Savamala cultural hubspots
Savamala can be considered Belgrade's phoenix that rose from the ashes of negligence to become presently most popular neighborhod for all kinds of cultural events and teaming nightlife. This resurrection happend slowly, probably because the era of painful decay lasted for so long. Some of the most beautful buildings and most important institutions of old Yugoslavia were located here, but when time started speeding up and taking its toll, the whole neighborhood turned gray, uneventful, dare we even say an eyesore of Belgrade. Thankfully, that all changed when street artists came into the scene only to revive it with grafitti, murals and all kinds of experiemental art. Closely followed many representatives of alternative culture, and with them they brought new ideas and concepts that put Savamala where it is now, at the top of Belgrade's to do list.
It would seem that with each passing days there are more and more choices where to go out in Savamala, and some of them you will probably discover on your own, but just for the head start, here are some hubspots we thought were worth mentioning.
The most important landmark of Savamala for decades has been and still is Belgrade Cooperative Building. This building has come a long way since 1890s, when it was founded to this day, when it is freshly renovated and is a home of Belgrade Waterfront 3D model, that is currently turning into real life place. The unique architecture and the fact that it is one fo the most beautiful buildings in the capital make Belgrade Cooperative worth the walk to Savamala, after which you can take a peek at some of the other interesting spots mentioned on this list. Also, if you would like to take a brake in the Restaurant 1905, which is located in the Cooperative, you will be pleasantly surprised with both interesting interior and great, highly stylish food.
We'll start it off with Mikser House, as it was one of the crucial elements that spun the wheels of Savamala's prosperity. Mikser has a huge space at its disposal, and for some years, this venue has seen hundreds of different events, from concerts and some of the best parties Belgrade has to offer, to art exhibitons, dance nights, themed festivals couple of times a year and much, much more. This place has become a shrine for all those craving a change of scenery from usual nightlife life and clubbing every weekend. Not that there is anything wrong with that, Mikser simply offers a wider variety of options with its content, so no matter when you decide to visit this Savamala hubspot, you will have a lot to see.
Another institution in Savamala must be KC Grad, cultural center right next to the coast of Sava river. Grad follows the esthetics of a abandoned place that has been a bit retouched just a little and then opened for the public, that was at first not accustomed to this kind of interior design, but eventually accepted it and now enjoys it. For the past seven years this venue never stops to surprise us with innovative repertoire, guest musicians from all around the world, jazz gigs and gourmet nights every Monday. Crowd you will find here is of all ages, styles and interests, but apparently time well spent is more-less a guarantee.
Štab ( the word means "headquarters" in Serbian) is a gallery with growing potential, tucked away under the Branko's bridge. You will easily find it, as it is across the street from KC Grad, and it leaves quite an impression with a whole whole in glass and interesting lighting. Štab (shtab), like all of its naighbors, follows the trend of mixing art and clubbing into one, so you can't actually put it in one box. One thing is for sure, no matter what exhibition, wine tasting or party night, Štab is always packed with people thirsty of good time and feeling artsy.
Jazz Bashta (Jazz Garden in Serbian) is one of the great hidden places in Savamala, and it's quite unique when it comes to the music programme and beautiful atmosphere it offers. If you want to get a seat at one of their events, you better come a earlier to keep the fort or simply put down reservations. Bashta is one of the Belgrade "silent hotspots", meaning that the buzz is around, but they don't need any special marketing strategies as both service and music nights speak for themselves (not to mention gorgeous cocktails). They even oganize Disney nights, so you can listen all of your favorite childhood classics live.
Take one more flight of stairs from Jazz Garden, and you will find a beautful hidden restaurant Gnezdo (Nest). If you are craving vegan food, or you are in need of some gluten free cuisine, Gnezdo will impress you with both its interior and delicious meals they offer. Though it is quite hidden from plain sight, the search is definitely worth it. Service is excellent, and the ambiance is quite intimate. Here you can always come and take a break if you are tired of Belgrade's constant busyness. Slow jazz, slow food and wonderful slow-passing afternoon is pretty much everything you need to turn any day around, so if you are in need of a time out accompanied with gorgeous food, Gnezdo is the X that marks your spot. Working hours: 12 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Berliner is not a just a type of donut, as many have probably thought, but a beer garden and grill that serves high quality beer and awesome atmosphere on all days, except Monday. In this bar you will find different kidns of improted beer, including one of the best beers in the world (at least from our perspective), Delirium Tremens and barbecue ribs that are to die for. Much more interesting stuff is on the menu and this is a great start of your evening, but do try not to over eat if you are headed to a club after that, trust us, this is the hard experience talking.
Mladost/Ludost/Radost/Gadost is a mini mall of fun and nightlife. Mladost Ludost is a bar, right next to it is Radost (Joy) restaurant, and underneath the restaurant is newly opened Gadost (Atrocity) night club. Nothing alike exists in Belgrade, especially on a such a limited space. Basically, the only thing you have to do is to show up in Kara?or?eva 44 and then, you can change your surroundings in just couple of steps, from a bar to restaurant, and from restaurant to the night club. All in one. This might as well be the future of nightlife, all the events condensed in one place, with just walls setting them apart.
Tranzit bar is going to be your go-to place if you like Savamala, and love cocktails. One of the best cocktail bars in Belgrade, Transit bar dedicated their craft to details and impeccable taste, and it definitely pays off. Belgraders can be somewhat picky when it comes to their alcohol, but they do like coming back to Transit (the name then makes much sense). Again, this a great place for a night cap before you head somewhere with a bit louder music and more jiggling around, but this place, like pretty much all others in Savamala spontaneously transforms into a nightclub, and quite often they have live gigs with wide music range.
