Spring in Belgrade is a vibrant season when the city’s parks and riversides come alive with colour and fragrance. This season offers comfortable weather and lush scenery, making it an ideal time to explore by car. Taking to the road lets you discover blooming parks, riverside routes, and panoramic hilltop viewpoints. If you’re arriving by plane, you can pick up a vehicle rental at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport . In this guide, you’ll discover why spring is the perfect season for a Belgrade road adventure.
Spring is one of the most rewarding seasons to discover Belgrade. Here are some of the reasons why:
Spring in Belgrade from March to May brings pleasantly mild temperatures. From mid-March, daytime highs rise into the teens °C, and by May they average around 22.5 °C. It’s comfortable to walk, drive, or linger outdoors. You can cruise with the windows down, no matter the weather, which is perfect for city driving and short road trips.
As spring progresses, daylight stretches to around 13.5 hours by April. You’ll have more time to explore without rushing. Parks, riverbanks, and tree-lined streets burst back to life as flowers bloom and fresh leaves return. The city’s green spaces look their best, which are perfect backdrops for drives, walks, and viewpoints.
Spring falls just before Belgrade’s busy summer season. Hotels, attractions, and streets are quieter, especially in April and early May. With lighter traffic and less congestion, driving is more relaxed than in midsummer.
Belgrade’s geography is defined by two big rivers and surrounding hills, which means there are several scenic drives you can enjoy without leaving the city. In spring, these routes are especially delightful. You can cruise along a riverbank with blossoms on the trees, or winding up a wooded hill with fresh green foliage all around. In this section, we’ll introduce must-try spring drives in Belgrade.
The first city drive to enjoy in spring follows the Danube River from Dorćol, Belgrade’s historic riverside neighbourhood, to the charming district of Zemun. This drive covers only around 8 to 10 kilometres.
Start in Dorćol near the city centre and head north-west along the riverbank. The route begins beside Kalemegdan Park and Belgrade Fortress, which rise above the Danube. In spring, this stretch feels especially pleasant, with leafy promenades, floating cafés, and locals walking or cycling beneath fresh green trees.
After crossing toward New Belgrade via Branko’s Bridge, continue along riverside roads such as Bulevar Nikole Tesle, where the Danube opens wide, and the skyline reflects on clear days.
Arriving in Zemun, the atmosphere shifts. This former Austro-Hungarian town has cobbled streets, pastel façades, and a slower pace of life. A worthwhile stop is Gardoš Tower, perched above the neighbourhood. Park nearby and walk up for panoramic views across the Danube and back towards central Belgrade. Afterwards, continue along the Zemun Quay, a peaceful promenade lined with boats, swans, and riverside restaurants.
Belgrade’s other great river, the Sava, offers a spring drive with modern cityscapes and sweeping waterfront views. A popular way to enjoy it is as a loop drive through the heart of the city. Begin near Belgrade Waterfront (Beograd na vodi) in Savamala, where a new riverside promenade, glass towers, and open spaces come alive in spring. Driving along Karađorđeva Street, you’ll follow the Sava beneath the old city, with views stretching towards the river confluence.
Cross over to New Belgrade via Branko’s Bridge or the Old Sava Bridge. From here, the views are superb: Kalemegdan Fortress rises at the meeting of the rivers, while modern New Belgrade spreads out across the opposite bank. Continue north-west along the New Belgrade side towards Ušće Park, where grassy riverbanks, leafing trees, and open skies create a calm, springtime atmosphere.
To complete the loop, cross back over the river via the striking Ada Bridge. As you drive over its soaring pylon, you’re treated to panoramic views of both sides of the city, with the Sava curving below and Ada Ciganlija nearby. Finish the circuit by following Savska or Radnička Street back towards the centre.
For a change of pace from the rivers, head to the Avala Mountain road, a nature escape that’s still within Belgrade’s city limits. Avala is a low mountain on the southern edge of the city, around 18 to 20 kilometres from the centre.
In spring, the road winds through forested slopes that burst into bright green as leaves return. Driving via Avala Road (Route 203) through Banjica or Voždovac takes about 30 minutes, with the scenery shifting from city streets to rolling hills and woodland.
