The amazing city of Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of Vojvodina province. Located on the border of the Bačka and Srem regions in the southern portion of the Pannonian Plain, Novi Sad flanks the Danube River and faces the northern slopes of Fruška Gora Mountain.
Having relatives here did wonders for my childhood, allowing me to visit many times; I have roamed its streets since as long as I can remember. Yet, whenever I visit, I somehow always feel like it’s my first time in the city. Because my first visits were with my parents, the places I know best are the markets. The biggest one is called Futoška pijaca, where you can find anything — and I really do mean anything. It’s still one of my fauvorite places to visit, as I never know how many pairs of socks I might score for just 100 RSD! But as the time came for me to explore the city with my friends, the city centre became more and more appealing.
The city centre is dominated by a cathedral and numerous cafes, proof of how strong coffee-drinking culture is here. But there is one street better than the rest (quite difficult to find if you don’t know what you’re looking for) called Laze Telečkog; this is where all the best bars and pubs can be found. Although most of them have funny names, you’ll have to brace yourself for some serious drinking, since each provides the famous homemade liqueur called ‘rakija.’
This amazing city is put in the spotlight every summer by the world famous EXIT Festival, which is held in a Habsburg-era strategic military post called Petrovaradin Fortress, from which you can view the entire city. If you’ve never visited this festival, it’s about time you do! After the festival, be sure to stick around for a couple days more, as it’s astonishing how quickly the fortress is brought back to its previous condition. One day you have thousands of party-loving people dancing until sunset, and the very next day you can see families strolling down the same paths on a light afternoon walk. What I love most about this fortress are the restaurants with their splendid views of Novi Sad. I don’t even have to mention that the food is just heavenly!
P.S. Just a few months ago, Novi Sad entered the Guinness Book of World Records when the largest ever ‘kolo’ (a traditional dance) took place on its streets!
This story was originally published on www.easternchronicles.com.
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