25/01/2026
Belgrade, as I mentioned recently, is an extraordinary city.
Before coming to Serbia, I expected to see a grey, post-communist, unattractive place. And what is Belgrade really like? It is grey and post-communist - but not ugly.
Belgrade is a city layered with history. Its architecture is a mix of Ottoman heritage, Austro-Hungarian elegance, socialist modernism, brutalism, and contemporary glass-and-steel high-rises. In the city center, modern skyscrapers stand next to damaged, bombed-out buildings - silent witnesses of recent history. Among them are the ruins of the former Yugoslav Ministry of Defence (Generalštab) and the Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) building, both heavily damaged during the NATO bombings in 1999.
Belgrade is a city developing at an astonishing pace. Grey during the day - perfect for black and white analog photography - but at night it transforms. Illuminated buildings, vibrant streets, bars, restaurants, and people everywhere. A city that feels raw, alive, and unapologetically real.