The river is yours.Three hours.

Ada Međica and the splav culture

Our journey starts at Ada Međica, a hidden green oasis on the Sava. On both banks you will immediately notice the authentic houses on the water and the splavovi that made Belgrade famous worldwide. This way of life began in the late 1960s as a simple escape into nature, where locals built modest stilt houses.

Ada Bridge

The first great landmark on the route, opened in 2012. This piece of modern engineering is recognisable by its single pylon exactly 200 metres high and its elegant cable stays. It quickly became a visual symbol of the modern capital.

The Old Sava Bridge

The green steel-arch bridge hides an incredible story. It was built by the Germans during the occupation in 1942, and as Nazi forces retreated in 1944 it was fully mined. It was saved from destruction by a local teacher, Miladin Zarić, who cut the detonator cables at the last second.

Belgrade Waterfront

Sailing downstream, we pass the greatest modern transformation of the city on the right bank. Where luxury towers now rise there was once the “Sava amphitheatre” — a neglected zone of old railway tracks and warehouses. Today the skyline is dominated by Kula Beograd, at 168 metres the tallest building in the region.

Savamala and Beton hala

Right beside the modern towers lies the historic Savamala district. Prince Miloš developed it in the 19th century as the first elite Serbian quarter outside the Ottoman city walls. It runs into Beton hala, a row of customs warehouses on the water’s edge built between the two world wars, today the liveliest corner of Belgrade’s dining scene.

Branko’s Bridge

The last bridge on the Sava joins the historic centre to New Belgrade. It stands on the stone pillars of the former suspension Bridge of King Aleksandar I, which was destroyed at the very start of the Second World War in 1941 to halt the enemy advance.

Kalemegdan and the Victor

On the right the Belgrade Fortress rises on a high ridge. The Celts settled this strategic rock as early as the 3rd century BC, and the Roman legion IV Flavia Felix later fortified it. The fortress was destroyed and rebuilt more than 40 times. At the very top stands the Victor, a masterpiece by the sculptor Ivan Meštrović.

Did you knowThe name Kalemegdan comes from the Turkish words kale (fortress) and megdan (battlefield).

Nebojša Tower and the water gates

At the foot of the Lower Town stands Nebojša Tower, the only well-preserved medieval artillery tower in the city. Built in the 15th century for defence, it was later turned into a dungeon. This stretch had massive water gates with heavy iron chains that were raised from the riverbed to control shipping and stop smuggling into the city port.

Where the Sava meets the Danube

Now we enter the Danube. We are exactly at the point where the fast Sava flows into the mighty Danube — the second longest river in Europe. For centuries this confluence was a natural border between empires: the Ottoman Empire on the right bank of the Sava, the Austro-Hungarian monarchy on the left.

Did you knowBecause the two waters differ in temperature and density, you can often see a clear line where the emerald Sava meets the grey-blue Danube.

Great War Island and Lido beach

On our left lies an untouched, wild jungle in the very centre of the city. It got its name because through history it was the main staging point for military attacks on the fortress. Today it is a strictly protected nature reserve and home to over 180 bird species, including the rare white-tailed eagle. On its northern tip is the popular sandy beach Lido.

Zemun and the magic of Gardoš

Our final destination is Zemun — a town with a completely distinct character. While Belgrade was under Ottoman rule, Zemun grew as an Austro-Hungarian border town, still clearly visible in its Central European baroque architecture. The skyline is dominated by Gardoš hill and the Millennium Tower, raised in 1896.