The ascent is gentle and scenic, following a two-lane road lined with oak and beech trees. In spring, the air feels cooler and crisper. If you pause briefly, you’ll often hear birdsong or catch the scent of wildflowers drifting through open windows.
At the summit, two highlights await. The Avala Tower, a 204-meter-high landmark, offers panoramic views of Belgrade, the Danube and Sava rivers, and the surrounding countryside on clear days. Nearby stands the Monument to the Unknown Hero, a solemn granite memorial set on a wide terrace with tranquil views and spring greenery.
Belgrade is blessed with many parks and green spaces, and one fun way to spend a spring day is to take a short “park-to-park” road trip. This means you drive from one green oasis to another, enjoying the contrast between urban streets and leafy retreats.
This drive links two of Belgrade’s most loved green spaces and is one of the most relaxing things to do in Belgrade in spring. Topčider Park and Košutnjak Forest are only a few kilometres apart in the south-central part of the city.
Begin in Topčider Park, one of the city’s oldest parks, laid out in the 19th century. In spring, it feels especially alive: ancient plane trees leaf out in fresh green, flower beds fill with tulips and daffodils, and the park’s wide lawns invite slow wandering. The internal park roads are narrow and best enjoyed at a gentle pace, passing historic sights like Milošev Konak, small ponds, stone bridges, and shaded benches. Drive slowly here as there are walkers and cyclists soaking up the spring sunshine.
Leaving Topčider, the road climbs toward Košutnjak, the forested hill just beyond the park. Within minutes, the scenery changes dramatically. Formal gardens give way to dense woodland, and the air becomes noticeably cooler and fresher. Košutnjak, often called the “lungs of Belgrade”, is a vast park-forest that was once a royal hunting ground. In spring, tall oaks and lindens form a leafy canopy over the road, with sunlight creating soft, dappled patterns on the asphalt.
There are several pleasant stopping points inside Košutnjak. Hajdučka Česma (Hajduk Spring), a natural spring and picnic area, is popular with locals. Viewpoints near Filmski Grad offer views over New Belgrade and the Sava plain, which look particularly vibrant in spring.
For a refreshing park-to-park drive on the eastern side of the city centre, the route from Tašmajdan Park to Zvezdara Forest offers a blend of urban life and quiet nature. It’s one of the most enjoyable things to do in Belgrade in spring, especially if you want to see how quickly the city transforms from bustling streets to leafy calm.
Start near Tašmajdan Park, a central green space beside St. Mark’s Church and the Serbian Parliament. While the park is largely pedestrian, you can circle it via Beogradska or Ilija Garašanina Street. In spring, magnolias, lilacs, and manicured lawns brighten the scene, and the rose-coloured façade of St Mark’s Church looks striking against fresh greenery.
From here, head east along Bulevar kralja Aleksandra, one of Belgrade’s main arteries. The road climbs as you leave the centre, lined with cafés, shops, and rows of trees that begin to leaf out in spring. As you continue, traffic noise softens, and the city gradually thins. After around 10 to 15 minutes, follow the signs for Zvezdara or the Astronomical Observatory.
Turning onto Volgina Street, the transition is immediate. Urban blocks give way to Zvezdara Forest, an urban woodland reserve. The road winds uphill beneath a canopy of trees. By late spring, the forest feels cool and secluded. At the top, the Belgrade Astronomical Observatory emerges between the trees. Nearby clearings offer elevated views across eastern Belgrade and, on clear days, glimpses of the Danube.
Spring transforms Belgrade into a city of bloom, and exploring it by car allows you to fully appreciate this seasonal magic. The drives we’ve covered show that Belgrade has a rich landscape waiting for travellers. In a matter of hours, you can go from downtown avenues to hilltop panoramas, from riverside boulevards to shaded forest lanes.
Rent a car in Belgrade with Final Rentals to start exploring these local gems. With Final Rentals, booking a car online is fast and simple. Select Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport as your pickup location, enter your travel dates, and choose a vehicle for your trip. Book and manage your car rental at any time. Download the Final Rentals app on Google Play and the App Store.
