By early evening, the terraces along Obilićev Venac are filling and the first rakija glasses are being raised in Skadarlija, where live folk music drifts out of the traditional restaurants. Later, the action shifts to the cocktail bars of Dorćol and Stari Grad, or out to the floating venues on the rivers.
Belgrade's nightlife is spread across several distinct areas rather than concentrated on one strip, and it covers a wide range: traditional kafanas and rakija bars, pubs, specialist cocktail bars, craft-beer taprooms and late-night clubs. It suits visitors who are happy to move between neighbourhoods over the course of an evening and who do not mind that indoor smoking is still common. If you need a smoke-free venue, check before you go; terraces are widespread in the warmer months, and tap water is safe to drink.
Where to go out in Belgrade
1. Skadarlija
This is the traditional quarter, known for its restaurants and live folk music. It suits an evening that starts with a long dinner and rakija rather than a quick drink, and it is the most straightforward introduction to the city's older drinking culture.
Note that the adjoining Cetinjska 15 complex, with its alternative bars and events, is right next door if you want to change the tone of the night without changing neighbourhood.
2. Dorćol and Stari Grad
These central districts are where you find cocktail, wine and craft-beer bars. They suit a slower, more conversational night, and they work well if you want to sample Serbian craft beer or wine by the glass rather than commit to one venue for the whole evening.
Several named bars sit in this part of the city, including Blaznavac on Kneginje Ljubice, Demokratija bar on Zetska, and Black Turtle on Kosančićev Venac, the latter with outdoor tables and river views.
3. Obilićev Venac
This is the central pedestrian café and pub strip, and it suits an early or flexible start to the evening, since the cafés and pubs here open through the day. Gecko, an Irish-style pub, and Zuzu's, a café-bar and kitchen with outdoor tables, both sit on this strip.
Because it is central and walkable, it is a practical base if you plan to move on to another district later.
4. Splavovi (floating venues)
Floating venues line the Sava and Danube, ranging from daytime bars to late-night clubs. They suit a night that runs long, and they are the most distinctive setting the city offers for drinking by the water.
Names, programmes and seasonal opening can change, so confirm the exact location before setting out rather than assuming a particular venue will be operating.
5. Craft-beer taprooms and brewery bars
Serbian craft beer is widely available, including at brewery taprooms and specialist bars. This scene suits drinkers who want to try local beer rather than stick to spirits or wine.
Dogma Brewery Central on Makedonska, opposite Dom Omladine, is a brewery taproom with rotating taps, canned releases, bar food and a small courtyard. Black Turtle is a brewery pub with several branches, and its house beers include fruit-flavoured variants.
6. Cocktail and wine bars
For a more focused drinking night, the city's cocktail and wine bars suit couples and small groups who want a seated evening. Riddle Bar on Skadarska is a speakeasy-style cocktail bar without a fixed menu, where bartenders suggest drinks based on your preferences; you ring the doorbell at the entrance.
Demokratija bar on Zetska serves cocktails and house infusions and has a smoke-free interior with outdoor seating, which makes it a useful option if smoke is a concern.
7. Pubs
The city's pubs suit a casual night with draft beer, televised sport and occasional live or acoustic music. Three Carrots Irish Pub on Kneza Miloša is an example, and Publin on Lomina is a small neighbourhood pub with rock music and Serbian beer.
These are the kind of places to settle into rather than tour, and they work well on a night when you do not want to plan much.
8. Novi Beograd and the large venues
West of the Sava, Belgrade Arena is a large multi-sports facility that also hosts concerts and similar events, on Blv Arsenija Čarnojevića. An evening here suits a ticketed event rather than a spontaneous night out, so check what is on before you build your plans around it.
How a night out unfolds
Belgrade's drinking scene runs from traditional kafanas and rakija bars through pubs, cocktail bars and craft-beer taprooms to late-night clubs, and the floating venues on the rivers run from daytime bars to late-night clubs. The sources do not give fixed dinner or going-out hours, but the pattern they describe is a scene that starts on café terraces and in restaurants and extends late into the night at the clubs and splavovi. Several named bars close between midnight and two in the morning, with later closing on Fridays and Saturdays. Coffee is normally served Serbian or Turkish style unless you specify otherwise, and when you toast, make eye contact, clink glasses and say Živeli.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Street of Open Heart — a carnival held on 1 January on Makedonska and Svetogorska streets.
- FEST — an international film festival in March.
- Guitar Art Festival — in May.
- Ring Ring — a festival of new and improvised music in May.
- Belgrade Burger Fest — in May, within Kalemegdan Fortress.
- Belgrade Tango Encuentro — in June.
- Belgrade Beer Festival — in August, in Ušće Park.
- BITEF Belgrade International Theater Festival — in September and October.
- BEMUS — the Belgrade Music Festival, in October.
- Belgrade Jazz Festival — in October.
- Belgrade Early Music Festival — in November.
- No Sleep Festival — electronic, house and retro music, in November.
Frequently asked questions
What is the legal drinking age in Belgrade?
The source material does not state a legal drinking age or other local alcohol rules, so check locally on arrival.
Can I find smoke-free venues?
Indoor smoking is still common, so travellers who need a smoke-free venue should check before visiting. Some bars, such as Demokratija bar, have a smoke-free interior, and terraces are widespread in warmer months.
What should I drink in Belgrade?
Rakija is Serbian fruit brandy, with common varieties including plum, quince, pear, apricot and grape. Serbian craft beer is widely available, including at brewery taprooms and specialist bars, and Serbian wines are widely available by the glass and by the bottle.
Do I need to book ahead for the floating venues?
The sources do not say. They note only that names, programmes and seasonal opening at the splavovi can change, so confirm the exact location before setting out.
Decide which district suits the evening you want, check the current programme for any venue you have in mind, and plan your route before you head out.