Best of Serbia – 7 Days (Self-Launched)
7 days · Serbia
Victor Tours DMC charges £900
No-markup version: ~£448 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Victor Tours' week-long Belgrade-based Serbia circuit, done independently. Instead of a 4-star hotel plus daily guided minivan excursions, you base yourself in a Belgrade hostel or budget guesthouse and use Serbia's cheap, reliable public buses and trains plus a couple of bookable day trips to hit the same highlights: Belgrade Fortress and Zemun, the Šargan Eight railway and Drvengrad (Wooden City), Golubac Fortress and the Iron Gates Danube gorge, Manasija Monastery with Resava Cave and Veliki Buk waterfall, and Novi Sad with Sremski Karlovci's Bermet wine cellars. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP and assume shared dorm or simple private rooms, self-catering breakfasts and local eateries.
Day-by-day
Arrival in Belgrade
Belgrade
Land at Nikola Tesla Airport and take the public A1 shuttle bus or city bus 72 into central Belgrade (about £1.50-2.50, roughly 30-40 minutes) rather than a €25 taxi. Check into a hostel or simple guesthouse in Stari Grad or near Slavija. Spend the evening walking Knez Mihailova pedestrian street and Republic Square, grabbing a cheap dinner of ćevapi or burek at a local bakery/grill (around £6-8). Pre-buy tomorrow's bus/train tickets and confirm timings at the station or on the Srbija Voz app.
🚌A1 shuttle bus or city bus 72 from Nikola Tesla Airport to centre (~£2)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in central Belgrade
- →Knez Mihailova street walk
- →Republic Square
- →Bakery dinner of ćevapi/burek
Belgrade City Tour & Zemun
Belgrade
Self-guided walking day. Start at Kalemegdan Park and Belgrade Fortress — Upper Town, Victor Monument, Ružica Church, Zindan Gate, the Roman well and Sava promenade all in one free wander. Cross to New Belgrade by bus to see the socialist-era architecture (Genex Tower, Palace of Federation) or simply view it from the fortress. In the afternoon take bus 84/85 over to Zemun and walk Gospodska Street, the Danube promenade, Gardoš Hill and Millennium Tower, ending with Danube fish stew at a riverside kafana (around £10-12).
🚌Local GSP buses (~£1 per ride) between Old Town, New Belgrade and Zemun
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in central Belgrade
- →Kalemegdan Park & Belgrade Fortress self-guided walk
- →Ružica Church and Chapel of St Petka
- →New Belgrade architecture from the Sava bank
- →Zemun: Gospodska Street, Gardoš Hill and Millennium Tower
Western Serbia: Šargan Eight & Drvengrad
Mokra Gora / Užice
Book a small-group day trip via GetYourGuide or Klook (roughly £45-60) from Belgrade to Mokra Gora — this is the pragmatic option as public transport to Šargan Eight is slow and awkward. You get the Kapija Podrinja viewpoint, the House on the Drina photo stop, the Šargan Eight narrow-gauge railway ride through Mokra Gora, and Emir Kusturica's Drvengrad (Wooden City). Entry to the railway and Drvengrad are usually extra (≈£8 and ≈£3). Alternative DIY version: bus Belgrade–Užice (~£7, 3.5h) then local taxi to Mokra Gora, staying overnight — doable but costs more time.
🚌GetYourGuide/Klook small-group day trip from Belgrade (included in activity cost)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in central Belgrade
- →Kapija Podrinja viewpoint
- →House on the Drina photo stop
- →Šargan Eight heritage railway ride
- →Drvengrad (Wooden City)
Eastern Serbia & the Iron Gates Danube Gorge
Golubac / Đerdap
Another bookable small-group day trip (≈£45-55) or DIY: catch a bus Belgrade–Golubac (~£8, 2.5-3h) and time the local Djerdap boat operators for a short Danube gorge cruise near Golubac or Donji Milanovac, returning by evening bus. The group trip is usually better value as it combines Golubac Fortress entry (≈£5) with the boat ride through the Great Kazan and Đerdap Gorge. Lunch at a riverside fish restaurant is optional and extra (~£10).
🚌Day trip minivan from Belgrade, or public bus Belgrade–Golubac (~£8 each way)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in central Belgrade
- →Golubac Fortress
- →Iron Gates / Đerdap Gorge boat ride
- →Great Kazan viewpoint
- →Optional Danube fish lunch
Medieval Serbia: Manasija, Resava Cave & Veliki Buk
Despotovac / Resava
Take a bus from Belgrade to Despotovac (~£5, 2.5h) or join a small-group day trip (≈£40-50). From Despotovac a local taxi (≈£15 return, share if possible) covers Manasija Monastery with its fortified Church of the Holy Trinity, Resava Cave (entry ≈£4) and the Veliki Buk (Lisine) waterfall, which is a short walk from the cave car park. Eat a hearty traditional lunch in a local kafana (~£8). If using public transport, be back in Despotovac by late afternoon for the last bus to Belgrade.
🚌Public bus Belgrade–Despotovac (~£5 each way) + shared local taxi to cave and monastery
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in central Belgrade
- →Manasija Monastery and Church of the Holy Trinity
- →Resava Cave self-guided visit
- →Veliki Buk (Lisine) waterfall walk
Novi Sad & Sremski Karlovci
Novi Sad / Sremski Karlovci
Fastest and cheapest way north: the modern Belgrade–Novi Sad train (about £5-7, ~40 min), then local bus or short taxi to Sremski Karlovci (≈£1.50). Wander the baroque town — First Serbian High School, Old Patriarch's Court, Assembly Church, Theological Lyceum — and do a Bermet wine tasting at a family cellar in Karlovci (≈£8-12, book ahead via the cellar or GetYourGuide). Return to Novi Sad to see Petrovaradin Fortress, Zmaj Jovina street and the cathedral, then take the evening train back to Belgrade. Skip the guided lunch and eat in Novi Sad's fish market area instead (~£8).
🚌Belgrade–Novi Sad train (~£6 each way) + local bus to Sremski Karlovci
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in central Belgrade
- →Sremski Karlovci old town walk
- →Bermet wine tasting at a Karlovci cellar
- →Petrovaradin Fortress
- →Novi Sad old town and Zmaj Jovina
Departure
Belgrade
Final morning for a slow breakfast and any last souvenir shopping along Knez Mihailova or the Kalenić market. Take the A1 shuttle or bus 72 back to Nikola Tesla Airport, allowing at least 2.5 hours before your flight. If your departure is late, store bags at the hostel and squeeze in a coffee at a Skadarlija kafana before heading out.
🚌A1 shuttle bus or city bus 72 to Nikola Tesla Airport (~£2)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Kalenić market or souvenir shopping
- →Skadarlija coffee stop
Self-launched vs. Victor Tours DMC
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Victor Tours DMC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£448 | £900 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £452 per person (50%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Victor Tours DMC-style trips? Check them out here.~£448
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Best of Serbia – 7 Days (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £448 per person for 7 days in Serbia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Victor Tours DMC?+
Yes — Victor Tours DMC charges around £900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £448 — a saving of roughly £452 (50%) per person.
How long is the Serbia trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Serbia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Serbia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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