New Year's Eve on a Belgrade river club
River clubs, known locally as splavovi, are floating venues on the Sava and Danube and one of the symbols of Belgrade nightlife. On New Year's Eve many of them host special parties.
What to expect
Most river clubs work as clubs on this night: loud music, a DJ or a popular performer and dancing until morning, usually standing or at high tables. Some have a restaurant and serve a festive dinner before the party starts.
Tickets and tables
A ticket often includes only entry or a welcome drink, with drinks charged separately. Tables and booths are booked in advance, usually with a minimum spend. Each offer on our site lists the details.
What to wear
December nights by the river are cold and windy. Check that the venue is enclosed and heated, dress in layers and bring a warm coat for arriving and leaving.
Getting there
River clubs are on the river banks, where parking is limited on New Year's Eve. Arrange a taxi or a driver in advance, especially for the ride home.
Music on the river
Some river clubs are known for Serbian pop and folk music with live singers, others for DJs and electronic music. Many combine both: a singer until midnight and a DJ after. Check the Music section of each offer to see who is performing.
Who it is for
A river club is a great choice for groups who want to dance until morning and enjoy the view of the river and the city lights. If you prefer a calm dinner at a table, choose a restaurant or a tavern instead.
A river club in winter is not the same place
Most Belgrade river clubs open towards the water in summer and close and heat the indoor part in winter. The terrace is not in use, so the space is considerably smaller than the summer photographs suggest and the tables are closer together.
A venue that takes three hundred guests in July often takes half that number on New Year's Eve, which is why booking early matters more here than in large halls.
Two very different kinds of night
Some river clubs run the night as a club: loud music, standing, dancing until morning, drinks paid by consumption. Others have a restaurant, a seated dinner and a party that starts after the meal. Check which one you are booking, because the two are not interchangeable.
Where they are
There are two main stretches: the Sava bank from Beton Hala towards Ada, and the Danube side towards Zemun and Usce. The difference is practical rather than scenic. From the Sava bank you can walk back to the centre; from the Danube side you will almost always need transport.
Getting there and back
The last hundred metres are walked along the quay, which on that night is wet, muddy or frozen and poorly lit. Shoes chosen only for the indoor part will not work.
Parking is limited and fills up early, and taxis are hard to get after midnight on those stretches. If you are in a group, agree on transport in both directions before you leave.
Table, entrance ticket or booth
An entrance ticket covers the door and nothing else, which means standing all night. A table is booked against a minimum spend, and that minimum is counted per table rather than per person. A booth is a separate area for one group with the highest minimum spend.
For two people a ticket is the cheapest option. For a group of six a table with a minimum spend usually works out cheaper than six tickets plus drinks at list prices.
Where to sit
A river club is a narrower and lower space than a hall, so sound behaves differently. Close to the stage there is no conversation at all, and the area by the entrance is the coldest because the doors keep opening. The most comfortable tables are in the middle, away from the speakers and the door.
Capacity and safety
A river club is a floating structure with a limited number of guests and one or two exits, so the number of tickets is capped and security checks the door more strictly than on an ordinary night. That is also why you will not get in without a booking in the hour before midnight, even if it looks like there is room inside.
When to book
River clubs publish their programmes later than hotels and restaurants, usually during November. Booths and larger tables go first, while single tickets are sold right up to the last day.
See all river clubs with a New Year's Eve programme, or compare with clubs.