Belgrade During Wintertime

There are a lot of “what to do in Belgrade” texts, but I think none of them focus on what you can do when the weather is really bad (or freezing cold like now). While most of the tourists (and locals) think it’s best to sit inside the warm house under a big blanket and a bag of popcorns, I think there are a lot of interesting things you can do for fun in Belgrade in the wintertime.

Here are my top 5 🙂

Mulled vine

There’s no need to feel bad if the weather is bad and you feel like you can’t go walking through Belgrade. Festive spirit is strong in Serbians so we celebrate not one, but two New Year’s (don’t ask, it’s due to old calendar-new calendar mix-up) and that’s why the whole city is decorated for months – from November to February! When your fingers start freezing, go to one of the many stands with sweets and mulled vine in the city center. Not only that mulled vine will bring you warmth, but in the evening, there is often music or other form of entertainment on these stands so it can be really nice to walk through the lighting city and get to know its spirit.

Ice-skating

Here is the one thing you cannot possibly miss in Belgrade during winter. There are many ice skating rings in the city, and this can be fun even if you never ice-skated in your entire life; grab a friend by the hand and have a decent lough. Most of the skating rings are free for kids under 7 so this could be a great fun for the whole family. To name a few, the closed ones are Pionir and Pingvin, and open rings are on Tasmajdan, Nikola Pasic Square or in the front of Delta City Mall. If you think that ice-skating is too much for you, try going to an ice-hockey game: it’s one of the most adrenalin boost that I have ever experienced in my life (and yes, I’m a girl and couldn’t care less for sports).

Theatre

One of my favorite things to do when visiting foreign countries is to visit local theatres and see their plays, as this is something you cannot possibly find anywhere else. And no, you cannot watch this on YouTube, as it is something you have to feel. The good news is there are several plays that are translated (and even played) in English in Belgrade, and if you miss a date when the play is on, you can always go and enjoy in the timeless beauty of an opera or a ballet.

Spa

Belgrade is constantly expanding its offer and it goes in favor of many luxury spas and hotels. If you think that it’s too cold for a walk, go for a swim or sauna into one of the Belgrade’s beautiful spas. My suggestion is to try Hollywood that is not in the city center, but is certainly worth the ride and Milan Gale that is more private, with just 3 saunas and 2 swimming pools but gives you more privacy and is located in the center.

Shopping malls

I know, I know, shopping is an obvious choice, but it’s even better in a time when prices drop with the temperature. And not only this. In shopping malls, there are a lot other things to do besides shopping, so you can go bowling, enjoy some of the best movie theaters in Belgrade, or just play billiard and video games. Also, malls offer not only food corners, but also well-rated restaurants and coffee shops so it can be a nice gourmet tour as well.

In the end, you can always go for the classic and go clubbing and visiting museums and galleries but if you just use your imagination there are really a lot of places you can go to during winter in Belgrade. Of course, try visiting some places that are abandoned during winter like Lake Ada or Kalemegdan which don’t look any less stunning then during the summer. I do hope you’ll enjoy!

Enjoy!

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