15+ Magical Things to Do in Novi Sad on a Belgrade Day Trip (2026)!
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If you’re looking for all the best things to do in Novi Sad, then you’ve come to the right place.
I hadn’t heard much about this vibrant city in Serbia before my trip around the Balkans, but I left feeling enchanted.
It’s famous for the historic Petrovaradin Fortress, but there is so much more to this charming city that will keep you entertained.
It’s also very easy to visit from Belgrade as a day trip with the high-speed Soko train.
Here are all the best things to do in Novi Sad on a Belgrade day trip in Serbia.
A brief history of Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the second largest city in Serbia, with inhabitants since the Stone Age over 3000 years ago.
The main settlement surrounds Petrovaradin Fortress on the Danube River, where the Celts, Romans and Ottomans sought control.
For many years, it was a trading hub called Petrovaradinski Šanac before becoming a free royal city under the Habsburg Monarchy in 1694.
It became known as the “Serbian Athens” as it was a major cultural hub during the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
This wouldn’t last long, as a series of Serbian Uprisings set the city aflame in 1849. The city was then forced to rebuild.
It was governed by the Hungarian half of the empire until the end of World War I.
In 1918, it merged into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, otherwise known as Yugoslavia.
Why visit Novi Sad today?
Today, Novi Sad is a delightful city in Serbia that was previously designated as a European City of Culture.
It’s famous for the historic Petrovaradin Fortress, which is one of the largest in Europe on the Danube River.
But it’s filled with seemingly endless historic, literary and cultural attractions.
It also hosts the annual Exit Festival, an award-winning music celebration that invites artists from around the globe.
It was a highlight of my travels in Serbia, and I feel that you really can’t skip it on your trip around the Balkans.
Fortunately, it’s a very easy day trip from Belgrade as they now have the ‘Soko’ high-speed train that seamlessly connects the two cities.
How to get to Novi Sad from Belgrade
Novi Sad makes a very convenient day trip from Belgrade as there is a direct high-speed train that gets you there in 35 minutes.
The ‘Soko’ (falcon) is Serbia’s fastest train, reaching speeds of 200 kilometres an hour, and the service is state-of-the-art for the Balkans.
I took this train service for my trip, and it does go fast. The carriages are also double-decker, clean and modern.
You can either buy tickets online or on the day at Novi Beograd Station and alight at Novi Sad Train Station.
Then, you can either walk into the centre or take one of the public buses to Liberty Square or Petrovaradin Fortress.
Things to do in Novi Sad
Out of all the places I visited in Serbia, Novi Sad was the city that surprised me the most.
I hadn’t heard much about it before my visit, but I was pleasantly surprised by the number of historical, cultural and literary attractions on offer.
It was 38 degrees during my visit, and the country was experiencing a heatwave. I was a sweaty mess, but I still managed to get a lot done.
Here are all the magical things to do in Novi Sad on a Belgrade day trip.
1. Liberty Square
Liberty Square or Trg Slobode is one of the best things to do in Novi Sad.
It’s the Main Square where you can see many of the city’s most notable buildings.
You’ll find the elaborate Novi Sad City Hall, built in a Neo-Baroque style, which will take your breath away with its grandeur.
The Roman Catholic St Mary’s Church, Tanurdžic Palace and the famous Hotel Vojvodina are also worth admiring.
The large monument in the centre is dedicated to Svetozar Miletic, a famous Serbian politician and former mayor of Novi Sad.
2. Bishop’s Palace
If you take a stroll to Zmaj Jovina Street, you’ll find the elaborate Bishop’s Palace.
The Romantic architecture is gorgeous, and you can also spot some Byzantine and Ottoman motifs.
It was originally built in 1741 but had to be significantly rebuilt during the 1849 Revolt.
Today, it’s the official residence of the Bishop of Backa, conveniently located next to St George’s Cathedral.
Although you cannot go inside the palace, you can admire the building from the outside.
There is also a bronze statue in front of the famous children’s poet Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj.
