The capitol of Serbia, Belgrade, sits at the confluence of the Rivers Sava and Danube and its skyline is dominated by the Belgrade Fortress, built in 279 BCE, which consists of the old citadel and the nearby Kalemegdan Park, both offering panoramic views over the Sava and the Danube rivers and the city of Belgrade laid out at your feet.

Explore the Republic square with its equestrian statue and the square is the site of some of Belgrade’s most recognizable public buildings, including the National Museum, the National Theatre, and the statue of Prince Michael.

The northern town of Novi Sad hosts every year, the Exit festival, and like everything that they do in this country, even its hospitality is emphatic – you can be expected to be greeted with a glass of rakija (fruit brandy) and a hearty three-kiss hello.

While political correctness is about as commonplace as a non-smoking bar, Serbia is nevertheless a cultural crucible: the art nouveau town of Subotica revels in its proximity and influence from Hungary.

Bohemian Niš echoes to the sound of Roma horse carts, on its cobbled streets and the minaret-studded Novi Pazar nudges some of the most sacred sites of Serbian Orthodoxy.

In the mountainous Kopaonik, Tara and Zlatibor regions, the ancient traditions of the people and country coexist seamlessly with après-ski jet set crowd.