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🇷🇸Things to Do in Serbia
From Belgrade Fortress overlooking two rivers to Novi Sad's festival scene - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Belgrade sits at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers and carries a reputation as one of Europe's most underrated nightlife cities, largely on the strength of its riverside splav (floating club) scene. Beyond the capital, Serbia holds UNESCO monasteries and one of Europe's biggest music festivals in Novi Sad. Here are 6 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Belgrade Fortress (Kalemegdan)
A fortress complex at the meeting point of the Danube and Sava rivers, with layers of Roman, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian construction, now set within Belgrade's largest park.
📍 Belgrade
🚉 The fortress is at the end of Knez Mihailova, a 15-minute walk from Republic Square; trolleybuses 28 and 41 stop at the park gates, and Belgrade Centre station is 20 minutes away by bus.
Novi Sad & EXIT Festival
Serbia's second city, home to the Petrovaradin Fortress and the EXIT Festival each July, one of Europe's largest music festivals, held within the fortress grounds themselves.
📍 Novi Sad
🚉 Nearest station: Novi Sad, 35 minutes from Belgrade on the Soko high-speed line - the Petrovaradin fortress, where EXIT is held, is a 20-minute walk across the Danube bridge.
Studenica Monastery
A UNESCO World Heritage Serbian Orthodox monastery, founded in the 12th century, with Byzantine-style frescoes considered among the finest examples of medieval Serbian art.
📍 Near Kraljevo
🚉 There is no railway: buses from Belgrade and Kraljevo run to Usce, from where a local bus or taxi covers the last 12km up the valley to the monastery.
Splav Nightlife, Belgrade
Belgrade's riverside floating clubs (splavovi), moored along the Sava and Danube, are the centerpiece of a nightlife scene often cited as among the best in Southeast Europe.
📍 Belgrade
🚉 The river rafts moor along the Sava and Danube banks in Novi Beograd and Dorcol - bus 15 and 84 run along the Sava strip, and taxis are the usual way back in the small hours.
Đavolja Varoš (Devil's Town)
A rock formation of over 200 earth pyramids in southern Serbia, created by erosion over centuries - considered one of the country's most unusual natural landmarks.
📍 Near Kuršumlija, Southern Serbia
🚉 The rock formations are 27km from Kursumlija with no bus service; the practical way is a hire car or a tour from Nis, about two hours away.
Niš
One of the oldest cities in the Balkans, with a well-preserved Ottoman-era fortress and the Skull Tower, a sobering monument built from the skulls of Serbian rebels during a 19th-century uprising.
📍 Niš
🚉 Nearest station: Nis, on the main line and the Corridor 10 route south, with the fortress a 15-minute walk across the Nisava and the Skull Tower a short bus ride east.
Mark Serbia, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Serbia?
4-5 days suits Belgrade well, including a day trip to Novi Sad. A week lets you add a monastery visit or Niš without rushing.
What's the best time to visit Serbia?
May-September has the warmest weather; the EXIT Festival takes place in Novi Sad each July, drawing major crowds to the city that week specifically.
Is Serbia good for a first-time visit?
Yes - Belgrade is walkable and increasingly well set up for tourism, and it's one of the more affordable capital cities in Europe to visit.
Do I need a visa to visit Serbia?
Many nationalities, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and most of the EU, can visit visa-free for short tourist stays (typically up to 90 days); other nationalities need a visa arranged in advance. Check the official visa information for your nationality: mfa.gov.rs.
What are some things to do in Serbia on a tight budget?
Walking Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park costs nothing, Serbian food at local restaurants is inexpensive by European standards, and Belgrade's public transport is cheap for getting around the whole city.
Can I rent a car in Serbia, and what licence do I need?
Yes, and it is the way to reach the monasteries and Devil's Town, which buses barely serve. Foreign licences are accepted for visits of up to six months when carried with an International Driving Permit; EU licences are recognised as issued. Minimum age is 21 with a credit card for the deposit. Motorway tolls are paid at booths, headlights must be on day and night, and a green card is needed to take a hire car into Bosnia, Montenegro or North Macedonia - arrange it with the rental company in advance. The Transport Ministry publishes the rules at mgsi.gov.rs; cars come from Sixt, Avis and Europcar.