You might have partied in Paris or London or Berlin, but you haven’t really partied until you’ve discovered Belgrade nightlife. Belgrade, Serbia is one of the best and most underrated nightlife destinations in Europe. This Ex-Yugoslavian country knows how to live life to the fullest with some of the most iconic and affordable nightlife attractions. Despite the hardships faced in the 90s due to the Yugoslav wars, Belgrade has reemerged as a top party destination and is continuing to grow and attract international attention.
If you’ve seen the movie EuroTrip (2004), then you’re probably familiar with the scene where the group of recent high school graduates find themselves almost broke in Bratislava. They luckily find out that their American dollar goes very far there and party the night away drinking absinthe in a nightclub living like kings.
Spending summers in Belgrade growing up, I would always think of this scene as every night out (which was almost every night for me) was significantly more affordable than back home. As inflation has hit most of the world pretty hard, prices have gone up in recent years, but a night out in Belgrade is still a steal in comparison to most Western countries. Going out is far more fun when you don’t have to stress about your bank account.
After spending over a year of my life cumulatively in Serbia, I’ve come up with a Belgrade nightlife guide that breaks down popular neighborhoods as well as some must know Belgrade nightlife terminology, so you can join the party the minute you step off the plane.
Table of Contents
Key Terms:
Splavovi
When I think of Belgrade, I think of all the splavovi that line the Danube and Sava Rivers. Splavovi are floating restaurants, nightclubs, and cafes that have been a part of Belgrade’s soul for decades. With more than 200 of them, there is something for everyone whether you want to experience an RnB night dancing the night away until 6AM or want a chill cocktail in the afternoon with friends or a fine dining experience on the water.
Splavovi (singular: Splav) are where you’ll find most locals enjoying the summer months with the cool breeze from the river offering some relief from the sweltering heat. In the winter, most of them shut down for the season and party goers flock to brick and mortar clubs and cafes.
When I went to my first nightclub splav, Freestyler, at 16 I was shocked to see how dead it was at 10pm. I quickly found out that Belgrade doesn’t start the night until much later, and by 1am Freestyler overflowing with dancing bodies.
Kafane
Nothing is dearer to a Serb’s heart than the Kafana (plural: kafane). Kafane, a mix between a café and a pub, are the subject of thousands of Serbian songs. It’s where we go to meet up with friends and grab a drink or a bite to eat and catch up while music plays in the background.
There is no shortage of kafane in Belgrade with most having both outdoor and indoor seating to accommodate patrons year round. There are hole-in-the-wall kafane, upscale kafane, and bohemian kafane (my personal favorite). Food and drinks are affordable with cocktails usually costing under $8USD. One of my favorite ways to spend a day in Belgrade is roaming around the city and stopping at kafane along the way grabbing drinks and bites throughout the day while I rack up 20,000 steps.
Where to Experience Belgrade Nightlife:
Ada Ciganlija
When you think of Belgrade you probably don’t think of the beach do you? There actually is a beach in Belgrade though! Well, sort of. Ada Ciganlija, or Ada for short, is 6km of beachfront on the artificial Lake Sava. It’s become a summer hotspot for city goes to both relax and party. With over 70 restaurants, bars, cafes, Ada is booming with life from early afternoon until dawn. There’s usually live music or DJs blasting all genres of music until the wee hours of the morning. Just 4km from Belgrade, it feels completely different from the city center with endless summer vibes.
Centar
The center of Belgrade is jam packed with kafanas, clubs, restaurants, shops, hotels and every form of entertainment. The walkability of the Centar makes going out and bar hoping convenient. The pedestrian only street of Knez Mihajlova is one of my favorite places in all of Belgrade to spend both day and night since there is so much to do with shops and museums during the day and bars and restaurants at night like Mama Shelter.
The Trg Republike (Republic Square) hosts many block parties and events and concerts. You’ll find some fun bars in the streets around the Centar like Idol Tiki Bar and Blaznavac. Blaznavac has a fun, hipster atmosphere with black lights and one of the largest drink menus in Belgrade!
Sava Mala & Beton Hala
This once industrial district is transforming into an urban nightlife destination. It’s comparable to the Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles. Bit by bit, Belgrade is tearing down the old and replacing it with modern, urban restaurants and bars in Sava Mala. Graffiti and new architecture collide here for a cool old meets new vibe. The bars and restaurants here are very trendy. It’s also home to one of the hottest clubs in town at the moment, Lafayette Cabaret Club.
Vračar
It’s a bit ironic that the largest Eastern Orthodox Christian Cathedral in the world is surrounded by popular nightlife locales. This neighborhood is features a mix of it all from casual to upscale, with many of the bars and restaurants having a view of the impressive Saint Sava Cathedral. One of my favorite places for cocktails in the whole city has to be Villa Maska thanks to it’s quirky vibes.
Skadarlija
One of the most famous neighborhoods in Belgrade is Skadarlija—the bohemian quarter. Skadarlija is a blast from the past with its cobble stone pedestrian street and restaurants that are over 100 years old. If you want to experience and live the history of Belgrade, this is the perfect spot to bask in traditional live music and food and drinks. Don’t be worried if it looks barren early in the evening; most parties in Serbia don’t start up until past 10pm and go until 4am or later!
Skadarlija also has some unique experiences including Riddle Bar, a speakeasy where there is no menu. You just answer a few questions about your taste and the bartender surprises you with a custom cocktail. If you don’t like it you can always send it back for a new one, but mine was perfect!
Ušće
Just across the river from the city center, is Ušće, a neighborhood in New Belgrade that is known for shopping and nightlife. Home to one of the most popular malls in Belgrade, Ušće is an entertainment hub for outdoor events like BeerFest in the summer. Many famous splavovi are located by Ušće on the Sava River. It’s also the home of one of the most exclusive and expensive night out destinations in all of Belgrade–Nacionalna Klasa, where many of Belgrade’s elite go out for a good time.
Zemun
Zemun is unique in that it was under Hungarian rule for several centuries, which is visible in its architecture. Another nightlife heavy neighborhood, Zemun has no shortage of kafane and splavovi. It’s the most northern neighborhood on the list, but worth the trek to experience some memorable nights out!
Novi Beograd
Novi Beograd, or New Belgrade is the development across the bridge that was once swamp land. Now it’s home to massive apartment buildings, malls, business, arenas, and night life! You can find the latest and most trendy restaurants here including one owned by Novak Djokovic, as well as Boutique Trojka which has amazing live music and some of the best desserts in town, and Buena Vida, an upscale Mexican restaurant and bar known for salsa dancing nights.
