BELGRADE, SERBIA

Patrick Horton

Sunday, May 23, 2004

Been there, done that. Got the Prague T-shirt, and the one from Budapest's nearly worn out. Where's next? What?! Belgrade? Serbia?! We bombed them five years ago!

Think again. Belgrade's the new tourist hotspot of Europe, so new -- in terms of tourism -- that it's unspoiled and still rather chic. Plus it's safe and cheaper than Western Europe.

Where to start? Belgrade is pre-Roman, so there are no visible ruins, but there is a load of stuff from Turkish times. Wander into history through the immense Kalemegdan Citadel; there's also an impressive War Museum, including some dud bombs NATO contributed in 1999. Down below the citadel flows the mighty Danube with its tributary, the River Sava. Confluence of two rivers with a big hill, that's why Belgrade's here.

The No. 2 tram rattles around the city center on a circuit, so hop on outside the citadel, pay 20 dinar (30 cents), and see what town and folk are all about. You say you crave good books, clothes and crafts? Well, they're all here. Window-shop the smart, pedestrian Kneza Mihailova street for galleries, boutiques, and bookstores. There's also a helpful tourist information center at No. 18.

As for museums, the city's got more than 20. Musts are the Ethnographic Museum for national costumes and applied arts, the National Museum for its artworks (including several Impressionist canvases) and the Palace of Princess Ljubice, a fully equipped 19th century Balkan palace. For spiritual atmosphere, the Sveti Marko Serbian Orthodox Church is the one to beat.

Skadarska, Belgrade's Bohemian quarter and once a retreat of poets, writers and musicians, is a quaint and cheerful cobbled street full of old wooden-beamed inns that offer Serbian food accompanied by roving bands of musicians. In summer, eating, drinking and music flow out into the street.

Nearby is Strahinjica Bana, a street of basement clubs decked out to style. At least one night, be sure to drift to the legendary Underground club below Kalemegdan and listen to the latest DJ, often a big name from the United States or Western Europe. Other excellent nighttime options are the barges moored on the rivers, with techno, house or passionate gypsy music and some fine dining until very late. Boats open, boats close or change their tunes; ask any young fashion-clad Belgrader (many speak good English) for the current in place. They know how to party here.

Basics

Serbia and Montenegro's unit of currency is the dinar ($.02 U.S.) Phone numbers are as dialed from the United States.

Getting there

There's no direct service to Belgrade from San Francisco, but JAT Airways, the flag carrier of Serbia, operates daily flights to most European capitals.

Where to stay

Hotel Moskva (or Moscow Hotel), Balkanska br. 1. 011-381-11-686-255. The best Art Deco building in central Belgrade, with a suave staff and ritzy surroundings. Doubles $161, singles $58, including breakfast.

Royal Hotel, Kralja Petra 56. 011-381-11-634-222. More downmarket, chummy and "in the middle of it"; all-hours bar in the lobby. Rooms are a bit tight, but you're staying cheap -- $25 a night including breakfast.

Where to eat

Wander down to the Polet restaurant (Kralja Milana 31), done up like a ship's hold -- you've got to admire all those fat, shiny brass railings. In keeping with the nautical theme, you can feast on 16 varieties of fish plus wonderful grilled calamari. A big feed with wine will leave your wallet just $10 lighter. Tri {Scaron}e{scaron}iri (29 Skadarska St.), which means "Three Hats," fields the national dishes of grilled meats that Serbians just love. Wine and dine for $25 and have your soul stirred by a wandering folk band.

For more information

Visit www.belgradetourism. org.yu/english.