Ben Akiba White Lounge and Bar got its name after a famous Serbian writer and comedian, and there is a good reason why it is so. Partially responsible for that is the fact that here you will be able to attend both hillarious stand up comedy nights, Thursdays and weekends are reserved for clubbing and wide variety of DJs, while from time to time you can attend moderately sophisticated wine tastings on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Many energies that are not easily combined work quite harmoniously here and it works quite well.
It would seem that with each passing days there are more and more choices where to go out in Savamala, and some of them you will probably discover on your own, but just for the head start, here are some hubspots we thought were worth mentioning.
The most important landmark of Savamala for decades has been and still is Belgrade Cooperative Building. This building has come a long way since 1890s, when it was founded to this day, when it is freshly renovated and is a home of Belgrade Waterfront 3D model, that is currently turning into real life place. The unique architecture and the fact that it is one fo the most beautiful buildings in the capital make Belgrade Cooperative worth the walk to Savamala, after which you can take a peek at some of the other interesting spots mentioned on this list. Also, if you would like to take a brake in the Restaurant 1905, which is located in the Cooperative, you will be pleasantly surprised with both interesting interior and great, highly stylish food.
We'll start it off with Mikser House, as it was one of the crucial elements that spun the wheels of Savamala's prosperity. Mikser has a huge space at its disposal, and for some years, this venue has seen hundreds of different events, from concerts and some of the best parties Belgrade has to offer, to art exhibitons, dance nights, themed festivals couple of times a year and much, much more. This place has become a shrine for all those craving a change of scenery from usual nightlife life and clubbing every weekend. Not that there is anything wrong with that, Mikser simply offers a wider variety of options with its content, so no matter when you decide to visit this Savamala hubspot, you will have a lot to see.
Another institution in Savamala must be KC Grad, cultural center right next to the coast of Sava river. Grad follows the esthetics of a abandoned place that has been a bit retouched just a little and then opened for the public, that was at first not accustomed to this kind of interior design, but eventually accepted it and now enjoys it. For the past seven years this venue never stops to surprise us with innovative repertoire, guest musicians from all around the world, jazz gigs and gourmet nights every Monday. Crowd you will find here is of all ages, styles and interests, but apparently time well spent is more-less a guarantee.
Štab ( the word means "headquarters" in Serbian) is a gallery with growing potential, tucked away under the Branko's bridge. You will easily find it, as it is across the street from KC Grad, and it leaves quite an impression with a whole whole in glass and interesting lighting. Štab (shtab), like all of its naighbors, follows the trend of mixing art and clubbing into one, so you can't actually put it in one box. One thing is for sure, no matter what exhibition, wine tasting or party night, Štab is always packed with people thirsty of good time and feeling artsy.
Jazz Bashta (Jazz Garden in Serbian) is one of the great hidden places in Savamala, and it's quite unique when it comes to the music programme and beautiful atmosphere it offers. If you want to get a seat at one of their events, you better come a earlier to keep the fort or simply put down reservations. Bashta is one of the Belgrade "silent hotspots", meaning that the buzz is around, but they don't need any special marketing strategies as both service and music nights speak for themselves (not to mention gorgeous cocktails). They even oganize Disney nights, so you can listen all of your favorite childhood classics live.
Take one more flight of stairs from Jazz Garden, and you will find a beautful hidden restaurant Gnezdo (Nest). If you are craving vegan food, or you are in need of some gluten free cuisine, Gnezdo will impress you with both its interior and delicious meals they offer. Though it is quite hidden from plain sight, the search is definitely worth it. Service is excellent, and the ambiance is quite intimate. Here you can always come and take a break if you are tired of Belgrade's constant busyness. Slow jazz, slow food and wonderful slow-passing afternoon is pretty much everything you need to turn any day around, so if you are in need of a time out accompanied with gorgeous food, Gnezdo is the X that marks your spot. Working hours: 12 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Berliner is not a just a type of donut, as many have probably thought, but a beer garden and grill that serves high quality beer and awesome atmosphere on all days, except Monday. In this bar you will find different kidns of improted beer, including one of the best beers in the world (at least from our perspective), Delirium Tremens and barbecue ribs that are to die for. Much more interesting stuff is on the menu and this is a great start of your evening, but do try not to over eat if you are headed to a club after that, trust us, this is the hard experience talking.
Mladost/Ludost/Radost/Gadost is a mini mall of fun and nightlife. Mladost Ludost is a bar, right next to it is Radost (Joy) restaurant, and underneath the restaurant is newly opened Gadost (Atrocity) night club. Nothing alike exists in Belgrade, especially on a such a limited space. Basically, the only thing you have to do is to show up in Kara?or?eva 44 and then, you can change your surroundings in just couple of steps, from a bar to restaurant, and from restaurant to the night club. All in one. This might as well be the future of nightlife, all the events condensed in one place, with just walls setting them apart.
Tranzit bar is going to be your go-to place if you like Savamala, and love cocktails. One of the best cocktail bars in Belgrade, Transit bar dedicated their craft to details and impeccable taste, and it definitely pays off. Belgraders can be somewhat picky when it comes to their alcohol, but they do like coming back to Transit (the name then makes much sense). Again, this a great place for a night cap before you head somewhere with a bit louder music and more jiggling around, but this place, like pretty much all others in Savamala spontaneously transforms into a nightclub, and quite often they have live gigs with wide music range.
Ben Akiba White Lounge and Bar got its name after a famous Serbian writer and comedian, and there is a good reason why it is so. Partially responsible for that is the fact that here you will be able to attend both hillarious stand up comedy nights, Thursdays and weekends are reserved for clubbing and wide variety of DJs, while from time to time you can attend moderately sophisticated wine tastings on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Many energies that are not easily combined work quite harmoniously here and it works quite well.