holdall · Belgrade, Serbia

A reasonable range of apartments is available across Airbnb, but the influx of people to the city as a result of the war in Ukraine may have reduced the supply somewhat.

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New legislation

Recent changes introduced by the Turkish government has made short-term rentals for under 100 days more restricted. Keep an eye on Reddit threads for up-to-date assessments of how the new legislation is impacting short-term rentals in practice.

Places to work

Bad

Good

Great

A solid selection of dedicated coworking offices throughout the city, as well as numerous coffee shops suitable to work from.

Value

Bad

Good

Great

Belgrade remains great value compared to most other major European cities yet is more on the expensive side compared to other neighbours in the Balkans.

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The yen is currently at a 34-year low

While this is undoubtedly a negative for the Japanese, it makes for an exceptionally good time to visit Japan from abroad. Although this trend is unlikely to reverse significantly in the short term, it's still worth checking before visiting.

View cost of living

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Excitement

Bad

Good

Great

I found Belgrade to be comfortably the most exciting city in the Balkans, on par with some of the larger capitals in Europe. The approximately 300 splavs offer a unique array of nightlife options, with nothing quite like it elsewhere on the continent. The city centre, particularly in the Old Town, is bustling throughout the week, with its bars and restaurants packed on weekends.

New Belgrade, on the other hand, tells a different story. There’s little reason to spend much time there unless you’re living in that area.

Working hours

Serbia operates on Central European Time (CET), aligning with the rest of Western Europe

🇪🇺 Consider working European hours from Asia?

I've written a guide on how to structure your day to get the most out of the time difference.

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Do you need to speak Spanish?

Without doubt, being able to speak Spanish with a degree of fluency is a huge asset when visiting South America. I had always put off visiting the continent due to my Spanish skills not extending beyond requesting a "cerveza grande".

But even with my incredibly primitive linguistic capabilities, it was not in any way to the detriment of the trip. English is spoken sparsely, but armed with a few phrases, some polite enthusiasm and a translator, it shouldn't deter you from visiting.

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Where to stay

To minimise the amount you'd need to take public transport, I'd recommend being close to one of the two areas mentioned below.

Would avoid

Recommended

Stari Grad

Containing some of the most historic parts of the city and best dining options, the centre is a lively destination you can't go wrong with.

Would avoid

Recommended

Dorcol

Only ten minutes walk from the centre but the area has a more relaxed, local feel. Plenty of good food and drink options in the neighbourhood.

Would avoid

Recommended

New Belgrade

There's nothing inherently bad at all about New Belgrade but the west side of the river is predominantly just rows of communist era tower blocks. If only in the town for a short period, you're better off on the other side of the river.

Where to work

ICT Hub Kralja Milana

Top Choice

☕️ Good Coffee

📍 Top Location

🥗 On Site Cafe

🧍Community Focused

⭐️ Quality Fit Out

🌳 Outdoor Space

One of my favourite destinations of the past couple of years to work from. High ceilinged open plan seating, plenty of natural light and generous desk spaces. There are plenty of phone boots for private calls and areas with beanbags and sofas to relax from. Monitors are available to rent also. The surrounding area of Devojački park provides plenty of greenery and a calm area to unwind during the day.

Situated in the heart of the city centre, the office is easily reachable via public transport and there are a number of great food and coffee options easily reachable on foot.

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Remote work visa

Remote work visa coming soon

A dedicated remote work visa is available for this country.

This country is actively working on a visa support for remote workers.

There is currently no remote work visa available for this country.

While Serbia's digital nomad visa is still in development, the country welcomes remote workers. Those earning $3,500 or more per month can apply for an extended stay visa.

Visa length

Visa cost

Earning requirements

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To the best of my knowledge this information was correct as of October 2024. If you notice something has changed drop me a message and I'll update it!

‍Citizen Remote is a great source of up to date knowledge for everything to do with remote work visas.

Safety

Off work

Ada Ciganlija Lake

Often referred to as "Belgrade's Sea," Ada Ciganlija Lake is a large green recreational hub in the heart of the city. Feautirng sandy beaches, lush parklands, and a wealth of water sports activities. Ideal for escaping the heat in the city during the summer months with bars and restaurants along it's easterly bank.

