Monday, March 19, 2012

From Place To Space: Belgrade


A new week, a new voyage! Buckle up, grab your cameras slash iPhones, put your shades on and enjoy. We are off to explore yet another city - this time the Serbian capital Belgrade. I assume most of you have never been there. Being of Serbian decent I had the opportunity to hop over for a few visits and stay at my friend's place. I was surprised by the city in many ways.


In Belgrade you will encounter a lot of juxtaposed sceneries - new, modern complexes versus old, sometimes dilapidated buildings, oriental Ottoman architecture mixed up with central European classic facades and counterbalanced by chunky socialist buildings. A weird mix of cultures, influences that reflect Belgrade's vibrant and sometimes rough history. Being settled at the confluence of two huge European rivers, the Danube and the Sava, Belgrade enjoys a lovely scenery and a good part of the nightlife happens on 'floating clubs', so called 'splavovi'.
Apart from the vibrant nightlife, you will spot some very cute and picturesque quarters such as the Bohemian Skadarlija quarter with many traditional restaurants, the huge Kalemegdan fortress overlooking the city and the river confluence, the impressive, Byzantine inspired St. Sava Cathedral and the village-like borough of Zemun. 

Some of my favorite spots in town are the following: The cute and charming bar/pop-up store 'Smokvica' (Little Fig) in the old Dorcol quarter, the stylish concept store and restaurant 'Supermarket' (a real Eames heaven and the average price of a dinner is 10 Euros!!!), the cosy courtyard garden of the traditional restaurant Jevrem, also in Dorcol, the amazing restaurant 'Mala Fabrika Ukusa' (literally: Little Taste Factory) with yummy traditional Serbian food is close to the St. Sava Cathedral, and the riverside cafés, restaurants and galleries at 'Beton Hala' like the 'Cantina de Frida'.


Speaking of my friend: I am sharing a few pics of my friend's Belgrade apartment. I love his taste and talent to transform a normal city apartment into a creative urban abode with a stunning high-gloss wooden floor, dark walls that highlight decorative elements, indirect lighting - lucky me that I get to stay in such a stylish place when visiting Belgrade. But no worries, there are very nice hotels, too! Have a happy new week!

Photography: Supermarket via Studio EM and 1984 Productions; Cantina de Frida via Cantina de Frida; Mala Fabrika Ukusa via its website; my friend's place by Slobodan Hrnjak; all others by Igor Josifovic.

19 comments :

  1. Ok, I'm a little embarrass to tell you that I've never heard of Belgrade, but your pictures and words are telling me that it's a very charming city. And I believe you 100%. Love your friend's adobe too.. esp. the contrast b/w the dark and light walls.

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  2. Smokvica looks like such a charming little place! Great to see your friend's place being so brave with colour as well!

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  3. Igor, I am so happy you included Smokvica! :) The best mint lemonade in the capital!

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  4. I love your Monday column!so many places!As a Greek I was glad to see Athens in your blog,and I believe that you as a Serbian you are happy today to share your experience from Belgrade too!

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  5. Thanks for putting some photos of one of my favourite cities.I didn't visit Belgrade for quite some time and I miss it!!Thanks for tips,when I go there next time I know what to visit :-)

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    1. Hvala Sanda:-) I warmly recommend those places! I loved each of them - Smokvica, Mala Fabrika Ukusa and Supermarket being my absolute favorites!

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  6. Thank you for the visit. I'm sure Belgrade is an interesting place to go and I hope I will go one day :)

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  7. Wow, what an amazing apartment!!! Love all the pics as usual:)

    Happy Monday Sweets!

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  8. Pinterest brought me here:)), and seeing Belgrade in the first post...ahh great, Ive been there last year around the same time:)

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  9. so cool to see belgrade. i've not been there, but i have a conductor friend from there. love to see the old and new. nothing like the passage of design time. spectacular.

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  10. A stylish trip from beginning to end, Igor! Thanks for all of your great virtual trips that you give us. Sitting looking out at a cold, gray Monday? Just what I needed! :)

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  11. I've never been to Serbia ... Never event think of going ... But Wow! Now i think i should go there bfore i m old ... Ha ha
    U really do travel a lot :)

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  12. Belgrade is such a contradiction! It is hard to live here, but it is quite challenging! It was a great time during Igor`s stay in Belgrade! Hope to see you soon! :)
    Slobodan Hrnjak

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  13. Truly fabulous Igor. Looks like you lived the stylish high life!

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  14. Ovo je post kao naručen za mene. Bila sam u BG više puta ali uvjek na brzinu, na pola u prolazu. U maju vjerovatno opet idem barem za dvije noći i sa djecom. Hvala puno za ove lokacije izgleda super i jedva čekam.

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    1. Drago mi je da je ovaj blogpost od pomoci! Fin provod u Beogradu!

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  15. Da, da provod mora biti :). Sve ću ja to dokumentirati i staviti na moj blogić. Samo da stignem već jednom otići.

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  16. Igor, svaka cast, beograd je stvarno divno mesto ali ti si ga prikazao jos lepse! :)
    Bila sam tamo vec nekoliko puta, jer imam porodicu tamo blizu ali nisam jos uspijela da vidim sve to sta si napisao, tako da sam sad zapisala sve u beleznicu, za sledeci put, kad idem na cevape i splavove :)

    Lp, Maja

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  17. Mnogo mi se svidja tvoj clanak o Beogradu! Ja za tvoje restorane (osim za smokvicu) nisam znala i moram da odem sledeci put! Bas sam i ja sretna da sam nasla jos nekog naseg ;-) Ovde gde ja zivim neznam nikoga osim moje familije (a to su samo roditelji i sestra ;-) Puno pozdrava iz Mainza! Sara

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