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Discover the largest university centres in Serbia – the Novi Sad edition
DISCOVER THE LARGEST UNIVERSITY CENTRES IN SERBIA – THE NOVI SAD EDITION
We are continuing our series of blog spots about the four largest university cities in Serbia - Belgrade, Novi Sad, Kragujevac, and Niš. Our today’s post is dedicated to the city of Novi Sad. As specified in our previous blog about Belgrade, we will briefly describe some of the most popular tourist places in the city, provide you with a few suggestions regarding accommodation, public transportation, leisure, and entertainment! Stay tuned for more blogs and do not miss checking our website for future updates on studying and living in Serbia.
What to see in Novi Sad?
Novi Sad is the second-largest city in Serbia. It is the capital of the Vojvodina province, an autonomous region in Serbia. The future European capital of culture is home to over 15 ethnic groups, and it has 4 official languages. Being multicultural as it is, just wandering around the streets of the city is a unique experience. However, the most famous and visited tourist attraction in Novi Sad is located outside of the city center, on the other side of the Danube river. It is the Petrovaradin Fortress. If you want to experience the best view of the city and the Danube, visiting the Fortress is a must. The Fortress is also the venue of the worldwide famous EXIT Festival.
If you want to experience the old charm of the city, do not miss visiting the city center and the Freedom square, which is the main square in Novi Sad. It is situated between the City hall and the impressive Catholic cathedral. Just a few streets from the square you will find another historic landmark of the city, the Jewish synagogue. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, today it serves as a place where concerts of classical music and other cultural events take place.
For all lovers of outdoor activities, especially during summer months, the beach “Štrand“ is also a must-see attraction. Those who love to swim and chill at the riverbanks will adore this sandy beach. If you decide to take a swim, beware of the strong currents and be careful!
Where to stay?
Depending on your personal preference and budget, you can rent a flat just for yourself or you can share it with others. Flat prices range from 150 to +300 EUR for an entire flat in the city center. If you do not want to set aside that amount of money, sharing a flat with roommate(s) would significantly lower the cost.
The most affordable option would be to stay in a student dormitory since the price of a spot in a shared room usually does not exceed 100 EUR monthly. However, spots in student dorms are limited and sometimes not available to foreign students, so make sure to check that with the International Office of your institution before you arrive. They should be able to help! In the meantime, please check the Study in Serbia website to learn more about this topic.
How to move around the city?
Buses are the main means of transportation in Novi Sad. The city provides urban, suburban, and intercity transportation services. Passengers can purchase a single ride ticket, daily ticket, or even a weekly ticket. A single ride ticket in the urban area of the city costs 65 RSD, which is around 0.50 EUR per one ride. Students and pupils can purchase an annual ticket for around 40 EUR. Affordable, isn’t it? For more information about public transportation in Novi Sad, please visit the following website.
There are also many taxis; however, they are more expensive than public transportation but very inexpensive compared to taxi services in Belgrade. Another great way to move around the city is by walking or cycling. The city is not very large, so walking or cycling to school is feasible.
Where to go out?
We would say everywhere! Novi Sad is not very large; it is significantly smaller than the capital of the country, so going out in the city is easy! A great number of clubs and restaurants are in the city center, within a walking distance from the main square. Novi Sad is also a university center, so you will easily find places where students go out and have fun. Once a year, it hosts the popular EXIT festival. The festival usually takes place in July every year. Unfortunately, because of the coronavirus outbreak, it has been postponed and then officially canceled this year. Nonetheless, we hope that you will experience it next year!
In the meantime, make sure to check out our previous blogs and contact Study in Serbia via email, Facebook, and Instagram if you have any questions. We are happy to help!