www.belgrade-serbia.com

Without visa to Serbia

The visa regime was abolished for the citizens of the following countries: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Monaco, Liechtenstein, the Vatican, Andorra, San Marino, Israel, Cyprus, Malta, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Croatia, the United States, Canada, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

Foreigners are required by law to register themselves with the police station in their district within 24 hours of receiving a Serbian entry stamp at a border crossing or airport. Registration is done automatically by hotel staff upon check-in, however if you are staying with friends in a private dwelling, the responsibility falls on you and your host to register yourself with the police in the district in which you are staying. Before visiting the police station you will need to buy a Foreigner Registration Form from a nearby newsagent or bookstore (these usually cost 15 RSD). With completed form in hand, your host and you should submit your passport and your host’s Serbian ID card along with the Registration Form. You will receive the bottom half of the Form to carry with you; when exiting the country, you will be required to present it to the Border Police. Sometimes they will not ask for it, and you can keep it as an administrative memento. Never forget, though, that failure to register and obtain the bottom half of the Registration Form can result in prosecution and a large fine.

Useful informations

Local time is GMT + 1 hour. From end-March to end-October the time is GMT + 2 hrs. So, when it is 12.00 in Belgrade, it is same in Paris, 6 am in New York, 11 am in London, 1pm in Athens.

Holidays are: 1-2 January (New Year), 7 January (Orthodox Christmas), 15 February (Constitution Day), 1-2 May (International Labour Day), Easter (from Good Friday till second day of Easter). Both Eastern and Christmas are celebrated according to Julian Calendar.

The current in all regions of Yugoslavia is 220 Volts, with plugs of two round pins, as everywhere in southern Europe.

Business hours: Banks are open from 8 am to 8 pm weekdays (8 am - 3 pm on Saturday). Department stores and supermarkets are generally open from 8 am to 8 pm (or 9 pm) on weekdays, private shops usually from 8 am till noon and again from 4 pm - 8 pm, though most of them are open nonstop (the luxurious shops selling articles of clothing and footwear in Knez Mihailova street stay open till 9 pm). On Saturday, most government offices are closed, albeit shops are open until 3 pm.

Many hotels have direct dial telephone facilities, some of them offer additional services: fax, Internet, secretarial services. Check the unit charge as telephone charges can vary greatly. Although not so widespread, there are phone booths in central Belgrade area, but you will need a card (’Halo kartica”) purchased in post offices or at some tobacconists. If you call abroad you have to dial:

99 + area code for a dialed country + city code + phone number
e.g. 99-30-210-4444444 (30 for Greece, 210 for Athens).

Internet SBB Café Network (hot spot)

Scottish Pub Veprov dah - Strahinjica Bana 52
Jugoslovensko udruženje svetskih putnika - 29.novembra 7
Absinthe Cafe restoran - Kralja Milutina 33
Rezime Centar Cafe - Kralja Petra 41
Via Del Gusto Café restoran - Knez Mihailova 48
New York - New York restoran - Krunska 86
Mart Caffe - Krunska 6
Monument - Admirala Geprata 14
Journal - Kralja Milutina 21
Caffe Nautilus - Turgenjeva 5
Colonial Sun Restoran - Bulevar Vojvode Putnika 32-34
Colonial Sun Café - Bulevar Vojvode Putnika 32-34
Backstage restoran - Svetogorska 19
O’Polo Café - Rige od Fere 15
Caffe Paleta (Beoizlog) - Trg Republike 5
Extreme kids - Cvijiceva 1
Kontra Bar - Strahinjica Bana 59
Koling Klub - Neznanog junaka 23
Pietro Dell Oro - Trnska 2
Ipanema - Strahinjica Bana 68
Insomnia - Strahinjica Bana 66A
Monin Bar - Dositejeva 9A
BAR Central - Kralja Petra 59
Pomodoro - Hilandarska 32
Café Biblioteka - Terazije 27
Café Pianeta - 27. Marta 141
Bistro Pastis - Strahinjica Bana 52B
Vespa Bar - Toplicin venac 6
Ice bar - Kosovska 37
Que pasa - Kralja Petra 13
Gradski Machor - Svetozara Markovica 43
SUR Idiott - Dalmatinska 13
Caffe Koeficijent - Terazije 15-23
Langust - Kosancicev venac 29
Celzijus - Dzordza Vasingtona 12
Bizzare - Zmaj Jovina 25
Caffe bar MODA - Njegoseva 61
Coffee dream - Kralja Petra 23
Oktopus - Brace Krsmanovic 3
123 wap - Vase Pelagica 48
Cuba Caffe - Kneza Viseslava 63

Internet

Biblioteka grada Beograda - Zmaj Jovina 1
Internet kafe - Svetogorska 18
Internet kafee - Vuka Karadžica 12
IPSe - Makedonska 4
Maverik, Dom omladinee - Makedonska 22
Net Kafee - Branka Krsmanovica 18a
Platoe - Akademski plato 1
Platonete - Vasina 19
S-Softe - Zetska 5
Yellow Yarde - Kumanovska 6

Stamps can be purchased in post offices and at some newspaper kiosks. If you need something to arrive safely, it is advisable to use a western courier service.

