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Strolling
Along In Belgrade
Paris has Champs-Elysee;
London has Bond Street; Los Angeles has Rodeo Drive; and Singapore has
Orchard Road – popular, iconic boulevards that are as much tourist
attractions as any castles or museums, and just as filled with tourists. In
Belgrade, Serbia, the local counterpart of these more famous avenues would
be the hugely popular Knez Mihajlova, or Prince Mihajlo’s Street.
Located in the very heart
of Belgrade city, near to the Kalemegdan fortress (Belgrade’s No 1 tourist
attraction) and the Square of the Republic (tourist attraction No. 2), the
pedestrians-only Knez Mihajlova is the social heart of the city. For
generations, it has served as the parade ground for the city’s
fashion-conscious peacocks, with one side of the pavement traditionally
reserved for strolling ‘up’ the street, and the other side reserved for
strolling ‘down’. Every evening, stylishly dressed locals come out to
parade, keep an eye on the latest garments displayed in the windows of
high-end boutiques, and check out the other strollers. Along the way, they
stop by some of the city’s finest restaurants, pop into the many small art
galleries, libraries or bookshops, or just do some shopping.
The Charms of Knez
Mihajlova
 Knez
Mihajlova was designed and built in the middle of the 19th
century, and was named after one of the Serbian rulers of the time,
Prince Mihailo Obrenovic, who was accounted a great military ruler, as
well as a great supporter of cultural institutions. Though times have moved
on since then, and more modern buildings have come up, many of the original
buildings and houses along the street have been preserved. The result is
street that is quirkily eclectic in style, with some stretches unrelentingly
modern and others quaintly Old World in feel. In a quiet hour on the right
stretch of street, you could almost imagine a gowned and bejeweled lady
stepping out of one of the houses and sweeping off to the shops to buy lace
handkerchiefs.
For those who prefer more modern attractions, Knez Mihajlova is also home
some of the top fashion names and is a popular place for well-heeled weekend
visitors to do a spot of luxury spending. Most stores are open late during
weekdays and close at about 3pm on weekends, so come nighttime on Saturday
nights, the promenading crowds head to the restaurants on the street, which
include some of the most elegant and historic dining establishments in the
city. Of course, there are also many less up-market eateries sprinkled up
and down the road, many of which stay open until the wee hours of the night.
For those interested in learning more about the local culture, there are
also cultural attractions to visit such as the Serbian Academy of
Sciences and Arts, the National Theatre, the National Museum,
all within easy walking distance of Knez Mihajlova, as well as other draws.
Knez Mihajlova is one of
the best places to see the locals in all their finery, but the one thing
visitors won’t see much of is other tourists. Apart from the weekend
visitors from the neighbouring countries, who have been aware of Belgrade’s
charms for ages, international tourism has largely still not caught onto the
fact that the city is ready and waiting for visitors. Though there are still
burned out buildings and other legacies from over a decade on warring, the
city has largely healed itself, and is rapidly improving its tourism
infrastructure and facilities. For visitors willing to step a little way off
the beaten track, the next couple years would be an excellent time to visit
the city, just as the quality of service goes up but before the rest of the
world discovers it as a new vacation spot.
Skadarlija: An
Artist’s Refuge
Knez Mihajlova isn’t the
only popular promenade in Belgrade. If Knez Mihajlova is the Belgrade
equivalent of the Champs Elysee, the Skadarlija, or Skadar street, is
the local answer to the Montmartre quarter. Located in the eastern side of
the old quarter and originally the haunt of gypsies, in the early 1900s
Skadarlija gradually began attracting writers, artists and other visionaries
to its inns, cafes, restaurants and art houses, who transformed the street
into a bohemian refuge. In later years, more distinguished visitors have
taken a turn along the street, including Jimi Hendrix, George W Bush, Tito
and more.
Today, even though the
street has become a popular tourist attraction, Skadarlija still retains
some of its artistic traditions, as there are often performers and street
musicians filling the evening air with traditional songs. Like Knez
Mihajlova, many of the buildings here have been preserved from the 19th
century, adding a certain romantic air to a stroll down the street. During
summer, many of the restaurants and pubs will put little wooden tables out
in the open air and on fine evenings, you can join the couples and families
enjoying their evening meals. This would also be the perfect time to try
Belgrade’s most popular dish, the rostilj – grilled meat best eaten
with a local beer. Unfortunately, vegetarians would have a harder time in
Belgrade, which still maintains the traditional European ‘meat and two veg’
style of cuisine – the only salads you’ll likely find here are the paltry
side dishes accompanying a main dish.
Knez Mihajlova and
Skafarlija at the two most popular pedestrians-only areas in Belgrade, but
they aren’t the only pretty streets in the city. Much of the city
(especially in the old quarter) still retains cobblestone streets, old
buildings created in an eclectic range of styles, little parks and other
quiet attractions. One of the best ways to see the city is from the ground
up, via one of the many walking tours on offer, though the do-it-yourself
tour is also possible for the more adventurous visitors. Whether you go by
yourself or with a guided group however, do be sure to take the time to
appreciate the city in its current ‘untouristy’ state, for in a few years,
you may return to find yourself lost in a stream of tourists.
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Hotels here
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