Serbia consists of many provinces, each with their own customs, way of preparing a food, and dialects. If you plan to stay in Serbia for a week, or longer, while at WordCamp Europe then why not take the chance to explore some of them? In this article, we present five central cities from the biggest provinces.
1. Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital city of Serbia. With a population of nearly two million people, Belgrade covers 3.6% of Serbian territory and 24% of Serbs live in the city.
We’ve already shared a lot of information about the city in our Discover Belgrade series, and will continue to do so. As we’ve already shared a lot of information about Belgrade as it stands today, here’s a photo of “future Belgrade”. Belgrade is growing fast and you will see a lot of new construction sites in the area because the WordCamp Europe venue is just across the river.
2. Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located just 90km north of Belgrade, in the southern part of the Pannonian Plain, on the banks of the Danube river, facing the Fruška Gora mountain.
Novi Sad has a population of 350,000, while the urban area of Novi Sad has around 270,000.
If you want to spend a day not too far from Belgrade, Novi Sad is the best option for you. The city has a rich history and amazing architecture that was influenced by the Austro Hungarian Empire. It’s also home to one of the prettiest fortresses – Petrovaradin. If you ever heard of the Exit festival, it is held in Petrovaradin every year on the second weekend in July. This year it will take place from the 12 – 15th of July.
3. Niš
Niš is the third largest city in Serbia and the centre of the Nišava District, located 240km south of Belgrade. Niš has an urban population of 187,544, while the administrative area has a population of 260,237.
It is one of the oldest cities in the Balkans and Europe, and has from ancient times been considered a gateway between the East and the West. Nis is also the birthplace of Constantine the Great (the first Christian Emperor and the founder of Constantinople), Constantius III, and Justin I. The suburb of Mediana is home to one of the oldest churches in Serbia, dating back to the 4th century.
Niš has the second biggest airport in Serbia, which can be reached with WizzAir or Ryan Air. The shuttle to Belgrade is approximately three hours.
It can be a good idea to stay in Niš for a few days as the city has a lot to offer, especially if you would like to try the most famous Serbian food. “Cevapcici and Pljeskavica” are best prepared in southern Serbia in cities like Nis, Leskovac, and Vranje.
4. Kragujevac
Kragujevac is the fourth largest city in Serbia, with a population of 190,000, and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River.
The Serbian word kraguj, which describes a species of hawk is the root of its name. Thus, Kragujevac means “hawk’s nesting place”.
Kragujevac was the first capital of modern Serbia, the first constitution in the Balkans was proclaimed in the city in 1835. Contemporary Kragujevac is known for its munitions (Zastava Arms) and automobile industry (Fiat Automobili Srbija). So, if you are thinking to buy Fiat 500L, it is produced in Kragujevac.
With its rich history and the fact it’s only 120km from Belgrade, we highly recommend visiting Kragujevac and it’s huge park, Sumarice.
5. Novi Pazar
Novi Pazar is a city located in the Raška District. Novi Pazar has 66,527 inhabitants in the urban area, while the city administrative area has 101,000.
Novi Pazar is the cultural centre of the Bosniaks in Serbia and the historical region of Sandžak. It’s a multicultural area of Muslims and Orthodox Christians with monuments for both religions, like the Altun-Alem Mosque and the Church of St. Apostles Peter and Paul.
The city is a bit harder to reach from Belgrade, since there is no highway, but it’s still worth visiting.
Congratulations! You Reached the End of This Article🤗
But now it’s time to get your WordCamp Europe ticket. Ticket includes entry to our 2-day event, lunch, coffee, and snacks for both days, our yearly collectible event t-shirt, access to the After Party, and entrance to Contributor Day (registrations open separately).
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