Welcome to Belgrade

The Serbian Orthodox Church, Sveti Sava, is located in the 
Belgrade suburb of Vracar. It is the largest Orthodox Church in 
the world and it is yet to be finished. 

Welcome to Belgrade! Belgrade is the capital and largest city in Serbia. Its name is translated into "White City". It is one of the oldest cities in Europe and has has been an important crossroad since ancient times where the roads of Eastern and Western Europe meet. The city lies on two international waterways, and is at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, which surround the city on three sides. Because of this position, Belgrade is appropriately called the gateway to the Balkans and the Door to Central Europe.

Kalemegdan is Belgrade's largest park and one of its most
important historical sites. It is located at the confluence of 
the Danube and Sava river. 

Serbia was conquered by the Romans in the 2nd Century B.C. and  became part of the Byzantine Empire when the Roman Empire split in 395 A.D. In the 6th century, the Slavs crossed the Danube River and permanently settled in what was to become Belgrade. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the city was called by many different names: Alba Graeca, Alba Bulgarica, Bello grado, Nandor Alba, Griechisch Weissenburg and Castelbianco, all of which are translations of the Slavic word Beograd. Belgrade was the most important city in the former Eastern Block. 

The city has been occupied by 40 different armies and rebuilt 38 times. Belgrade was the capital of Yugoslavia which dissolved during the reign of Slobodan Milosevic in the 1990's. This terrible time in history was marked by the NATO bombing in 1999.

Belgrade has great night life. Many of its best restaurants 

and clubs are located on the banks of the Sava rivers

Belgrade is in the process of rebuilding and is on the path to European Union membership. This unique combination of historical scars and drive to become a modern international capital, makes Belgrade a fascinating city to live in. Belgrade has gained a reputation for excellent international restaurants, a lively cafe culture, interesting museums, beautiful parks, and world class sporting events. Belgrade is also host to many national and international conferences and fairs. Over 40 international fairs are held each year at the Belgrade Sajam (Fair). Belgrade is also easily accessible by car, train, and plane, making it a great short stop over for any European trip. 

As a teen, who has lived here for three years, I've had the opportunity to learn a lot about my adopted home. Whether you're for a short visit or as a new resident, there are many interesting things to see and experience in Belgrade and throughout Serbia.  

The purpose of this blog is to give young people who are visiting or moving to Serbia, an overview of life in Belgrade and to help orient them quickly. Please note that most of this information is based on my own and my peers' experiences in Belgrade. I wanted to create a place where teens and other young people can plug in to the local community quickly. Lists are not complete and based on my age group preferences ranging from 12 to 19 year olds. All of the locations mentioned were in business as of April 2014. If you have any suggestions or questions please leave comment or e-mail me at abe.k97@gmail.com. Enjoy Belgrade and hope you have as much fun as I have here. 

http://www.tob.rs/en/index.php
http://www.beograd.rs/cms/view.php?id=220
http://www.travelserbia.info/places/belgrade/