Serbia isn’t nearly as popular as some of its Balkan cousins when it comes to travel, something which is often difficult to fathom why.
Granted, Serbia lacks the beaches of its near-neighbor Croatia, and then there is the stigma of the country being the target of not one, but two NATO air strike campaigns just over a decade ago, but the country also has so much to offer.
Summertime is a very special time to be in Serbia, where a number of the best Balkan events are held each year. Should you be looking for some slightly more unusual destination this summer, some of these Serbian events might just be worth a look.
The State of Exit is one of the wildest music festivals in Europe, rivaling even the great UK festivals of Reading and Glastonbury. Held in the Petrovardin Fortress in city of Novi Sad, this festival was even voted as “Best European Music Festival” back in 2007.
This year’s version of State of Exit is sure to rival recent events with an awesome line-up that includes Pulp, Jamiroquai, Arcade Fire, Grinderman, Portishead, M.I.A., Magnetic Man and House of Pain, together with many more.
For ticket information and bookings, check out the official website: http://eng.exitfest.org/
Perhaps you’re into a more cultured style of music, in which case you may just want to check out the Nisville Jazz Festival, one of the most popular of its kind that you’ll find anywhere in the world. In recent years, acts such as Benny Golson, Soloman Burke, The Brand New Heavies, De Phazz and Incognito have all been welcomed here with open arms.
The Nisville Jazz Festival this year is expecting to feature around 200 solo performers and 20 bands, taking place in an open-air venue that can hold over 4,000 people.
Check out the www.nistourism.org.rs/ for more information.
Maybe you are just looking for an opportunity to get totally wasted – and that’s another thing they are exceptionally good at here in Serbia. A prime example in case is the Belgrade Beer Fest. Since 2003, the festival has been most eagerly anticipated with each summer, growing in popularity and size with each new year, attracting crowds as large as 900,000 over the five days it is held in 2010.
The Belgrade Beer Fest is not just about slurping your way through the several hundred different kinds of beers on offer (both domestic and foreign) – it’s a great opportunity to experience the warm friendliness of Serbians, many of whom will take great pleasure in challenging you to beat them in mammoth drinking games.
In addition to the beer, drinkers get to enjoy live music each evening, including many famous local stars, and best of all, there is no charge to get in – all you have to pay for is the beer, and that’s incredibly cheap as well.
If you fancy drinking yourself under the table in Belgrade this year, visit www.belgradebeerfest.com and find out how to do so.