Belgrade, verdict by verdict

Belgrade runs on kafana culture: grilled meat, rakija and conversations that outlast the meal. The fortress above the Sava-Danube confluence is one of Europe's great free sights, Zemun and Dorcol each feel like their own town, and the nightlife on the river barges is as loud as its reputation. What it lacks in polish it returns in energy and prices that still feel a decade behind Western Europe.

The beauty is uneven: brutalist blocks sit beside Art Nouveau, sidewalks crumble, and the best experiences are meals and evenings rather than ticketed sights, so a strict museum-and-cathedral itinerary lands better in Vienna. Smoky bars and late-night noise can wear anyone down, and a pretty, manicured old town is not on offer.

Two to three days covers the fortress, Knez Mihailova, Zemun and the museums, with Novi Sad or Nis making it a long weekend; April to June and September to October give warm terrace weather while July and August are hot but keep the river clubs in full swing. It suits nightlife travelers, atmosphere hunters, grilled-food and coffee people, and anyone building a wider Balkan loop.