GUIDE TO UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE CITIES IN SERBIA

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural and natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Serbia had its first sites included in 1979, and since 2007, has 4 sites on the list. Of those 4 sites, all 4 are cultural, and Medieval Monuments in Kosovo are traditionally shown as four separate sites, and Stari Ras and Sopoćani as two separate sites also. Read more...

QUICK GUIDE FOR TAKING YOUR FAMILY TO BELGRADE

If you are traveling to Belgrade together with your family the best choice is to book a nice, big and a cozy apartment somewhere in the inner city area where you can enjoy peace and quiet. Public traffic can be quite tiresome especially when the city goes crowded. Best locations are those from where you can explore the city by foot and easily find a cab. Today we will present a few tips for exploring Belgrade with your children.

KALEMEGDAN FORTRESS

While staying in Belgrade, you’ll have the privilege of visiting one of the world’s oldest fortresses. Belgrade Fortress is the city’s largest free attraction, with its gates open 24/7, every single day. No guards, no restrictions, just beautiful scenery, history, culture and beautiful views. Walk through Kalemegdan’s Upper and Lower town and visit Military museum, the Gallery of Natural History museum, the statue of Victor and the museum in Nebojsa tower. Get to know the Serbian history and culture.

OBSERVATORY, PLANETARIUM AND BELGRADE ZOO

While in Kalemegdan Park, you can also visit the Observatory, Planetarium and Belgrade Zoo, located on the northern Kalemegdan slope. Those venues can be much interesting and fun for your kids.

MAKE A PICNIC ON ADA CIGANLIJA LAKE

Ada Ciganlija is unique Belgrade retreat, isolated artificial peninsula where everything is 100% pure enjoyment. After stepping into the “Sea of Belgrade”, you will enter the world of fun, relaxation and recreation situated in small, quite oasis in the midst of the city. On this location you can either do some sports with your kids or just make a picnic in the nature and dwell into surroundings.

DROP BY THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Unfortunately, the most of the people are unaware of this cool museum. The main building is located in the ex industrial neighborhood of the Lower Dorćol. It includes a research center also and a shop that sells very interesting publications. Even if you aren’t interested in the origin of science and technology you will find this place amazing. It appears good and exhibits the first cameras, computers, old instruments, inventions and machines collected by donors. It’s a family museum, so the lower floor is made for children in a more interactive way. If you get lucky, curator will show you also the basement of the museum that includes a bunch of cool vintage items.

DON’T TAKE YOUR KID TO EAT AT McDONALD’s

Your kids don’t have to eat at McDonald’s. Have a healthier and more delicious dinner in one of the oldest cobble stone districts-Skadarlija crowded with town’s traditional restaurants-kafana.

The BermudaTriangle in Belgrade

The Bermuda Triangle in the center of Belgrade... Sounds interesting, right?

Many older people from Belgrade, especially true bohemians, have really nice memories of the three pubs they used to call the Bermuda Triangle. Some of these older bohemians tell stories about how this whole neighborhood got that mystical name.

If you want to feel the real spirit of this neighbourhood you can find accommodation in Belgrade and stay in one of City Break Apartments that are settled in the heart of this area.

Story says that regular customers in these pubs were, mostly, journalist and young writers looking for inspiration. Once they entered, days would pass until they came out. It was, like they somehow disappeared.

Parts of the Bermuda Triangle in Belgrade were "Sumatovac", "Grmec" and "Pod lipom", and they were located on the square, which today is known as Journalistic Square. Unfortunately, today they are not all on the same place. "Sumatovac" kept his place and although changed, it is still very popular. "Grmec" also changed and became an art pub, but "Pod lipom" is not part of this triangle anymore. So, some things have changed, but one thing is the same. These pubs are still favorite place for journalist, writers and other artists, but also for tourists who like to experience the spirit of art in Belgrade.

             

On that square is located a monument to Mosa Pijade, a famous journalist, painter, art critic and revolutionary. The idea of making this monument was born ten years after his death and it is work of sculptor Branko Ruzic. It represents one modern sculpture with Mosa Pijade in the center surrounded by a group of listeners.



The building "Politika", or Palace "Politika" as some like to call it, is located behind the monument. It was built 1968. and all these years it is home to oldest daily newspaper, whose first issue came out in 1904. In the same building are also Politika radio and television channel.

