The thought of going to Serbia both scared and excited me. On the 5 hour shuttle bus arranged by the hostel to take us from Sarajevo to Belgrade and driven by a Serbian Maniac who didn’t speak a word of English we were a little wary. We had heard a lot about Serbia as we we in the beginning stages of this journey though the Balkans. Our route probably didn’t help the situation much either with Bosnia and Herzegovina being the stop just previous. We had had such an amazing and intense time in both Sarajevo and Mostar. Not only absolutely falling in love with this multicultural and historic nation but also by seeing it’s scars and speaking in depth and honestly with locals.
We learnt of the horrors of the Balkan
Chapters
We learnt of the horrors of the Balkan war here and for the most part the aggressors and the enemy were the Serbs. They were the ones who subjected the Bosnians to a campaign of bombardment, killing and genocide over land they aimed to steal off a Bosnia struggling to claim independence. They were the ones that still now control large parts of the country is what is often a no go zone for many of the Bosniaks who live in places like Sarajevo.
We learnt that tensions still exist between ethnic groups and the law of the land is not recognised in the Republic Of Srpska, whose territory starts just outside of the capital and which we passed through. Often football games between these two regions ends up in bloody and bitter battles. A guy in the hostel telling us that sometimes they bring acid, baseball bats and knives. There is no love lost here. The Bosnia war might be over but the battles still exist everyday in smaller and less publicised events.
With pure hatred of the Serbs being the main impression we had been given, we were a little wary of what we might find. We were also still accurately aware of the Kosovo situation and now having been it seems even more puzzling why they would want to or still feel the need to lay claim to an area that shares absolutely no cultural or ethnical similarities to it.
I can only imagine the reason is sheer bloody mindedness, greed and pride. It feels to me like they are that guy who lost an argument and instead of having some grace and admitting defeat and moving on they keep on going past the point to which they have any valid point and just make themselves look silly. I mean, everyone else but pretty much them has accepted Kosovo as an independent nation!
Going to Serbia was a bit strange for us, a little like stepping over into enemy lines as we already felt such an allegiance to Bosnia and Kosovo. I almost felt like a traitor giving them my time and money but we are all about discovering places for ourselves rather than through preconceptions and rumours. It also didn’t help that we fell so much in love with Sarajevo and had to be swept away in the night to big, bad Belgrade!
So what was Serbia really like.
Serbia in many ways lived up to its reputation. We found the people in general to be a lot harsher and less approachable than the easy going and friendly nature we have found all over the Balkans. That’s not to say there weren’t friendly people because we defiantly met some nice and interesting Serbians for sure. But on the whole we didn’t get the same warm atmosphere.
Maybe a big part of that was the impression the guide on our free waking tour of Belgrade left on us. We’ve been on a few of these walking tours here and there before and enjoy them as a way to get your bearings and some background in a new city. Our guide was a girl fresh out of university in her early 20’s, unassuming and welcoming at first but as the tour went on her political agenda came creeping out.
On many occasions she mentioned Kosovo and made a point of repeatedly saying “the southern Serbian state of…” As well as making a point of mentioning all the different Serbian artefacts and buildings down there as if to prove it was theirs. I imagine if you never go on to visit this wonderful little country and only get your information about it from Serbia then you might be inclined to be swayed by what she was implying.
Another thing she repeatedly did was to have digs at the neighbouring countries, at one point saying that Bosnia is pretending to have its own language and really they just speak Serbian. Now I understand that many of these Slavic languages are related, we’ve spent 2 months in the area and the similarities between each country haven’t gone unnoticed. But to outright belittle part of the identity of a country that was a victim of her countries aggression really didn’t do much to make me fall in love with this country.
Serbia is pretty much the last outpost of the mighty Yugoslavia, when others left it stayed in place and kept the name until as late as 2003. In this sense it is a very different beast to the others who sought independence, Serbia instead fought to keep everyone together, but together under their rule, name, language, culture and religion.
This makes it quite unique amongst the other former Yugoslavian nations who all both declared independence from Yugoslavia and also suffered at the hands of an aggressive Serbia. You can still feel some of that here today. There is an air of arrogance and entitlement that I got from speaking to some people. Belgrade was also the former nations capital and still hosts the often visited mausoleum of Tito.
When most other ex-communist countries such as Bulgaria with Dimitrov’s tomb, destroyed these archaic monuments, Serbia, much like Russia with Lenin’s Mausoleum, keeps this one as a memorial to not only Tito, but Yugoslavia and Communism itself.
What we did like!
This isn’t to say that there weren’t things that we really enjoyed about Serbia. The city of Belgrade is what we would describe are really liveable. It is modern, bustling and alive! It has everything you could ever need from a modern city and living here would be really quite easy and convenient. It also has some really nice buildings too, even if you get told otherwise!
