Do They Celebrate Halloween In Serbia?
If you will be spending the spooky season in Serbia, you will probably be asking ‘Do they celebrate Halloween in Serbia?’ We’re here to answer your questions about the popular holiday and whether you can find any activities or traditions in Belgrade and more.
Do They Celebrate Halloween In Serbia?
Traditionally, Halloween in Serbia is not a big event and is actually frowned upon by many. Lots of the population believe the celebration is anti-Christian and therefore it goes against their religion to acknowledge Halloween and do anything significant for October 31.
That being said, in more recent years Halloween has become more popular, especially in the cities such as Belgrade with more and more getting involved.
Whilst celebrations have grown over the years, those who do celebrate in Serbia often head to Romania for Halloween as it’s much more popular there due to its connection to Count Dracula.
However, that doesn’t mean you won’t find fun events in this part of the Balkans as well.
Celebrating Halloween In Belgrade
There’s no better place to be in Serbia for Halloween than the capital, Belgrade. A city full of immense history, architecture, culture and incredibly friendly people, it’s a wonderful location any time of year.
Belgrade’s nightlife is already well-known, with plenty of nightclubs, bars and more to keep adults entertained during their Serbian city break. This is only improved during Halloween in Belgrade, with themed nights taking over the city with decorations in every corner of these places.
There are various levels of extravagance concerning Halloween events in the city, ranging from DJ sets to glamorous costume balls for those who love dressing up.
If you are celebrating Halloween in Serbia, bear in mind that all the big events will occur at the weekend as October 31 falls on a Monday in 2023.
Halloween In The Rest Of Serbia
Halloween in Serbia is perhaps the most celebrated in Belgrade. As you head into the more rural areas of the country, it is recognised less and less.
That being said, many do hold events for children, including costume parties or putting up decorations in shopping centres and other public areas.
One thing you will rarely see is trick-or-treating in Serbia, a Halloween tradition that isn’t recognised in the country. Instead, children may be given sweets in schools instead.
Honouring St Luke
Many families in Serbia are Orthodox Christian and therefore spend time during the year honouring different patron saints whom they honour on one day of the year. One of these saints is Saint Luke, who is traditionally honoured in October around a similar time to Halloween.
Therefore, those who celebrate Saint Luke on October 31 won’t celebrate Halloween and may be offended if you suggest otherwise.
Instead, many in Serbia partake in something called Slava on this day. This is where family and friends gather to have a huge feast and drink together to spend time with one another and also to honour their patron saint.
Special foods will be eaten for Slava, including Slavski kolač, a traditional bread, and Koljivo, a mixture of wheat, nuts and honey.
During the feast, a long candle will be burned called a Slavska sveća.
Slava days are treated as a public holiday for the families celebrating, which is more than most get around the world for Halloween!
Whilst Serbia might not have the biggest Halloween celebrations, there are still plenty of activities in the more tourist-populated areas, such as Belgrade.
However, if you are invited to a Slava, ensure you prioritise that over any Halloween celebration so you don’t cause offence!
Whatever you get up to in Serbia in October, make your trip easier by hiring a car with Finalrentals.
