Belgrade
Belgrade's most photographed drinks aren't on any menu — they're in the rooms with the right windows. The bars with a view on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip — Savamala, Dorcol, Stari Grad, Vracar all show up — and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason. We have visited every one.
SAVAMALA · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Cocktail-and-music venue inside a converted warehouse. Order: Rakija (slivovitz) sour. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
DORCOL · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Mediterranean cafe-bar with a tight cocktail menu and a sunny courtyard. Order: Rakija (slivovitz) sour. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
DORCOL · $ · HIDDEN GEMS
Craft-beer pub with thirty taps including Serbian craft beers. Order: Rakija (slivovitz) sour. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for regulars and anyone tired of polished rooms. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.
DORCOL · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Speakeasy-aesthetic cocktail bar with a serious back bar. Order: Rakija (slivovitz) sour. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
STARI GRAD · $ · COCKTAIL BARS
Heritage Belgrade tavern from 1823. Order: Rakija (slivovitz) sour. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
CARA DUÅ ANA · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Underground techno club with multiple cocktail bars. Order: Rakija (slivovitz) sour. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through Belgrade or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten bars with a view that any serious drinker in Belgrade would tell you to put on the list.
Cocktail-and-music venue inside a converted warehouse. Order: Rakija (slivovitz) sour. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
Mediterranean cafe-bar with a tight cocktail menu and a sunny courtyard. Order: Rakija (slivovitz) sour. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond Belgrade? See our guide to the best bars with a view worldwide, or compare bars with a view city by city.