What else to do in Belgrade around New Year
Most visitors come to Belgrade for one night and then find they have two or three days to fill. The city is well suited to that, particularly in the first week of January when it is quiet and everything is open again. Here is what is worth the time and what depends heavily on which day it is.
Kalemegdan
The fortress above the meeting of the Sava and the Danube is the one thing to see if you see only one.
It is open and free, walkable from the old town, and best in the morning when the light is good.
On 1 January it is almost empty, which is the best version of it available all year.
Knez Mihailova and the old town
The main pedestrian street runs from the fortress into the centre and is decorated and lit through the holidays.
Side streets off it are quieter and hold most of the interesting restaurants and bars.
Evening is when the lighting looks best, and afternoon is when the crowds are thickest in December.
Christmas markets
Markets operate through December on the main squares, with mulled wine, food stalls and craft goods.
Prices are higher than in ordinary shops, which is normal everywhere and reflects the setting.
Most close after 7 January, earlier than the street lighting, which stays up until mid-January.
Ice rinks
Outdoor rinks operate from late November to the end of January, with skate hire available on site.
Sessions are timed and fill at weekends, so weekday afternoons are considerably more pleasant.
On 1 January they open later than usual, as staff change over after the night before.
Museums
The main museums are worth a half day and are least crowded in the first week of January.
Nearly all are closed on 1 and 7 January, so plan them for 2 to 6 January or after the 8th.
Opening hours over holidays are best checked by telephone, as websites are updated late.
Saint Sava
The temple is one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world and is open to visitors throughout.
The interior mosaic work is the reason to go, and it takes less than an hour.
Modest dress is appropriate, and photography during services is not.
Zemun
Zemun sits along the Danube and feels like a separate town, with a different architecture and pace.
The walk along the quay and up to the Gardoš tower is the standard route and takes a couple of hours.
It is a good option for 1 January, as the walk does not depend on anything being open.
Ada Ciganlija
The river island is a summer destination but the paths around the lake are open and used in winter.
It is quiet, flat and easy walking, and reachable by public transport from the centre.
Cafés around the lake operate with reduced hours in winter and mostly not on 1 January.
Eating out
The strength of Belgrade is its restaurants, and the first week of January is the easiest time to get a table.
Traditional taverns, kafane, are the most characteristic experience and many have live music in the evening.
Booking is still sensible at weekends, but midweek in January is straightforward.
Nightlife after New Year
Clubs and river venues operate normally from 2 January onward, with far smaller crowds than on the night itself.
For many visitors this is a better experience than 31 December, when everything is at capacity.
Entry is cheaper and tables are available without the minimum spend applied over New Year.
Day trips
Novi Sad is an hour away by road and makes an easy day, with its own fortress above the Danube.
Mountain resorts are three to five hours away and only make sense with an overnight stay.
Transport on 1 January is limited, so day trips are planned for 2 January onward.
The best days
From 2 to 6 January the city is fully open with the smallest crowds of the year, which is the ideal window.
1 January is for walking and nothing else, and that is genuinely enough for one day.
After 8 January it is quiet again, and prices for everything have returned to normal.
Getting between sights
The centre is compact and most of what is worth seeing is within half an hour on foot of Knez Mihailova.
Public transport is cheap and frequent, though tickets are bought before boarding rather than from the driver.
Taxis within the centre are inexpensive outside the New Year's Eve night itself.
Winter walking routes
The classic route runs from Kalemegdan down Knez Mihailova, through the old town and out to the Sava promenade.
It takes two to three hours at a slow pace and passes almost everything a first visit needs.
On 1 January the whole route is empty, which is the single best reason to do it that day.