Belgrade is a good base for day trips, because Serbia packs a lot of variety into short distances. In an hour or two you can be in a baroque university town, a forest of medieval monasteries, a lowland fortress built as a capital or a gorge on the Romanian border. Most of these are easiest with a guided tour that includes pickup, since public transport to the sights is slow or infrequent. Here is a rundown, with how long each takes and who should choose it.
Novi Sad, Petrovaradin and Sremski Karlovci: the classic
This is the most popular day out and the best all-round introduction to northern Serbia. Novi Sad, Serbia's second city, sits on the Danube about an hour north of Belgrade, with a pedestrian old town, a big central square and a cheerful cafe life. Across the river rises the Petrovaradin Fortress, often called the Gibraltar of the Danube, a huge eighteenth-century Habsburg stronghold with a clock tower and views over the river. On the way, the baroque town of Sremski Karlovci offers a pretty square, old wine cellars and a taste of bermet, the sweet local fortified wine. Plan on a full day of eight to nine hours. This is the trip for first-timers, couples and anyone who wants culture, wine and a river view in one go.
Fruška Gora monasteries: quiet and green
The Fruška Gora hills rise between Belgrade and Novi Sad and hold a cluster of Serbian Orthodox monasteries founded in the Middle Ages and rebuilt in later centuries, set in forest and often beside vineyards. A private tour of the monasteries, usually combined with Sremski Karlovci, is slower and more contemplative than the Novi Sad day, and suits people who like frescoes, quiet courtyards and walking. Dress modestly and remember that monasteries are active places of worship, so keep your voice low and ask before photographing inside. It takes seven to eight hours.
Smederevo, Ram and Golubac: a day of fortresses
East of Belgrade the Danube is lined with castles. Smederevo, about forty-five minutes from the city, has one of the largest lowland fortresses in Europe, built in the fifteenth century as the last capital of medieval Serbia. The tour continues to Ram, an Ottoman stronghold on a bluff above the river, and on to Golubac, the turreted castle at the mouth of the Iron Gates. It takes about nine hours, and it suits history lovers who would rather see three fortresses than one landscape.
Golubac and the Iron Gate gorge: the scenic one
If you want the landscape more than the castles, take the full-day excursion that combines the medieval fortress of Golubac with Djerdap National Park, the viewpoints above the Iron Gates and, in the warm season, a boat ride beneath the cliffs. It is a long day of about twelve hours, with a lot of time on the road, and it is the most dramatic trip on this list. In winter the boat is usually replaced with other stops, so check the schedule for your dates.
Avala: a half day on the nearest hill
Not every outing needs a full day. Avala, the wooded hill about sixteen kilometres south of the centre, has the slender Avala Tower, with viewing platforms over the city and plain, and the Monument to the Unknown Hero designed by Ivan Meštrović. It is an easy half day by taxi or ride-hailing car, and it works well on a clear day when you want fresh air and a long view. Collect any tower ticket on a day you are already in the old town if the voucher says so.
Closer to home
Two shorter outings need no tour at all. Zemun, the old Habsburg town on the Danube, with the Gardoš Tower and fish restaurants on the quay, is a bus or a taxi ride from the centre, and the Ada Ciganlija lake island is a short ride south for swimming, cycling and walks.
Choosing between them
For a first trip, choose Novi Sad. For monasteries and quiet, choose Fruška Gora. For castles, choose Smederevo and Ram. For scenery, choose the Iron Gate. For a short break from the city, choose Avala or Zemun. If you are staying a week, you could do two of these and still have time in the city.
Practical tips
Book a few days ahead in the busy months, since shared tours need a minimum group size to run and you are told if it does not. Bring cash in dinars for lunch, as meals are often not included. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a layer, since the fortresses are windy and the hills can be cool. Check what each tour includes, since entry fees vary. And if you are travelling by car, remember that roads on the Danube are scenic but slow, so allow extra time.
