Serbia is one of the few European countries that are visa-free to China, located in the middle of the Balkan Peninsula, southeast of Europe, no access to the sea, is a complete landlocked country, in recent years to Serbia travel is more and more people, the main reason is because of visa-free, and white passports can enter, plus direct flights between China and Serbia have been opened, so it is becoming more and more convenient to go to Serbia, so what do you need to know to travel to Serbia? I will summarize it for you today.
⭐️ Basic situation in Serbia
1. From spring to autumn is the peak season for travel in Serbia, of which March, April, May, September and October are the best travel times, because the temperature is the most suitable;
2. There are many festivals arranged from May to September every year, especially in the capital Belgrade, where there is a beer festival and the Gutsa trumpet festival in August, and the Belgrade Book Fair is held in October, which is the largest and oldest book fair in the former Yugoslavia countries. In addition, Novi Sad has an export festival in early July, and Niš has a Vail Jazz Festival in August. Christmas is also a popular holiday, and Orthodox Christmas on January 7 (the main celebration is on January 6) is not to be missed.
⭐️ Serbia Visa + Entry Policy
1. Serbia is visa-free for Chinese passports, the visa-free time is 30 days, and cannot be extended;
2. If you need to stay in Serbia for more than 30 days, you can enter the country again after exiting, and there is currently no limit to the number of times;
3. If you have a Schengen visa or a visa for some developed countries such as the United States, you can stay in Serbia for 90 days without a visa;
4. Return air tickets and hotel orders need to be provided when entering the country according to the regulations, but they are not actually checked (recommended preparation);
Note: It is best not to have an entry record for Kosovo before entering Serbia, otherwise you may be refused entry!!
⭐️ Exchange money for cash
1. The monetary unit of Serbia is the dinar, and 100 yuan is equivalent to about 1500 dinars;
2. All ATMs with UnionPay logo can use UnionPay cards to withdraw cash, as far as I know, NLB Bank and UniCredit Bank do not charge fees, other banks are not clear, the handling fees of domestic banks need to consult relevant banks, Serbia these two banks do not need;
3. Serbia does not implement foreign exchange control, there are many money changing houses on the streets of the city, which can be freely exchanged, and there are also money changing places at the airport, but the exchange rate of money exchange at the airport is very poor, if you need to take a car, you can exchange a small amount, and the rest try to go to the city to exchange;
4. Consumption can be paid directly in cash, or by card, domestic UnionPay card can also be swiped, the exchange rate is the real-time exchange rate, and many merchants can also pay euros directly, but the price may be slightly higher, or pay the dinar is more cost-effective.
Note: Although most banks in Serbia already support UnionPay, because many merchants have older POS machines, UnionPay cards may not be available sometimes, so it is best to prepare a visa card or MasterCard!!
⭐️ Public transport.
1. The transportation between major cities in Serbia is very convenient, and there is a complete bus network:
(1) From Belgrade to Novi Sad (the second largest city), it takes 1 hour and 30 minutes by bus, and the fare is 588 dinars (about 40 yuan);
(2) From Belgrade to Niš (the third largest city), it takes 3 hours by bus, and the fare is 1294 dinars (about 87 yuan);
2. There are only buses and trams in the city, there is no subway, and the bus cards of various cities cannot be used in other cities;
3. Taxi needs special attention, because there are more local black cars, it is recommended to use Pink Taxi or CarGo.
⭐️ Consumption level
1, Serbia's consumption level is actually not low, especially in terms of accommodation, generally more expensive than domestic, and the cost performance is not as high as the country, small cities recommend choosing residences, in addition, booking accommodation must compare several platforms;
2. Supermarket shopping, most of the food is cheaper than domestic, especially local fruits, such as cherries, and milk is also cheaper than domestic, and much cheaper, especially fresh milk, super cost-effective;
3. Serbia's traditional cuisine is usually meat-based, and consumption in restaurants is similar to that in China, or slightly more expensive;
4. There are many bars and cafes in Serbia, and the prices are relatively cheap, even the cafes next to the scenic spots are not expensive;
Note: Serbia is a tipping country, eating in restaurants (not fast food restaurants) needs to pay a tip of 5%-10%, if you don't know how to pay, you can swipe the card, they will deduct the tip themselves!!
⭐️ SIM card and network
There are two main telecommunications companies in Serbia, namely Yettel, Mts and A1, which can be purchased at the local business office or at the kiosk on the street. 5 G,400 dinars (about 27 yuan) for 7 days, or 15 G,600 dinars (about 40 yuan) for 15 days, you don't need a passport to buy a phone card;
2. If you don't usually use the Internet, you don't need to buy a SIM card, because most public places in Serbia have free networks, and the network status is very good.
Note: If the SIM card expires, it is recommended to buy a new one, because it is not cost-effective to recharge the deposit!!
⭐️ Prepare before you go
1. European standard conversion plug (two cylindrical plugs);
2. Google Maps is basically enough, but sometimes it is not very convenient, so it is recommended to download Moovit maps and MAPS.ME maps for backup;
3. Commonly used daily greetings:
Hello Здраво, pronounced Zdravo
Thank you Хвала, pronounced Hvala
Goodbye довиђења, pronounced dovidjenja
The above three greetings can be used in the countries of the former Yugoslavia!!
Traveling in Serbia is very safe, there are few thieves on the street, there is no problem to go out alone at night, most of the locals are still friendly to us Asians, the local tourism resources are also relatively rich, if time permits, it is recommended to arrange more than a week!
The above is my summary of Serbia travel guide, I hope to help friends who plan to travel to Serbia, next I will share with you the travel strategy of Serbian cities, see you in the next issue!