When is the best time to visit Serbia? - Authentic Treks : Authentic Treks

Ah, Paris in the springtime. New England in the fall. Aspen in the winter! Some places have an easily defined “best time to visit” but in this case, the answer to “When is the best time to visit Serbia” doesn’t always have a simple answer. For being a relatively small country (roughly the size of New York State), Serbia has two different climate zones. In the north, you’ll find cool, dry, winters and warm, humid summers, while the south has the hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters of the Mediterranean, along with heavy, mountain snowfall.

There’s so much to see in Serbia, but if you know what sights are important to you, you can plan the perfect trip, just take these few factors into consideration:

Weather and season

Make sure to take weather conditions or seasonality under consideration. Some destinations might not be accessible during certain parts of the year, so if there is something in particular you wish to see, make sure it will be open when you come. We typically book our multi-day Serbian tours from April 15th to October 31st because that is when the weather is most favorable for all the sights. Just planning to sightsee in Belgrade? Our Belgrade City Tour is available year round.

If you come from a temperate climate with not a lot of seasonal variation, you might not take this into consideration. A Serbian winter is wildly different from a Serbian summer. Temperatures can vary wildly depending on the season—from 15°F or 94°F (although 28°F to 84°F is more typical)—so make sure you have the proper wardrobe for whichever extreme you might be visiting!

Daylight time during winter

Serbia is in CET (Central European Time) zone, and uses daylight savings, but that means that in late December, January and February it can be dark at 4pm, which will drastically limit your sightseeing hours. Although Belgrade has a vibrant nightlife and is very beautiful at night, if your intention is to see the wonders of Serbia’s natural landscape, a summer trip makes accomplishing that goal much easier.

Distances

Serbia is not a big country. At around 88,000 square kilometers, it’s nothing compared to huge countries such as the US, Russia, Canada, Australia, China, India. However, it can still take considerable time to cover distances. Ideally, Authentic Treks uses Belgrade as a starting point for day trips because from the capital city you can visit almost all of Serbia’s major attractions or destinations in a single day and be back to your hotel for the night. However, if you prefer a more leisurely, circular route, take one of our longer, multi-day trips like Serbia in One Week to travel from place to place and experience different slices of Serbian life.

So what IS the Best time to visit Serbia?

In general, every period of the year has its advantages. The best time to visit Serbia would mostly depend on your interests. If you just want to spend some time in Belgrade and enjoy its vibrant streets, cafes and restaurants, any time is good time. Just pay attention to weather forecast, bring adequate clothes and you will have a wonderful time.

On the other hand, if your goal is to explore the area around Zlatibor Mountain or to visit certain historical or cultural sites you should choose for either spring or fall. In general, mid-April to mid-June and mid-August till end of October work well for every type of travel plans.

Keep in mind, though, that the summer months can be quite hot. July temperature occasionally top 100°F, however this works wonderfully for Serbia’s mountainous destinations, such as Kopaonik, Zlatibor, Tara, Stara Planina and the like. You will find those sights remarkably pleasant even on steamy summer days.

Be sure to check the sights you want to see though. Most of the sites in the inland of Serbia close or operate on reduced hours between November-April. For example, one of the biggest attractions in West Serbia, famous Sargan Eight train, is closed November 1st, until April 1st (with limited hours during Christmas and New Year’s). Certain rural accommodations and guesthouses close during winter, due to low demand and high heating costs. Monasteries receive visitors only till 4pm during the same period (During summer, monasteries remain open till 6 or even 7pm in certain cases.)

On the other hand, if you enjoy winter sports, Serbia has good mountains for winter activates and one top class ski resort, Kopaonik. During Christmas and New Year, Belgrade and Novi Sad have lots of charm and plenty of shopping so that you can bring your loved ones traditional ceramics, food and wine, or jewelry from Serbia.

Visit Serbia any time, just plan ahead...

The bottom line is, there is always something to see in Serbia no matter what time of year. If you just want to spend few pleasant days in the city and take a couple of short day trips, you’ll have a wonderful time whenever you visit. However, if you are sensitive to heat, skip Serbia in July, or if you don’t enjoy long, cold nights avoid December-February. If you have very detailed interests, and you have long to-do list, then choose late April, May, June, late August, September and October for the best weather and the widest opportunities.

No matter when you visit Serbia, Authentic Treks will help you plan a beautiful vacation, with many memories and incredible sights to see.

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