April 12, 2025 – Belgrade, Serbia
Our Last Day in Belgrade: Big Domes, Detours & a Delicious Send-Off
Our last day in Belgrade started slow and easy, with breakfast at Mama Shelter (which, by the way, has a great view if you snag the right spot). Fueled by coffee and carbs, we decided to finally check out the Temple of Saint Sava, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
This time, we skipped the taxi roulette and called a CarGo — Belgrade’s local version of Uber. Our driver was fast, focused, and clearly not a fan of leisurely lane changes. We arrived in record time, holding onto the door handles but very much on schedule.
From a distance, the temple is hard to miss. Its white stone façade, green domes, and gold crosses tower over the Vračar neighborhood. It’s not just big — it’s massive, and it completely commands the skyline.
Who Was Saint Sava?
Saint Sava (1174–1236) is one of the most important and beloved figures in Serbian history — both spiritually and culturally. Born as Rastko Nemanjić, the youngest son of a powerful Serbian ruler, he gave up a life of nobility and privilege to pursue a religious path. At a young age, he left for Mount Athos in Greece, where he became a monk and eventually helped establish the Serbian Orthodox Monastery of Hilandar, which still stands today.
Sava later returned to Serbia, where he worked to secure the independence of the Serbian Orthodox Church. In 1219, he became the first Archbishop of an autocephalous Serbian Church, effectively making Serbia spiritually independent from Constantinople. His work helped shape Serbian law, education, and religious practice, and he is credited with laying the foundation for the Serbian national identity.
He died in 1236 in Bulgaria, but his remains were eventually brought back to Serbia. Unfortunately, in 1595, during a time of Ottoman occupation and rising Serbian resistance, his remains were publicly burned by the Ottomans on the very spot where the Temple of Saint Sava now stands — a symbolic act meant to break the Serbian spirit, but which ended up doing the opposite.
Knowing that, standing in front of it hit a little harder. It’s not just a church — it’s a symbol of resilience, built over generations.
Inside the Temple
Once we stepped inside, the size of the space really hit us. The central dome rises high above with a huge mosaic of Christ Pantocrator at the center, surrounded by gold and saints and shimmering light.
The mosaics throughout the church are incredibly detailed — apparently more than 49 million pieces of glass were used. It’s obviously still a work in progress, but what’s finished is impressive.
We didn’t light a candle ourselves — not for any reason in particular, it just didn’t feel necessary in the moment. What we did notice, though, was how lively the whole place felt. Since it was the beginning of Easter week, the temple was buzzing with people — families, tourists, locals coming in to pray.
Outside, there were vendors selling all sorts of festive items — bells tied to colorful ribbons, flower crowns, little Easter-themed trinkets. It gave the whole area this soft, celebratory feel. Serious, yes — but also joyful.
Don’t Skip the Crypt
A few locals had told us not to miss the crypt, and they were absolutely right.
Head downstairs, and everything gets quieter. Cooler. The crypt is beautiful — filled with gold accents, marble, and rich Byzantine-style mosaics. It’s much more intimate than the main space upstairs and honors Saint Sava and other historical and religious figures.
There’s a small chapel down there too, and you can imagine how amazing it must sound during a service or a choir performance. Peaceful, even with a few people milling around.
When Plans Change
After the temple, we made our way to Republic Square for a walking tour of the Zemun district. The plan was to take public transportation with the group across the river and spend a few hours exploring the area’s history and architecture.
What we didn’t plan for? A city-wide government protest that completely shut down the public transport system.
Classic travel curveball.
This is one of those situations where you either get annoyed or pivot — and we pivoted. We found a cozy little place nearby, ordered a beer, and pulled up Tripadvisor to figure out where to go for dinner instead.
Wrapping Up at Casa Nova
We ended up booking a table at Casa Nova in Dorćol, a charming spot with a blend of Italian and French vibes.
Our server was fantastic and recommended a local Merlot from southern Serbia — super smooth and only about $25 CAD for the bottle. We split some garlic bread and a Caesar salad, then Ron ordered the Penne with Beef, and I went for the Lasagna, which came out much larger than expected. It was delicious, but I couldn’t quite finish it — I gave it a solid effort, though.
We arrived back at Mama Shelter Hotel full, happy, and slightly buzzed — a perfect way to wrap up our last evening in the city.
Final Thoughts on Belgrade
Belgrade surprised us. It’s a city with deep history, a little grit, and a lot of heart. Visiting the Temple of Saint Sava was a highlight — not just for the architecture, but for the story it tells and the atmosphere we happened to catch with Easter approaching.
Even when our plans took a hit, the day still turned out great — good food, good wine, and another unexpected memory made.
Would we go back? Absolutely. And next time, we’ll try Zemun again — protest-free, hopefully.
🧭 Exploring Belgrade with Viator – If you’re the kind of traveler who feels more at ease with a plan in place, Viator is a great place to start. They offer a wide range of tours that take the guesswork out of exploring a new city — from guided walks to full-day excursions and everything in between. It’s a great option if you’d rather leave the organizing to someone else and just focus on enjoying the experience. We’ve used them often and love how easy they make it to discover the highlights without the stress.