West Camp BG

It’s a 10-minute drive to the old centre of Belgrade, capital of Serbia since the 13th century. As you might imagine, history is all around here: dive right in with trips to the tomb of former Yugoslav leader Tito; electrical explorations in the museum devoted to local lad Nikola Tesla, and walks around the sixth-century Kalemegdan Fortress. The fortress has tiptop views across the city and the Sava and Danube rivers, and the surrounding park is home to a military museum, a zoo and regular flea markets. For history that's still unfolding, take a wander round the second largest Eastern Orthodox church in the world, Saint Sava, whose ornate construction works began in 1935 and are still going on in these modern times. Depending on your energy levels, you could top off city tourist days with a gentle boat cruise down the rivers, or a night in the many floating bars and clubs that line their banks. Recover the next day riding one of the world’s great rail routes, the Belgrade-Bar line through the mountains to the sea. Alternatively, cross the Danube to the Koviljsko Petrovaradinski Rit Special Nature Reserve (50 minutes), a protected wetlands zone home to rarities like the European pond turtle and the Aesculapian snake, along with black storks and white-tailed eagles. To combine wildlife spotting with other diversions, climb a mountain or two in the Fruška Gora National Park, an hour away: an area of thickly forested hills topped with ancient monasteries, the park is dotted with lakes for fishing and swimming, as well as vineyards and wineries for tours and tipples.