Belgrade
Travel Advice for Seniors: Belgrade
Next stop, Belgrade, Serbia! Belgrade is the capital of Serbia and is home to about 1.4 million people. Belgrade bears witness to the importance of its location at the confluence of the Danube and the Sava rivers in the form of the fortress of Beogradska Tvrđava, or Belgrade Fortress.
The Balkans have long been an area of dispute given their strategic location on the Danube as well as their location as a transit point between eastern and western Europe. The Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Empire fought intensely over this area for decades and there are many buildings remaining that have both European and Ottoman influences.
During World War II, Serbia was occupied by the Wehrmacht where intense loss and bloodshed occurred. Serbia emerged as part of Yugoslavia after the war and was led by Tito as a socialist republic until the 1980’s. In the 1990’s Yugoslavia dissolved into regional conflicts ending with Serbia’s liberation in 2006.
Its war-torn past has finally been left behind as more recently, Serbia has applied for entry into the European Union. One can certainly tell that money has been coming to assist in restoring and modernizing major tourist attractions and in the way of new shops and infrastructure.
Serbia is still predominantly small blocks of farming plots and fields of yellow flowers of the canola plant are frequent. Cereal crops are the main agricultural crops here. Manufacturing, energy, mining and more recently technology make up other substantial parts of the economy, with Belgrade becoming a technological hub.
Now to Belgrade….the main historical area of Belgrade centers around Belgrade Fortress and Kalemadgen park which is very close to the Danube. The fortress was a mix of ancient and modern, having been built originally by the Celts and Romans in 279BC, destroyed and rebuilt many times over and then restored more recently in the 2000’s with the addition of a display of more modern artillery from WWII on the grounds. And to really confuse everyone, there was a brilliant display of dinosaurs sculpted in metal on the grounds! The walking paths and the museum are accessible, but pathways are uneven.
The highlight of our tour of Belgrade was definitely the Church of San Sava, built 1935-2004. Saint Sava founded the Serbian Orthodox Church, and it is built on the ruins of where his relics burned in 1595. One of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, it is a golden-tiled marvel. The purpose of many churches in olden times was to leave the population awestruck with the power and glory of the religion, this church surely accomplishes that, even in current times! The church is accessible with ramps and entry.
Orthodox churches differ in styling from other religions notably with their “onion” domes and interior differences including elaborate mosaics and relics.
Orthodox theology differs from Catholicism in that the Orthodox do not accept the leadership of the Catholic Pope and have differing views on theology, aesthetics, religious practices, and doctrines. In Orthodoxy, each country is allowed to suit parts of the religion to their needs, with a common thread that is their central doctrine. That’s why there is Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc.
After a very enjoyable day in Belgrade, we set sail for our next destination with the beautiful lights of Fort Belgrade at night ushering us on our way!
Where we stayed: Onboard a river vessel. The boat had an elevator, but some of the decks are split level with thresholds.
How we got there: Sailed from Osijek, Croatia. This was part of a seventeen-day river cruise tour through Eastern Europe including Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania and a post-extension in Turkey.
General Accessibility Information: Serbia’s larger cities are generally accessible with accessible major hotels and sights. Many of the historical sites will have steps or cobbled surfaces, so be prepared for partial accessibility. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements. See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.