We also felt that Belgrade was much more beautiful in parts than it had been sold to us. We had heard rumours it was just a post communist grey block with no style or flair. This was a little unfair because as much as this could be true for sections of the city, it also has its fair share of grand Austro-Hungarian architecture.
One of the most wonderful areas of Belgrade is the Bohemian Quarter, known as Skadarlija, this is one of the only remaining original streets left in the city after it was almost flattened during the second world war. This cobbled throughway is a centre for culture, nightlife and age old traditions.
It is comparable to Montmarte of Paris and originally started life as we know it as the place in which the artists, poets and writers gathered to work, drink and find inspiration.
Also, as much as I mentioned the remnants of Yugoslavia above I also have to mention the fact that this is something that really fascinates me. I have an interest in the history of Communism, mostly because of the fascinating link it has to Manchester.
So seeing such a piece of history such as Tito’s grave and seeing the Museum of Yugoslavia was actually pretty cool for me. In the same way I didn’t really mind the blocky architecture that dominates the city, it kind of gives it that interesting post communist feel that combined with several other eras of styles makes it so unique.
Belgrade also had a great energy at times, there were parties in the streets, wedding carnivals and colourful and creative graffiti adorning many of the grey blocky buildings. When it comes alive it does it with a bang, and you are sure to know about it!
Overall
Serbia was a strange country for us, I had originally intended to write a piece about misconceptions of the country but I just couldn’t justify it. It was a place that we have mixed feelings about and possibly should have tried to see more in order to form a wider impression.
But what we did see didn’t grab us or take us on a wild journey like many other places. It was interesting and worthwhile, but it wasn’t amazing and in all honestly we wanted to move on to the next country after Belgrade.
The city is ultimately a party city, if you love to go out and drink all night then I have no doubts you will be like the many others who rave about Belgrade and Serbia, but for us, it just fell a little short and out of every country on this exploration of the Balkans it has been our least favourite. But maybe that is our allegiance to both Bosnia and Kosovo speaking!
Have you been to Serbia, what were your impressions?
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Yo, I’m Nic (they/them), one-half of The Roaming Renegades.
I’m an adventure (and halloumi) obsessed traveller with a passion for hiking mountains, exploring cities, watching Arsenal win, moshing out to Rammstein in random European fields and getting hopelessly lost on a motorbike somewhere in Asia! I am also a proud member of the LGBT+ community.
I’ve explored 80 countries, lived in Australia and New Zealand, and spent months wandering Southeast Asia, South America and Eastern Europe, all while trying to avoid growing up!
Did it work? I dunno, but my back hurts, and I still collect Pokémon cards! Who wants in?!
Your opinion is based on people from Bosnia, who I think maybe are your friends and normally you are going to hear just their stories about Balkan history. I am not saying that Serbs were innocent in the wars, but we were as well victims. (NATO bombing, thousands and thousands of people that were made to leave their homes in Croatia,Kosovo and Bosnia…….). Look, we don’t think with our heads, we do with our hearts. Because Kosovo and parts of Bosnia are part of our history, culture, we can’t let it go. And that’s why we say those things, but to say that we are the aggressors and the enemy is really not fair. If you are that interested in our history, please buy some books that are written by a Serbian to see our part of the story. You will change your mind. And I know that we are really friendly because too many people from abroad told me we are really easygoing, friendly people. When you come next time you should call me, and I will show you the real, beautiful Belgrade, and other parts of Serbia.
I’ve enjoyed reading your travel blog through the Balkans as I traveled on my trip. But I was very disappointed to read your commentary on Serbia, particularly how you painted it in a negative light as a whole country based on preconceived notions. I think what you missed, and that is unfortunate, is the small nuance and difference between the Serbs of Bosnia (the other half of Bosnian population involved in the civil war) and the Serbs of Serbia (Serbians), most of which were in no way, shape, or form affected nor participated in the war. I do hope you give it another try, go explore the country and rich history, and try to open your mind to the other half of the population that equally suffered from the Bosnian war.
What you forget is that this reflection is actually based on experience. The harsh and bad things I heard Serbians say with my own ears and the attitude they displayed to me. Of course not everyone is like that. But I can only go on what I saw and experienced. I’ve not jumped to any conclusions but reflected on my shock at the different attitudes I experienced in Serbia in comparison to the rest of the entire region. So I am entitled to my option based on what I saw and heard. There is no preconceived notions here. Just actually factual experiences. I’m sorry that’s not up to your liking but I’m not going to lie about what we experienced over there just because it doesn’t suit some people. I reflect honestly.
Pravi razlog zašto srbi pokazuju 3 prsta u zrak je da pokažu koja 3 prsta brišu guzicu wc papirom.
“Sorry, I Didn’t Love Serbia” – A Travel Blog or a Political Smear?
Let’s cut through the noise: this wasn’t a travel piece. It was a hit job on Serbia dressed up in backpacker lingo. From the jump, you entered Belgrade calling it “enemy lines” and carried your pre-packaged narrative from Sarajevo straight across the border. You didn’t come to explore—you came to confirm your bias.
