Table of Contents
Day 36 Topola to Belgrade (81 km)
I get up early but only leave at 10:00. With an express effort and a reviving Coke, I arrive in Belgrade (Београд) from the south and quickly visit the Red Star Stadium (Црвена Звезда, red and white) and Partizan Stadium (Партизан, black and white) without Leo, who isn’t a big soccer fan, so I want to get that done first before meeting him. From Red Star, there’s a superb view of St. Sava Cathedral and some old tanks from a bygone era (Yugoslav or World War, I’m not sure). Partizan’s stadium is more modest and rustic, but the colors match my bike perfectly, the style is perfectly set.
I then head to our hostel for the next few days. The manager is completely drunk but very kind; he has a French girlfriend and I coach him in his responses to charm her in my own language, a funny experience. I meet two other interesting profiles: Yang, another cyclist traveler who settled in Serbia after crossing Turkey and Bulgaria before Covid, and Adam, an Englishman who also owns a hostel. He lived in France (Lyon) for a while but finds the environment more stable and safer in Belgrade. It’s crazy that the Serbian capital is considered safer than one of France’s largest cities, it’s a bit sad for our image nonetheless.
I’m going to try the Karadorde Steak (a kind of rolled cordon bleu) at Manufaktura before Léo joins me. In any case, in these few hours in the city, one thing is certain, as in Montenegro, I can’t complain about the girls populating the Balkan lands—they are quite stunning, to say the least haha. The people are in a good mood with local music, just like in Kotor (cf Week 3, Day 19).
Léo joins me for a short time; he tells me about his new life in Strasbourg and his latest projects before we head to bed.
Day 37 Belgrade Pause 1
First day in the city without cycling. Up at 8:00 to get some Kroasan and visit the important monuments.
We head for St. Sava Church (the main saint of the Serbian Orthodox Church) which is beautiful but the inside won’t open until October (a few weeks too early, too bad), therefore, direction Kalemegdan (the fortress that has survived hundreds of years) for the afternoon.
The view over the city is incredible, you can tell it’s not all flat here, lots of hills near the Danube and the Sava. We quickly stop by the torture museum (as if it’s nothing) and then relax at the Boho Bar, a great spot with poufs to chill and sip good cocktails.
The rest of the day is calm. In some central streets, you can still see the scars of war and bombing that the city has (perhaps deliberately) left in plain sight.
In the evening, we want to have fun at a Splavovi (new town riverbank), but between the crowded spots and the borderline scams (100 euros for two and a trash bottle), we decide to return to the old town riverbank where we find a nice bar and some funny DJs, the rest is great and fun. We go to bed for more enchanting visits the next day.
Day 38 Belgrade Pause 2
We head to the Tesla Museum east of the city center. He’s the most famous Yugoslav (more or less considered Serbian but born in Zagreb) in history for his contributions to science, especially the use of magnetism in electric motors.
The visit includes a video on his life and inventions, then some real experiments. Lightning around a mass, the synchronous motor, and signal transmission with AND logic gates (my school courses are a bit rusty to fully understand all the theory behind but its alright).
We then head to Pionir, the mythical basketball hall, but in the end, we couldn’t see or enter much. We therefore find a small restaurant away from tourist areas that was really nice, and then ending on a hidden rooftop that costs nothing and does pretty cool drinks.
The Ćevapi for the midnight snack are delicious with their fresh bread/lepinja. We finish at a cocktail bar since everything else was closed or too far away. I try my first Negroni at Blaznavac. The ambiance is very enjoyable, especially on the terrace, and the service is top-notch, a real recommendation. It’s time to go back to bed after another pleasant busy day.
Day 39 Belgrade Pause 3
We go off the beaten path today to visit the new town (Novi Beograd) and its brutalist heritage with the Genex Tower. We buy single tickets at the kiosk for 150 dinars; we should look for discount cards that might be worth it for a next time. I thought the tower would be abandoned, but it’s still in use with apartments and offices not so easily accessible. We go up to a floor for a nice view of the city, but there must be better spots if you know the right people. The big Rolex ad on the tower makes me think that capitalism has triumphed over brutalism here in recent years.
We then head to Ada Ciganlija island and beach, where we enjoy swimming and appreciating the Sava flowing calmly into the Danube. The water is relatively clean; it’s a nice outing, and there are some lovely little parks nearby you can visit by bike if you want. We return to the center for one last meal together with Léo and stumble upon the best baklavas I’ve ever tasted at Balkan Baklava. The owner is super adorable, and the product is high quality; go there with your eyes closed if you’re in Belgrade.
However, with these tasty pleasures, Léo has to rush to the airport in a taxi, we say goodbye, and we’ll definitely meet again in Strasbourg. See you later, my friend !
I take a nap before going out one last time at night. I get a bit bored alone and find a small bar with a local music concert on the terrace in the street. People are on fire. I sit at the table with a girl who has absolutely zero response, a real stone statue, this won’t be the time to chat extensively with locals 😀
My time to rest then comes before tomorrow’s departure.
Day 40 Belgrade to Belo Blato (77 km)
I leave the hostel at 8:00 and get some baklavas for breakfast and the day.
