Belgrade: A paradise for groundhoppers, Eastern Bloc lovers en beer drinkers
Are you travelling after Feyenoord to the wonderful football city of Belgrade? Or just curiosity? You can have fun in the Serbian capital, both in terms of football and related matters. SANTOS Football Planet lists the coolest places for you.
PARTIZAN IS EVERYWHERE
The Partizan Stadium (JNA Stadium) has everything you could want from a typical, classic Eastern Bloc stadium. A concrete oval box, imposing floodlights, an often dark atmosphere and numerous semi-intimidating murals. The stadium is located on the south side of Belgrade, near that of rival Red Star (see below).
References to Partizan, like the enemy set up in the post-war months of 1945, can be found in many places around the city. The Partisan club also has a very popular basketball branch, although the football club is the largest. In the beautiful Kalemegdan Park on the banks of the Danube (which is definitely recommended) you will find a cool staircase and basketball courts with the club logo on the stones.
Bonus tip: In addition to the official club shop at the stadium, you will find a very nice Partizan shop in the centre of Belgrade. In the Partizan Spirit Shop, they sell many original and self-designed club souvenirs, including cool T-shirts that you can look great in.
A city full of football cafes
In Belgrade, you can go out every day of the week and into the late hours, but the city on the Danube has plenty of nice cafes with a link to football. Below we have listed a few for you.
United Football pub
On the eastern edge of the centre, in a rather hidden spot, you will find this small but cosy football pub: United Football Pub. It is a kind of living room, with countless types of beer on tap, and with dozens of football scarves on the ceiling and walls. You will mainly find 'locals' here, but people love to talk about football.
league pub
This tent is not really in the centre, but on the main road on the east side of Belgrade. Nevertheless, a great place to drop off with a taxi: Liga pub is a spacious 'sports bar' with excellent food.
Gunners pub
It's not the classic football pub that you might expect based on the name, but an excellent craft beer café in the centre. You will find a young and hip crowd in the Gunners pub (see Instagram photo above), also on the cosy terrace on the street side. Have you seen it after two beers? In this student district, you will drown in good catering.
CITY FOR GROUNDHOPPERS AND EASTERN BLOC FANS
Belgrade is also a city for fans of 'old-school' Eastern Bloc football. Not only does the stadium of Partizan meet everything you could wish for in an old 'Yugoslavian' football stadium, but there is also much more.
Rajko Mitic Stadium
While you're there, don't miss the Red Star Stadium (Crvena Zvezda) in Dedinje, south of Belgrade. The Rajko Mitic Stadium (popularly called 'Marakana') is also a typical Eastern block, although the stadium has been renovated in recent years. It has neat red and white seats, a nice club museum and even a few hospitality boxes. Yet Marakana still has plenty of character: partly thanks to the countless murals that you will find around the stadium. On the forecourt, you will find a tank with the club logo and a watchtower, on the west side you will find a tribute to Rajko Mitic himself, a legendary former player. Also fun: the Red Cafe, a great bar under the grandstand.
Omladinski Stadium
Is it all not obscure enough for you? The Omladinski stadium of the modest OFK Beograd is one of the most centrally located football stadiums in Belgrade. Perfect to combine with drinking beer in the city centre (or with the nearby Liga pub from above) and it is also a nice stadium. The stands are largely run down, but the stadium is charming and compact, nicely situated between the houses. Feel free to talk to someone and ask if you can take a look inside.
Stadium FK Obilić
Not had enough Eastern bloc romance yet? So let yourself be dropped off at the FK Obilic Stadium, named after the club of the same name from 1924. Sadly enough, the club only exists on paper, after having sunk into the depths of Serbian football, but the stadium is still definitely worth a visit. . The following also applies here: ramshackled grandstands, old junk, but beautifully situated between the houses. Getting in can be a challenge, but the facade (inscribed 'Champion of Yugoslavia 1997-98') is already worth it.
On top of a shopping centre: FK Vozdovac Stadium
You won't find old stuff there, but it is certainly special: the FK Vozdovac Stadium of the club of the same name, a fairly stable middle engine in the Serbian league. This stadium from 2013 was built entirely on the roof of a shopping centre, just east of the Red Star stadium. You will find artificial grass and stands as you also find at the newer stadiums in the Netherlands, but the location is really special. The shopping centre below is also great for taking some souvenirs for those left behind.
BONUS TIPS: RAD BELGRADE AND A CHURCH BEHIND THE GOAL
Is that all? Certainly not. Belgrade has many other small, sometimes obscure stadiums. Likewise, Rad Belgrade's Kralj Petar Prvi Stadium is a must for fans of past glory. The most beautiful football field can be found at FK Dorcol, at a bend of the Danube, right next to the old fortress 'Beogradska tvrdjava'. Also unique: at the club FK Bežanija you will find a church right behind the goal. This last stadium is close to the airport, so it's perfect to combine during your trip.
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