Dining out

When spending time in Belgrade or elsewhere in Serbia, try some local tastes. Part of the joy of visiting Serbia is sampling the authentic cuisine of the country and eating out to catch local flavors is for many visitors even the highest spot of their stay.
Serbian cuisine is a reflection of geographical and historical influences in this area, where Oriental and Slav tastes are dominant. Local favorites are cevapcici (small rolls of mixed minced meat), shishkebab, pljeskavica (meat patties; minced meat sprinkled with spices and grilled like beef steak), all kinds of grilled meat, sarma (stuffed cabbage, minced beef and pork with rice enveloped in pickled cabbage or vine leaves), stuffed peppers, Serbian beans, podvarak (roast meat in sauerkraut), moussaka (minced pork or beef mixed with eggs and potatoes and then baked), gibanica (pastry leaves mixed with eggs, cheese and then baked), corn bread, etc. The famous home grown spirits are slivovica (plum brandy) and lozovaca (grappa). The choice of wines ranges between Mediterranean and continental types.

Should you be lucky enough to be invited eating with a Serbian family, do not hesitate to accept! Such an invitation is always sincere, eating home-cooking always opens a whole new spectrum of tastes and flavors, and slivovica offered to the guest in a Serbian home is always pure, strong and natural!

The glasses are often touched with the toast: “Ziveli!” (Cheers, To your health!).

Only in Serbia the ‘Slava’ is being celebrated. The anniversary of a family saint’s day (the most popular is St. Nicolas - December 19th, Sveti Nikola) is an opportunity to celebrate the faithfulness and witness of God’s saints, commemorating the occasion when family’s ancestors became Christians through the baptism. On the day of ‘Slava’ the family’s home is open all the day (’Whoever stops by is welcome, Ko god dosao, dobro dosao’), there are guests (relatives, colleagues, friends, neighbors, anyone who might drop in), and the table is decorated with ‘Kolach’ (a kind of bread), candle and wheat. The central point of celebration is the breaking the Kolach at the table. The host (’Domacin’) is happy to serve others, making sure every guest is satisfied and in a good mood. When invited to the “Slava’ you can bring a small, symbolic gift for the host: a bottle of wine, an assortment of chocolates, flowers or something similar.

Dangers & Annoyances in Belgrade

In many ways, Belgrade is a remarkably safe city. There are always people out, even late in the winter, and you will feel comfortable walking anywhere almost anytime, although it would be wise to avoid at night secluded places on the outskirts of town and large public parks (like anywhere else in the world).
Women traveling solo will be completely safe in Serbia, as much safe as any other travelers.
Same-sex couples are tolerated, but it is good to know that the nature of society makes public displays of affection inadvisable - it is Balkan.
Some spots in Belgrade are known for pickpockets (Republic Square, Knez Mihailova Street, Main Railway station, public transportation) so you should carry in your day pack only as much money as you need for the day.
Begging is not wide-spread, though while sitting in open-air cafés around Republic Square you can be slightly annoyed by some Gypsies (locally recognized under the euphemistic name: Roma). As ‘rich foreigners’ you can attract their attention, but don’t take notice of them! Nevertheless, they are not as aggressive as their ‘colleagues’ in most other countries.
Don’t photograph neither police or military-guarded buildings (including the US or Israeli embassies), amazingly, you also won’t be allowed to photograph downtown shopping centers (like City Passage) or some extravagant villas in the prestigious and luxurious residential area of Dedinje.

Vocabulary - some useful words and phrases

Greeting

Dobro jutro - Good morning
Dobar dan - Good morning/Good afternoon!
Dobro vece - Good evening
Laku noc - Good night
Zdravo - Hello
Kako ste? - How are you?
Dobro sam - I am all right
Vrlo ste ljubazni - You are very kind
Drago mi je - Pleased to meet you
Ja se zovem… - My name is…
Ja sam stranac - I am foreigner
Ja sam iz… Engleske - I am from England
Dobro - All right
Nema problema - No problem
Dovidjenja - Good-by

Useful Phrases

Da! Ne! Hvala! - Yes! No! Thank you!
Oprostite, Izvinite - Sorry, Excuse me!
Ne razumem - I don’t understand
Ne znam srpski - I don’t speak Serbian
Govorite engleski? - Do you speak English?
Da li neko govori engleski? - Does anybody here speak English?
Pozurite malo - Hurry up, please!
Lepo mi je ovde - I have a good time here
Ponovite, molim - Will you, please, repeat that?
Pokazite mi - Please point to…
Dajte mi - Please give me…
Recite mi - Please tell me…
Koliko kosta? - How much is it?
Samo gledam - I’m just looking
Gde je… - Where is…
Blizu, Daleko - nearby, far
Apoteka - Pharmacy
Lekar, Zubar, Bolnica - Doctor, Dentist, Hospital
Prodavnica, Bakalnica, Robna kuca - Shop, Grocery, Department store

