Give Novi Sad more than just a day trip from Belgrade! There is much to see and do in three days aka a long weekend in the European Capital of Culture in 2022. Here's how I spent three days in the city.
I've been wanting to visit Novi Sad ever since my friend Stefan told me the city hosts 26 nationalities with 4 official languages–speak of melting pot! And after visiting the Stara Planina mountains last year and Belgrade for the fifth or sixth time by now I was itching to see more of Serbia.
And the Vojvodina region: I mean, it's known as Serbia's melting pot and food and wine region–you don't need to tell me more to convince me! Novi Sad is a cute city that's easy to reach via bus, train or car and perfect for exploring more of Vojvodina (the northernmost part of Serbia) or the oldest national park of the country, Fruška Gora.
We spent three days here and could have easily added a fourth, so feel free to squeeze or expand this itinerary to your liking and to fit your needs. Here's how I would spend three days in Novi Sad.
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The Novi Sad Essentials
Here are the most important facts at a glance:
💭 Culture, history, and really good food: Novi Sad is a relaxed destination that has a lot to offer. Don't expect wild nightlife, but if you love nature and culture, you'll get your money's worth.
📚 You absolutely must see Petrovaradin, the fortress that is the city's main landmark. A walk through the Danube Park and the pedestrian zone is a must. Best done with a guided city tour.
🛏️ Ganz traditionell unterkommen kannst du im Hotel Leopold auf der Festung. Oder moderner im Garni Hotel
☀️ The best time to visit is the off-season, May and June or September and October
🏥 Safety: Novi Sad is a safe city, but take out International health insurance when traveling
🍇 A wine tour is a must in Vojvodina
🧡 Be sure to try gomboce at Restoran Sokace – dumplings filled with apricots or plums
Your 3-day travel guide to Novi Sad
Serbia's second largest city is full of green spaces, and super walkable and pedestrian-friendly, so no need to rent a car to get around. You can even get to the vineyards by taxi but more on that later.
It is approximately cut in half by the Danube river: Into Petrovaradin, the oldest part of town which has been only recently restored and boasts the big fortress (that you might have heard about from Exit festival, if you are a music lover) and the city centre which has a very central European flair. All in all though, Novi Sad is a lot more laid-back and relaxed than you average middle-European city!
But without further ado, let's hop right into your perfect itinerary.
Day 1 | The best things to see in Novi Sad
Afternoon: Explore Novi Sad
I hope you arrive early enough to still have time for a city walking tour. Wherever I go, I like to start with one of those to get an overview over the city and it's history. And Novi Sad's history is full of interesting anecdotes, facts and stories!
Our tour guide not only took us from one sight to the next, but also gave us an insight into the local mentality and jokes, and explained why Novi Sad is sometimes called the “Athens of Serbia.” Or how the city managed to buy its freedom from the Austro-Hungarian Empress Maria Theresa (it had to do with money, of course—but also with wine!).
Wherever I go, I like to start with a tour like this to get an overview of the city and its history. And the history of Novi Sad is full of interesting anecdotes, facts, and stories! I highly recommend our guide Miloš (you can book a city tour with him here)!
If you don't have time for a city tour, here are some of the top spots you shouldn't miss when exploring Novi Sad's city centre:
- Bishop's Palace Vladičanski Dvor
- Cathedral of St. George (I would recommend you definitely go inside to see the baroque style!)
- Church of the Holy Name of Mary
- Trg Slobode with the Novi Sad City Hall
- Hotel Vojvodina where Albert Einstein drank coffee once
- Novi Sad Synagogue
- Matica Srpska
- Pijaca Trg Republike
- Dunavski Park
- Pedestrian zone with Zmaj Jovina and Dunavska streets
If you don't have much time in Novi Sad, you can also book a combined city tour that includes Petrovaradin Fortress . However, we didn't visit the fortress until the second day.
Tip | If you are in Novi Sad on the first Friday of the month, there's a Night Market at the Pijaca Trg Republike with different food stands and craftsEvening: Enjoy a traditional dinner
Evening: Eat a traditional dinner
You can't travel to Novi Sad without trying the typical Vojvodina cuisine. It was what I was most excited about because like the history of Novi Sad itself, the culinary traditions are a mix of many nationalities and ethnicities.
If you came here on a diet: Think again. Vojvodina cuisine is meant to indulge–from hearty stews to heavy desserts, it's no light cuisine. But so tasty for it! I loved the food so much that I will actually write a whole article about it and link it here once it's online.
For your first night, I would recommend Restoran Sokače (we loved it so much, we ate there twice, once for lunch, once for dinner). But this is just one of the many amazing choices you have. Here are a few more recommendations by local friends:
- Veliki Café Restaurant
- Kod Fazana 1822
- Plava Frajla
- Čarda Kućerak na Ribarcu
- Salaš 137
And make sure to have some local wine with dinner. Probus for red and Sila, Grašac or Neoplanta for white.
Day 2 | Visit Petrovaradin Fortress & go wine tasting
Morning: Visit the fortress
Time to cross the river. After breakfast in Spajz or Loft, you can walk by foot to the other side ot town by crossing the rainbow bridge which gives you beautiful views of the fortress and banks of the Danube river. I don't know, there's something magical about living by the water, and the Danube is such a big river, it's almost giving living by the sea vibes.
Take the time to explore the city's landmark, the Petrovaradin Fortress, which is the second largest in Europe after Verdun in France and the best preserved. It was particularly important for the Austrians in defending their borders against the Turks.
