WJ Tested: Serbia – Uniworld Belgrade City Tour

WJ Tested: Serbia – Uniworld Belgrade City Tour

Uniworld Eastern Europe Explorer River Cruise Included Shore Excursion of Serbia’s Capital City

Day 9:
Waking up in Belgrade aboard Uniworld River Princess was indeed a highlight of our Eastern Europe Explorer cruise. The sun was shining so we enjoyed taking our coffee (and a plate of fresh fruit and pastries) to the sun deck, where we could take full advantage of the spectacular view. The ship had spent the night docked on the Sava River just below Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park.

Did You Know?… Belgrade:

• Is both the capital and largest city in Serbia
• Was once the capital of Yugoslavia
• Is one of Europe’s oldest cities – dating back over 7000 years
• Is located where the Danube meets the Sava River
• Means ‘white city’ (belo grad)
• Has a population of 1.7 million people
• Official currency is the dinar (RSD) – 100.00 RSD = 1.16 USD (use www.xe.com for currency conversion)
  

  Belgrade Fortress and Kalemagden Park

At 8:30 a.m. passengers interested in learning about “Modern Serbia” could attend an informative 60-minute lecture in the lounge with Serbian author, local guide and college professor Slobodan Stetic.

By 9:45 a.m. we were on a tour bus with our local guide and making our way to the first stop of the included Belgrade City Tour, the Museum of Yugoslav History in the Dedinje district.

After spending about an hour at the Museum of Yugoslav History, viewing Tito’s Tomb, the garden at The House of Flowers and visiting the Old Museum (the adjacent exhibition gallery) we reboarded the bus for the short drive back into the heart of Belgrade.

Along the route our guide pointed out many sites, including Parliament House, St. Sava Cathedral, and a number of buildings that had been bombed during the war in the 1990s.

Once we arrived outside the National Theater we left the bus and followed our guide along Knex Mihailova Street (the main shopping boulevard) to the Hotel Majestic. Here we had a comfort stop and enjoyed complimentary refreshments (time to try the local beer).

Must Visit in Belgrade:

• Kalemagdan Park
• Belgrade Fortress
• View of Sava and Danube rivers from Kalemagdan
• St. Sava Cathedral – largest Serbian Votive Temple and largest Orthodox church in the world
• Republic Square – with the monument to Prince Mihailo
• Prince Michael Street (Knez Mihailova) pedestrian street
• The Old Museum and Museum of Yugoslav History (at the same location)
• Tito’s Tomb in The House of Flowers (at the Museum of Yugoslav History)

Our city tour also included a walk past the old citadel of Belgrade Fortress and through Kalemagdan Park. From this vantage point on a ridge we witnessed spectacular views of New Belgrade on the opposite side of the Sava River.

Returning to the tour bus at 1:00 p.m. we had the options of going back to the ship for lunch or remaining in the city center – with temperatures well over 100F we opted to go back to the ship.

During the afternoon Uniworld River Princess had shuttles periodically running between the city center and the dock so those that wanted to spend more time exploring Belgrade could do so on their own.
Note: An optional excursion was also available for the afternoon to The Royal Grounds of Belgrade Palace.

Local Serbian Treats:

• Suva pita sa orasima – walnut pie
• Ćevapčići (small rolls of mixed minced meat) – eaten with plain onions and warm bread
• Plum brandy (šljivovica)
• Grape brandy (Lozova rakija)
• Most popular local beers are “Jelen” and “Lav”
  

  Jelen Beer Brewed in Serbia

By 6:00 p.m. River Princess was preparing to set sail for Vukovar in Croatia so we made our way to the lounge for a cocktail before the port talk with Cruise Manager Heiner Schmidt. Once Heiner’s talk was over it was time for dinner – we had previously signed up for the Deck Dining in the Sky Lounge (located on the Sun Deck) where we experienced a splendid meal as we cruised the Danube.

We ended the night with music and dancing in the lounge by onboard musician Freddy.

If You Go:

• Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Continue Reading WAVEJourney’s Uniworld Eastern Europe Explorer River Cruise Review:

Cruise Overview | Bucharest | Peles Castle | Bran Castle | Bucharest City Tour | Uniworld River Princess | Giurgiu: Embarkation | Rousse to Varna & the Black Sea | Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi | Captain’s Welcome Gala | Vidin, Belogradchik & Baba Vida Fortress | Iron Gates | Donji Milanovac | Viminacium Archaeological Site | Sava River | Belgrade City Tour | Deck Dining | Vukovar & Osijek | Cruising the Danube to Budapest | Budapest City Tour | Budapest Parliament Building Guided Tour | Gabcikovo Hydroelectric Dam and Lock | Bratislava City Tour | Captain’s Farewell Dinner | Vienna City Tour |

Notes: WAVEJourney travelled from Bucharest to Vienna as guests of Uniworld River Cruise Collection from July 25 to August 8, 2012.