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

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.