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Spend a morning at Zemun Market

Lively market with a wide range of fresh local produce on offer during the weekend, around an hours walk along the Danube from Brankov Most.

Visit Belgrade Fortress

This large site features the remnants of an ancient walled city, the Belgrade Zoo, museums, and other archaeological sites. Fantastic panoramic views are offered of the confluence of the two rivers.

Duration & season

I arrived in early May and experienced some of the best spring time weather I can recall. All around the city I found the most distinct aroma of Cherry Blossom with the heat of full summer arriving by the end of the month.

I could fully recommend a month in Belgrade with more than enough to do both in the city and outside it to comfortably fill several weekends.

Food & drink

Loop around the Sava river

Cycle

Following the river Sava to the south west of the city, the cycle path takes you to some small villages with plenty of sheep along the way.

Belgrade -> Pancevo

Cycle

The Eurovelo route to Pancevo is poorly marked in places but makes for a good mornings cycle out of the city.

Belgrade Marathon

Run

Would strongly advise against the full marathon route here, where the duration of the second half is spent in a seemingly never ending lap of the new portion of the city.

People

Belgrade felt like it had the most international demographic of any of the Balkan cities which I visited, with a noticeably number of North Americans. The city acts as something of a regional hub, with the coworking spaces populated with neighbours from Bosnia, Montenegro and North Macedonia.

I found the Serbian people to be nothing but warm and welcoming, often showing incredible forms of generosity. One evening an elderly gentleman insisted on paying for my dinner, on the only condition that I shared a glass of Rakia with him afterwards, an offer I all too gladly accepted.

Most of the younger generation speaks English fluently, while it's less prevalent among the older population.

Exercise

Loop around the Sava river

Following the river Sava to the south west of the city, the cycle path takes you to some small villages with plenty of sheep along the way.

keyboard_arrow_down

Belgrade -> Pancevo

The Eurovelo route to Pancevo is poorly marked in places but makes for a good mornings cycle out of the city.

keyboard_arrow_down

Belgrade Marathon

Would strongly advise against the full marathon route here, where the duration of the second half is spent in a seemingly never ending lap of the new portion of the city.

keyboard_arrow_down

Loop around the Sava river

Following the river Sava to the south west of the city, the cycle path takes you to some small villages with plenty of sheep along the way.

Belgrade -> Pancevo

The Eurovelo route to Pancevo is poorly marked in places but makes for a good mornings cycle out of the city.

Belgrade Marathon

Would strongly advise against the full marathon route here, where the duration of the second half is spent in a seemingly never ending lap of the new portion of the city.

Verdict

Positives

A large bustling city making it a great place to work from.Compared to other neighbouring Balkan destinations, Belgrade felt like a busy working destination.
Great local cuisine.Some of the best local food I had in the region, with international options also available.
A great place to explore on foot.Some places are just interesting places to walk around, Belgrade is certainly one of them.
The spring time Cherry Blossom.One of the most distinct and vivd memories still to this day from the trip.
Friendly and warm people.I don't believe I'd met a Serbian in my life up until this trip and they showed remarkable warmth and generosity.
Outside of the Schengen Zone.If for whatever reason you have reached your limit of time available within the Schengen group of countries, Serbia is an alternative.

Negatives

Outside of the EU.This has it's strengths and benefits, but there are large import taxes on certain items making some items particularly prohibitive. If for whatever reason you need high end electronics, you are best off purchasing elsewhere and then reentering.

Tips

Be careful if intending to enter Serbia from Kosovo.To avoid any complications in arrival and departure dates, you are best advised to enter and leave Serbia through their border control.
If looking for nightlife, head to the Splavs.These barge boats line the Sava river, with clubs open until the morning.
You will be offered Rakia! An incredibly popular, strong alcoholic spirit. Families often produce their own with much pride.
The UŠĆE Shopping Center is great. If you need to pick up any items, I would suggest heading here.

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Naha

Better known for tacos rather than kimonos.

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