Discovering Belgrade: Savamala

I’m back with my column for www.stillinbelgrade.com! This time, I’m showing you the beauties of the Savamala neighborhood, the former harbour district, now the pivotal point of Belgrade’s creativity and coolness.

And so, let’s discover the creative district of Belgrade!

Thanks to the proximity to the river Sava, Savamala was an extremely important harbor, a borough of traders and dock workers -with the resulting reputation.

Now Savamala is the most dynamic, creative and artistic district of Belgrade,  the kingdom of hipsters and alternative crowds.

Resindustrial, young, with a strong social dimension and identity, very central and well connected to every area of the town (and beyond, thanks to the international bus station and the train station, both located here), Savamala is a creative jewel risen from a poor, neglected hood. You will still find a couple of abandoned buildings charmingly waiting to be reconverted into some new place-to-be, but the majority of caterpillar-warehouses on Sava docks already turned into butterflies, reshaping the area into the hip district that you shouldn’t miss when visiting Belgrade.

Savamala was the first settlement constructed outside the fortress walls of Kalemegdan (the construction began in the 1830s), and it still is at the forefront as an urban incubator researched by art theoreticians and sociologists, a place where artistic projects not only have influenced the urban development, but also brought the neighborhood back to its glorious past of Belgrade’s getaway to the world, by welcoming many international artists, performers, musicians and designers.

Even if Savamala is full of alternative venues to dance the night out, I suggest you to venture it during the day for an extremely rewarding graffiti hunting, but also to admire the liberty charm of its architecture (especially Hotel Bristol and the Cooperative Building, which is considered one of the most beautiful building in town) and to enjoy the wonderful interiors of Savamala’s clubs without a drunken crowd ruining your pictures. :-)

I loved the recycled furniture at KC Grad, the glorious club that, back in 2009, started the re-vitalization of the area, and the hipster Mikser House‘s open-space, which hosts a restaurant and the Balkan Design Store -where you can find works by extremely talented designers.

They both are two landmarks of Belgrade’s alternative clubbing scene, so don’t forget to check their calendars while planning a trip. (and if you want more of Savamala amazing interiors, you can check Mladost Ludost Club and Bar Bašta -from where you can also enjoy a beautiful view on Brankov bridge!).