3. St Mary’s Church
There is a Catholic Church in Novi Sad that dominates Liberty Square with its enormous 72-metre bell tower.
It’s built in the Neo-Gothic style with enamel hexagon tiles that reminded me of St Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna or the Matthias Church in Budapest.
The Habsburgs ruled here for centuries until they lost control with the 1849 Serb Uprisings.
The church was set alight and had to be completely rebuilt, with the work finishing in 1894.
Today, visitors are welcome to go inside for free. You can admire the huge nave with its collection of stunning stained glass windows.
4. St George’s Cathedral
St George the Great Martyr Cathedral is a Serbian Orthodox temple located next to the Bishop’s Palace.
It was built during the reign of Empress Maria Theresia in 1720 but was burned down during the 1849 Habsburg Revolt.
It was then rebuilt in 1860 in the Baroque style with elaborate interiors and a colourful iconostasis of martyrs and saints.
It’s free to enter the cathedral, and you will be blown away by the elaborate artwork and chandeliers. It’s really quite something.
5. Dunavska Street
Dunavska Street is one of the oldest streets in Novi Sad and has buildings of all shapes and sizes.
It’s hard to imagine that, once upon a time, this place was destroyed during the 1849 Riots and had to be completely reconstructed.
Today, it’s a vibrant place for a stroll that feels like it’s been frozen in time with all the colourful ancient facades.
It’s also filled with boutiques, cafés, churches, museums and libraries to discover.
6. Visit Europe’s prettiest H&M
Did you know that Novi Sad is home to the prettiest H&M in Europe?
Now, I’m not normally one to mention high street stores in my travel guides, but I will make an exception for this stunning shop.
As soon as you walk in, you’ll find a gorgeous painted staircase from the 19th-century Dundjerski Palace!
It honestly took my breath away, and it made such a beautiful photo opportunity.
You’ll find it on King Alexander Street, and it’s one of the hidden gem things to do in Novi Sad.
7. Browse Novi Sad Bookshops
I love finding bookshops when I travel, and I was surprised that Novi Sad had several incredible ones.
My favourite Novi Sad bookshops were:
- Spear Books
- Bulevar Books
- Zenit Books
You’ll find Spear Books in the city centre, and Bulevar Books a little further out in Vojvodina.
Bulevar Books also has a book café, sells a delightful selection of vinyl records and regularly hosts live music nights.
8. Zenit Book Café
Zenit Books is the perfect place to go if you’re looking for a book café that serves delicious coffee.
It’s a literary sanctuary with tables tucked in the bookshelves where you can relax and read a book with your brew. It was so cosy.
They also have a basement floor with craft shops and regularly hold events like art exhibitions and jazz nights.
This was one of my favourite things to do in Novi Sad.
9. Danube Park
If you love exploring green spaces, then one of the best things to do in Novi Sad is Danube Park (Dunavski Park).
It’s a monument of nature and a protected natural resort in the city with over 250 species of plants.
There’s also a large central pond with an artificial island and fountains where people feed the ducks.
It’s easily one of the most popular and prettiest parks in the city, and you can find many locals who picnic, play and relax here throughout the day.
It’s completely free to visit, and I loved sitting on the benches in the shade. It was the perfect rest stop from the harsh sun.
10. Museum of Vojvodina
The Museum of Vojvodina is a traditional art and history museum that houses over 400,000 items recovered over eight millennia.
There is also a reference library that holds over 50,000 volumes to browse.
Art lovers will relish visiting their galleries with masterpieces such as Madonna and Child by Paris Bordone.
History enthusiasts will love the archaeological exhibits that showcase armour, weapons, pottery, furniture and numerous ethnographic items.
It’s one of the most interesting things to do in Novi Sad. Just note that it’s closed on Mondays.
11. Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina
If you love challenging your mind, the Novi Sad Museum of Contemporary Art is something you should add to your itinerary.
