Experience in Novi Sad, Serbia by Luka

What is it like to live in Novi Sad? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Novi Sad with his 350, 000 inhabitants is the second biggest city in Serbia and the biggest in the autonomous region of Vojvodina. You can feel the ex-Yugoslav influence and a bit of socialism in the architecture and lifestyle, which can be very interesting for someone that never experienced something like that.

The city centre is always full of people, there are many possibilities for parties and hanging out with your friends, it is safe, even in the night. When the people will hear you are a foreigner they will be very interested and will want to know everything. I would definitely recommend it for someone who wants to get a new, different experience.

What is the student lifestyle like in Novi Sad?

The student life is nice in Novi Sad. There is not a lot of international students but the Esn team is doing a very good job. We were only about 40 foreign students so we were like a bigger extended family.

Novi Sad is also one of the rare Balkan cities where the university campus is built so that you can meet not just students from your faculty but all the others as well. Maybe the activities and organizations are not as good as in some western countries but still fair enough.

How much does it cost to live in Novi Sad?

The living expenses are not that high. The room in a dorm is about 50€, but you can not get it if you have monthly incomes higher than 150€. Private rooms are from 100€ up. But you can get a really good room for 100€.

The food in the markets is cheaper than in most of the EU countries. Alcohol is really cheap, but clothes on the other hand are much more expensive than in the EU. There is also not a lot of known brand shops.

If you stay longer than 3 months you will need to get a Visa, which can be a very complicated procedure which costs about 120€, so be prepared for that.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Novi Sad? Is there any advice you can give?

It is not very difficult to find an apartment in Novi Sad. There is a lot of apartments, since the city is quite big. The only problem may be the language, since people here aren't really familiar with English and you will probably need someone that speaks Serbian to help you around. But prior your arrival you will be contacted by your buddy from ESN Novi Sad that will help you with all the administrative stuff so don't worry about that. I didn't really had a very good experience with my landlord, because he was a bit crazy but it can happen anywhere.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

The food is typical Balkan food. Čevapčiči, pljeskavice, vešalice, mučkalice, etc. are just some of the Serbian cousine' specialties. The food is very heavy and fatty but you won't see a lot of fat people, which is very surprising. My favourite is grilled chicken leg stuffed with cheese and bacon with potatoes and Šopska salad- made out of cucumbers, tomatoes, onion and goat cheese.

What places would you recommend visiting in Novi Sad?

First of all Petrovaradin fortress for sure. You can not miss it, it is a beautiful tourist spot on the bank of the Danube river. The city centre is very nice, with the long pedestrian area with a lot bars everywhere. The synagogue is worth of visit, Štrand or the city sandy beach in the summer is very nice place to be. Of course also Exit festival on the before mentioned Petrovaradin fortress in July as one of the biggest festivals in Europe.

Is it good to eat out in Novi Sad? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

The restaurants are cheap and very good. You will get very big portions of everything since the Serbians are big eaters. There is maybe not so many choices for vegetarians, because meat is a must be on Serbian plates.

I would recommend Plava Frajla next to the Spens sports center, Atina in the city centre, all the little bakeries opened the whole night, Salaš restaurants around Novi sad, Astal Šaren in the city centre, etc. For all the fast food lovers there are also KFC, McDonald's and some Asian fast food restaurants.

Is the nightlife good in Novi Sad? Where is good to go?

The nightlife in Novi Sad is great! You have so many options to choose from during the whole week. There is a lot of Serbian folk bars, which, for a foreigner can be a really special experience, while on the other hand a lot of commercial clubs in the Laze Telećko street. There are also some clubs Next to Dunavski park which are more alternative. I would recommend to go to club like Cuba Libre, Cactus, Dva Anđela, Barocco, Lazino Tele, Museum, etc. The only thing that bothers is that it is allowed to smoke inside. Most of the EU citizens are not used to that anymore.

What advice would you give future students headed to Novi Sad?

Let yourself be taken by the special vibe of the city, Balkan way of life, Serbian friendliness, parties and don't get bothered if someone will be slow, or will speak in Serbian to you, or will even get a bit rude. It's the way the people are. Never say no to a food and drinks that someone is offering to you and discover a country you may heard a lot about, but not necessarily true. And don't get influenced by prejudices of the media and society that surrounds you back at home.