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So me and my fiancee are getting married in March 2013 and we are from Mumbai, India. Our budget is roughly around INR Rs.300,000 and Europe, US, UK etc are all out of reach. After a lot of deliberation, research and googling; we chose Serbia. It falls well within our budget and we plan to spend around 15-20 days there.
I, however, am just curious on how safe is it? Can anyone suggest itineraries and things to do there? Also, what would the weather be like in March end? Planning to leave app. on 23rd March..
Appreciate any inputs, suggestions, advice etc etc..
Thanks!
Serbia could still be a good choice. The best tourist sights are cities (Belgrade but also Novi Sad), monasteries and some stunning national parks.
Be aware that food in Serbia is solidal meat-based, and many people enjoy the local wines and spirits. If you're vegetarian or teetotal you could be missing out.
No particular worries about safety. Driving quality is variable but violent crime is rare and not generally targeted at foreigners.
I suppose you already know the world's best vegatarian food is in India. After that, I'd consider Georgia or Italy as places in Europe with a good choice of veg food. There's a wide range of veg food in the UK, as we have many vegetarians. Also consider Lebanon or Israel.
Please note I am not a vegetarian so these are my observations as a meat eater. There are a few veggies on this board, and maybe they found some Serbian delicacies I missed.
Our budget is roughly around INR Rs.300,000 and Europe, US, UK etc are all out of reach. After a lot of deliberation, research and googling; we chose Serbia
So Serbia is not part of Europe according to you? :)
Have a good trip,
Matthijs
Compared to the rest of the world, some parts of E.Europe don't have the greatest vegetarian menus.
You can find it for sure, but it might not be quite what you're expecting.
Do you like music? Belgrade is one of the greatest cities in the world for weekend nightlife on a budget.
The music is plentiful and varied.
March can be very cold in Serbia. Not always, but often.
How safe is Serbia?.... It has it's crime, the same as Mumbai does. I've never had safety any issues.
Itineraries?.... We all have different tastes. You should plan your own itineraries.
With that sort of budget, you can well afford to stay in a different place every night.
Are you hiring a car, using trains, buses or some other mode(s) of transport?
Back to you.
@Mathijis.. hahha. i know Serbia is a part of Europe, except that I dont have to spend in Euros which is a big plus for budget trvellers like us.
@Andrew- The fact that it is not a gr8 place for vegetarians is intimidating but I have travelled across India and UAE, considerably, and hence, wanted to explore somewhere new and different..
@battybilly- Frankly, one of the reasons we zeroed in on Serbia was its good night life.. so yes, we love music, pubbing, dancing..and the likes..so while I am sure, we will hav fun there, I am jus concerned right now on the food part..
About the weather, I am sure it is gna b cold and truthfully, I dont mind it. After 30 degrees throughout the year, 10-15 degrees seems like Heaven!
Also, one more concern, we have an Indian driving license (Right side driving). Would that be valid in Serbia?
And, what are the places, we should definitely not miss in Serbia.. meaning, offbeat but affordable but fun :)
Thanks!
I'm not vegetarian, but know a few who have struggled out there somewhat.
Pizzas seem to be OK, but not for every meal of course.
There are some excellent veggie soups, as well as breads, cheeses, salads and sweets to be had.
I find it can be just as big a problem getting what you ordered, even if it's meat.
Quite often, what you order off the menu - isn't what they bring you ! !
N looks like u've been there, can u suggest me placed to see..
Planning fr 15-20 days...
Thanks!
I wouldn't wanna spend 15 straight days there though.
There are so many good things to see in the surrounding countries.
Maybe 5-6 days in Serbia tops for me on any one trip, then I'd move on.
So based on all ur suggestions, the ideal itinerary should be something like this-
1 week in Serbia (Belgrade, Novi Sad and Cacak, maybe)
5 days in Hungary (again, would love ur inputs)
4-5 days in Bulgaria or Moldova (wat u think?)
And another query, we would be applying for a Serbian visa but if we are planning to see other places as well, would we require visas for them as well, or would they be covered under the Serbian visa? I think, I kno the answer of this one and unfortunately, for Indians most countries dont offer visa on arrival.. but is there anything like 'Eastern European visa?!' (jus trying my luck!)
Inputs, Suggestions, Tips..anything.. feel free to better my honeymoon! :)
Edited by: werwanderers
With an Indian passport, you'll be applying for separate visas for each country. From Serbia, it would make sense to apply also for some neighbouring countries, perhaps Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia or Bulgaria. Within this region its easy to get around by bus. The Balkan rail network is not great.
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Serbian Honeymoon?
Hello,So me and my fiancee are getting married in March 2013 and we are from Mumbai, India. Our budget is roughly around INR Rs.300,000 and Europe, US, UK etc are all out of reach. After a lot of deliberation, research and googling; we chose Serbia. It falls well within our budget and we plan to spend around 15-20 days there.
I, however, am just curious on how safe is it? Can anyone suggest itineraries and things to do there? Also, what would the weather be like in March end? Planning to leave app. on 23rd March..
Appreciate any inputs, suggestions, advice etc etc..
Thanks!
