Where to Stay in Belgrade: Best Neighbourhoods

Quick comparison

Walking times are approximate and depend on where exactly you stay.

Stari Grad (Old Town): best for a first visit

The old town is where most of Belgrade’s sights are: Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, Knez Mihailova street, Republic Square and Skadarlija are all within walking distance. If this is your first time in Belgrade and you have two or three days, stay here and you will hardly need transport.

• Good: walk everywhere, huge choice of hotels and apartments
• Not so good: busier and pricier; streets near bars can be loud at weekends

Dorćol: cafés, bars and old streets

Dorćol runs from the old town down towards the Danube. Upper Dorćol, close to the fortress and Knez Mihailova, mixes old buildings, small cafés and quiet side streets. Lower Dorćol, towards the river, is packed with bars and gets noisy at night. Rents here are among the highest in the city, which tells you how popular it is.

• Good: great location, café culture, close to the fortress
• Not so good: lower Dorćol can be loud late at night

Vračar: the quieter, local choice

Vračar is a leafy residential area around the Temple of Saint Sava, known for good restaurants and cafés where locals actually go. It is calmer than the old town, but the center is a 20–30 minute walk or a short trolleybus ride away.

• Good: quiet nights, local atmosphere, great food
• Not so good: longer walk to the fortress and Knez Mihailova

Savamala: nightlife by the Sava

Savamala, along the Sava river below the old town, is Belgrade’s nightlife district, with bars, clubs and the summer river clubs (splavovi) nearby. It is also next to the large Belgrade Waterfront development, which some visitors find modern and convenient and others find a bit lifeless.

• Good: you can walk home after a night out
• Not so good: noise; rooms facing the river can hear the parties

Zemun: small-town charm on the Danube

Zemun feels like a separate little town: cobbled streets, Gardoš Tower, fish restaurants and a long promenade on the Danube. It is the most romantic base in Belgrade and one of the quietest. The catch is distance: count on 15–30 minutes by bus or taxi to the center, depending on traffic over the bridges.

• Good: calm, scenic, great riverside restaurants; closer to the airport and the EXPO site
• Not so good: you need transport for most sights

New Belgrade: modern hotels and EXPO 2027

Across the Sava, New Belgrade is the modern business district: wide boulevards, large hotels, shopping malls and offices. It has little old-town charm, but it is practical, often better value, and it is one of the closest areas to the airport and to the EXPO 2027 site in Surčin.

• Good: modern hotels, parking, good for EXPO and the airport
• Not so good: you need transport for the old town and nightlife

Staying in Belgrade during EXPO 2027

From 15 May to 15 August 2027, millions of visits are expected, so book early and choose free cancellation. If the Expo is the main reason for your trip, look at New Belgrade, Zemun or Surčin. If you want sightseeing and evenings out too, stay in the old town and take a taxi or the new Expo transport to the site. More in our EXPO 2027 guide.

Traveller tips

• Light sleeper? Ask for a room facing the courtyard. Belgrade nights are late, and in Savamala and lower Dorćol bars are open into the early morning.
• Check the floor. Many old-town apartments are in older buildings without lifts. Read the listing before you book with heavy luggage.
• Summer heat. July and August are hot. Make sure your room has air conditioning.
• Parking. Parking in the old town is limited. If you arrive by car, New Belgrade, Vračar or Zemun are easier, or pick a hotel with its own parking.
• Getting around. City buses, trams and trolleybuses are free, so staying a bit outside the center costs you time, not money.

Sources

Checked on 27 October 2026, together with our own knowledge of the city.

• Chasing the Donkey: Where to stay in Belgrade
• Kupi: Which Belgrade district is best to stay in
• Tripwis: Belgrade neighbourhoods
• The Broke Backpacker: Where to stay in Belgrade
• Tourist Organisation of Belgrade: public transport

Frequently asked questions