One of the leading European festivals and a symbol of Novi Sad, which, especially in the European Capital of Culture title year attracts many tourists, will be held at the Petrovaradin Fortress from 7 to 10 July. Novi Sad is a city that successfully combines traditional and modern, and offers many opportunities, and if you are visiting Serbian Athens these days for the Exit festival, which has performances in the evening on as many as 40 stages, we introduce you to the city and give some suggestions on how to spend your time during the day.

Complete the Tour of Novi Sad with a Visit to the Exhibition

In the very heart of Novi Sad, a walk through Liberty Square, which is always the starting point for all locals and tourists, is unavoidable. Take a picture at the monument to Svetozar Miletić, a famous Serbian politician and former mayor of Novi Sad. Step into the Church of the Name of Mary, better known as the Cathedral among the residents of Novi Sad, and be sure to walk along the Jevrejska Street, which used to be the Jewish ghetto, and stop in front of the Synagogue, and then go back and visit Matica Srpska and Gallery Square.

In the European Capital of Culture title year, Novi Sad is rich in cultural and artistic content, and a number of interesting exhibitions await you this week as well. We suggest you to visit the Gallery of Matica Srpska in the Gallery Square, where expert guides Take a Break – Feel the Art, through the current exhibition The Partisan and Fragonard. Collection of Jovanka Broz, will be implemented during EXIT Festival. Through the pictures, get to know the former wife of Marshal Tito and the first lady of Yugoslavia, and professional guidance in English for foreign tourists and visitors to this great music festival will be held during all days of the festival at two times – at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Furthermore, in the Pavle Beljanski Memorial Collection in the Gallery Square you will get to know seven female artists from Pavle Beljanski’s personal collection of paintings. . In Dunavska Street one of the oldest and at the same time the most beautiful, you can visit as many as three current exhibitions. When you go from the city centre towards the Quay, along Dunavska Street, stop first at the Collection of Foreign Art and visit the Accents exhibition, which will bring you closer to the history of the city. Then continue to Museum of Vojvodina where the From Noise to Sound exhibition by the Novi Sad sculptor Nikola Macura, whose installation was created from instruments made from military waste, awaits you. In Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina you can see the ReCapitulation exhibition, which has three main segments that bring an overview of the three periods of work of Led Art (1993-2022), Art Klinika (2003-2012) and Šok zadruga (from 2013 to present). If you spend time during the day at the Exit Camp or gather energy on Šrand, stop by the nearby Liman Park and see the outdoor exhibition – Imaginary Borders – illustrations attached to 49 masts that are waving and refer to the European phenomena of the society in which we live

Enjoying Superb Tastes

Apart from its rich history, Novi Sad is also known for its numerous famous restaurants, good and tasty food, and in addition to traditional cuisine, you can try numerous other specials of foreign cuisines. Some of the most famous ‘fine dining’ restaurants in Novi Sad are located in the very centre of the city. We give you just a few:

G.imi – gained popularity shortly after its opening, and although it was initially focused on Russian-Georgian cuisine, it soon began a new phase, creating recipes adapted to the fertile local area, yet prepared according to world standards.

Agape Villa – tucked away in the very centre of the city and surrounded by beautiful religious buildings, peaceful ambience and excellent service, it offers you privacy and real exclusivity. The restaurant’s menu includes national cuisine specials prepared in an innovative way.

Zak – a restaurant with tradition where you can expect supreme quality, interesting and slightly more expensive dishes, somewhat unusual to the eye, but carefully served.

If you wish to taste the flavours of real Vojvodina cuisine, we suggest you to visit Plava frajla or some of the salaš located in the city itself, such as Petlov salaš and Lazin salaš. In addition to restaurants, there are numerous cafés in the city centre, where you can enjoy refreshing drinks or coffee prepared in several ways. Some of the favourite places are Loft, Kafeterija, Absolut.

Chilling on Štrand

One of the favourite places during the hot summer days is the famous Novi Sad bathing area Štrand, where Exit’s camp is this year. The beach on the Danube, a perfect place for swimming and sunbathing, is half an hour’s walk from the Fortress and the epicentre of the festival, and the same from the city centre. On the beach, you can relax in one of the numerous cafés, be physically active, but also enjoy one of the daily parties that will warm you up for the upcoming concerts.

Walking and Cycling in Novi Sad

The best way to get to know Novi Sad is by walking through its beautiful streets or by cycling. Novi Sad has a rich network of bicycle paths, and perhaps the most beautiful are those along the Danube. You can rent a bicycle through the NS bike Bicycle Rental System.

Walking tours are also a great way to learn about the history of the city, and you can find more information on guided tours at the Tourist Organisation of the City of Novi Sad.

Along the quay, as well as in the city centre, you can find various souvenirs to take away as a reminder of the wonderful time spent in the European Capital of Culture.

Author: Anđela Dalmacija

Photo: Jelena Ivanović