For as long as it has existed under the names of Novi Sad /Újvidék/ Neusatz, the city has been the space of diverse and rich cultural heritage of many ethnicities. Tangible and intangible cultural heritage that has been created during the past three centuries, is the foundation of an interactive network of scientific and cultural institutions, which makes modern Novi Sad the space of dynamic meeting of cultures and diverse identities. It is the city of museums, galleries, and events among which is the EXIT Music Festival, which has won multiple rewards and gained international recognition.
Recently, the programmes and events belonging to a new cultural matrix in addition to more traditional culture are emerging – those taking more avant-garde and alternative shapes. Their epicentre is the Student Cultural Centre with the Chinese Quarter as their epicentre. A new creative energy that is here generated contributed to the development of ideas and activities that won the titles of the European Youth Capital 2019 and European Capital of Culture 2021.
Novi Sad also attracts the visitors with its neatness and cosy position by the Petrovaradin Fortress – the “Gibraltar on the Danube”, the different languages spoken by its inhabitants, and the rhythm untypical for hasty and chaotic pace of an urban community. The old town is rich in baroque, neo-Renaissance, classicistic and Bauhaus buildings, and offers picnic sites, preserved eco-systems and a complex of Orthodox monasteries settled in the territory of the National Park Fruška Gora. The farmsteads (farmhouses), fish restaurants (čardas) and wine routes at the outskirts of Novi Sad provide the visitors with the opportunity to experience all the richness of gastronomy and rural customs.
Novi Sad is the city that provides the visitors with the agenda of unbelievably rich content within both its urban nucleus and rural surroundings. Each visitor, according to their sensibilities for nice and pleasant, attractive and joyful, useful and accessible can create their own experience while learning about all the layers of the past and present of Novi Sad.
Novi Sad, the city on the Danube, the city with the European history and tradition and Balkan hospitality is the experience that is not to be missed.
Novi Sad, the City of Culture
Novi Sad should also be visited because of a unique continuality of its urban centre marked with Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant churches and the Synagogue, Baroque, Neo-renaissance, classicistic, and Bauhaus buildings, as well as those built in modern style. The traces of turbulent history and many cultures that have been replacing and intertwining each other can be found in museums and galleries, the most important of which are the City Museum of Novi Sad (the main building is at the Petrovaradin Fortress), Museum of Vojvodina with the Museum of Unification of Vojvodina to Serbia, Gallery of Matica Srpska, Pavle Beljanski Memorial Collection, Gallery of Fine Arts – Endowment Collection of Rajko Mamuzić, Studio 61, Nature Conservation Collection…
Petrovaradin Fortress
Petrovaradin fortress – the “Gibraltar on the Danube” was built in the period from 1692 to 1780 according to the system of the Marquis Sébastien de Vauban. It covers the area of 112 ha. The Fortress is divided into Upper and Lower Town (Suburbium). The Upper Town is dominated by the Clock Tower, which is famous for it hands – the large hand shows hours and the small one shows minutes. The underground military galleries, a unique attraction of Petrovaradin Fortress, consist of a four-storey communication-defence system that is 16 km long, around 1 km of which is open to visitors. The Roman Catholic church of St. George with a convent, which was built in the baroque style in the period from 1701 to 1714, is located in the foothill of the Fortress.
Novi Sad - the City of Exit and Other Festivals
More than two hundred festivals, events and happenings are held in the city and its surroundings. EXIT Festival can be singled out according to its significance and recognisability. Exit is a multiple award-winning summer music festival, which has been held every year at the Petrovaradin Fortress since 2000. Many consider it the best festival location in the world. After the recent elections in the top ten festivals outside the UK within the UK Festival Awards in November 2013, Exit was awarded the most important European Festival Award, which placed it among the top ten festivals in the most important category of the major European festivals.
National Park Fruška Gora
Since pre-historic times, the area of Fruška Gora has been inhabited by many nations. Multi-ethnic population living here today cherishes historic memory about its origin, national values, rich folk heritage, literature, music and poems of local communities, traditional way of life, which makes important potentials for tourism. Sixteen Serbian Orthodox monasteries make the most significant cultural heritage of Fruška Gora. Richness of nature: animal and plant wildlife, landscapes, thermal springs – spas, and lakes make the basis for tourism of special interest, as well as for recreational activities and picnics. Fruška Gora is the region of good wines such as Bermet, Frankovka, Riesling, Portuguiser, Augsburg, etc.
Farmsteads, Fish Restaurants and Gastronomy
Novi Sad has always been the place where food is very rich and meals are generous, and eaten at a slow pace. The farmsteads, “čarda” restaurants and wine routes provide the possibility for a unique gastronomic enjoyment often combined with traditional, joyful rural festivities. In the ambience typical for Vojvodina rural households, in the shade of orchards, with traditional food and good wines you can slow down the time at least for a moment and fully enjoy yourself.
More information about the tourist offer of the City of Novi Sad can be found at: novisad.travel/en
