Serbia for Couples: Cellars, Rivers and Rail

October 18, 2026

Serbia is a modest choice for couples rather than a lavish one. Few operators sell dedicated romance packages. What works is a short run of simple pleasures: a river sunset, a candle-lit table, a glass of local wine, a train ride. Here is one way to string them into a weekend, with prices in dinars (RSD), about 117 to the euro. For safety, the US rates Serbia Level 2 for crime and demonstrations can turn violent at short notice, so avoid them and watch local news.

Friday evening in Belgrade

Walk up to the Victor monument at Kalemegdan fortress in the last hour of daylight. From the ramparts you look across the junction of the Sava and the Danube, and the fortress grounds are free and open around the clock. Afterwards, ride a free city tram or bus, or walk, to Skadarlija, the cobbled bohemian lane where Tri Šešira at Skadarska 29 and Dva Jelena at Skadarska 32 put on live string music with grilled dishes and rakija. Book ahead for weekend tables.

If you would rather be on the water, confluence cruises leave from the pier below the fortress and take roughly 90 minutes. Tickets were quoted at about 1,500 to 2,000 RSD, and the season matters, so confirm times before you go.

Saturday by train to wine country

The Soko high-speed train takes about 36 minutes from Belgrade to Novi Sad, and one-way fares from Belgrade to Petrovaradin start at 549 RSD. Sremski Karlovci lies a few kilometres further on, and it is famous for Bermet, a dessert wine flavoured with herbs. A travel guide names the Bajilo and Kiš cellars as welcoming to visitors, though hours are not confirmed, so telephone first. Tours from Novi Sad are quoted at about 7,600 RSD per person for a Tuesday wine outing; the details sit on visitnovisad.rs . Check train times on srbijavoz.rs . To stay the night in the Novi Sad area, browse places in Novi Sad .

Sunday evening in Zemun

Back in Belgrade, finish in Zemun along the Kej Oslobođenja quay. Riverside restaurants serve fish soup and grilled Danube fish with white wine, and Šaran and Reka are two names that regularly come up. Carry dinars, since the euro is not legal tender, and expect to book on a Sunday.

A mountain alternative

Couples who prefer hills to rivers can head for Mokra Gora and Zlatibor. Drvengrad has a timber-built village with the Mećavnik resort, which is listed on Booking. The Šargan Eight train is 1,500 RSD for an adult, runs to about 30 October and travels through 22 tunnels. The Gold Gondola is 2,000 RSD return and climbs 9 km to 1,496 m, but in autumn its last ride up is at 15:00, so go early and check goldgondola.rs .