Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

560 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE

Practical & Travel Information

Serbia has largely missed out on the tourism boom

enjoyed by other countries in Eastern and Central
Europe, and facilities for visitors are a little less pre-
dictable than elsewhere in the region. However, tourist
infor mation is available in the most popular destinations,
and banks, post offices and public transport ticket offices
are efficient. There is a good network of rail and road
ser vices reaching all parts of the country, although
stand ards of comfort in trains and buses vary widely.

WHEN TO VISIT

Serbia has a Continental
climate that is prone to
seasonal extremes. Spring,
early summer and early
autumn are the best times
both for sightseeing and for
catching regional festivals.
Temperatures can be very
high in August, while in mid-
winter, they can drop to below
freezing for long periods of
time. Heavy snow can ham-
per transport in rural areas.
Many museums have shorter
opening hours from October
until March and may stay
closed on weekends. The
skiing season is generally
from December to March.

DOCUMENTATION

Citizens of the EU, US,
Canada, Australia and New
Zealand need only a valid
passport to visit Serbia for
up to 90 days. For more
information about visas or
extended stays, visitors
should contact the Serbian
Embassy or Consulate in
their home country before
travelling, or check the
website of the Serbian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs.

VISITOR INFORMATION

The country is still in the

process of developing a tourist

information infrastructure.

Many smaller destinations

may lack tourist information

of any kind. However, cities

such as Belgrade and Novi

Sad have professional tourist

information centres with

English-speaking staff. Both

cities are also well signposted,

making it easy to tour the main

sights on foot. Most towns in

Serbia have official websites

with information given in

English, though these are

not updated regu larly. The

National Tourism Organization

of Serbia and the Tourist

Organization of Belgrade

have informative websites.

HEALTH AND SECURITY

No special vaccinations are

required for visiting Serbia.

Minor ailments can be dealt

with by visiting a apoteka

(pharmacy) where over-the-

counter medication is avail-

able. Each city has one or

more centrally located phar-

macies that stay open 24

hours. Air quality in the capital,

Belgrade, is poor especially in

mid-winter and mid-summer.

Serbia is generally a safe

country in which to travel, and

the only likely dangers are

petty theft and pickpocketing.

Visitors should keep their

valuables out of sight in

crowded areas or while using

public transport services. They

should also avoid leaving their

bags unattended on trains.

FACILITIES FOR THE

DISABLED

Few of Serbia’s public

transport facilities, museums

or tourist attractions have

been adapted for wheelchair

users. Pavement ramps are

being introduced in central

Belgrade, but their provision

elsewhere in Serbia is erratic.

Hotels offering facilities for

the disabled are mostly in the

four- and five-star bracket and

command high prices.

BANKING AND

CURRENCY

Banks and menjačnica

(exchange bureaus) offer bet-

ter exchange rates than hotels

and travel agencies. Banks are

open from 8am to 5pm Mon-

day to Friday and from 8am

to 2pm on Saturday.

ATMs are widespread in

towns and cities. However, not

all accept the full range of

plastic cards. If the logo of

the card is not displayed on

the ATM, the machine will

reject the card. Major inter-

national credit cards are

accepted in central shops as

well as restaurants in Belgrade

and other bigger cities. If trav-

el ling in small towns or rural

areas, it is a good idea to carry

sufficient cash to cover major

items such as hotel bills as

well as lesser expenses.

The currency of Serbia, the

dinar (RSD or din), is rarely

available in banks or exchange

bureaus outside the country.

However, there are exchange

facilities at Belgrade’s airport,

train and bus stations and at

road border crossings.

COMMUNICATIONS

Serbia’s telephone network is

straightforward and easy to

use, and there is cell phone

6

hrs

54

mm

61

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55

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47

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10

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3

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2

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BELGRADE

monthApr Jul Oct Jan

28 /82

18 /64 18 /64

-3/27

7 /45^8 /46

3 /37

17 /63

THE CLIMATE OF

SERBIA

Winters are cold and wet

with heavy snow. Summers

are rarely oppressively hot,

although it can get quite

humid in Belgrade during

August. May, June and

September are the perfect

months to visit in terms of

weather, although May and

June are also the wettest.

Early to mid-October is still

warm, and excellent for cul-

tural and outdoor activities.

° C/F

0°C

32°F