Why we fell in love with Novi Sad, Serbia and useful info on public transportation, delicious restaurants, where to stay, and other helpful tips.

Bishop's Palace

Why we fell in love with Novi Sad, Serbia

Looking for a picturesque city in the Balkans with a European vibe? Look no further than Novi Sad, Serbia. The cobblestone streets of old town, lined with shops and cafes, truly looks like it could be from any number of Europe's most popular cities. Being only a few hours from the Hungarian border you can see the influence in some of the architecture and the food. Novi Sad is the second largest city in Serbia and offers a wide variety of activities including historical sites, shopping, great dining, and river-side beaches, all within a beautiful city with some of the most friendly people! Old town is where we spent most of our time, but from there you are just a stone's throw away from the heart of downtown that has all the amenities of a big city.

Church of the Holy Name of Mary

Old Town City Center

What to do in Novi Sad, Serbia

Bike rentals: We rented 2 bikes for four hours from Freedom Bike which cost us 2008 RSD ($19.97 USD). The rental process only took a few mins. The gentleman took a picture of my passport then asked to hold on to my driver's license while we had the bikes. Novi Sad is the most bike friendly place I have ever been. Through the heart of the city there are two lane bike paths that are independent of the road and the pedestrian sidewalk, making them feel very safe. We rode the bikes to the next town of Sremski Karlovci and while we didn't have a bike path the whole way there I still felt safe riding on the road with the cars. On the way back to return the bikes Don got a flat tire (from a thorn) so we were late returning the bikes. The owner didn't charge us for the extra hour or the tire. All and all it was a great experience.

Muzej Vojvodine ( Museum of Vojvodine) is a history and art museum next to Danube Park. The exhibit display cases were in both Serbian and English and at the entrance of every room you could find laminated sheets with the English translation. It's a smaller museum but definitely worth a look as they have many great displays. We spent about an hour looking through everything and the cost was 300 RSD PP ($3.00 USD).

Futoška pijaca Футошка пијаца: A beautiful open air market filled with vendors selling everything you need. We unfortunately found this place after we had gone shopping for our stay, but we stopped anyway and bought some grapes. The produce, meat and fish vendors had a beautiful selection with the best prices we have seen. I definitely recommend stopping here before you head to a grocery store! The vendors were all smiles and happy to help!

4th century CE Roman parade helmet made of iron, silver, gold and decorated with glass gems

Delicious restaurants in Novia Sad, Serbia

Burek Pluse: We wanted to try a popular dish in Serbia called burek which is a puff pastry filled with cheese, meat, potato, or fruit. Don found this location with good reviews and when we got there the line was out the door! We ordered a single serving (250g) of meat and one with potatoes and it was delicious! The crust was flakey and buttery and the meat and potatoes were seasoned perfectly. I can see why they had such a long line! Both cost 500 RSD ($4.98 USD)

Grill Sa Still: We stopped here to try one of Serbia's national dishes called pljeskavica, which is a grilled meat patty made with a mixture of pork, beef and lamb. Don had the gourmet one with spicy peppers and cheese and I had the pljeskavica mala that had cheese and bacon. They assemble them into a "burger" then you choose your veg topping and sauce. These were delicious and huge! The total for both was 1087 RSD ($10.63USD) and it was enough food for 4 or 5 people! We will definitely share one next time!

Pivnica Gusan: I had the Novi Sad chicken, which was grilled chicken, ham, cheddar and mushrooms sauce with a baked potato. So a baked potato at this restaurant just meant quartered and roasted potatoes, they were delicious! The chicken was rich and tasty! Don had the pork shank and baked potato. Don's meal was HUGE! I tried some and it was so tender and flavorful, Don loved it. We also shared a Serbian salad that was tomatoes, cucumber and fresh chili peppers that were actually really spicy, Don was very happy! We also had two bottles of water and a side of sour cream. The total bill came to 3200 RSD ($31.78 USD)

Where we stayed in Novi Sad, Serbia

Hann Apartments: We booked the apartment with a terrace, which is a studio apartment with a private kitchen and bathroom as well as a nice balcony. The apartment was a great size with a well equipped kitchen. We were within walking distance of old town and many restaurants and grocery stores. Checking in was easy and the apartment was clean, my only complaint was I could feel the mattress springs. A foam topper or new mattress and this place would have been perfect. For 4 nights the cost was €102 EUR ($119USD)

Public transportation in Novia Sad, Serbia

Busses around Novi Sad: Busses around town were pretty easy to use with route information at each bus stop. You can buy a single ticket from the driver that will cost 100 RSD, about $1USD, or if you are going to be riding a lot you can buy a 24 hour pass for 278 RSD ($2.76 USD)

Taxis in: Novia Sad: We used the Yandex app here to book taxis, which once you get the app installed and set up is fairly easy. The taxi prices are an estimate, but very reasonable and the cars are clean and the drivers good.

Train: Due to a tragic accident that took the lives of 16 people when the concrete canopy collapsed on Nov 1st 2024 the downtown train station is still closed. Riders will need to head to Petrovaradin station, a few miles outside of town which is accessible by city bus or taxi. Train tickets can be purchased at the station or online. There is a digital board in the train station that displays the train number, departure time and track. It's a very small station making it easier to navigate.

Helpful Tips fpr your stay in Novi Sad, Serbia

Sim card: We went to A1 Serbia and bought a tourist sim card. The card with 100GB for 10 days was $10. The employee who helped us was super friendly, spoke fluent English and welcomed us to Serbia!

Grocery stores: We primarily used the Idea near our apartment, we found the selection and prices to be the best. When buying produce, remember to weigh and label your items before you head to check out. I found their systems to be easier than most. The produce has a number on the price tag that you can enter in on a scale or look for the picture on the touch screen. It will spit out a ticket that you stick to the bag, they do re-check the weight at the register which was a first. Also remember the price is for a kilogram not a pound!

Toilet: We didn't see many public toilets, paid or free, but gas stations, restaurants and cafes all have bathrooms for you to use for free.

Is Novi Sad pedestrian friendly? Absolutely! Honestly it's the most pedestrian friendly city I've ever been in. There are not only sidewalks, but bike paths that are separate from the roads making it easy and safe to get around. We also saw special running tracks in the parks!

Rental cars: We had planned on renting a car here, but unfortunately almost all the rental cars places required a three day minimal rental and we weren't in town for another three days. The few companies we went to were really friendly with reasonable rates. If you have time I highly recommend renting a car so you can go to the nearby monasteries in the mountains.

How we got from Budapest, Hungary to Novi Sad, Serbia

Flixbus from Budapest to Novi Sad:

Pros: The bus was on time, clean with comfortable seats and had an easy check-in process.

Cons: The bathroom had no toilet paper, hand soap or water and there was no wifi despite our reservation saying there was.

Check out Don's YouTube video on Serbia HERE

Click HERE for an overview of Serbia

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog, your continued support means the world to us! If you haven't already, please sign up for emails so you can stay up to date. And remember, step out of your comfort zone when you travel; try new foods, stay in traditional accommodations, try and speak the native language, even a few phrases is appreciated, talk with strangers, accept invites into their homes, and leave the tourist districts whenever possible. If you're not embracing their culture and their way of life you're missing the most rewarding experiences traveling has to offer!

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