Novi Sad

For over a decade, Novi Sad is a home of EXIT, one of the best music festivals in Europe that brings together the best musicians from around the world.

Novi Sad is the city of young people, music, fun and great nightlife. It is the home of EXIT festival, one of the best music events in Europe, that has had its first edition took place in 2000. Some of the best musicians from all over the world perform on the stages of EXIT festival every year. Still, Novi Sad has a lot more to offer. It is and open and tolerant city of friendly people and endless cultural diversity.

There are many legends about the foundation of this city. Since prehistoric times, many nations have lived in this area. The Petrovaradin fortress, that is the symbol of the city, dates from the Middle Ages, but it were the Austro-Hungarians that gave it the look it has today.

One of the legends says it were the merchants and craftsmen that have established the settlement around the Petrovaradin fortress in which they had worked but were forbidden to live.

During the ages, that settlement grew into one of the most beautiful cities in this part of Europe – Novi Sad, known also as “the Serbian Athens” due to its remarkable culture and history. According to this legend, the city has been founded by exactly 12 soldiers and 20 craftsmen (bakers, butchers and others).

Novi Sad is nowadays a home of about 300.000 people of various ethnicities and the capital of autonomous province of Vojvodina. It was that diversity (cultural, ethnic, religious etc.) that has made tolerance and open-mindedness for new things and ideas the key features of the city.

You are always welcome in Novi Sad, where friendly and hospitable locals will try to make each day you spend in their hometown unforgettable.

Each summer, Petrovaradin fortress hosts the famous EXIT music festival. During those days, the entire city dances with the music of some of the world’s greatest bands performing on several stages all around the fortress. Each year, more than 150.000 young people from all over the world come to Novi Sad, in the first place to have great fun. Next year, you can choose to be among them.

The city lies on the banks of the Danube river and numerous international tourist cruisers stop in its harbour. The visit to the city’s historic center is a must. There you can enjoy some of the magnificent buildings dating from the end of the XIX century when Novi Sad was the leader of cultural progress in this region, but also numerous elegant religious edifices belonging to various confessions.

Afterwards you can go to some of the city’s most famous “kafanas” (traditional Serbian taverns) and relax or have fun deep into the night with great Vojvodinian cuisine and tremendous tamburitza bands (a kind of a string instrument).

Not far from the city is “the Serbian Mount Athos” – Fruška Gora mountain with its 17 Christian Orthodox monasteries, oldest of them dating from the XV century. Here you can also enjoy wonderful nature, since the mountain is a national park as well. If you decide to stay a while longer, you can accommodate at a “salaš” (a kind of a farmstead).

This kind of an estate is pride of the Pannonian region. They provide perfect environments for rest and relaxation and offer a chance to get to know the customs of the area and some traditional lifestyle. There are several near Novi Sad, most famous being in Čenej, Veternik, Begeč and Kaćki atar.

How to get to Novi Sad?

Novi Sad is in the vicinity of the most significant directions which lead to the 4 directions of Europe. Those routes are the E-75 from north and middle Europe and E-70 from the west, which lead to the south and southeast of the continent.

The closest to Novi Sad is the “Nikola Tesla “ airport in Belgrade 80km away. From the airport to Novi Sad you can take a van.

The bus station in Novi Sad is both international and intercity. There are departures to many cities in Europe and all parts of Serbia.

You can also get to Novi Sad by train. The international lines connect Novi Sad to Budapest, and Vienna and further towards the north and west, that is o sthe south and southeast of Europe and near east.

Novi Sad is on the Danube, so the possibility of coming by ship also exists but for now it is only possible to come on tourist cruisers.

When you are already here, don’t miss…

Walking around the old centre of the city, drinking coffee in one of the wonderful streets. Unavoidable on this path are the “Trg slobode” (freedom square) from the 18th century, catholic church called “Church of Maria’s name,” built in neogothic style, while Zmaj Jova street will take you to the “Vladičanski dvor.”

Don’t miss the walk along the probably oldest street in Novi Sad – Dunavska street, as well as relaxing in the Dunavski park, the most beautiful park in Novi Sad.

If you find yourself in Novi Sad in the summer, freshen up on Štrand- one of the most beautiful beaches on the Danube.

Visit Petrovaradin fort on the right bank of the Danube, which was built in the time of the Austrian emperors Leopold I, Joseph I, Charles VI, Maria Teresa and Joseph II.

If you find yourself here towards the end of September, go to the centre of the Fruška Gora wine route, Sremski Karlovci, to the traditional grape harvest.

On this wine route don’t miss tasting bermet, the desert wine of this region, which was a favorite at the Viennese court.