Belgrade Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Belgrade

Belgrade has been a city of strategic importance for millennia with its location at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. In fact, it is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities on the planet.

Nomadic tribes inhabited the area as far back as 20,000 to 50,000 years ago. Some of these may have been Neanderthals rather than modern humans. By the sixth century BC, the Vinca culture inhabited the area. They were followed by the Thraco-Dacians, Celts, and finally, the Romans. The city, then called Singidunum, was part of the Empire and eventually passed to the Byzantine Empire.

The Middle Ages were a time of upheaval as power struggles between the Byzantine Empire and Germanic tribes ravaged the city. The Ottomans took the city in 1521, but they continued to fight the Austrians for hundreds of years. Serbian Uprisings in 1807 and 1815 eventually led to some sovereignty, first with the Principality and, eventually, the Kingdom of Serbia.

Prince Michael, properly Prince Mihailo Obrenovic, expanded Belgrade and helped ensure its future. A monument to his achievements stands in Republic Square, outside the National Theatre and National Museum.

During World War I, the German-Austrian forces invaded the area. French forces liberated it in 1918, and the city became the capital of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia after the war.

The Germans invaded again in World War II and bombed the city heavily. The Red Army liberated it in 1944. Belgrade became a major industrial center after the war as the capital of the new Socialist Yugoslavia.

Belgrade was the site of many protests against leader Slobodan Milosevic in the 1990s. NATO forces bombed the city during the Kosovo War in 1999, but the 2000 presidential elections resulted in the ousting of Milosevic.

Today, Belgrade is a busy metropolitan city that is experiencing a renaissance. In Kalemegdan Park, you can see evidence of the town's struggles and its distinctive historic fortress. The dominating Cathedral of Saint Sava is a must-see for both its grandeur and Byzantine influences. Also, don't miss strolling streets like Prince Michael Street and Skadarlija.

You'll love the history and varied culture in Belgrade--it's truly unlike any other place you'll visit. Join us on a walking tour of the city's best sights!