Signs & Warnings

Zabranjeno! - Forbidden!
Nije dozvoljeno! - Not allowed!
Paznja! - Attention!
Slobodno - Free
Zauzeto - Occupied
WC- Muski, Zenski - Men’s room, Ladies’ room
Jedan smer - One way
Ne ulazite! - No Entrance!
Ulica - Street
Bulevar - Avenue
Trg - Square
Spomenik - Monument
Radno vreme - Working hours
Otvoreno - Open
Zatvoreno - Closed
Ne radimo - Closed
Samousluzivanje - Self service
Zabranjeno pusenje - No smoking
Levo - Left
Desno - Right
Pravo - Straight ahead

Menue of a Typical Restaurant

Dorucak - Breakfast
Rucak - Lunch
Vecera - Dinner

Pedjela / Hors d’oeuvre

Govedja supa - Beef soup
Pileca supa - Chicken soup
Corba od povrca - Vegetable soup
Riblja corba - Fish soup
Sir - Cheese
Kajmak - Butter cream spread
Buter, Sunka, Jaja - Butter, Ham, Eggs
Kuvano jaje - Boiled egg

Glavno jelo / Main dish

Teleca snicla - Veal steak
Svinjska snicla - Pork steak
Biftek - Beef-steak
Becka snicla - Wiener schnitzel
Mleveno meso - Minced meat
Peceno meso - Roasted meat
Telece pecenje - Roast veal
Svinjsko pecenje - Roast pork
Pecena piletina - Roast chicken
Kuvano meso - Soup meat

Prilozi / Vegetables

Pirinac, Krompir, Pomfrit - Rise, Potatoes, French fries
Sargarepa, Grasak, Boranija - Carrot, Peas, Beans
Kupus, Paprika - Cabbage, Paprika
Mesana salata - Mixed salad
Zelena salata - Lettuce
Paradajz, Krastavac - Tomato, Cucumber

Nacionalna jela / National dishes

Cevapcici - Minced meat rolls, grilled
Pljeskavica - Hamburger served with onion
Raznjici - Pieces of veal/pork grilled
Medaljoni - Veal steak
Culbastija - Grilled veal or pork
Pasulj prebranac - Serbian beans
Prasetina na raznju - Spit-roasted (suckling) pig
Jagnjetina na raznju - Spit-roasted lamb
Gibanica - Pastry leaves mixed with eggs, cheese and then baked
Podvarak - Roast meat en sauerkraut
Kiseo kupus - Sauerkraut
Sarma - Minced beef/pork with rice enveloped in pickled cabbage or vine leaves
Punjena paprika - Stuffed paprika (with minced meat and rice)

Riba / Fish

Lignje, Sardele - Squid, Sardines
Skampi, Jastog - Shrimps, Lobster
Skusa, Saran, Pastrmka - Mackerel, Carp, Trout
Bakalar, Brodet - Cod, Cod stew (brodetto)

Alkoholna pica / Alcoholic beverages

Pivo - Beer
Belo vino (suvo) - White wine (dry)
Crno vino - Red wine
Slivovica - Plum brandy
Lozovaca - Grape brandy
Konjak - Cognac

Bezalkoholna pica & kolaci / Non-alcoholic beverages & cakes

Limunada, Sok od pomorandze - Lemon juice, Orange juice
Sok od paradajza - Tomato juice
Sok od… jagode - Strawberry juice…
Turska kafa - Turkish coffee
Espreso - Espresso
Sladoled, Kolac,Torta - Ice cream, Cookie, Cake
Palacinke - Pancakes
Secer - Sugar

In Emergency Case

Emergency Center (24 hours)
address: Pasterova 2,
phone: 36 18 444

Ambulance (24 hours)
address: Bulevar Franše D’Eperea 5,
phone: 94, 36 15 001 ext. 119

Medical centers on duty (24 hours)

Clinical Center of Serbia
address: Pasterova 2, phone: 36 18 444
Medical Center - KBC “Zvezdara”
address: Dimitrija Tucovica 161,
phone: 34 06 333, 34 06 969

Medical Center - KBC “Zemun”
address: Vukova 9,
phone: 26 12 616, 21 06 106

Military Medical Academy
address: Crnotravska 17,
phone: 26 61 122, 26 62 755, 26 63 660

Dental clinics on duty (24 hours)
address: Obilicev venac 30, 63 52 36
address: Kneginje Zorke 15, 44 41 413

Pharmacies on duty (24 hours)
“Prvi maj”, Kralja Milana St. 9, 32 40 533
“Sveti Sava”, Nemanjina St. 2, 64 31 70
“Farmanea”, Trg republike, 33 44 923

Important Phone Numbers

Police - 92
Fire Department - 93
Ambulance - 94
Exact Time - 95
Wake-up calls - 9811
Information - 9812
Belgrade Airport - 60 15 55
JAT ticket reservations - 31 12 123
Central Train Station - 62 94 00
Belgrade Bus Station - 63 62 99
AMSS help on road - 987