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.

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