Belgrade has a special place in my heart. A city ravaged by war and in a tug-o-war between the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires that turned into a prosperous center of intellect and culture during the Yugoslavia period to finding its unique flavour and style today in our modern world. The architecture is varied, and no two city areas look the same.

In the historic center, you will find a mix of elegant Austro-Hungarian and historical Ottoman architecture, with some modern buildings and glass high-rises sprinkled in. Across the river in New Belgrade, you’ll find large gray socialist buildings and Soviet-inspired architecture.

In my opinion, the people in Belgrade live to live, as opposed to being solely focused on making money, similar to my experience in Western-European capitals and the business cities of the world.

Belgrade is a wonderfully green city with trees, parks, and a beautiful nature-filled fort which can be found at the intersection of 2 of Europe’s greatest rivers: the Sava and Danube.

Belgrade has an up-and-coming arts scene, and you can find art festivals and exhibitions anytime. KC Grad is a venue in the center that hosts fascinating artistic displays and a weekly polyglot gathering. Techno clubs like Drugstore make you feel like you’re deep in the techno scene in Berlin, partying in an industrial abandoned slaughterhouse with bass pumping through the speakers.

The prices of Belgrade are among the cheapest in European capitals. Although the local wages are not up to international standards, you can spread your funds further coming as a foreigner.

All these things combined make Belgrade my absolute favourite city in Europe, which is why I decide to base myself there whenever I’m in Europe. With cheap flights all around the continent from Budapest Airport, and exciting cities just a bus ride away, including Skopje, Sofia, Sarajevo, Zagreb, and Ljubljana, it’s a well-located city as well.