Get Out of Town

Serbia’s addition to the ‘White Shengen’ list is a great excuse for a winter trip overseas.

The long awaited day, where European borders would be open once again without restrictions, has finally arrived! From December 19th the EU’s schengen countries have decided to drop the visa-requirements which saw long queues at consular departments at embassies across the city. Making plans to see friends outside of Serbia was almost always difficult, and could never be wholly spontaneous. Road trips and other last-minute vacation deals were mostly out of the question and many chose to make the most of home and enjoy the city.  Those days end this weekend, and Belgrade Insight has a few suggestions for  weekend getaways from Belgrade.

Going North and North-West

Budapest

Split into Buda and Pest by the Danube River, Budapest is the perfect romantic weekend getaway. Only 5 to 6 hours by car, and with Malev offering daily low-budget flights, this intriguing city has much to offer. On the Buda side sits the castle that majestically rises over the city looking down over Pest. The palace is a gorgeous backdrop to the city skyline, where restaurants, bars and cobblestone walkways lead up to the old city, nestled against the castle walls. Spas abound, a tradition left over by the Turks where one can spend hours refreshing the body and soothing the soul, Get pampered in any one of the numerous thermal baths or under ground hot springs. A city of healing waters, the other liquid to note is the wine, Hungary has a well deserved reputation for sweet wines, especially ‘Tokaj’ perfect to round off a romantic dinner of hearty Hungarian cuisine. For art lovers, museums and galleries abound, shopping is everywhere, and the night life is varied with many types of parties from elegant classical music soirees and boat trips to hardcore house and techno raves. What not to miss: Christmas market in Vorosmarty Square in the city centre where artisans sell their handmade crafts  and where you can taste traditional Hungarian foods like kenyerlangos (a flat bread like dough cooked in a cob oven), kurtoskalacs (a cone-shaped sweet yeast cake), retes (strudel), and last, but not least, the most celebrated winter drink, forralt bor (mulled wine).

Bratislava

A small city that has gained the reputation as being ‘Partyslava’. Last year over 100,000 people celebrated New Year here last year, of whom around one fifth were from abroad. This year the hype is bigger than ever.  Bratislava has a beautiful setting, with the Danube running through it, and a castle overlooking the pretty medieval old town. The great small bars, cheap beer,and the party make this a great getaway.The Main Square is the epicentre of most activities, but this year, Christmas and New Year festivities will expanded to Hviezdoslav Square, in front of the national opera house which sits along the embankment of the Danube between the Novy Most and Stary Most. The surprising mix of local and international restaurants, and the compact nature of thre old town make this an easy venue to conquer in a weekend. What not to miss: New Year on the Danube embankment, lit up with a huge firework display, launched directly from boats floating on river.

Ljubljana

This town is known to many locals from the old days of Yugoslavia, but much has changed. This little city offers a wide range of shopping and eating, and has a unique cultural fusion blending the Slovene penchant for eating and drinking with Austrian  organisation and presentation. The town’s Festive Fair held in Presernov trg, near the Cankarjevo nabrezje has stalls that offer many local locally prodcued Christmas and New Year gifts, but it’s also a place for socializing and gathering, with music and events for children and families. In the evening the beautiful bridge is splendidly illuminated. There’s a good selection of local restaurants that serve hearty local fare and the old town has many cute bars and cafes. If you feel like a walk, the old caste area is the perfect back drop for quiet stroll. What not to miss: The shopping, with stores like H&M and MAC and other big label brands not available in Serbia, shopping is a must.

Going South and South-East

Sofia

The once austere capital of a Communist regime now goes by a new moniker - ‘Stag Night Heaven’ Sofia has foreigners streaming into town to carry out their pre-nuptial parties in the city’s many bar lined streets. Sofia has quickly become a centre for international debauchery, a mini-Las Vegas or Reno of the South East. Bulgarians love to socialise and enjoy themselves, and if your Serbian is not too rusty you can get by with basic words both cultures share.  Sofia is truly a haven for those wanting a quick change from Belgrade. The capital has a long list of night clubs, hip cafes and late night spots that are very cheap. Eating and drinking in Sofia is surprisingly inexpensive and offers cuisine similar to Serbian tastes so you won’t miss home cooking. For those looking for a wild time, Sofia is the place: Casinos, Strip clubs, House/Techno clubs, and RnB parties make the nightlife in this town the wildest in the Balkans. What not to miss: Chervilo is an exclusive club catering to the Bulgarian social elite. Meaning ‘Lipstick’ it’s one of the trendiest places to be seen, amongst models and expensively suited men.

Skopje

Surrounded by lovely mountains and organised in wide sweeping streets, Skopje is easy to drive in  and a pleasure to walk through. The pretty Vardar rivers winds its way through the city marking out the divide between the Muslim and Orthodox communities This multicultural mix gives the town a unique look, feel and sound. Evening prayers drift out from the Mosques interwoven with the many languages heard on the street. For a town of half a million, it’s surprisingly cosmopolitan. The town, once a major stop on trading routes also has an old Turkish fortress in the centre, Kale fort, which leads to the Old Bazaar, an area of winding cobbled alleyways that take you in circles as you stumble into one cafe after another. The south side has stylish bars and cafes a-buzz with fashion-conscious youths. The central pedestrian street called Makedonija, becomes party central at night. Outside the regular bar scene are cute little hideaway venues that play great live music, anything from national to 70s rock to Jazz and fusion. What not to miss: Any bar in the Old Bazaar, and Restaurant ‘Pivnica An’ offering fantastic Macedonian food and a rustic atmosphere, situated in a historic Ottoman trading inn.

Thessalonika

A little further south will bring you to a totally different city: Thessalonika. Set beside the sea, surrounded by hills and blue skies, this s a city getaway that will really change your mood. A great place for food, music, shopping, walking, drinking and meeting people, and with JAT offering cheap weekly flights and Olympic planning to follow suit in the new year, this is an easy weekend destination. The airport is just 15 minutes from town, and once in the city’s main Aristotelous square, you can find everything you need to enjoy the weekend. The local fish market has one of the best Ouzerias, small local restaurants that offer ‘mezes’ that  are perfect for sharing with a carafe of local wine. The shopping is phenomenal, every major label and a lot of local boutiques which have sales every January, offering up to 80 per cent off. The water also eases the soul, and the main strip ‘Nikis’ Street has cafe and bar after cafe and bar which during the day house tired shoppers but which at night become the perfect place for  pre-party cocktails  before hitting the city’s many nightspots scattered along the coast. What not to miss: Bouzoukia – a Greek national treasure, a music theatre where famous Greek singers perform while the audience sings and dances along, all the while throwing flowers at each other.

Serbians need one of the new biometric passports to take advantage of the ‘White Schengen’ list so remind your friends to get one fast. In the next few months new low-cost airlines will be flying from Belgrade meaning more accessible and cheaper options for international destinations. Civil aviation spokeswoman Katarina Andric-Milosavljevic recently announced that Ryanair, EasyJet and Wizz Air are already in discussions. If you hurry there are still some deals left to be had for New Year.  Belgrade as great as it is, doesn’t have to be the centre of your universe anymore - check-in with your local travel agency and get out of town!