The Belgrade Splav Nightlife Scene

Serbia is increasingly shedding the lingering vestiges of its war-time image and emerging as a highly exciting European tourist destination. While its capital Belgrade is a historic city with many attractions to draw in visitors, the stand-out element of the city is undeniably its fervent nightlife. World renowned for its clubbing scene, Belgrade offers a wide variety of pulse-pounding nightlife opportunities seven nights a week.

One of the most unique aspects of Belgrade’s nightlife is the plethora of splavovi (literally “rafts”) that line Belgrade’s waterways. The Serbian capital is situated at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, and local entrepreneurs have taken the interesting approach of creating a network of large floating bars, clubs and restaurants.

flickr/Dejan Spasovski

There are several main splav clusters, although individual splavs can be found scattered about the city. Some of the most popular splav areas are on the Usce park waterfront, on the Zemun quay, and on the Sava River between the Tram and Gazela bridges. The boats offer a variety of musical styles and atmospheres to suit one’s taste, including techno, Euro pop and folk music.

Visitors should also be sure to check out the splavs located around Ada Ciganlija (“Gypsy Island”). Here boats recreate the atmosphere of working-class bars where Gypsy musicians move from table to table entertaining patrons.

Povetarac offers one of the best splav experiences. Located on Brodarska in New Belgrade, Povetarac is very welcoming to a large crowd, with many foreigners partaking. The music is a mixture of hip hop, pop, and drum n’ bass.

A more upmarket alternative is Povetarac’s neighboring club Sound, which features house music and hosts popular DJs and sometimes foreign music stars. Dress to impress here in order to get through the queue.

Finally, 20/44 is one of the most popular splavs, located on the banks of the Sava. It offers a wide variety of music, from techno and dub step to house and funk, and hosts some of the best DJs from Serbia and around the world. It also puts on the very popular “Disco not Disco” night.

While some of the splavs are open all-year round, many shut down outside of summer, making the warmer months the best time to visit Belgrade and fully experience the unique riverboat bar and clubbing scene.