weekend in belgrade and its surroundings

This article was developed within the program Venture an Idea funded by the USAID.

If you are staying in Belgrade for a while, and you have already seen main museums and eaten in popular restaurants, you walked through Kalemegdan a couple of times, visited both sides of the river, went to Zemun, passed through every conceivable street… and it’s a weekend, and you crave to do something more – to go to nature, perhaps?

Going out of the city is always an option, but if you don’t have much time, or you simply wish to spend only a couple of hours in nature and walk your dog, the forests in the city may be your perfect solution to escape urban noise, without actually going anywhere. Inside Belgrade and on the outskirts of the city there are many forests, and we suggest a couple of them for a perfect outdoor day. 

Zvezdara Forest 

Park-forest Zvezdara is located quite close to the city center and represents an attractive picnicking site ideal for walking, relaxing and recreation, having in mind that it offers an abundance of walking tracks, adequate exercise machines, green surfaces and small restaurants.  Belgrade citizens love this forest and they visit it gladly and frequently. If you are lucky, and there is enough snow, remember that this forest is bound to look stunning. The Zvezdara forest also has an astronomical observatory, in a building which has the status of a museum. 

Byford’s Forest aka Banjica Forest 

This forest has the status of a protected natural monument and is located not far from the city center. The forest is a true city oasis, especially during summer. Located in the Banjica neighbourhood, this forest is the habitat of many bird species, mostly due to the variety of trees. A part of the forest is landscaped and is streaked by tracks ideal for walking, jogging, or other recreation, while the other part is more natural and wild. 

Miljakovac Forest

A forest in the suburbs, certainly worth your time. This is a wild city oasis mostly frequented by the inhabitants of this neighbourhood, full of thickly growing vegetation. In fact, during summer, some parts of it are often overgrown with grass. On the one hand, the forest abounds in wide dirt tracks, while on the other, there is also a labyrinth of narrow paths, climbing up and down the forest hills. In the lowest part of the forest, you will see the Rakovica Monastery and monastery brook, so in addition to visiting this monument of nature, you can also visit a monument of culture. 

Košutnjak

This park-forest and urban picnicking site is located near the city center and is the pride of Belgrade which the citizens really love. Košutnjak is a pleasant place for a break, walk, running, jogging, recreation and relaxation. The forest is streaked with numerous paths and is suitable for a more active stay in nature and cycling, while a part of the forest (Topčider Park) is excellent for walking or a picnic underneath the old pine trees. There are a number of taverns and restaurants here, so you don’t need to worry about your lunch. 

For additional relevant information, visit our Belgrade Insights page.

This article was made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this article are the responsibility of Nova Iskra do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.