I arrived in Serbia via Belgrade, flying with KLM from Amsterdam. At the Belgrade Airport, I rented a car which I booked of course ahead of time. I wanted some comfort and privacy going to Novi Sad, so a rental car was the best solution.
Novi Sad is actually not too far from Belgrade, however, there is no railway between both cities and if I go with public transport, I will have to do with the public bus or I take a taxi. The last thing I would want is to be lugging my suitcase in Belgrade looking for the bus to Novi Sad and hoping someone speaks English. My problems are over though when I get to Novi Sad because I will have to find my way to the fortress from the city centre since my hotel is there. Logistics wise it’s just a big hassle. I’m not a young kid saving my pennies so I do not mind paying extra for comfort and peace of mind.
Here is some practical information on travelling by a rental car in Serbia:
Road Trip Route, Rental Car, GPS and Parking
[To read the rest of the post and see more pictures, click the Read more link below]
So from the Belgrade Airport, I drove straight to Novi Sad. I thought I will do Belgrade after since I am leaving via Belgrade Airport anyway. Novi Sad is approximately 1 hour from Belgrade and the drive on the highway reminds me of the highways in Croatia and Hungary – There were almost no cars!
In Novi Sad, I stayed at the Petrovaradin Fortress which has its own resident lovely and historical hotel. When I saw this hotel on Booking, I just can’t believe that I could get a beautiful room for such a very affordable price? I mean just look at the picture below.
Check out my review here: Hotel Leopold I at the Petrovaradin Fortress
I got this Executive Double Room with river view at Hotel Leopold I for €47 a night only including a royal breakfast. I think it was a special offer and I just got lucky?
Novi Sad in Cyrillic alphabet. I realised that the paper on this pole with telephone numbers are (free) advertisements. I first saw this similar way of advertising your personal business in Spain many years ago.
The first thing I did after checking-in to my hotel room was eat. This lunch was very late that I skipped dinner later and had dessert instead. Luckily there is a row of restaurants on the rampart of the fortress with panoramic views to the city. You see, the Petrovaradin Fortress lay on the Danube River bank across the city. The stronghold basically looks toward Novi Sad and it is the perfect place to dine or have a drink with a view of the city. Well of course when the weather is nice. I was here end of March, so the cold part of winter have luckily passed.
I did a lot of walking around in Novi Sad. The city is small and can easily be covered in 2 days. A day trip from Belgrade is also fine.
The city has a long history going back to the 4th century B.C. and played a major role in the Habsburg Dynasty (Austro-Hungarian Empire) and later into the now-defunct, Yugoslavia. I will spare you with all the details because they are easily available online.
Below you can find my blog posts on my travel experiences in Novi Sad. Where I ate, what I did, which market I visited, the architecture I saw and what I have observed.
EATS, DRINKS & MARKET SCENE
- A Duck Composition Lunch at Terasa Restaurant with Novi Sad Panoramic Views – Visiting the Petrovaradin Fortress is really a must but sitting at one of the restaurants (for lunch, drinks or dinner) is a must too!
- Cake Cafes: Serbians have a thing for cakes! – The sweet-toothed people will celebrate in Serbia
- The Outdoor Fish Market (Рибља пијаца) in Novi Sad – For the foodies who cooks, like me of course. I managed to buy some spices here for kitchen use.
- The Café Terrace Scene at Zmaj Jovina and Hairdos – One cannot leave Novi Sad without sitting here for coffee and watching the locals.
- Lunch at Astal Saren in Novi Sad: Typical Serbian Cuisine – This restaurant is very cosy and I had a regional dish of Baked Beans (Prebranac) with local Sausage.
The heart of Novi Sad, Liberty Square.
CULTURE, ART & ARCHITECTURE
- My first evening in Novi Sad – A walk around town is a great way to start.
- Liberty Square (Trg Slobode) – Perhaps the most charming part of Novi Sad.
- The Rundown Village of Petrovaradin – This is the village the Petrovaradin Fortress sits. It has its own old world communism days charm.
- Petrovaradin Fortress – Must visit! The fortress is just a 10-15 minute walk from the city centre. There are many taxis who can take you as well for just RSD 10-15 (Serbian Dinar).
- Novi Sad’s Special Clock Tower – The clock is not what you think it is!
PICTURE GALLERY
Below you will find some more pictures of Stari Grad (old city centre) by day in Novi Sad that I was not able to publish in my older posts.
Danube's Park is located beside Stari Grad (old city centre of Novi Sad) very near to the Danube Riverbank.
The Dunavska is a commercial street filled with beautiful pastel-coloured buildings. You can shop here, have a bite or drink somewhere.
Just cannot help myself but notice the details of this particular door.
This is the Trg Republike (Republic Square) which is where you can find the farmer's market.
This is one of the many beautiful restored buildings in Novi Sad.
This is one of the streets with a lot of cafes, bars and restaurants. It gets busy here in the evening and during the warmer months.
One of the best places to sit... drink a cup of coffee, people watch and kill time.
Destination: Novi Sad (Vojvodina), Republic of Serbia
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Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
All pictures were taken by a point and shoot pocket camera or a smartphone.