Belgrade, Serbia | Pros & Cons of Living in this Big Bad Balkan Capital 

6:09 "it is not western Europe, but..." Belgrade (Serbia as a whole) is west for east, and east for the west. That is how both sides are watching us.

as a Belgrade resident I absolutely love our weather. You get to feel the summer vibe for 2 months, you also get 25 days a year when its more like Siberia, not Serbia. And the rest is just functional, solid weather. I love it.

For taxis, the situation is simple: make sure the meter is on, make sure they have a TX extention on their plates and if you're a foreigner who's staying here long-term, make sure that you indicate the route you want to go through which will indicate to them that you are familiar with the layout of the city and cannot be scalped by the taxi taking a roundabout route.

Don't use the taxis at the airport!!!! Call a cab via application or via phone, ask a local at the airport to help you with this, but under no cost don't you go with taxis waiting at the airport! A friendly advise from a Serbian girl🙂❤

I felt the wind 🌬 kosаva when I was riding a bike in Zemun back in November 2020. It’s not best time to visit, but Serbia was a rare country allowing 🇺🇸 passport holders to enter during Covid. Heading to Hungary 🇭🇺 in October and debating whether to cross border on bike to Subotica. It’s a wonderful place.

I do not agree about most of the cons. Taxis are generally (very) safe and only some of those at the airport might rip you off but it is easy to avoid unless you are very naive. Many will actually argue that there are too many of them, though it may happen after big events, sudden rain or late at night when clubs are closing that it is hard to get one. A ride on public transport is most expensive if you buy a ticket from the driver. When bought at a kiosk it is 90 dinars and is valid for next 90 minutes without paying anything after validated in the first bus/tram/trolly. You can change transport as many times as you need within 90 minutes, which is enough to take you anywhere in the city and even back.

I Love it here! Serbia is Beautiful!

Taxies are fine if you call a company and request a vehicle, don't get into any random taxi on the street. Also, rates are higher at night, that much is true.

The summers, yes they are very hot but it really depends, this summer has been really hot while the last one really wasn't. As for the winters, they keep getting warmer and warmer. The coldest temperature we got this year was minus 7 and last year minus 4 degrees which isn't bad at all.

Just subscribed .. I like your content. feels authentic and putting out good content. Keep it up!!

I really like your way of talking respectfully about things. Hard to believe you're American after watching all those ignorant American vloggers all over YT.

very perceptive. i liked this vid and thought it was very thoughtful.

Really nice!

Sometimes I wonder how do people travel and don't even know the name of the place they're visiting. The city is called Belgrade (Bell + grade) not Bell+grad. If you're trying to pronounce it as the locals do then it's Beo+grad. Cheers!

I was in Serbia 3 years ago in February it was around 10-15 Celsius. I am from Maine, where during the day it can be 1 Celsius at night it can be -8 Celsius. I think Serbian winter is no problem for me lol.

If you don't like airbnb you could use halooglasi and teke a flat for few days or month ...

i really liked your videos about the macedonia and albania, i hope you enjoy your stay in serbia as well.

It is not brutal winters in Belgrade. Summer are brutal, it is more then 40 Celsius in the shade.

I really like Belgrade for all of the same pros. I didn't really have a problem with the taxi app. I think my biggest con would be that if you are a non-smoker you might be somewhat unhappy here. The smoking here seems much more noticeably pervasive (especially indoors) than almost any place I've been.

Only I don't agree for a taxi. I have traveled all over Europe, currently living in England. I have never seen more taxi drivers than in Belgrade. Easy to stop on the streets, if called in 2-3 minutes they have already arrived. Relaxed atmosphere, music, always a good discussion in the car ... while in other countries with taxi drivers is strictly "business". No joking,no relaxation and everything is too sterile and by "law".

we are a Orthodox not Catolic ...that is Church men

Serbia unlike many other countries, from a foreigner looking in and moving there soon, is they have kept their culture largely intact. Australia, where i live now has lost its culture with all the immigrants from 3rd world countries having moved here in such large numbers to where the white person hardly exists in comparison. It has become so bad in Oz that they want to move Australia Day and the list just goes on and on and now with lock-downs, Sydney is one of the worst-hit cities in the world, not by the pandemic yet rather by the politicians and the taking away of our freedoms. Re weather, again, come to Australia to know what hot means.......Serbia's heat is very different. It is a less direct heat and not as strong as the Aussie hot summer. The winters in Serbia are colder than Sydney yet we also have parts in Oz where it snows. Whether it is the ozone layer, which apparently is repaired over Oz that makes a difference, I don't know. My experience with taxi's in Serbia are that they are safe yet will rip you off if they know they can get away with it, so make sure you ask a few cabbies first for an approx amt. If they wont give you an approx amt to your destination, say, no worries and move to the next one. If you know the price and they give you one that is vastly different, move to the next one and repeat until you know you have an ethical cabbie. I call it doing your research. I once got a taxi in Belgrade to a hotel to which the hotel told me was to cost 300-400 dinars and I ended up paying literally 10x. From then on, I worked out how to sus them out. The once bitten, twice shy worked hehehe So just ask a few drivers first, even if you know the approx price to ensure you have a good taxi driver.

