Country info for backpacking in Serbia

Medieval castle in Golubac Serbia is a lovely country, open for tourism all year round. In summer tourists love spending their time in Belgrade and enjoy the nature of many national parks throughout the country. In winter tourists are warmly welcomed to mountain resorts (one of the most popular being Kopaonik [featured on BBC as one of the best ski destinations in Europe]). There are also many spa resorts such as Sokobanja, Niška Banja and Vrnjačka Banja. Serbs are warm people especially towards tourists. Most Serbs know English (excluding seniors) so you will be able to find your way around by asking directions. Most tourists come to Serbia in the summer and you will often hear German, Italian, French and English on the streets of Belgrade due to the number of tourists. If you are planning to travel to Kosovo (a UN administered zone) plan your travel well as it is not the safest place to be. However the rest of Serbia is safe and there are police officers in all cities and towns.

Climate

In the north: continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall); central portion: moderate continental climate; to the south: hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall.

Terrain

City of Zrenjanin, Serbia Extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills. Although the region around the town of Mionica has been known for some earthquakes in recent years, these were by no means destructive. Highest point  Đeravica 2,656 m

History

The first Serbian state was formed in the early 11th century, expanding to a Balkan empire until the mid of 14th century. In 1389, the Serbian empire finally fell to the dominance of the Turks. An uprising in the early 1800s led to Serbian independence in 1815. The 1914 Austro-Hungarian invasion of Serbia following the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand by an ethnic Serbian precipitated the first World War. In its aftermath, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Occupation by Nazi Germany in 1941 was resisted by various paramilitary bands that fought each other as well as the invaders. The group headed by Marshal Tito took full control upon German expulsion in 1945. Although Communist, his new government successfully steered its own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. Capital city of Serbia - Belgrade In the early 1990s, post-Tito Yugoslavia began to unravel along ethnic lines: Slovenia, Croatia, and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia all split from the Union in 1991; Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" (FRY) in 1992 and, under President Slobodan Milosevic, led to a bloody civil that was most intense in Croatia and in Bosnia. All of these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. In the late 1990s, the conflict with the Albanian separatist movement in Kosovo led to NATO intervention, and the placement of Kosovo under UN administration. Federal elections in the fall of 2000 brought about the ousting of Milosevic, and led to the country's acceptance into UN organizations under the name of Yugoslavia. In 2002, the regions of Serbia and Montenegro began negotiations to forge a looser relationship, which led first to the name change to "Serbia and Montenegro", then culminated in Montenegro declaring independence in June 2006. Independence  4 February 2003 (when changed from Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to State Union of Serbia and Montenegro), 5 June 2006 (from State Union of Serbia and Montenegro to Serbia) National holidays January 1 - 2 (New Year's Day), January 7 (Eastern Orthodox Christmas), January 14 (National Holiday (Orthodox New Year), January 27 (Saint Sava's feast Day), February 15 (Sretenje / Groundhog Day (Candlemas) / Serbian National Day), May 1 - 2 (Labour Day), May 9 (Victory Day), June 28 (Vidovdan / St Vitus Day)

Money

Serbia's offical currency is the Serbian Dinar (except Kosovo where Euro is legal tender). Serbian dinar can be exchanged only within the country. It is best to convert just a bit at the airport, since the rate is very high, and to convert the rest within a major city, preferably Belgrade. Serbia's unoffical currency is the Euro, but prices are often overestimated when directly compread to the Dinar. Belgrade is typically on par with many European cities prices, however, outside the capital prices of almost any item are lot lower when compared to the capital. Typically, 120 Dinars for a coke in a Belgrade bar, and 150 Dinars for 3 cokes in a bar outside the capital. On January 20th, 2008 there were 54 Serbian Dinars (RSD) to the USA Dollar.

Serbia is a safe country. People are normally very polite and helpful in case you require any assistance if you feel lost. However, those of us who are from Asian/Black origin should not be surprised if they attract quite a bit of attention, including the occasional passport-checking by policemen. In some cities, Neo-Nazism is a growing problem, similar to the rest of Europe. Be aware of pickpockets, especialy on crowded places and on public transport.