Ritam grada / Rhythm of the city
The heart will nonetheless rejoice in the romantic ambience of the snow- swept beauty of Belgrade that is its fortress, which is the right choice for a walk during any season. Residents and visitors are jolt- ed from their slumber on 6 th Janu- ary, when Christmas Eve is celebrated in the part of the Christian Ortho- dox world that still adheres to the Julian calendar. The ‘Badnjak’ yule oak is ceremoniously lit in the yards of Belgrade’s churches at midnight, with the people coming together to welcome the passing from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day. This is a won- derful time to be in Belgrade, when visiting one of the capital’s beauti- ful churches is a must. That could maybe mean being on the plateau in front of the Temple of Saint Sa- va at midnight to celebrate the birth of Christ, but also being there for the Christmas liturgy in the regu- lar slot at 9am. You can also utilise the festive period to visit Košutnjak, particu- larly if there is already snow cover. Countless forest trails, many with descents, provide a wonderful op- portunity for sleigh rides. Serbian New Year is an even more exclusive affair, given that only a few countries mark the start of the year between 13 th and 14 th January. The City of Belgrade also organises
the formal celebrating of this holiday, and does so at two locations: in front of the Serbian National Assembly, as is tradition, but also beside the river on the Sava Promenade. There will thus be music to suit all tastes, while the Belgrade Waterfront neighbour- hood will be gleaming under scintil- lating fireworks. Rivers and lakes turn into real venues of celebration for the Epiph- any on 19 th January, when the brav- est swim for the Holy Cross in Lake Sava at Ada Ciganlija, in the Danube in Zemun and in Očaga Lake in Laza- revac... Some people will nonetheless wish for their strength to hold un- til the end of January, because there are more holidays to come: Namely, Jovanjdan, celebrating St. John the Baptist, and Savindan, celebrating St. Sava, Serbia’s first archbishop... Of course, Belgrade’s ice rinks, both indoor and open-air options, will be a true source of joy during this period, because everyone who becomes “more intimately acquaint- ed” with the ice will laugh, get rosy cheeks, make new friends and enjoy socialising, and will later warm their hands on cups of tea and mulled wine in some cosy corner of any of Bel- grade’s countless cafe bars. January is undoubtedly the right time to experience the magic of Bel- grade.
Bezbrojne šumske staze Košutnjaka, često okomite, pružaju divnu priliku za sankanje Countless forest trails in Košutnjak, many with descents, provide a wonderful opportunity for sleigh rides
78 | Beograd » Belgrade
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