In a very close neighborhood people can enjoy watching different performances in one of Belgrade's most famous theatres, "Atelje 212". It is located in Svetogorska Street. In front of the building there is a monument of Zoran Radmilovic, who was one of the best Serbian actors. He was very popular acting in the performance of Radovan III. His monument is the first colored sculpture in Belgrade.


Copyright (c) Vlado Marinkovic

A favorite place for actors from" Atelje 212" is definitely "Srpska kafana", located in the same street. This pub is much more than just a pub. It is some kind of other home, because the stuff is very kind and polite, and the atmosphere is pleasant so it really feels like home. With very long tradition, delicious dishes and many actors and other celebrities at the tables, this pub offers an unforgettable experience. Inside people can see the table where Zoran Radmilovic used to sit. Also, this pub is important because here was born the idea of manifestation "Street of open heart", which is a very popular manifestation during the Christmas holidays.



Houses of many important people in Serbia are something that tourists should certainly visit. The house of Laza Lazarevic, famous doctor and writer, is located in Hilandarska Street. Today in this house is Children's Department of the Belgrade City Library. In Svetogorska street there are the house of Uros Predic, famous painter, and Home of Jevrem Grujic which is the first house that was declared as Cultural monument of great value.

As you can see, this part of Belgrade is very interesting and full of possibilities. Tourists can enjoy theatre performances, drinking and relaxing in some great pubs, learn about Serbian painters and writers and visit their home, see monuments of great importance... And if all that is not exciting enough, very close there are The Republic Square with National Theatre and National Museum, pedestrian zone Knez Mihailova and bohemian quarter Skadarlija.

Best of all is that you can stay in these part of Belgrade in very modern and luxury City Break Apartments. There are Apartment Radio Funky, Apartment House, Apartment Klishe Zen in Hilandarska Street, and Apartment Silver in Svetogorska Street. All apartments are stylish and elegant units decorated with taste and fully equipped and renovated. In the case of Apartment House there is also backyard with outdoor furniture. If you stay in one of these apartments you will be in the center of Belgrade, but you will not be disturbed by vehicle noise, so you can have your peace after long walks over the city.



In the end we can only say : "Come and enjoy"!
Chose your favorite apartment and book your stay in City Break Apartments

New Year's Belgrade Fever

New Year's Eve is always an exceptional event, no matter where you plan to celebrate it and the New Year celebration in Belgrade is always a true spectacle. You can welcome the New Year in the best clubs, bars and coffee shops in Belgrade, in restaurants in Skadarlija, and of course the celebration in public squares in Belgrade will certainly be magnificent with fireworks and music.

Knez Mihajlova Street - Apartment City Zen, Apartment Palace 29

New Year's Eve in Belgrade clubs always brings a rich choice that can satisfy every taste, from folk music, through the old music, to house rhythms.

Since all City Break Belgrade Apartments are located in the heart of Belgrade, our guest will be in the center of all city events.

For the New Year’s Eve, visitors will have the opportunity enjoy performances by DJs, rock, pop and folk performers on three stages. 

The main concert stage will be located in front of the National Parliament Building, where
visitors can enjoy great music concerts with pop-folk music on 30^th and 31^st of December! 

The other stage will be placed at the Republic Square, and will be dedicated to rock & roll music. 

The third stage will be set on the Student Square for all those who want to spend a crazy night with a DJ and enjoy dancing beats.

If you haven’t chosen yet where to welcome 2015, you still have time to decide.

Whether you celebrate New Year's Eve in a Belgrade restaurant, cafe, bar or club ... it will certainly be a special night to remember!

We wish to all the guests of City Break Apartments to have a magnificent time this holiday season and we hope to be your host next time you visit Belgrade!

Happy Holidays!!!

http://www.city-break.rs/en/

Importance of cultural heritage and architecture around our apartments in Belgrade.

At City Break Belgrade Apartments we always try to provide you with the best service and the best information concerning our apartments. As we are also travelers, we know how important it is to be informed about the place you are visiting and staying in. We mean not only the most important cultural monuments, but also the smaller ones like spatial cultural and historic ensembles that are equally important.