Very interesting comments. My approach to Serbia is that it has a very interesting folk culture, music and dancing. I can't imagine being interested in Serbia without being interested in that. But I can understand people being attracted to it because of the (comparatively) low prices.

Great to know the pros, and cons, thanks. How hot is hot may I ask? Because if coming from Malaysia (S.E.A) we have very HOT weather...😁

That is not center of Belgrade, its 3 km from center, as you said your self on 1:09 that area is called Vračar, and its not in city center at all :)

Hey! There's anyway I can reach out to you? I want to talk with you one on one about Serbia. Wonderful video!

Well... To me, all sounds like a pros.

well, i find it that you got 3 pros and 2 cons... we all agree on taxi, there is scumbags who rip off people, but last one i cannot accept as a con.

I found this summer to be hotter than normal in Belgrade. There are definitely hotter places tho in the region. What’s next on your to cover plans for Serbia?

Serbia is very expensive nowadays! Nothing similar to what it was before. Jobs are very hard to find and low paying so if you don’t have money or work online this country is tough to survive in.

Which area is the cool bar / cool cafes / cool clubs area of Belgrade? I want to live there.

On a hot day, and especially evening, it is remarkably cooler down by the rivers. One more reason to go down and enjoy. (I am usually there in summer, that's how I know. I've been there a couple of times in winter, it can be really cold but it can also be surprisingly mild.) Great video, I can tell you are expert in figuring out a new place and giving a very honest and realistic view, thank you!

I await the end of this pandemic ! My Belgrade , wait for me !

Belgrade is getting to be a metropolitan European city, however, it's still 'walkable' place so why would you ever need a cab? And wherever you reside in BG almost everything is practically 'down the street' from you. Did you ever try living in LA - if you have you would appreciate the quality of life in BG? I prefer living in a smaller town with some natural attractions (Serbia has many) over large metropolises, like LA, NYC, Chicago, or most European capitals, including Belgrade - and I'm BG native. Once I retire I will avoid big cities like a plague!

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Belgrade is actually not in 'the heart of the Balkans' - it's actually on the northern edge of the Balkan Peninsula. Danube river is the borderline between Central Europe and the Balkans stretching from the Black Sea to the confluence with river Sava at Belgrade. River Sava then continues the Balkan's border westward for a while.

Belgrade will forever in my heart.. the first time i saw snow was in Belgrade. I was so excited for my first winter because i come from tropical country Indonesia. the city is so beautiful. esp the old buildings. hope someday i can visit Serbia again. in a different season

Sveti Sava cathedral is not a centar of Belgrade

Saint Sava is not a cathedral, it is an Orthodox church. Cathedrals are Catholic religious buildings

Wouldnt public transport be cheaper than taxi, just asking

🇷🇸❤️☦️✝️🙏🏻

Craziest thing about Serbia… everyone speaks SPANISH ?!? wtf? Yeah they used to get Spanish telenovelas in the 90s and 2000s lol. Blew my mind speaking to people in spanish in sombor serbia lol

Getting mugged in taxis?! Local folks, can someone shed a bit of light on this practice?

Belgrade ♥️🇷🇸💯🍻

Five to ten beautiful cities 3-4 hours driving. Which 5 - 10 cities!?!?!?

Just ask that your fries are well done. They always make fries pretty limp llol

I hear in serbia you will see men 6'8/2m+ tall every day. is this true?

"schlep it"? Oy Vey!

Serbians aren’t fat because most of our food is locally sourced and not GMO or riddled with chemicals. Also we as a people are very active, walk everywhere and are taller so it’s harder to get fatter.

wearing a baseball hat backwards, ha, definitely Americans. 😄

I have watched nearly a dozen videos about this country at this point. They all say the same thing about the lack of diversity in Serbia as compared to other major cities. To hear and see that (I have only seen white people in each video) is a warning and not a "Con." Or maybe I just need to watch a couple hundred videos to finally see some actual diversity in Serbia????

Knez Mihajlova street is not representing Belgrade, Belgrade is not representing Serbia but Serbia is my Country and i love it because Serbia is much more than this . People should know the History, so they can better understand Our Nation and give final judgement.

Beat thing out of beograd is the road to Croatia.