I was very excited to visit another city in Serbia, and I must admit that it was during the car drive when I thought of “The Flying Spaniard” for a possible name for the blog. As usual, inspiration is something that comes and goes.
One of the reasons for the expectation is that I love the cities that were once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Their structure and architecture makes them particularly recognisable, and in the case of Novi Sad it is no exception.
It takes just under an hour from Belgrade. Both cities have in common that lie on the banks of Danube River. There are numerous buses so it is a good idea to visit Novi Sad during your stay. This is what you can do one day in the actual second largest city in Serbia.
Date of the visit: April 2019.
Liberty Square
Just when we arrived, it was about to rain, but luckily we were able to visit the city. The following stands out in the square:
Statue of Svetozar Miletić
Located in the middle of the square, it represents one of the most important Serbian politicians, who was also major of the city.
Name of Mary Church
It is a Catholic church built in Neo-gothic style, and is the largest religious temple in the city. It was completed in 1893 and the inside, although it lacks the grandeur of the Gothic cathedrals, is interesting to visit. Although it appears to be, it is not actually considered a cathedral.
Townhall
It is the city administration building. It is just on the opposite side of the church and both delimit the square.
Old Town
On one side of the church, the main street starts, (Zmaj Jovina in Serbian). Personally, it reminded me a lot of the old part of Cluj Napoca and Timisoara in Romania.
After walking about 200 meters, the visitor will meet the Bishop’s Palace. Just behind is the Cathedral of Saint George, the most important Orthodox temple in the city.
The colorful facades make the historical center of Novi Sad a particularly beautiful place.
Returning to the main square, and behind the Name of Mary church, there is a hidden but very beautiful square that it is worth visiting. The view of the church at sunset is impressive, and I recommend sitting on one of the many terraces that are located in it.
Danube Park (Dunavski Park)
From the Bishop’s Palace, turning right, at the end of the main street, is the Danube Park. It is small but full of interesting places.
As it is often the case in the Balkan countries, it is decorated with various statues. Special interest is the one of the Serbian writer, painter and poet Đura Jakšić, as well as the nymph.
In general, the park is well maintained, and contains a lake in the central part. It is an ideal area for a walk.
Petrovaradin Fortress
By far, the best and most impressive attraction in town. Petrovaradin is a municipality of the city, and its fortress is located in a hill with privileged views of the Danube and the city.
Although it is a bit far from the old town, it is worth taking a walk to it. It takes about 15 minutes from Dunavski park. When you get to the Varadin Bridge you have an excellent view of the entire complex.
After crossing the bridge, turn right, and there are some stairs that lead directly to the entrance of the fortress. Halfway there is the church of Saint George in Petrovaradin.
Once the climb is over, the visitor observes the clock tower. It has become one of the symbols of the city, due to the fact that its hands are reversed (a little hand indicates minutes, while the big hand represents hours). This unique trait was designed so fishermen could better see the hour, as you can see in the following photo (please, have in mind that the photo was taken at 17.00):
As soon as you reach the viewpoint, you can see the bridge that you had passed just a few minutes before. Also, in the skyline, you can distinguish the tower of the Name of Mary church.
It was at that moment that we decided to have lunch in a panoramic restaurant overlooking the Danube. Afterwards, we were able to contemplate the incredible views that can be seen from the edges of the fortress. Actually, the entire fortress is a lookout point.
Did you know that …
… The great tennis player Monica Seles was born and raised here?
… Petrovaradin Fortress was the largest fortress in Europe during the 17th Century?
… Novi Sad will be the European Capital of Culture for 2021?
Related Links
Information about the city
http://www.serbia.com/visit-serbia/cities/novi-sad/
Lasta – Bus company
Useful Information
The city is not particularly large, and you can actually walk anywhere.
Map of Locations
Credits
All photos taken using iPhone 5S.
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