It’s Not a Must, But It’s Better to Have a Serbia Tour Guide

If you need more convincing, here are the five key reasons Zeljko has become our favorite Serbia tour guide.

Vast Experience

In 11 years, Zeljko has completed 3,282 tours (as of April 11, 2022). That means he basically does 1 tour a day for 10 months out of the year. We can only imagine his average is down after 2 years of Covid, given that in normal times, he is extraordinarily in demand. 

He’s done tours for foreign dignitaries, local celebrities, and company outings. Although we haven’t been lucky enough to get the full wardrobe experience, many of his tours do involve the whole traditional feel. 

Level of Convenience

Trips with Zeljko are just convenient. We’ve done a few trips around Serbia on our own and they are fun but the language barrier and a lack of signage can make it difficult to find places. Zeljko picks you up in his car and takes care of everything. The reservations, food, and schedule are completely worked out before. All you do is listen, ask questions, eat and drink. 

This has made it possible for us to end up at small breweries like the Homoljsko Brewery, where we would’ve never had the courage to stop on our own, or to try a very small, traditional restaurants in the countryside.

No Topic is Off Limits

It’s been a great experience for us to learn what it is that makes Serbia, Serbia and to gain a new perspective. Serbia has a very long history and Zeljko does an impressive job of tying in this complex history with current and recent events. 

With a decade of experience, Zeljko can answer questions that range from recent to ancient history, to architecture, industry, or politics. We really haven’t found a subject that stumps him or a question (despite the regional sensitivities) that he’s been unwilling to answer.

Uniquely Designed Tours

Zeljko understands that all visitors are different and that everyone deserves their own personalized itinerary. Give him a sense of your schedule and your preferences, and he’ll map out a tour that meets all your demands and expectations, and even includes some delicious homemade rakija, or traditional Serbian brandy.

City Focus

For city lovers, Zeljko says 3 days in Belgrade is the minimum. There are an array of tours, neighborhoods, and restaurants to see and do which will easily take up your days, including a boat tour down the Danube and Sava rivers. And if you like the nightlife, you’ll be guaranteed to love Belgrade. But if you want to change the scenery a bit, he can take you up to Novi Sad, just an hour away from Belgrade. This is Serbia’s second-largest city and a pretty multicultural place named the European Capital of Culture in 2022.

For nature lovers

For visitors who have 3 or 4 days and want to get out of the city, Zeljko suggests visiting Serbia’s western border. Tara national park and the surrounding areas are full of waterfalls, canyons, lakes, and mountains. There are many beautiful things to see, so if you want to get it all in, get ready for days that start before 8AM and end after 8PM. But, no need to worry about planning or driving through the windy mountain roads, as Zeljko will take care of it all. 

Village Life – Off the Beaten Path

For people like us, who have been lucky enough to spend two years in Serbia, Zeljko offers tours to lesser-known destinations, some of them in east Serbia like Despotovac or Majdanpek, or others to his hometown of Valjevo. These are great since they offer a combination of historical monuments, cultural anecdotes, natural and cultural heritage sites, and of course a bit of exploration. 

For us, this has been the best way to get a sense of Serbia outside of Belgrade and to explore places and restaurants that we would have never found otherwise.

Mission to Promote Serbia

One of the main reasons we’ve come to appreciate Zeljko’s work is because we’ve learned he’s on a mission. He is aware Serbia doesn’t have the Alps or the ocean and that it has a controversial recent history. 

However, he also knows Serbia has impressive natural wonders, hospitality that flies in the face of stereotypes, and thousands of years of history that can attract even the most enthusiastic globetrotters. 

He’s given us an appreciation for Serbia that we certainly didn’t have before arriving and we’re sure he’ll do the same for anyone looking to explore this beautiful and often misunderstood country.