Why visit Niš in Serbia?

If I were young again, I would say there were three reasons to visit Nis: wine, beer and rakija. The liquor not only flows abundantly here, but it is also dirt cheap. But as a woman of a certain age, I noticed that the third-largest city in Serbia has much more to offer than the pleasures of Bacchus.

The tourist will find breathtaking scenery, rich gastronomy, several festivals, and historical traces of Romans and Ottomans at its doorstep. Moreover, this destination is ideal for a city trip because it has direct flight access from ten European cities.

Nis Serbia
beer Servië
Rakija Serbia
Wine Serbia

Serbia, a country in the Balkans

However, before you book a ticket to Nis, it is essential to realise a trip to Serbia in Eastern Europe for the experienced traveller. The country is keen to join the European Union but has not reached that status yet.

Life costs next to nothing for the average Western European traveller. A pint of beer goes for one euro, a packet of cigarettes for two, and a 15-minute taxi ride costs less than three euros. There is still plenty of smoking in public places, including restaurants. Corruption, poverty and unemployment are still commonplace in Serbia (source).

Nis borders Kosovo

It is also a region with an unresolved war history. Although Serbia is now an independent state, the country was during most of the last century part of former communist Yugoslavia. The Balkan Republic fell apart after the bloody Yugoslav wars. According to the Serbs, Kosovo, a southern neighbour, is still a province of the country. However, the Albanian majority in Kosovo declared its independence in February 2008. Therefore, reaching Serbia through Kosovo is impossible since the Serbs do not recognise the border.

However, 108 of the 193 UN members recognise the Republic of Kosovo.

Niš, a bustling town in southern Serbia

Nis is located in southern Serbia, about 100 kilometres from the “border” with Kosovo. Vibrant and the size of Southampton in the UK or Verona in Italy. It is also one of the oldest cities in the Balkans. The historic pedestrian heart of this metropolitan is bustling with terraces during the hot summers (e.g. + 30° C). Yet the streetscape is incomparable to other southern European cities, as the hipster beard has not reached this part of the world.

The men are clean-shaven, dressed in synthetic shirts and white pointy shoes, with short-cropped hair and tattoos. Looks are deceiving. Seemingly tough guys have underneath all that bravado a big heart. It shows through the Serbian Hospitality, still written with a capital H.

If you take the time to get to know the Serbs, you will quickly notice that most people behave friendly towards foreigners. Most of the younger generation speaks English, making looking inside Serbian culture relatively easy. Local music, liquor and lots of delicious food are the social lubricants.

rakija Serbia
gastronomy Nis
Wine Serbia
Serbian coffee

Gastronomy

A Serbian menu typically includes Turkish baklava, pies, and Greek stuffed grape leaves. Although the kitchen of Niš is known for its grilled meat dishes, which include sausages, shashlik and chicken, a vegan does not have to go hungry.

Food for vegans in Serbia

Vegetable soups, salads, grilled peppers, bean dishes and fresh fruit are included in almost every meal. Dinner starts with a glass of rakija (brandy) and ends with a strong coffee.

Restaurant tip Nis

Niš has an incredible amount of kafanas (restaurants). For authentic local cuisine, visit restaurant Nislijska Mehana on Prvomajska 49 in the city centre.

skull tower Nis
Monument Milan Square
Monument Stevan Sremac en Kalca Nis
Fort Nis

Sightseeing Niš

If you’re not a foodie but rather go sightseeing, that is okay, too, because the city has at least a dozen must-sees.

The sights and historical spots are marked on convenient small-sized city maps – available at the tourist office and most hotels. All sights are easily accessible in a range of 5 to 10 kilometres, on foot or by taxi. The most important ones are described below.

Red Cross concentration camp

One of the main “attractions” is a concentration camp during the Second World War. Although this camp is small compared to other camps, such as Auschwitz in Poland, it is still immense in its murderousness. An estimated 30,000 victims were killed here during the German occupation. Some haunting reminders of the war are still visible today in the camp, like the watchtowers, human skulls and various personal objects.

You can also visit the isolation cells, where the floors were covered with barbed wire so prisoners could not lie down. Moreover, they were not given any food or drink. The average survival time in such a cell was three days.

There is more if this is not horrid enough to give you the creeps.

Skull Tower

Another chilling attraction is the skull tower, a monument of the early 19th century. The building is made of skulls and bones. Originally, the tower contained 952 heads. Nowadays, there are only 58 skulls left because most were stolen over time or probably removed by relatives to be buried.

The Battle of Čegar

These skulls are relics of the battle of Čegar. Here, the rebellion of Serbs was halted by the Ottomans. The Serbian commander Stevan Sinđelić detonated his gunpowder depot to not surrender to the Turks. To deter future insurgents, Sultan Mahmud II had the skulls of the killed Serbs walled up in a tower.

