Unfortunately, Serbia is not very bike-friendly. However, I believe this shouldn’t stop you from experiencing cycling around the country. This guide will show you one of the two main cycling options from Belgrade to Novi Sad.
The first option is the path of the Eurovelo 6 between Belgrade and Budapest, where you usually cycle alongside the river Danube. The second option is to go on an alternative road connecting Belgrade and Petrovaradin fortress in Novi Sad.
We will explore the second option in this guide and tell you everything you need to know about this cycling adventure.
Table of Contents
Quick facts about this adventure
- Length: 91.4km
- Moving Time: 4:50 hrs
- Elevation gain: 358m
The route
Starting at the Ušće shopping mall, passing through the municipality of Zemun and four other cities in the Vojvodina province: Novi Pazova, Stara Pazova, Indjija, and Sremski Karlovci. After that, you will reach the second most populous city in Serbia – Novi Sad.
Starting cycling from Belgrade
Preferably starting early in the morning offers a better experience as the roads will be less busy than usual. You can enjoy the view from your right side of Ušće Parkon the way to Zemun. If you forgot to stock up for the adventure, there are some water fountains in the park.
In Zemun, use the bus lane on Cara Dusana street until the official exit, continuing towards Stara Pazova. This path was the most enjoyable part of the adventure due to the fact that the lane was empty most of the time.
On the way to Nova Pazova
20km after Zemun, you will arrive at Nova Pazova. The highlight of this city is the Air Base Colonel Pilot Milenko Pavlović, which is Serbia’s main military base. You can see it at the entrance of the city on your right.
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Stara Pazova
On the way to Stara Pazova, you will be rewarded with beautiful views of open fields on both sides of the road. There are some mini markets if you want to refresh yourself to continue your adventure. Another good thing about this path is the fact that most of the time, only a few cars pass on the track.
Aside from the fact that the path was less crowded, the Stara Pazova path was the worst path on this adventure. There were annoying bumps on the road every 3-5 meters, and these bumps would continue for 10km until you arrived in Indjija.
Cycling to Indjija
From here, the longest route between the cities begins. It’s a good idea to check your refreshments here, you need 22km to reach the next town and there are few spots to stop and buy something.
After 15km on the way to Sremski Karlovci, on your left is the road that leads to Fruska Gora, a very famous region in Serbia for its high-quality wines.
Near the route leading to Fruska Gora is a church with beautiful architecture that will catch your attention. It is the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene.
After appreciating the Church’s architecture, continue towards the next town. You still have 7km to ride…
The last city before our destination: Sremski Karlovci
At the entrance, on your left, there is a natural water source. Take the opportunity to cool off and refill your water as well. The fountain is in an open place exposed to the sun, but it’s no problem to make a quick stop.
From the water source to the Petrovaradin fortress, it is only 7km. This path can be busy due to the number of cars leaving and entering Novi Sad.
After the fortress, you will pass over a bridge that leads to the center of Novi Sad. You will see that the city is very bike-friendly. There are several bike paths around, so you can explore the places in the city easily.
Welcome to Novi Sad
The final destination of this adventure!! Novi Sad is the second biggest city in Serbia and is constantly growing. So don’t be surprised if you see work in progress around town.
There are many options to eat well, so don’t worry about not finding a good place to recharge. Here are our top 3 suggestions for places to eat:
Toster Bar
They have a wide variety of burgers (including vegetarian options). I tried the veggie burger with beans and it was incredibly delicious.
Kombinat
I have tried the vegetarian pizza and vegetarian plate. Both were very tasty. Below is the photo of the vegetarian plate with cheese as an accompaniment.
Fish & Zelenis
If you want to eat fish, you can’t miss this place. Fish soup is a must- try. The highlight of this restaurant is their grilled squids with potatoes :).
If you’re visiting Novi Sad for the first time and have time to explore, here are suggestions on what to do to get a feel for the city a bit more:
Strand
This place is a sand beach on the Danube River. The entrance to enjoy this place costs only 50 Serbian Dinars (0.4 EUR). Go there and rest your legs after this cycling adventure.
City Center
There’s a beautiful church to check out if you are interested. Also, lots of places to eat and walk around. Serbia has a very strong “coffee to meet” culture. It is common to see people sitting outside hanging out with family and friends.
Petrovaradin Fortress
The huge fortress offers an excellent view of the city. During the summer, the fortress hosts one of the most famous festivals in Europe, the Exit Festival.
You know everything about cycling from Belgrade to Novi Sad
This guide presents everything that you need to know to go cycling from Belgrade to Novi Sad through the road that connects Belgrade and the Petrovarandin fortress. It is a great way to exercise and explore a new city at the same time.
If you don’t want to go back to Belgrade on the same route, you can easily put your bicycle on one of the new fast trains. The ride takes less than an hour, and the ticket cost 300 Serbian Dinars (2.5 EUR).
If you want to follow my coordinates, here is the Strava route. After the City Center, the route goes towards Kamenjar, a settlement of houses close to the Danube River. I went there to visit a friend of mine 🙂
Conclusion
I hope you have a better idea of how to go cycling from Belgrade to Novi Sad. It’s an excellent adventure for a day tour or an extended weekend if you stay in Novi Sad for a few days.
If you have never been to Novi Sad before, I recommend spending at least one night there to feel the low-key, chilled vibe. It’s very different from the fast-paced vibe in Belgrade.
Thanks for reading this article, and I expect to see you in the next blog post. See ya!!!
