A weekend in Novi Sad, Serbia's easygoing second city

Most people land in Belgrade, party for a few nights and fly home. I did exactly that on my first trip to Serbia. On the second one I took a train north, and I have been recommending Novi Sad ever since. This is my list of the best things to do in Novi Sad, based on my own trips: where to walk, what to see, where to eat and how to fit it into a day or two.

Is Novi Sad worth visiting?

Yes, and it might be the most relaxing city I have visited in the Balkans. Novi Sad is Serbia’s second city, but it feels nothing like a big capital. It sits on the Danube, the streets are flat and easy to walk, and nobody seems to be in a hurry. Coffee is a proper activity here, not a pit stop.

If you want wild nightlife and a sprawling skyline, Belgrade does that better. If you want a city where you can wander without a plan and sit on a terrace for two hours, Novi Sad is the one. It was a European Capital of Culture, and you can still see that in the galleries, the street art and the small cafes.

Petrovaradin Fortress above the Danube

This is the top thing to do in Novi Sad, and it is the reason a lot of people come. Petrovaradin Fortress sits on a rock on the opposite bank of the Danube, and it is huge. You cross the river on a bridge from the centre, walk up through the old gates, and suddenly you are on massive ramparts with the whole city spread out below you.

Look for the clock tower. The clock has its hands the wrong way round: the big hand shows the hours and the small one shows the minutes. The story goes that this let boatmen on the river read the time from far away. I loved that quirk.

Give yourself a few hours up here. Walk the walls, peek into the artists’ studios and cafes tucked into the old buildings, and stay for sunset. The view over the Danube and the rooftops in that light is one of my favourite city views anywhere. Wear comfortable shoes, because the fortress has plenty of stairs and cobblestones.

The EXIT festival

You cannot write about Novi Sad without the EXIT festival. It started in the early 2000s as a student movement and grew into one of the best known music festivals in Europe, with the fortress as its home for years. Think stages inside old military tunnels, a stone fortress lit up at night and thousands of people dancing above the Danube.

I do not know what is planned for the festival next, so check the official EXIT website for current dates and the location of the next edition before you plan around it. If you go during festival time, book your bed early. For the quieter version of Novi Sad, visit outside the festival season, when the fortress is calm and the terraces are easy to get into.

Wandering the old centre

The old town is small, pretty and very walkable, so you can see most of it in a relaxed day. These are the spots I keep coming back to:

• Dunavska street is the pedestrian street lined with pastel buildings, bookshops, cafes and ice cream. Stroll slowly and people watch.
• Freedom Square is the heart of the city, with the neo-Gothic Name of Mary church and its tall tiled roof, plus the town hall around it.
• The Danube promenade runs along the river towards the fortress. In warm months locals sunbathe at the city beach, and the riverside fills up in the evenings.
• The side streets have murals and little exhibition spaces, so keep your eyes open for street art and small galleries.

I like to do this part without a schedule. Pick a cafe, order a coffee and let the afternoon happen.

Where I eat and what I spend

Serbian food is hearty, and Novi Sad does it well. In the traditional restaurants, look for grilled meat, fresh bread, soft cheese and stuffed peppers, and finish with a strong coffee or a glass of rakija if you are brave. There are also modern places and good vegetarian options around the centre.

The local currency is the Serbian dinar. I take out some cash at an ATM on arrival, since small cafes and market stalls often prefer it, while larger restaurants take cards. I will not quote prices because they change, but I found the city comfortable on a normal travel budget.

Fruska Gora and Sremski Karlovci

If you have a second day, head just outside the city. Fruska Gora is a green, hilly national park with forest trails, small villages and a string of historic monasteries. It makes an easy half day: walk a little, visit one or two monasteries and look out over the plains. A car makes the park easier, but a local tour or taxi works too.

Nearby is the old riverside town of Sremski Karlovci, known for its baroque centre and wine cellars. I like pairing it with the park for a slow afternoon.

Novi Sad as a day trip from Belgrade

Novi Sad is about an hour from Belgrade, which makes it one of the easiest day trips from Belgrade. You can go by train or bus. Check current timetables and tickets locally, because schedules change.

A day trip works if you are short on time: fortress in the morning, lunch on Dunavska, a river walk and back in the evening. If you can, stay at least one night. The fortress at sunset and a slow evening in the old town are the best parts, and you only get them if you do not rush back.

Novi Sad is one stop on a bigger trip. For more ideas on this side of the Balkans, head over to my Serbia guides and plan your own route. The Danube also flows on towards Hungary, and you can keep going through the region with my Bosnia guides. Tell me what you think of the fortress.