Our tour guide Andrijana delved deep into the history of the building during a tour of the grounds. She revealed to us that there are 16 kilometers of secret passages on several levels beneath the castle, some of which contain special chambers filled with water.
But we didn't come only for history: Serbia's second city is sometimes called the "Athens of Serbia" for its amount of art, and culture and since we were not lucky enough to come at the time of a cultural event, we visited Atelje 61 .
Since 1961, the art of tapestry has been kept alive here. But with a modern twist. The studio has collaborated with over 300 artists to create unique tapestries. There are only five such centers for tapestry art in Europe.
Visits are free of charge upon registration, and interested parties will soon be able to book workshops at the new premises.
Afternoon: Taste local wines
Time for some wine tasting! Novi Sad and its surroundings, especially the Fruška Gora mountains are perfect for grape growing with plenty of sunny days per year and the Danube river closeby. Most wineries are an hour or so away and you can explore them with a full-day private Fruška Gora Wine Tour if you have the time.
But there are a few wineries still in the city limits of Novi Sad, namely in Sremski Kamenica. We visited one of them, Podrum Šukac, and didn't regret the choice.
The wine maker himself, Aleksandar, guided us through a tasting and even let us try his fresh wine, that has only been harvested a couple of weeks ago! We felt right at him in their cody tasting room and might have stayed long after opening hours (which I don't want to encourage you to do–poor Aleksandar deserves a break–but if it happens, just know that it's okay. The people of Vojvodina have been incredible hospitable throughout our entire stay.)
Evening in Novi Sad
If you are still hungry after indulding in glasses and glasses of wine (or need something to soak up the alcohol a bit), how about a hearty Goulash in one of the places I recommended or even a Gyros wrap from Giros Land (which is honestly what we got).
Day 3 | Explore Sremski Karlovci (or go to Fruska Gora National Park)
For today, you have some options. If you have enough of the city, and are looking for some greenery and trails to walk off the delicious food you devoured, you can head to Fruška Gora National Park.
If you, like me, love exploring all the culinary things a region has to offer (and aren't blessed with the best weather), then Sremski Karlovci is a great option!
The town is only 20-minutes by bus from Novi Sad city centre, and boasts over 20 registered and around 200 other wineries–with only 8,000 inhabitants!
It's also the home of Bermet, a sweet wine with around 15-18% alcohol and 20 different herbs. This you can't drink anyhwere else and it's safe to say it's an interesting tasting experience. I don't need to have it every day but especially the white Bermet was quite nice–the taste reminded me of Christmas a bit.
We tried it at two different places, Podrum Bajilo and in the wine shop of Vinarija Kiš just on the opposite side of the street. And don't worry if sweet wine gives you the ick, you can try the local white and red varieties instead. You can also book a full-day wine and honey tour through the region.
Lunch | Restoran kod 4 Lava
Tip | If you have the time, I really recommend you register with the Sremski Karlovci Tourism Board to visit the town's Grammar School. It's the oldest of its kind in Serbia (founded in 1791) and housed in the most beautiful building with a library that holds books dating back to the early 1800s. Entrance and visit is free if you register beforehand and a student will guide you around!
Where to stay in Novi Sad
We picked a super central accommodation in Novi Sad to be able to make the most of our time but if you want something more quiet, you can opt for an apartment or hotel on the Petrovaradin side and still be within walking distance of the city centre and main square.
Here are some local recommendations:
Hotels
- Sleep in style at the fortress in the old officers' barracks: Hotel Leopold
- Located right in the city center: Garni Hotel
Apartments
- Quietly located on the Petrovaradin side: Square 19 Boutique Rooms
- In close proximity to the Danube Park: Corso Rooms
How to get to Novi Sad
Die Fahrt von der serbischen Hauptstadt Belgrad nach Novi Sad ist mit dem Zug ein Kinderspiel. Der Zug fährt fast stündlich vom Bahnhof Belgrad ab und mit dem Schnellzug sind es knapp 45 Minuten. Du kannst Tickets am Bahnhof oder sogar über die App buchen.
Just know that in November 2024, parts of the Novi Sad train station collapsed, costing countless lives. The station is still closed and trains run to Petrovaradin station which is quite a bit outside of the city centre.
Get around Novi Sad
Novi Sad is a very walkable and flat city, and you can do this whole Novi Sad itinerary without a car. If you need a taxi, you can opt for Crveni Taxi since they also accept credit card if you don't want to withdraw or exchange Serbian Dinars.
When to visit Novi Sad
The best time to go to Novi Sad it honestly year-round since it's a city escape and mist of the vineyards can be visited all times of the year as well.
The busiest time in Novi Sad is normally in June and July when you get a lot of river cruises docking in the city, so if you want to opt for a more quiet stay, shoulder season is you friend. We visited at the beginning of October and loved it–the days were still warm enough to spend plenty time outside and the centre of the city as well as Petrovaradin weren't too crowded.
For music lovers: Unfortunately, the Exit Music Festival will no longer be held in Novi Sad in the future.
You'll love Novi Sad in Serbia
You're ready for your trip to Novi Sad. Personally, I think it's a beautiful city with a relaxed vibe that's well-worth visiting for a couple of days. The location in the Vojvodina region, the delicious food, pretty buildings and hospitable people make it a place worth staying for a bit longer than just a day trip.
There are plenty of things to do around Novi Sad as well, so I highly recommend you give it a chance and book a few overnight stays!
