Serbia

Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia, home to the national government and presidency. Strategically located where the Sava meets the Danube, it’s the country’s political, economic, and cultural center. The other options are important Serbian cities but not the capital: Novi Sad is the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Niš is an ancient city and birthplace of Emperor Constantine, and Kragujevac served briefly as the capital in the 19th century. Belgrade’s Serbian name, Beograd, means “White City,” recalling its historic fortress and pale stone walls at Kalemegdan. Think “B for Belgrade, B for Biggest, B by two Big rivers” to lock it in. As a crossroads between Central Europe and the Balkans, Belgrade has seen Roman, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian influences, shaping its rich, layered heritage.