It’s dedicated to showcasing and preserving art in the 20th and 21st centuries with a focus on Vojvodina.
It was originally designed by Ivo Vitić as a Museum of Socialist Revolution in 1959, hence the building’s austere appearance.
But inside, the galleries are pristine and thought-provoking, with many fine art pieces.
I also loved relaxing in their Atrium, which was like a botanical paradise with the heatwave we were experiencing.
12. Martica Srpska
Martica Srpska is the oldest and most distinguished cultural and scientific exhibition in Serbia.
Tourists can enter for free to see their museum exhibitions by the main reception.
On my visit, they had one about the Battle of Kosovo, which was fascinating.
It’s free to enter the institute, but just know that exhibit panels will be mostly in Cyrillic. You can easily use Google Translate to understand.
13. Novi Sad City Library
If you have the time, you can also visit Novi Sad City Library, which is the second largest library in Serbia.
It contains over 40,000 books with volumes in Serbian, Hungarian, French, Russian, German and English.
It’s also a gorgeous building and visitors can enter the library for free to use their reading rooms.
14. Petrovaradin Fortress
One of my favourite things to do in Novi Sad was explore the historic Petrovaradin Fortress.
It has a long history of settlement since the Eneolithic Age around 3000 years ago.
There is evidence of the Celts, the Romans and Ottoman inhabitants too. It was eventually taken over by the Habsburgs after the Great Vienna War.
The foundation stone for the modern fortifications we see today was laid in 1692, and the work was finished in 1780.
For almost two hundred years, it was militarised, serving as an outpost with several thousand soldiers and artillery.
But by the 20th century it was abandoned and reclaimed as a cultural monument.
Today, tourists can climb the hundreds of steps from the riverbank and enter this monumental fortress for free.
You can explore the old battlements with a labyrinth of layers and chambers. I loved this place as it felt like travelling back in time.
You can find a City Museum, browse several art galleries and stop for lunch at one of the terrace restaurants.
15. Petrovaradin Clock Tower
Last, but by no means least, one of the best things to do in Novi Sad is admire the Petrovaradin Clock Tower.
It’s an attraction in its own right, as it is the symbolic landmark of Novi Sad, with a nickname ‘Gibraltar of the Danube’.
It was built in the 18th century and has four clock faces in all cardinal directions.
Bizarrely, the larger clock hand points at the hour rather than minutes, which is unique.
It also has a nickname, ‘Drunken Clock’, as it seems to have become lopsided over time.
The panoramic terrace it’s perched on provides incredible views of Novi Sad over the river.
You can then relax and enjoy a cold beer at one of the café/bar terraces to admire the view further.
This is how I ended my very hot but delightful day trip to Novi Sad from Belgrade!
Is Novi Sad worth visiting in Serbia?
Yes, I thought that Novi Sad was definitely worth visiting in Serbia.
I was pleasantly surprised by all the historic attractions that the city had to offer, especially Petrovaradin Fortress.
Exploring the battlements, learning its history and taking in the panoramic views was a highlight of my travels around the country.
It was also a very easy day trip from Belgrade by high-speed train, so it doesn’t take a great effort to get there.
Don’t skip Novi Sad in Serbia; it’s a delightful city with many secrets to uncover.
How long do you need to visit Novi Sad?
I found a day trip from Belgrade just the right amount of time to see everything without feeling rushed.
It’s quite a compact city and, once you’ve exhausted the city centre, Petrovaradin Fortress makes a great place to spend a few hours.
If you prefer to take things a little slower, there are plenty of Novi Sad hotels where you can spend the night.
But I didn’t think this was necessary. You can easily fit all these things to do in Novi Sad in one day.
Visiting Novi Sad on a Belgrade day trip is perfect. I loved it and would return in a heartbeat!
Recommended Travel Resources
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Read more of my Serbia guides
Look inside the Church of St Sava in Belgrade
Visit Data Status Bookshop in Belgrade
How to visit Golubac Fortress & Iron Gates
Discover Serbia
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