History Isn’t a Hashtag War Story
You frame the Serbs as “the aggressors” like you’ve just cracked the Balkans’ history in a hostel conversation. Here’s a fact check: the Yugoslav wars were brutal on all sides. Serb civilians died, Serbs were expelled, and Serbs carry scars too. Reducing everything to “Serbia bad, Bosnia good” isn’t justice—it’s propaganda.
Kosovo: Not Just a Map Dispute
You mock Serbia’s connection to Kosovo as “silly,” claiming there’s no cultural link. That’s ignorance. Kosovo is the heart of Serbian history—home to sacred monasteries, ancient battlefields, and centuries of national identity. Dismissing that as stubbornness erases pain, memory, and the ethnic cleansing of Serbs after 1999. This isn’t pride—it’s principle.
You Criticize Locals for… Being Serbian?
You were shocked that a Serbian tour guide called Kosovo “a southern Serbian province.” Guess what? That’s not an agenda—that’s the official stance of her country. Demanding she echo your beliefs in her own homeland is the real arrogance. And yes, the languages in the region are nearly identical. Calling that out isn’t erasure—it’s linguistic reality.
You Never Gave Serbia a Chance
You admit Belgrade is vibrant, historic, and beautiful. You liked Skadarlija, the architecture, the energy. But even praise comes laced with contempt. Serbia wasn’t your “least favorite” because it lacked beauty—it’s because it didn’t fit your script. You were never open to understanding it—you came in wearing the jersey of someone else’s side.
⸻
Here’s the Truth:
Serbia doesn’t need to explain its history to tourists looking for easy villains. It doesn’t owe you silence on Kosovo, nor must it downplay its identity for your comfort. It’s complex, proud, and resilient—and it won’t be reduced to a caricature just because someone didn’t get warm vibes at a walking tour.
If you want to understand Serbia, come with humility.
Thanks for the long winded way of proving my point!
I am from Holland and for me Belgrade is one of the best cities in Eastern Europe….. not the most beautiful but definitely great place to be…. Your review isn’t fair and honest
It’s fair and honest if it describes my experience. We all have different, unique experience and I don’t just write rose tinted BS guides like every other site out there! I tell my own story, if yours was different, then that’s awesome! I’ve been to plenty of places others hated and loved them, that’s the great thing about doing and having your own experience.
I am a POC American expat who has been living in Serbia for a few years now, and if it weren’t so cheap to live here, I would have left a long time ago. The people are harsh, not well traveled, homophobic, racist, and nationalistic. Every interaction feels like a chore with these people, and as a person of color, I wouldn’t recommend living here. The people that I do see hyping up Serbia are the influencers looking for clout or expats from developing nations who don’t have better options back home. The only positive I will say is that Serbia is beautiful, but the people need an attitude adjustment, humility, and a bit more civility, especially in Belgrade.
Thank you for the first unbiased comment. I think what other people fail to realise is that we all have our own unique experience and interactions and of course, how we feel is then influenced by that and no two people have the same experience, so they can’t possibly tell anyone else their reflections on what they experienced were not valid. But my experience does reflect in many ways your own (obviously not being a POC, but I did see racism more outwardly than in other places, which was across the region too, not just Serbia). Some of the feedback I’ve gotten from people honestly just confirm this.
They literally ARE the same language! Whether you want to call it Bosnian, Serbian, or Croation, the three countries share the exact exact exact same language. Even most dialects in Spain and Italy are much more different from each other.
Exactly, thank you!
Honestly , I lived in Serbia for almost 3 years ( an American ) and I can tell you , it’s a bad place. The people are generally dishonest just to get any kind of sale or dollar. The smoking is rife with no education in schools , no bans on it and no plans to stop anytime soon. The amount of times I saw people blowing smoke in their babies face was cringey every single time. But they just laugh about it.
They also HATE criticism . They expect every foreigner to say they enjoyed Serbia and if you don’t, they will say “ oh you met the wrong people and that’s not true”. The corruption is ripe and the individuals are the same. I gave birth there and the hospitals are CRAP and the basic medical education is 50 years ago. They have to be some of the most uneducated people I’ve ever come across. They don’t allow your husband to be in the hospital or room while giving birth :RED FLAG. When it was time to leave the hospital, the “nurses” literally snatched the hospital clothes they provided back and put on the soiled ones I packed . Very bad.
I’m now back in the states and I would never step foot there. I’m not even trying to be politically correct, I’m being honest when I say Serbia is CRAP. No filter .
I did, on the other hand, have a lovely time in Norway and Sweden .
Thank you for your honest opinion and telling us your personal experience. I’m sorry you had those experiences.
Belgrade is one of my favourite cities and I love the Serbian people in general. Ditto Sarajevo and the Bosnians.