Belgrade, Serbia
Our time in Belgrade included both sightseeing and exploring the medical/dental landscape. We enjoyed the sights in the city and how easy it was to get around. The low cost of healthcare and the ease of getting appointments also impressed us. We left with a great appreciation for this Serbian city.
We spent one week in Belgrade in the beginning of July 2025. The daily temperature highs ranged from 92 - 99 degrees Fahrenheit during most of the week. We started by scheduling our medical appointments and organized our sightseeing with the rest of our time.
Our Medical Experience in Belgrade
We had exposure to both dental and medical experiences in Belgrade. We found it easy to get appointments, very cost effective, and easy to communicate with the providers.
Dave had broken a crown earlier in our travels and decided it was time to fix it before heading back to the United States where we knew the cost would be high. He contacted a dentist and was able to get an appointment the next day. The dentist did an exam and then sent him to get an x-ray down the street for about $15. A couple days later he went back to the dentist and had the crown replaced. The total cost from the dentist was around $300.
My medical experience was to address the knee pain I had been having for the last 6-7 weeks. I contacted a hospital in the morning and requested an appointment to see an orthopedic doctor. They got me in that same day. We were taking the train from Novi Sad to Belgrade, and just went straight to the hospital from the train station. The orthopedic appointment cost $77. After the doctor’s exam, he sent me down one set of stairs for an MRI. Within 20 minutes I was in the MRI machine. The cost for the MRI was $200 and the results were available the next day. I had my followup with the doctor on the next business day for $55.
The MRI showed that nothing was torn in my knee, there was just lots of inflammation and a suprapatellar fat pad impingement. So I was told to just rest it and see a physiotherapist. I felt that my medical experience was pretty good, though I am still struggling with this knee injury. Physical therapists and doctors in the United States have yet to figure out how to fix the issue either. It is still a work in progress 11 months after the injury.
Sightseeing around Belgrade
Struggling with my injured knee, we still saw a fair amount around Belgrade. Google Maps worked well for deciphering which bus would get us to our desired destinations. Most of the buses were free around the city, making it simple to just hop on and ride. This was a fairly new thing in Belgrade, which we really appreciated.
Saint Sava Church
My favorite spot in Belgrade was Saint Sava Church. I’ve seen a lot of churches throughout my travels, but this one really stunned me. It is the largest church in Serbia and its large impressive white domes were modeled after the Hagia Sophia. While pretty from the outside, it was the interior that moved me. As we walked in, the beautiful domed church was filled with heavenly music. The sparkling white marble and gold surfaces, beautiful mosaics, and the hypnotic music created a deep feeling that I can’t describe. The interior is lit up by sunlight streaming in the high arched windows and the great bronze central chandelier. The church is dedicated to Saint Sava, the first Serbian archbishop and the nation’s patron saint. It was built on the site where the Ottomans burned Sava’s relics in the 16th century after a Serbian uprising.
St. Mark’s Orthodox Church.
Another beautiful church in Belgrade is St. Mark’s Orthodox Church. It was built in the Serbo-Byzantine style and is the 2nd largest church in the country. It was modeled after the Gračanica Monastery in Kosovo.
We Were Just Children Monument
Tašmajdan Park is just southeast of St. Mark’s. In this park is the “We Were Just Children” monument. This monument is in remembrance of the 89 children that were killed in the 1999 NATO bombings of Yugoslavia. The design is of a 3 year old victim in front of an inscription “We were just children” in both Serbian and English.
Raša Popov Statue
Not far from Tašmajdan Park is Popov Square where a statue of Raša Popov is made entirely from screw-nuts. Raša Popov was a journalist, author, and actor who lived near this square. There was a sticker stuck to the book being held by the statue. The sticker was from student-led protesters that were protesting the government while we were visiting Serbia. The sticker when translated to English said “Schedule an election COWARDS”.
More Beautiful Buildings in Downtown Belgrade
More beautiful buildings in downtown Belgrade include the House of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, the Old Palace, and The New Palace. The palaces were royal residences that have been converted into government buildings. Across the street from the palaces was a small park with a monument to Tsar Nicholas II Romanov. It was a gift from Russia honoring the last Russian emperor and his support for Serbia during World War I.
Sava Square and Stefan Nemanja Monument
Sava Square was just opened in 2021. The centerpiece of the square is the monument to Stefan Nemanja. Stefan Nemanja was the Grand Prince of the Serbian Grand Principality from 1166-1196. He founded the Nemanjiċ dynasty and what would become the Serbian Empire and the Serbian Orthodox Church. His youngest son would become known as Saint Sava (and the church I loved was named after this son). An old iconic railway station building still stands in the square and the space in front of it has been planted with trees and grass.
Gavrilo Princip Statue
A short walk from Sava Square is a bronze statue of Gavrilo Princip, the man that shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand sparking the start to World War 1. The statue was erected in 2015 on the 101st anniversary of the assassination. He is thought to be a hero and a symbol of the idea of liberation and protection of Serb interests by some while a controversial figure by others.
Republic Square
Just a short walk from our Airbnb was Republic Square. The square had a water feature and was surrounded by the National Theatre and the National Museum. It was interesting to see the words posted along a building easily visible from the square stating “The only genocide in the Balkans was against the Serbs”, expressing the tensions still held from the Bosnian War.
Knez Mihailova Street
A famous shopping street is near this area as well. Knez Mihailova Street is a large pedestrian street and both sides are lined with impressive buildings from the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.
Skaradlija
Skaradlija is a neighborhood known for its cobblestone lane lined with restaurants and murals on some of the walls. A few of the restaurants we passed had musicians performing. Within this neighborhood is the Sebilj Fountain, a replica of the famous Sebilj fountain in Sarajevo.
Belgrade Fortress
The Belgrade Fortress is pretty impressive and fun to wander around. I would recommend it over the fort in Novi Sad. It has a view over the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers below. The fortress is the oldest part of Belgrade, and the whole population of the city resided within its walls for centuries. The Romans built the original fortifications in the 2nd century CE. Over the years the city and fortress were ruled by many different peoples including Romans, Bulgarians, Byzantines, Turks, Austro-Hungarians, and Serbs and went through many rounds of destruction and rebuilding.
Most of the current look of the fortress was constructed between the two World Wars including the “Victor” monument and the Grand Staircase. The “Victor” statue is perched high above the top of the Fortress. This bronze sculpture of a nude man holding a pigeon and a sword is the symbol of Belgrade and victory over time.
Some sites to watch for while wandering the fort are the Clock Tower, the Military Museum, and Zindan Gate. The 18th century Clock Tower rises up from the main gate to the upper level of the fortress. Old military machines are visible outside the Military Museum and the Zindan Gate is a great selfie-spot.
Ružica Church and chandelier
The Rušica Church is found in the lower level of the fortress. While a popular tourist stop, it is also a busy functioning church. When we arrived a service was in process. We sat outside, listening to the music for about half an hour. Once the service ended, we entered and enjoyed viewing the murals and chandeliers. The chandeliers are made entirely from bullet casings, swords, and cannon parts. The church was damaged during WWI and when it was being rebuilt, the chandeliers were constructed from the weapons materials that were available, making it a rather unique church.
Hoping to Visit Again
There is a promenade that runs along the riverfront that I had dreamed of running along during our time in Belgrade. Sadly with my knee, this was not to be. So I hope to return to Belgrade in the future to see much more of the city and run along the promenade.
While there were plenty of streets in Belgrade that were lacking in beauty, there were also many that were the opposite. We found the city inviting and would happily spend more time here.
That wraps up our time in Europe for 2025. We were off on a plane back to the United States to visit family.