Niš fortress

Suppose you are willing to go a little further back in time. In that case, you can conveniently stay in the city centre, where the fortress dominates over the river Nisava.

These fortifications began two thousand years ago when the Romans set up a military camp on the riverbank. After the fall of the Roman Empire, other rulers became in charge of the fort. It was destroyed by the Huns and restored by the Byzantines. The walls and towers were strengthened in subsequent centuries by Serbian rulers.

Mediana, a Roman legacy

Constantine the Great, one of the Roman emperors, was born in Niš, then called Naissus. The emperor’s legacy is Mediana, a luxurious suburb of Naissus built between the III and the IV centuries. Mediana was a temporary residence for six Roman emperors.

The archaeological site is now being restored and closed to visitors at the time of writing.

Archaeological Museum

Luckily, the Nis Archaeological Museum has preserved various objects of Naissus and Mediana. Furthermore, the museum has several medieval and prehistoric objects on display.

rode kruis concentrationkamp Nis
Constantine the Great
Cegar hill Nis
 Stevan Sinđelić
Nisville, jazzfestival Serbia

Festivals

Niš boasts several festivals. The best known is Nisville, nominally a jazz festival. But in practice, there is a music festival with many different music types: apart from jazz, there are lots of blues, rock, and reggae. The festival also attempts to digest the last war; religious tolerance and diversity are widely promoted as part of the program.

Simultaneously with the jazz festival, a wine festival is held. You can taste superb Serbian wines throughout the evening for only a 500 dinar entrance fee.

Active holidays

The surrounding area of Niš is gorgeous. Within a fifteen-minute drive from the city, the mountains can be reached.

  • The Jelašnica gap is ideal for climbing, hiking or having a picnic.
  • Niska Banja is a mountain spa resort surrounded by forests.
  • The Sicevo Gorge is 17 kilometres long and has 400 meters of steep walls, an ideal place for an active holiday.
  • Rafting, bird watching, and paragliding are some of the many organised activities in this area.

Furthermore, you will see traditional houses, donkeys and old-timers on the road in the mountain villages.

And if that old Fiat seems to have a Serbian double, don’t blame an excessive alcohol intake. The Zastava is indeed a copy of the Fiat 500.

 

paragliding Serbia
Hydroplant Sveta Petka in Sicevo
Jelasnica gorge Nis Serbia
Zastava Serbia

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Nis Serbia city break
wine festival, Servië
nature Serbia
Nisville, Servbia
Sicevo gorge

Practical advice Niš

Money matters

One euro is about 120 dinars (August 2017). Prices in Serbia are generally much lower than in the European Union. Beverage, food, clothes, hotels, public transport and taxis are, in our eyes, a real bargain.
Note that the local population does not think so. On the contrary, their purchasing power is significantly lower than most Western Europeans. The average monthly salary is between 250 and 400 euros.
Cash can be withdrawn from cash machines widely available in the city centre.

Going out in Nis

The city is dotted with summer terraces. They are often kept cool with water sprinklers. Tinkers Alley, or Kazandžijsko sokače, is the epicentre of the nightlife. Here, you will find modern bars with cool drinks at reasonable old-fashioned prices.

Tips

  • Try to find the lounge bar Hush Hush at 18A Generala Tranijea. In summer, tasty tapas-style appetisers are served on the patio. In the winter, enjoy them inside the bar.
  • The former hammam in the fortress is a traditional restaurant, and you can also find various bars along the river.

Accommodation

Three- and four-star hotels are generally of a lower standard than you would expect in Western Europe. Prices are also significantly lower.

Zen Hotel is located just outside the city; it is one of the most charming luxury hotels in the area, with a spa and a rooftop pool. Click here to check prices and availability.

The three-star Garni Hotel Duo D on Tinker’s Alley is probably more to your taste if you prefer something more central. To check availability and prices, click here.

Water

The good news is that the water tastes fine in Serbia and is safe to drink. Thus, those plastic bottles can stay in the store. This will save a few bucks, and more importantly, it’s better for the environment.

Safety

The city is safe. Walking home on your own late at night, even as a single woman, is generally not a problem. At least, that is how I experienced it. However, that does not mean you should not be on guard. Traffic can be dangerous. Drivers often use their phones whilst driving, and it is not uncommon to drink, smoke and drive.

Accessibility

  • Constantine the Great Airport is the second largest airport in Serbia. Currently, four airlines fly on Niš. The airport is only 3.5 km away from the city on the northern outskirts of Niš, close to the highway leading to Belgrade. Check flights here.
  • There is an excruciatingly slow train from Belgrade or a two-and-a-half-hour bus drive to Niš.
  • It is not possible to reach Serbia from Kosovo overland.

So you know, I travelled to Serbia as a guest of the Niš Tourist Office.

 

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