Get Big Picture of Belgrade at its 2,000 years old Fortress
Description
2,000 years of history in 90 minutes. Your guides are a historian and an art historian, whose accounts of the Fortress include personally lived experiences, besides the public history. We take you to the selected vantage points, decode the Fortress' iconic monuments and highlight the decisive moments of its past. You'll see the big picture of Belgrade and why this city is unique. The historical drama of the fatally strategic location, between the East and the West, unfolds before your eyes. You'll grasp the border between the Balkans and the Central Europe, that has interested the Romans, the Byzantines, the Ottomans, the Hapsburgs, modern European powers, the USA and USSR. You'll hear how their rivalries shaped Belgrade's destiny. The panoramic views will show you four different faces of Belgrade, each with own culture, rising above the rivers. Plus, you'll discover a beautiful church with unique memorial decoration and an exciting military secret from the Cold War.
Tour Options
Itinerary
You'll be excited to find out why the Noon bell in all churches in Europe is directly related to Belgrade. Which sultan called the Belgrade Fortress his Contemplation hill. What happened when Nazis bombed Belgrade in 1941. And what happened when there was a Soviet invasion threat in the 1950ies. Guess which movie maker told the press he felt very inspired after getting underground! We start with the ancient Romans and trace the successive powers who fought for this piece of earth, water and sky. Every step takes you past the gates and walls, dungeons and towers. Every sight is a monument and memory of war and peace, life and death, rise and fall of empires and people that left their mark in time.
The views from the Fortress include the rivers Sava and Danube, their confluence and two other towns that belong to Belgrade. New Belgrade, once the capital of Socialist Yugoslavia, and Zemun, a quiet Central European looking place. For the romantics we recommend scheduling the tour around sunset. Sunset in Belgrade is around 5.30 in autumn, 4.30 pm in winter, around 6 pm in April and May and after 7 pm in summer.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- N/A
Reviews(22)
Had an amazing tour of Kalemegdan with Ksenija and couldn’t recommend her more highly. She explained everything so clearly and wove in wonderful little facts that brought the history to life. Friendly and engaging the whole way through, she kept checking in with the group and made sure we were all following along and having fun. Her knowledge was incredible, and she answered every question we threw at her with ease. A truly great guide and a lovely person. If you’re visiting Kalemegdan, ask for Ksenija!
Thank you so much! It was a pleasure having you on the tour. Glad you enjoyed it!
Ksenija Kastratović is a superb tour guide of Belgrade! Having grown up in Belgrade, traveled and returned, she is rich in knowledge of both culture and history. Our travel ran late and she offered to meet us at our hotel then waited for our arrival. She then asked us what we wanted most from our tour so she could customize it for us. We asked for culture and a history and received that and more- even a quick stop for local raspberry gelato! When we asked about her, she showed us the home her grandfather lived in during communism and socialism, where she later grew up in with her mother which gave us context as Americans. Her passion for her history and interest in us was genuine and thoughtful. Her nieces had drawn pictures for us which I still carry as we travel! Can’t recommend her more highly. What a lovely person!
Dear Charity, Thank you so much for trusting us with your limited time in Belgrade. Your enthusiasm and curiosity made the tour an absolute pleasure. I'm happy and grateful you found it personal and personalized!
When you end the tour and want more!! Igor's stories were so good we didn't want him to finish. Take this tour for a deep dive into the city's turbulent history and present.
Much appreciated! Belgrade deserves it. Do come back!
I sincerely recommend this tour to people interested in history and politics. Our guide Igor is very passionate about Serbian history and made the tour a true travel through time. Thank you, Igor!
Stunning views and excisiting history. The guide was great at explaining everything happening with this intriguing city. Warm recommendation!
Thanks so much, hope to see you again!
Stunning views and exciting history. The guide was great at explaining everything happening with this intriguing city. Warm recommendation!
Thank you for visiting the Fortress with us and paying such attention to its unique story!
It was great to hear how a local historian thinks about the Serbian past, to get explanations of what was going on historically and how things are now. It was sunny and clear when we visited so we had good views of Zemun and New Belgrade that are quite different from Old Belgrade.
Thank you very much, Sofija. Always a pleasure to host curious guests!
I booked the tour as I always visit the fortresses when traveling to a new place. Belgrade Fortress did not disappoint! So much historical drama is still resonating in Belgrade. Igor was a most fantastic guide, I enjoyed our conversation and a bit of debate.
Thank you, Stefan! Always welcome for a bit of debate :)
One of the most exciting guided tours ever! Igor is a history buff passionate about sharing the stories of war and peace, sultans and kings, underground chambers..We saw the foundations of the medieval castle and the Roman wall and got inside a church that was built from a military magazine
Thank you very much for sharing the passion and spreading the word!
We really had great fun on the tour! I also learned a lot about the area and get to know it from completely new perspective. Would recommend it for sure
Dear Natasa, many thanks for choosing us and being such a kind guest!
