Serbia

46 BeLGrade
Dačo Patrisa Lumumbe 49, tel. (+381) 11 27 82 422.
A restaurant that reliably depicts the atmosphere of a real
Serbian village, with checked tablecloths, mismatched cutlery
and cats and hens roaming around the tables in the garden. You
should try the village appetiser, the svadbarski kupus (Wedding
Cabbage) and the house wine. Since the restaurant - situated
in a remote part of town - is extremely popular, reservations
are recommended. 4Open 12:00 - 24:00, Closed Mon. €€.
PTAS
Gušti mora A-3, Radnička 27, tel. (+381) 11 35 51 268.
Though Belgrade is far from the seaside, Belgraders love sea
food and have very high standards when it comes to preparing
it. Here you can try fresh saltwater fish, lobster and shellfish
prepared in the same style as in the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro.
The waiters are kind and obliging. Even though the restaurant is
located in a rather unattractive part of the city - just next door to
a tire repair shop - the good food it offers makes it a very popular
place, especially among celebrities. Avoid the garden - it’s much
nicer inside. 4Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€€. APGRS
Little Bay C-2, Dositejeva 9a, tel. (+381) 11 32 88 995,
www.little-bay.co.uk. An unusual interior this, reminiscent
of an opera setting with the waiters dressed in 18th century
costumes. Although the menu is sparse, each carefullydesigned
dish is exquisitely prepared. The restaurant has both
traditional tables and isolated booths named after the world’s
greatest composers. During the day you can enjoy famous
opera tunes and in the evenings live performances of other
popular classics. And the icing on the cake? The food in this
restaurant is among the cheapest in town! 4Open 11:00 -
01:00. €. PRAEGS
Čubura C-3, Mačvanska 1, tel. (+381) 11 24 40 756.
Located in a small group of shops near the Čuburski park,
also known as Peyton Place, this restaurant makes the best
grilled meats and unquestionably the best ćevapčići (grilled
minced-meat fingers) in town. It is just the place for those
who prefer their meat without flavour enhancers or sauces
spoiling its taste. The interior is rather modest and it is advised
that the toilet be used only in emergency situations. 4Open
08:00 - 23:00. €. PTA
Sightseeing
Belgrade fortress B-1. Located on a hill overlooking the
confluence of the Sava River and the Danube. The Romans
were the first to build a fort (castrum) on this site and in the late
1st century AD, it became the HQ of the IV Flavian Legion. Over
the centuries of sieges, battles and conquests, the fortress
was repeatedly razed to the ground, rebuilt and restructured. It
took on its present shape round the end of the 18th century, but
again, the wars that followed destroyed nearly all the buildings.
The Belgrade Fortress consists of Upper Town, Lower Town
and Kalemegdan Park. Kalemegdan Park was created as late
as the 19th century on a plateau in front of the fortress, which
was cleared for centuries to allow for an unobstructed view
of the advancing enemy. The park is popular because of its
many shaded benches, random sculptures, an art pavilion, zoo,
amusement park and souvenir vendors. It is a favourite haunt
for chess players, squirrels and couples in love.
Kafana ‘?’ B-2, Kralja Petra 6. This authentic Serbian
tavern of an unusual name is located in one of the oldest
houses in the city. Erected in 1823, it opened as a tavern in
1826, and was the first to install a billiard table in Belgrade, in
1834. There is still a wood stove for cooking beans and roasting
potatoes in one of the corners. Great for national cuisine and
draught beer. The tavern has a summer terrace, and you can
always hear the lively buzz of conversation. However, there
is no music, allowing the restaurant to capture the authentic
atmosphere of yore. 4Open 08:00 - 24:00. PA
Royal compound Located on top of Dedinje hill, the
compound covers an area of 135 hectares. It includes a Royal
Palace, which was completed in 1929, and a White Palace that
was finished in 1936 and was intended for the King’s sons,
along with service buildings. A tour of the royal compound
includes a visit to the representative sections of both palaces
(and a display of artwork by Poussin, Breughel, Canaletto,
Veronese, Rembrandt), a chapel, royal park and the grave of
Davorjanka Paunović (the secretary to and greatest love of Josip
Broz Tito, who abolished the monarchy and moved into the royal
compound when he came to power). Nowadays, this is again
one of the Karađorđević family’s homes. They are: HRH Crown
Prince Aleksandar II, Princess Katherine, Hereditary Prince
Petar and Princes Filip and Aleksandar. The guided tour takes
2 hours. Information and registration at: Tourist Information
Centre, Makedonska 5, tel. (+381) 11 33 43 460.
Skadarlija C-2, Skadarska Street. A vintage street that
dates from the late 19th century. This steep cobbled area is
dotted with famous Belgrade taverns: Dva jelena (The Two
Deers), Tri šešira (The Three Hats), Dva bela goluba (The
Two White Pigeons), Zlatni bokal (The Golden Jug), Ima dana
(There’s Time), Šešir moj (This Hat of Mine), galleries, antiques
and souvenir shops. In the early 20th century, it became a
hub for the arts and artists in Belgrade, a bohemian quarter
drawing poets, journalists, painters, and actors. Today, its
guests are mostly tourists whose presence accounts for the
higher prices and removal of many authentic Serbian dishes
from the menus. The evening is the best time for a visit, when
live traditional Serbian music spills from all tavern doors. The
great atmosphere will take your attention away from run of the
mill food and indifferent waiters.
Kalemegdan
Serbia
Niš In Your Pocket nis.inyourpocket.com nis.inyourpocket.com Autumn 2010 - Spring 2011
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