The 10 Best Selfie Spots in Belgrade, Serbia
There were plenty of cynical voices when the craze began, but it’s clear selfies are here to stay. And what is wrong with that? If people want to take photos of themselves, who are we to complain? Belgrade is full of delightful spots just begging for some photo action, and here are 10 of the best.
Church of St. Sava
Your face will obviously be the key subject of the selfie, but what better way to fill the background than the biggest Orthodox Church in the region? The Church of St. Sava is one of the great iconic attractions of Belgrade, a monolithic temple that is as stunning from the outside as it is foreboding on the inside. You won’t get the whole church in your picture, but it’ll be an impressive shot nonetheless.
Kalemegdan
Belgrade’s fortress is full of perfect selfie spots, but it is hard to argue with the hyper-romantic setting of its very edge. The fortress looks out over the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, a majestic vista that stands proudly as the most magnificent vision in the Serbian capital. We don’t really recommend obstructing the view with your mug, but there is some serious profile photo potential here.
Manufaktura
While snapping a selfie inside the restaurant with a glass or two of rakija is definitely a good idea, it is the delightful red umbrellas outside that tick most of the photo boxes. A mass of umbrellas isn’t unique any more, but a bunch of brollies still makes for an alluring visual. Manufaktura has a lot of red ones above its terrace, so get those low angles ready.
Skadarlija
Taking a selfie at a restaurant in Belgrade is almost mandatory, but what about a cute cobblestone street full of the things? Skadarlija might not be quite as bohemian as it once was, but Belgrade’s ‘Bohemian Quarter’ remains one of the most popular attractions in the entire city. Many of the Serbian capital’s best restaurants are found here, along with a load of bars and no small amount of photo opportunities.
Partizan Graffiti
There must be a way of using software to create graffiti of yourself, right? The popular Belgrade neighbourhood of Dorćol is full of fascinating murals, the work of Grobarski Trash Romantizam. The pieces of art pay homage to the good and great of Partizan Belgrade’s history, along with an impressive roster of international luminaries (and Morrissey). Stand next to any of them, and click away.
Gardoš
Most cities are full of excellent selfie spots, but it can be difficult finding a prime position to get a picture with the city itself in the background. Zemun is Belgrade’s ‘city within a city’, and as such it gives visitors the opportunity to look out towards Belgrade from afar. Gardoš is the jewel in Zemun’s fiercely independent crown, an idyllic hill with arresting tower, with views out over the Danube towards Kalemegdan and the city centre.
Genex Tower
A difficult one to get right, but it is well and truly worth the effort. In a city full of fascinating architecture, Belgrade’s Western City Gate (known as the Genex Tower) still manages to stand out. It looks like the headquarters of a bumbling evil genius, a pair of imposing concrete towers with a spaceship on top. Try and get the spaceship in the back of a selfie, and then try to convince people of your plans for world domination.
Caffe Selfie
Yes, chortle, chortle. Way out in Cvetkova Pijaca is this self-explanatory cafe, although it isn’t quite the sea of selfie snappers that you might assume. Caffe Selfie is a cafe and restaurant complete with colourful beanbags and block walls. In short, it is the perfect place to take a selfie in Belgrade, provided you don’t require any of that cultural stuff to be involved.
Ada Ciganlija
Belgrade’s seaside (well, a big lake really) is the centre of life in the Serbian capital during the summer months. People flock to the lake in their thousands, for a spot of recreation or simply to laze on the water’s edge with a beer or three. The Beer Garden is the best of its kind in the city, and the mixture of beautiful people and gorgeous aesthetics make this some prime selfie real estate.
With a glass or three of rakija
Belgrade is a great place for almost everything, from art to history and from food to drink. A glass or two of rakija at the end of a long day is always a good idea, and the joy-inducing quality of the national drink will more than likely make those smiles a little wider and those selfies a little blurrier. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take them of course.