Belgrade and Bucharest are two of the largest cities in Eastern Europe. Belgrade is one of the oldest cities in Europe and is known for its nightlife and Bucharest is known for its grand buildings and boulevards. If you are trying to decide between Belgrade or Bucharest, here is the ultimate guide to help you decide which city you should visit.
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Belgrade or Bucharest Overview:
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city in Serbia with 1.25 million people living within city limits. The city has been fought over in over 100 wars and has also been destroyed 44 times which is why the architecture is so varied throughout the city.
Belgrade is a city full of rich culture and is not overrun with tourists. Your money will take you a long way here as Belgrade is one of the cheapest cities in Europe. The city is also known for its fashion, film industry, and for having one of the best nightlife scenes in the world.
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital of Romania and is also the largest city in the country with nearly 2 million people. It was once known for its beautiful architecture and grand buildings, even being referred to as the “Paris of the East”. Today, the city is has a blend of new and old styles of architecture.
When you visit Bucharest, you can expect to get a good bang for your buck because it is one of the cheapest cities in Europe. Bucharest is also growing in popularity with foreigners because it has not been overrun with tourists yet.
Things to See
Belgrade
Belgrade Fortress has been added on to and rebuilt since the 2nd century AD.
The Church of Saint Sava is one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world and one of Belgrade’s most iconic structures.
House of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia has served for the Yugoslavian Parliament and the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro.
National Museum in Belgrade was established in 1844 and is the city’s largest and oldest museum. image
St. Mark’s Church is one of the largest churches in Serbia and is right next to Tašmajdan which is one of the city’s largest parks. image
Bucharest
The Palace of Parliament is the second-largest administrative building in the world. It is the heaviest, however.
Romanian Athenaeum is a concert hall that was built in 1888. It has an incredibly ornate interior.
The Arch of Triumph is a massive arch similarly modeled to the one in Paris.
The Royal Palace is home to the National Museum of Art of Romania.
Revolution Square is a historic part of Bucharest that is surrounded by some of the city’s most iconic buildings.
Food
Belgrade
Sarma is one of the most popular classic dishes in Serbia. Sarma is a cabbage wrapped around rice and little pieces of meat. Ćevapi is a dish you should definitely try when you’re here. It is a dish of grilled meat and is typically served with onions. Pljeskavica is the equivalent of the Serbian hamburger but the meat patties are typically thinner and larger than the typical American burger. I popular dish to end meals or to just eat as a snack is Gibanica which is a multi-layered pastry mainly made up of cottage cheese and eggs.
Bucharest
Chiftele, or Romanian meatballs, is a mixture of meat, potato, and carrot and makes for an excellent dish if you are in the mood to try some authentic Romanian. Sarmale is a dish of rice and pork wrapped in cabbage similar to the cabbage rolls found in other Eastern European countries. For dessert you might want to get yourself some, Plăcintă cu mere which is an apple pie-like pastry.
Getting Around
Belgrade
Belgrade is a walkable city, especially the old town and the area around the fortress. You may want to use public transportation if you want to see sights like the Church of St. Mark, Belgrade City Museum, or the Nikola Tesla Museum. The public transport here is made up of buses, trams, and trolleys. When you use public transportation here, it might seem like no one is paying for their ride but this is only because you pay ahead of time by purchasing a Bus Plus Card. This city also has many biking lanes so renting a bike might not be a bad idea. Taxify and CarGo are Belgrade’s versions of Uber.
Bucharest
Bucharest is a large and fairly spread out city so you will want to use public transportation if you are trying to see many of the city’s landmarks. Public transportation here consists of buses, trams, trolleys, and the metro system. It must be noted that tickets for the metro are different from the other forms of public transportation. Do not hesitate to utilize these options for getting around the city because Bucharest has one of the cheapest public transportation systems in Europe. Bucharest has some of the worst traffic in all of Europe so you may want to think twice or plan ahead if you are planning on driving here.
*Uber might be the easiest (quite cheap too) way to get around the city.
Nightlife
Belgrade
Belgrade has one of the best nightlife scenes in Europe and even in the world. It is often referred to as the “city that never sleeps” because of its nightlife. During the winter there are incredible indoor clubs and during the summer there are many outdoor clubs on the river (floating clubs!). One thing to keep in mind while partying in Belgrade is that you should research where you want to go before hitting the city because you usually need a reservation to get into the best places. There are too many incredible nightclubs to list in Belgrade but some of them, like Drugstore and Freestyler, are known around Europe.
Bucharest
During the 2000s Bucharest has become a hub for great nightlife venues. Romanians know how to party any night of the week but the weekends are extremely vibrant here. There is an abundance of bars and clubs throughout the city. The area around Unirii Square, especially Selari Street, and the area north of Unirii Square, is one of the best parts of the city to explore for a night out. There are nightclubs scattered throughout the city so pretty much where ever you stay in Bucharest, you will be able to find something to do for a great night out. Be sure to check the dress code for the clubs before going out.
Day Trips
Belgrade
Novi Sad is a city to the north of Belgrade, known for its fortress and impressive cathedrals.
Golubac Fortress is a large fortress sitting on the banks of the Danube River.
Fruška Gora National Park is an area of beautiful nature and 16 medieval monasteries.
Bucharest
Bran Castle, or Dracula’s Castle, is an impressive Gothic castle to the north of Bucharest.
Slanic Salt Mine is a massive salt mine north of Bucharest that has become a popular tourist attraction.
Sinaia is a town in the Bucegi Mountains that is home to Foisor Castle and Peles Castle.
Other great cities in this area of Eastern Europe are Sofia, Budapest, and Skopje. These three cities are all at least a few hours away from either Bucharest or Belgrade.
Overall
Belgrade and Bucharest are two of the largest cities in Eastern Europe. Both cities are becoming increasingly popular with people from all over the world because they are not over-run with tourists and both cities are among the least expensive in Europe. You can see the main attractions in both cities within a two-day time frame but I would definitely recommend more time in each to get a better feel for them and to explore the surrounding areas. Belgrade has many fortresses in the area and Bucharest has many castles in the surrounding area, including the world-famous Dracula (Bran) Castle.