I head towards Zemun at 9:00 which is the Austro-Hungarian part of the city. This is where the border between Austria-Hungary and Serbia was, not long before the 1918 armistice and the Treaty of Trianon redistributing parts of Hungary, the losing side of the war. You immediately notice the change with less rugged architecture and more pastel colors and, of course, the characteristic religious churches of the Empire.This will continue as I travel north in Serbia, aka Vojvodina. The fortress on the hill offers a beautiful view of the center of Belgrade and the Danube, which I’ll be following for a while from now.
Interlude Belgrade
Before the next day, I want to share my feelings about Belgrade, which is one of my favorites alongside Kotor and Durmitor. More than specific sights or activities, the city has charmed me in many ways, battered by its more or less recent past, the atmosphere is simply enchanting. Dynamic but still chill like a Mediterranean city, the people are really friendly and warm for a capital. There are plenty of activities and the beautiful weather to enjoy very close to the center, like the small islands on the Sava. I wouldn’t tire of life here, and I definitely plan to return a few times in the future. Serbs and Belgrade people are simply good-hearted folks who have touched me on this trip. The only downside is the complication of getting around by transport. The city is oddly built (crossed by two rivers, lots of reliefs on one side, the streets are very chaotic). which does not help for it, but its alright.
Xвала пуно београд <3
I then head towards Belo Blato at 13:00. Upon arrival, I discover a curious mix of Serbian, Hungarian, Romanian, and Gypsy cultures. The houses are small, colorful, and original, I really like it. All the northern towns now have a Serbian and Hungarian road sign version due to minorities remaining in place after the aforementioned treaty.
Here, I finally decide to ask someone to pitch my tent in their garden… it’s a total failure. The guy tells me to go to the guesthouse for a room. The search for free accommodation is a failure, but the small apartment for only 10 euros a night I find is really great, I can’t complain. I even get a free coffee from the welcoming lady.
The lake is beautiful to see and famous for fishing, a popular activity in the area with its many very flat expanses, characteristic of the Hungarian plain (and thus northern Serbia).
Day 41 Belo Blato to Novi Sad (75 km)
I start around 10am (75 km) hoping to visit Novi Sad during the day. I pass through beautiful little double villages with a Serbian Orthodox church on one side and a Hungarian Catholic church on the other. It’s very special, even the cemeteries are separate. Between those with family names ending in “-ic” and those with first names like Attila or Zoltan, this mix is quite curious. I discover the Serbian and Hungarian versions of the villages I pass through and can make some comparisons with languages and cultures.
At one rest stop, an old man wants to help. I ask for water by miming with my hands, and I end up with a bottle filled with yellowish water that I’ll keep for appearance but not in my stomach. Nice from him but am gonna throw it away in few minutes, the rust is not recommended by nutritionists :D. I settle for a refreshing Cockta (a mix between Coke and a herbal drink like Rivella for those familiar with Switzerland). Irecommend it !
I arrive slightly late in Novi Sad but head to a terrace to relax and eat some Kobasica (sausages) with a pint for 900 dinars. I wander around the Petrovaradin Fortress (the part of Novi Sad on the other side of the Danube), which is very impressive. The famous Exit Festival is held here every July.
At the Pupin Pub, I treat myself with a Gintonic with Hendricks gin for 400 dinars, a great deal! I meet a group of four young people from Zrenjanin who are studying in Belgrade. We talk about football, my passion for Liverpool, and how my bike matches the colors of Partizan. They don’t quite agree, being fans of Red Star (see Day 36 for more explanations). Talking about politics, they feel cheated and disparaged by their government (who doesn’t in Europe?), thinking that taxes are too high for what they get in return and that the police and justice system are corrupt. They tell me that the average salary here is a maximum of 500 euros, which isn’t very encouraging. Of the four, some want to stay and try to change things, while others are thinking of leaving. I think both choices are valid as long as you keep your values and don’t forget where you come from.
The police arrive due to the curfew, and the good music stops. So, we head back to our place. My night at the hostel is not very restful. Between those who snore, those who come in late and make no effort to be quiet, leave the door open, and the hostel manager on the phone in his bed while everyone else is sleeping, I’m not lucky here. Very glad to be staying only one night. Ciao a tutti.
Day 42 Novi Sad to between Novi Sad & Subotica (55 km)
I enjoy Novi Sad by day with breakfast at a Pekara and sandwiches, all for 450 dinars. I’m in paradise. It’s a beautiful city by day. Still under Austro-Hungarian influence, you can feel it’s a nice place to live. The central square is cool, and Petrovaradin is just as stylish by day as by night. I want to come back here for the festival, visit museums, and the Fruška Gora park nearby, which seems to have hidden gems of small monasteries nestled in the hills and forest. I rapidly end my stroll in all corners of the city.
I try to book a night on Warmshower (a kind of Couchsurfing for cycle tourists, where you can stay for free at people’s homes who sign up). I find a host with Alexandra in Sombor near the Croatian border which I will go to tomorrow.
I leave late at 15:30 and only cover 55 km to get closer to Subotica. I quickly fix some issues with the pannier mounts. I find a kind of grove in the peaceful flatlands of Vojvodina to hide and go straight to sleep for an early wake-up (for once).
My last days in Serbia are drawing to a close, meaning the end of the discovery of the Balkans and the beginning of a return to the EU and the heritage of the Holy Roman Empire, see you next week.