Belgrade: the best sights, restaurants and nightlife in a city in flux

The Guardian · Guardian staff reporter · 2026-11-05 07:00 UTC

A new optimism pervades the Serbian capital following the recent elections, making it a great time to visit its bars, clubs, markets and riverside hotspots

There’s a celebratory mood in Belgrade, the Serbian capital. For almost two years protest has shaped everyday life as a student-led movement demanding accountability and an end to corruption gathered momentum after a concrete canopy at Novi Sad’s newly renovated railway station collapsed in November 2024, killing 16 people.

Demonstrations grew into a nationwide challenge to the government and finally, last month the student-backed list won an outright majority in parliamentary elections – a dramatic shift in Serbia’s political landscape. Crowds gathered in Slavija Square, and celebrations spilled into the streets and bars. The formation of a new government still lies ahead, but the city feels full of possibility.

One of Europe’s oldest cities, Belgrade sits at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. With a large student population and a thriving creative scene, it has informal, sociable energy: cafe terraces fill during the day, while DJ bars and clubs keep the city moving late into the night. Historic streets, neoclassical and art nouveau buildings sit alongside modernist architecture, former industrial spaces and new waterfront developments.

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