1
INR 300 000 is more than EUR 4000. There are many places in Europe you could spend 20 days for this.Serbia could still be a good choice. The best tourist sights are cities (Belgrade but also Novi Sad), monasteries and some stunning national parks.
Be aware that food in Serbia is solidal meat-based, and many people enjoy the local wines and spirits. If you're vegetarian or teetotal you could be missing out.
No particular worries about safety. Driving quality is variable but violent crime is rare and not generally targeted at foreigners.
3
In my opinion, no. Serbia is not a great place for vegetarians. The national specialities are mostly based on grilled spiced lamb. You can find veg food, such as cheese and/or spinach burek, and pizza is very popular but the choice of veg food is limited outside international restaurants in big cities. Of course you can buy bread and cheese from grocery stores but its not very exciting.I suppose you already know the world's best vegatarian food is in India. After that, I'd consider Georgia or Italy as places in Europe with a good choice of veg food. There's a wide range of veg food in the UK, as we have many vegetarians. Also consider Lebanon or Israel.
Please note I am not a vegetarian so these are my observations as a meat eater. There are a few veggies on this board, and maybe they found some Serbian delicacies I missed.
4
Well, i am a vegetarian, and i didn't found much food without meat in Serbia. Off course you will find enough, just don't expect that the food will be one of the highlights for your friend :)Our budget is roughly around INR Rs.300,000 and Europe, US, UK etc are all out of reach. After a lot of deliberation, research and googling; we chose Serbia
So Serbia is not part of Europe according to you? :)
Have a good trip,
Matthijs
5
Hi - and welcome to Thorn Tree.Compared to the rest of the world, some parts of E.Europe don't have the greatest vegetarian menus.
You can find it for sure, but it might not be quite what you're expecting.
Do you like music? Belgrade is one of the greatest cities in the world for weekend nightlife on a budget.
The music is plentiful and varied.
March can be very cold in Serbia. Not always, but often.
How safe is Serbia?.... It has it's crime, the same as Mumbai does. I've never had safety any issues.
Itineraries?.... We all have different tastes. You should plan your own itineraries.
With that sort of budget, you can well afford to stay in a different place every night.
Are you hiring a car, using trains, buses or some other mode(s) of transport?
Back to you.
6
thanks all for ur comments..@Mathijis.. hahha. i know Serbia is a part of Europe, except that I dont have to spend in Euros which is a big plus for budget trvellers like us.
@Andrew- The fact that it is not a gr8 place for vegetarians is intimidating but I have travelled across India and UAE, considerably, and hence, wanted to explore somewhere new and different..
@battybilly- Frankly, one of the reasons we zeroed in on Serbia was its good night life.. so yes, we love music, pubbing, dancing..and the likes..so while I am sure, we will hav fun there, I am jus concerned right now on the food part..
About the weather, I am sure it is gna b cold and truthfully, I dont mind it. After 30 degrees throughout the year, 10-15 degrees seems like Heaven!
Also, one more concern, we have an Indian driving license (Right side driving). Would that be valid in Serbia?
And, what are the places, we should definitely not miss in Serbia.. meaning, offbeat but affordable but fun :)
Thanks!
7
Food in E.Europe can often be a bit of a challenge for me too.I'm not vegetarian, but know a few who have struggled out there somewhat.
Pizzas seem to be OK, but not for every meal of course.
There are some excellent veggie soups, as well as breads, cheeses, salads and sweets to be had.
I find it can be just as big a problem getting what you ordered, even if it's meat.
Quite often, what you order off the menu - isn't what they bring you ! !
8
Hmmm..so m kinda perplexed rite now..should we go wit Serbia?N looks like u've been there, can u suggest me placed to see..
Planning fr 15-20 days...
Thanks!
9
I've been to Serbia quite a few times.I wouldn't wanna spend 15 straight days there though.
There are so many good things to see in the surrounding countries.
Maybe 5-6 days in Serbia tops for me on any one trip, then I'd move on.
11
Yeah - there are some great countries bordering SRB, that really should be seen as well.12
hmmm... Hungary and Bulgaria sound good but I dont want to spend my money in air tickets, is there good connectivity by trains, buses?So based on all ur suggestions, the ideal itinerary should be something like this-
1 week in Serbia (Belgrade, Novi Sad and Cacak, maybe)
5 days in Hungary (again, would love ur inputs)
4-5 days in Bulgaria or Moldova (wat u think?)
And another query, we would be applying for a Serbian visa but if we are planning to see other places as well, would we require visas for them as well, or would they be covered under the Serbian visa? I think, I kno the answer of this one and unfortunately, for Indians most countries dont offer visa on arrival.. but is there anything like 'Eastern European visa?!' (jus trying my luck!)
Inputs, Suggestions, Tips..anything.. feel free to better my honeymoon! :)
Edited by: werwanderers
13
#12, no there is nothing like a Eastern European visa. A Schengen visa gets you access to a large number of EU states, including Hungary but not (yet) Bulgaria. They are notoriously difficult for independent travellers from develping countries.With an Indian passport, you'll be applying for separate visas for each country. From Serbia, it would make sense to apply also for some neighbouring countries, perhaps Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia or Bulgaria. Within this region its easy to get around by bus. The Balkan rail network is not great.
