Winter has officially arrived, but winter magic has already been spilled all over the mountains and villages of Serbia, and cities are already booming with festive atmosphere. New Year’s lanterns and shiny lights already illuminate cold winter evenings, and while therich aroma of roasted chestnuts and mulled wine fills the air, and skates blaze across the ice rink, New Year celebrations are being prepared all around the town.
Do not let the most entertaining part of the winter pass you by without you enjoying all the magic it brings. Although it seems like the winter idyll will not begin until the 3rd of January, since meteorologists predict a dry and sunny weather, Serbia is all about preparing a good time. And we hereby present some of the ways to have fun before and during the holidays.
VISIT THE OPEN HEART SQUARE IN BELGRADE
From December the 14th you can brighten up your day by taking a simple stroll around the town and taking a short break at the Republic Square, which has been turned into a real holiday playground.
Wooden houses which lure (successfully) with baked cakes, mulled wine, tea and other warm beverages and snacks, will complete your festive mood and turn your walk from ordinary to extraordinary.
IT’S ICE SKATING SEASON!
You don’t have to be Oksana Baiul or a professional ice skater to enjoy this winter wonder. This is but one of the ways to spend some quality time with the young and put a smile on their faces. Cities all across the Serbia are opening the ice rinks for their citizens.
Almost every part of Belgrade has its own skating rink. Belgrade Ice Scene gives away free ice skating this winter as well at Nikola Pašić Square. In the old part of the city you can skate in thePionir ice hall as well as at the ice rink in the Stari Dif. Skating rinks are open on Vidikovac (Happy Ice), Medak, Mirijevo (Ice Land), Zvezdara(Sports Center “Olimp”) and Ada Ciganlija.
In the New Belgrade ice rinks can be found in front of the shopping malls Ušćeand Delta City as well as in the Sports Center “Pingvin”. Ticket prices range from 150 to 350 dinars.
In Novi Sad you can skate in the ice hall Spens. Ticket prices range from 150 to 250 dinars, and rink’s working hours are from 10:30 AM to 06:45 PM
Just like in a fairytale, Subotica looks breathtakingly magical during the winter, and it has its own City ice rink which you can enjoy at a price of 110 dinars, precisely how much the ticket costs.
Niš will as well bring joy to its residents and visitors at the end of December, by opening an ice rink in the Balon hall of the Niš’s park Čair, and the price of the skating will be 150 dinars.
Even Serbia’s smaller towns opened their ice rinks, amongst which are Užice, Kragujevac, Prokuplje, Zrenjanin, Zaječar, Leskovac, Smederevo.
GOING TO THE MOUNTAINS
Use the days off you got for your holiday and spend them relaxing on some of the Serbia’s mountain beauties. Serbian mountains are snowy and ski paths have been opened for a while. People search for accommodation in hotels, since almost every other vacancy has been filled. Still, it’s not too late to organize a nice and entertaining vacation, if not in a hotel then in the private accommodationwhere you can always find a better deal.
Kopaonik, Zlatibor and Tara are traditionally the richest when it comes to the content they offer, but they are also the most expensive as well. Staraplanina mountain and Zlatar are still undiscovered gems of our nature for which many haven’t even heard of yet, and are a place where you can attain cheaper arrangements.
NEW YEAR’S EVE CONCERTS
Multitude of New Year’s Eve concerts will complete joyous holiday spirit in Serbia.
The following concerts have been scheduled in Belgrade: Neverne Bebe in Kombank Arena on the 28th of December; Haris Džinovićin Sava Centaron the 27th and 28th of December; Rade Šerbedžija in Dom Sindikata on the 28th of December; on the 29th of December in Sava Centar.
In Novi Sad’s Spens on the 27th of December Bajaga i instruktori will perform, and on that same night in the Serbian National Theatre, on the New Year’s Gala concert will be ashining star – Belgrade philharmonic / Disco philharmonic and special guests.
Residents of Subotica will be entertained on the 27th of December a folk star Svetlana Ceca Ražnatović inSports Hall .
MR. AND MISS SANTA CLAUSE’S RACE ON TERAZIJE
Belgrade’s annual Mr. and Miss Santa Clause’s race, where there is expected more than 2000 participants from Belgrade, Serbia and few European countries, will be held on the 29th of December. On the central stage there will be a musical entertainment program.
CELEBRATE NEW YEAR’S EVE ON THE BELGRADE SQUARRES
Surely the atmosphere is better at the mountains, but that doesn’t mean it will be more fun, since cities have New Year’s Eve parties as well. Public Squares will be full, as usual. You can enjoy this performers in the squares of the serbaian cities.
Belgrade, plato in front of the National Assembly: Ceca Ražnatović, Nataša Bekvalac, Kiki Lesendrić and Nikola Rokvić
Novi Sad, Freedom Square: Riblja čorba, “Čika Joca i zmajevi”, Lena Kovačević and Ana Štajdohar na trgu
Subotica, Freedom Square: Tambourine ensemble „Hajo” and bend “Night cruisers” from Subotica.
Niš, Square of King Milan: Neša Galija and Brass Orchestra of Boban Marković.
Novi Pazar: Croatian singer Jelena Rozga and Amar Jašarspahić Gile
Kruševac: Famous singer Željko Joksimović and Mira Škorić
Bor: Band “Legende”
Zlatibor: Popular band “Neverne Bebe”
OPEN YOUR HEART IN THE STREET OF THE OPEN HEART
On every January the 1st, Belgrade opens up a Street of the open heart, which represents the good vibes,family and relentless spirit of Belgrade. This manifestation held in the area of Svetogorska and Makedonskastreet offers an opportunity for Belgrade’s community members and chance visitors to stroll around, enjoy rich cultural and musical program and wish each other good luck in the New Year.
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