Serbia is still relatively unknown in Eastern Europe and remains untouched by mass tourism. Despite its media portrayal, Serbia doesn’t deserve its "bad reputation." We’ve compiled some essential and hopefully useful information about this country, covering topics like culture, practices, roads, and the environment. Our goal is to make sure everything goes smoothly once you're there, and we hope this will prepare you for the adventure ahead.
Unfortunately, Serbia is not yet part of the European Union. I say "not yet" because it did receive candidate status in 2012. However, due to certain issues, like the lack of recognition of Kosovo's independence, the country hasn't been accepted into the EU.
Luckily, this doesn’t affect tourism. As a French citizen (or a citizen of any EU country), you can enter Serbia with just your ID card! You don’t necessarily need a passport, which is quite convenient, right?
In Serbia, people speak Serbian. Like many Eastern European countries, Serbian is a Slavic language that uses the Cyrillic alphabet. This alphabet is very different from our Latin one, so for those unfamiliar with it, the letters can seem unreadable, making it harder to understand signs, posters, and other information.
Fortunately, the Google Translate app ( Android and iOS) comes in handy, as you can take pictures, and it translates directly on top!
Regarding English, you shouldn’t have too much trouble in Belgrade, the capital, but in other parts of the country, communicating in English might be more challenging. Gestures and Google Translate usually work well too 😆.
Since Serbia is not yet part of the European Union, the country has its own currency, the "Serbian dinar", abbreviated as "RSD". The exchange rate is approximately 1€ = 11.20 RSD (as of October 2022).
Credit cards are widely accepted, especially in the capital, but it's a good idea to carry some cash when you leave the city. However, be cautious when withdrawing money, as some banks or ATMs charge high fees! Take the time to compare different banks to find the one with the lowest or no fees (yes, it’s possible!).
To avoid Euro-to-Dinar conversion fees or extra payment charges, we recommend having a no-fee card. We’ve been using the card Visa Ultim of BoursoBank since our European tour, and we highly recommend it. It's free and comes with no withdrawal or payment fees in any currency, which is super convenient!
If you want to apply for this card, you can use our referral code LEGA1596 or go through the link below. For new account holders, a bonus ranging from €80 to €220, depending on the current offer and conditions, will be credited.
Feel free to contact us to see if any offers are available at the time of your application.
During our European tour, we thought Italy would be the first and last country where people drove poorly… Well, we were wrong! In Serbia, driving is chaotic too! After two months out of Italy, it felt like we were back: drivers overtaking dangerously and parking anywhere, ignoring speed limits... But hey, as long as you stay focused, you’ll manage 😂.
Before arriving in Serbia, we read that the roads (outside major highways) were neglected, full of potholes, and almost impassable. We were pleasantly surprised to find that, although the roads are a bit outdated and could use some refreshing, they are generally in decent condition and perfectly drivable.
The country also has 4 or 5 toll highways, similar to France. You can pay by card or cash, in dinars or euros. The cost depends on the distance traveled and the vehicle category. Some say the prices are high for the country, but we only used the highway once, and it cost us €1… We found that quite reasonable.
To rent a car in Serbia, we recommend using DiscoverCars. It's a platform that compares hundreds of offers to find the best price and rental conditions, including unlimited mileage, theft protection, and most importantly, partial coverage (or full coverage at an additional cost). There are no hidden fees, so the price you see is the one you’ll pay in the end.
Yes, in Serbia, you can actually see carriages on the roads! It’s quite surprising, but not everyone in Serbia owns a car. We also noticed this in other Balkan countries like Romania and Bulgaria (you can check out our articles on these countries here: The 10 Things to Know Before Traveling to Romania and The 10 Things to Know Before Traveling to Bulgaria).
It might surprise you, but horses and carriages are often more useful in the fields than a car 😂. I think this is one of the main reasons (along with the cost of a car and its maintenance) why so many people in the Balkans (outside the major cities) use carriages instead of cars.
Anyway, now you know what to expect on the roads, so be cautious, as a carriage doesn’t go as fast as a car!
Serbia is a country rich in scenic heritage.
The country is home to:
Just for this change of scenery, it’s worth coming to visit Serbia (and to think we missed these three places during our European tour… We’ll have to come back!).
Although we didn’t interact with many Serbians, from what we saw, they are quite kind, welcoming, and warm. Moreover, from various blog reviews, it seems they are very helpful. If you get lost, you’ll always find someone to assist you, even if they don’t speak English. And that’s really nice.
In fact, I even read that, according to several international surveys, Serbia is ranked as one of the most hospitable nations in the world. This hospitality is attributed to their Slavic beliefs that gods would not favor a person who is not hospitable to their guests. So, no worries on that front!
By the way, if you’re looking for accommodation, you should find what you’re looking for on Booking (including guesthouses and homestays):
Serbia is a religious country with a predominantly Orthodox Christian population. During our visit to Belgrade on a Sunday in mid-June, we saw many weddings in all the city’s churches. There were large gatherings, ceremonies, singing, music, etc. It was very lively.
We also noticed freshly cut grass inside the churches (just placed on the floor). We didn’t dare ask why, but we should have… I couldn’t find any information about this online… The only thing that might fit is that for Pentecost (and we were there the weekend after Pentecost), Orthodox churches are decorated with greenery (flowers, branches, and all sorts of herbs) to symbolize "the soul blooming and greening after its winter sleep because God’s grace has touched it."
A more ecclesiastical reason for this tradition might be that these branches remind one of the Oak of Mamre (or Abraham’s Oak), under which the Lord appeared to Abraham in the form of three angels.
This might fit, but the grass we saw wasn’t really used as decoration; it just covered the floor... And we saw some people braiding it into wreaths or rings. If you have more information about this tradition, we’d be curious to know—feel free to explain in the comments 😊!
In Serbia, if you plan to meet locals, here are a few rules to avoid any discomfort or misunderstandings:
That’s it for our 10 key things to know about Serbia. We hope you learned something new and that it will be useful for preparing your trip as well as once you’re there 😊.
If the article made you want to visit Serbia, you can book your tickets here:
1. On the roads, you must keep your low beams on 24/7. So even during the day with sunshine, you risk getting a fine.
2. You can take the opportunity to visit Kosovo easily while in Serbia, BUT you must exit the country through Serbia!
Here’s the explanation: since Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, there is no real border between the two countries, so no additional requirements or checks for crossing from Serbia to Kosovo (and vice versa). However, you must exit through the same entry point (and not through Albania, Montenegro, or North Macedonia), as otherwise, you won’t be registered as having exited the country and you might face immigration issues for overstaying your allowed duration in the country.
How about we chat?