Europe boasts a wide range of incredible countries that are worth visiting. It is home to such a diverse scope of cultures and places to see, from charming villages and lively cities, to rural countrysides and rugged mountain landscapes. It is no wonder that people across the world dream about travelling around the continent.
Yet, this one ex-Wall Street banker has done exactly that. Travel blogger Lee Abbamonte has visited every single country in Europe and while most people are quick to plan trips to Spain, Italy, and Greece, Lee picked this particular country as one of the few that he would recommend over the popular destinations.
Lee loves the entire Balkan region, made up of Bosnia, Montenegro, Slovenia, and other countries. However, Serbia takes a shine from the others thanks to its capital city Belgrade, which he described as being “the singular most underrated city in Europe.”
Last year, Serbia welcomed over 2.3 million visitors, which is relatively small compared to the 95 million that jetted over to Spain, the 65 million who saw Italy, and the 40 million that enjoyed a holiday in Greece.
Yet, Serbia is home to “beautiful mountain towns”, and thriving capital. Describing Belgrade as beautiful, he told Business Insider: “It’s right on the river, it has great restaurants, a great bohemian scene, and a lot of coffee shops, and bars.”
By night the scenic destination transforms into a “raging nightlife place”. Lonely Planet describes the city’s nightlife as “world-class”.
Serbia is also rooted in rich cultural heritage boasting plenty of landmarks that gives insight into the country’s fascinating history. The Studenica Monastery is one of Serbia’s most sacred sites.
The 12th-century building, founded in 1190, is the largest and richest of Serbia’s Orthodox monasteries. In 1986, it was included on the list of World Heritage Sites.
Another extraordinary spot in the country is the Belgrade Fortress, where around 115 battles have been fought. The citadel was destroyed over 40 times throughout the centuries. Most of what remains today is the product of 18th-century Austro-Hungarian and Turkish reconstructions.
There is so much more to Serbia than people would expect, so it is no surprise that the travel blogger listed it as one of his top European recommendations.