Serbian Quirk #1
From time to time I will write about a topic you should to be aware of if visiting Serbia, or that I find unique and interesting about my adopted country. The US has plenty of our own so I don’t come at these totally negative.
Serbia is a smoking culture. Think southern Italy on steroids. Serbia smokes more cigarettes per capital (2,861) than any other country in the world. As an aside rounding out the top five are Bulgaria, Greece, Russia and Ukraine. Twice in the ten years since I have been coming here there have been laws passed to try and regulate smoking per US and EU standards but to no avail. There is little enforcement and the bars and restaurants have no real inducement to make changes because so many of their customers are smokers. People claim anyone can be President as long as they can continue to smoke in their bar.
In the summer this is not much of an issue because from April to November you are sitting outside, why many of the bars even have projector TVs to watch the football match outside. But in the winter, you are trapped. The more traditional Serbian the place, the less restrictions on smoking. The designated non-smoking areas are mere suggestions replaced with smoking once the place starts to fill up. You can often find someone smoking right under a non-smoking sign with little concern.
There are a few places that are strict. The newer malls in New Belgrade are non-smoking, the mall in the pedestrian street downtown Rajiceva has designated smoking areas, some of the more Western style restaurants such as Ann Bar and Toro on the waterfront have actual non-smoking areas. Many of the hotels such as the Courtyard, which has a nice brunch, are non smoking but not very authentic Serbian. My most recommended place would be Madeira , one of my favorite Serbian restaurants, both indoor and with a lovely garden, has a true designated non smoking area.
Just be aware depending on your tolerance for smoke.
