Belgrade
Gritty charm is the backdrop for raucous nightlife in this historic Balkan capital
Where Belgrade is concerned, it’s grit not glitter that is the bedrock for its appeal. The country’s complex political history oozes from its architecture; unforgiving Socialist housing blocks, remnants from the Hapsburg legacy, Ottoman relics and art nouveau edifices strike an unusual but pleasing contrast. The once dilapidated Savamala quarter has been robustly regenerated and is now home to the city’s young creative class. Knez Mihailova, Belgrade’s most vibrant pedestrian strip, is full of bohemian coffee houses tucked behind or underneath historical buildings. But it’s Belgrade’s lively nightlife that makes this city on the Danube the site for techno pilgrims from across Europe. DJs from home and abroad play in quirky venues across the city, including Belgrade’s best-loved venue Drugstore housed in a former slaughterhouse.