We are proud to offer you accommodation in Belgrade in exactly such an important locations.

We have already written about bars in Belgrade that will make you feel like a local. In this post we will try to update you with the historical importance of Belgrade neighborhood where you might sleep:)

Houses in Đure Daničića street. Photo credit: http://bit.ly/1i8CEgO

Kopitareva gradina is a small square in the city center located between the streets of Džordž Vašington, Šafarikova, Jelena Ćetković, Đura Daničić and Hilandarska. It was first shaped in the early twentieth century in the garden of archbishop Mihailo.

The partitioning of garden began around 1900 and family and ground-floor houses began to be built on those plots. Taking into account the period in which they were made, houses were designed in the spirit of classicism and secessionist architecture which was characteristic for the development of Belgrade at that time. The memorial qualities of Kopitareva gradina are materialized in the preserved architectural and city planning concept of this small-town ambience and cultural-historic importance of the houses.  What is most interesting is that Kopitareva gradina has preserved the authentic atmosphere of Belgrade at the beginning of XX century. It has been declared a cultural property and protected by law in 1968. * 

Houses on the corner of Kopitareva gradina and Jelene Ćetković street, 1966. House on the right is Jovan Cvijić museum. Photo credit: http://bit.ly/1rfcEWy

Many important people of that time lived in this area, including Jovan Cvijić, famous geographer. His family house is now a museum, which is not very much advertised, but it is very close to our apartments Klishe zen and Radio Funky located in Hilandarska street numbers 4 and 5. Click here to see a map of this area.
Hilandarska is also an important part of this neighborhood. At the beginning of the street, the corner with Svetogorska, there is a building of former Artisans Club. It was built around 1931 to unite all artisan institutions . Since 1947, it has been the home of Radio Belgrade, first radio station in former Yugoslavia.

Artisan Club now Radio Belgrade, around 1933. Photo credit: http://bit.ly/1hhb4xZ

 If you look to the left, you will probably notice a lot of high school students in the street. That is because they attend the secondary commercial school, the building  of which is the legacy of Evgenija Naumović - Kiki dedicated to her parents Nikola and Marija Naumović, the wealthy merchant family. This was highly regarded school after WWII.

House of Laza K. Lazarević, Hilandarska 7. Photo credit: http://bit.ly/1njTUYo

Next to the building of Radio Funky apartment, there is a house of Laza K. Lazarević, famous Serbian writer and psychiatrist. Today, his house is Children's Department of Belgrade City Library.

As you walk along Hilandarska, at the corner with Đura Daničić street, there are two interesting buildings. One is  almost a century old and is now the residence of the Brazilian Embassy and across is the former house of Serbian architect Milan Antonović, who was involved with the architecture of houses in Kopitareva gradina.  

Residence of the Brazilian Embassy, Hilandarska 9. Photo credit:http://bit.ly/1hhnJRp

Residence of the Brazilian Embassy. Photo credit: http://bit.ly/1gNf8ql

House of architect Milan Antonović. Photo credit: http://bit.ly/1nCAqvA

Talking about this important cultural heritage, one can only conclude that every building, every house, every neighborhood, every street, every corner and every space has a story to tell. We our proud to present you with one and host you in such important surrounding. 

Always keep your eyes wide open when exploring the vicinity of the place you are staying at.

Photo credit: http://bit.ly/1gNgAsK

* Note: Most of the information was taken from various web sites which are listed at the end of the text, although you can find additional information on linked words. Some are only adapted for the purposes of this article. Please keep in mind that these are not checked by the author of this article nor does the author take credit for them. The purpose of this article is to provide general overview of the cultural and historical heritage of a part of the Old town municipality in Belgrade. There are a lot of other important buildings in nearby which we didn't mention, such as theater Atelje 212 for example. We strongly encourage any individual to independently engage in deeper studies and research if they find it interesting.  


Reference: 

http://beogradskonasledje.rs/kd/zavod/stari_grad/kopitareva_gradina.html, visited multiple times in April 2014. 
http://beogradskonasledje.rs/kd/zavod/stari_grad/zanatski_dom.html, visited multiple times in April 2014.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopitareva_Gradina, visited multiple times in 2014.
http://arhiva.scd-lunjina.org/dobrotvori/index.html, visited multiple times in 2014.