I decided to add one additional destination on my six day trip to Belgrade; after careful consideration that destination became Novi Sad. Unfortunately, not for the right reasons. I had other places much higher on my list. Places like Niš, which was actually too far away, and a road trip through the “wilderness” of Serbia, which I didn’t really feel like doing by myself. So I shrugged my shoulders and decided to go to Novi Sad.

Novi Sad

Now, I shouldn’t act too crestfallen. Novi Sad is a beautiful city in its own rights. Most people will know it because it’s the base for the Exit Festival each year. It’s the second largest city of the country, and it’s the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. A province which people are really proud of. The taxi driver who drove me from Novi Sad to the airport of Belgrade told me excitedly how different people from Novi Sad are from them of Belgrade.

The city centre of Novi Sad is beautiful, and it’s in the same line as Belgrade as it has a lot of outdoor seating outside the restaurants and cafes. Petrovaradin Fortress, a strategic Habsburg military post, is a short walk from the city centre and definitely worth a visit. It’s difficult to imagine that this is the place that gets transformed into the festival stage every year. Finally, there’s a long but pretty walk to Štrand; a beachy area which makes you forget you’re in one of the biggest cities of the country.

Photos of Novi Sad

Where to Stay?

There are plenty of hotels to choose from in the city centre of Novi Sad. Especially, if you’re travelling there outside the main tourist season. I opted for Hotel Fontana, a hotel with a beautiful & quiet courtyard to sip a glass of wine while enjoying a book.

Conclusion

To be completely honest, I was a bit bored during my two days in Novi Sad. There’s not much to explore inside the city. Also, tours are only offered to two or more people, and most tours were actually cancelled due to low participation in general. Otherwise, I would’ve loved to see the countryside and learn more about the people of Vojvodina. There’s always a next time, right?