Serbia trivia: 46 questions and answers

Belgrade. Belgrade is the capital and largest city, where the Sava flows into the Danube.

Serbian dinar. Serbia uses the Serbian dinar (RSD). Euros are sometimes accepted, but usually at a worse price.

Danube. The Sava meets the Danube at Belgrade, right below the Belgrade Fortress.

False. False. Serbia is landlocked. Its great waterways are rivers, above all the Danube.

Sava. The monk Sava, son of Stefan Nemanja, became the first Archbishop in 1219. As Saint Sava he is the patron saint of Serbia.

Karađorđe Petrović. Karađorđe Petrović led the First Serbian Uprising, the start of the Serbian Revolution. A famous Serbian schnitzel is named after him.

Stefan Dušan. Stefan Dušan was crowned emperor in 1346. His empire reached from the Danube to the Gulf of Corinth.

True. True. The first constitution was adopted in Kragujevac on 15 February 1835. Statehood Day also marks the start of the First Serbian Uprising on the same date in 1804.

False. False. It was proclaimed in Belgrade on 1 December 1918, and it was renamed Yugoslavia in 1929.

Montenegro. Montenegro voted to leave the union in May 2006, and Serbia declared independence on 5 June 2006.

A rich, creamy dairy spread. Kajmak is a rich, creamy dairy spread, something between clotted cream and soft cheese, eaten with bread and grilled meat.

Red peppers. Ajvar is made from roasted, peeled red peppers, cooked slowly and stored in jars for the winter.

Plums. Plums. Šljivovica is plum brandy, and UNESCO recognised the traditions around it in 2022.

Kajmak. The steak is rolled around kajmak, then breaded and fried, and served with tartar sauce and lemon.

Leskovac. Leskovac is famous for its grill. The name 'Leskovac pljeskavica' is legally protected.

True. True. Proja is a simple cornbread, often eaten for breakfast with kajmak or ajvar.

False. False. Urnebes is a spicy spread of white cheese and hot pepper. The apple and walnut dessert is tufahije.

Novi Sad. Novi Sad, the capital of Vojvodina, is the second-largest city. Niš is third and Kragujevac fourth.

Kraljevo. Kraljevo got its name from King Milan I in 1882, and its coat of arms shows seven crowns.

True. True. Prince Miloš Obrenović made Kragujevac the capital in 1818, the first constitution was proclaimed there in 1835, and the capital moved to Belgrade in 1841.

Stefan Nemanja. Stefan Nemanja, founder of the Nemanjić dynasty, founded Studenica in the late 12th century.

His mother, Romula. Galerius named it after his mother, Romula. The palace stands near his birthplace, close to Zaječar.

Petrovaradin Fortress. Petrovaradin Fortress, across the Danube from Novi Sad, is called the 'Gibraltar of the Danube'.

Emir Kusturica. The film director Emir Kusturica built Drvengrad in 2003 and 2004 for his film Life Is a Miracle.

False. False. Belgrade Fortress is protected by Serbia as a monument of exceptional importance, but it is not a World Heritage Site.

True. True. It was built between 1427 and 1430 for Despot Đurađ Branković.

Cyrillic and Latin. Serbian uses Cyrillic and Latin. Cyrillic is the official script, and the Latin alphabet is common in daily life.

Nikola Tesla. Nikola Tesla's ashes rest in an urn at the Nikola Tesla Museum, and Belgrade's airport is named after him.

Ivo Andrić. Ivo Andrić won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961.

Raspberries. Serbia was the world's third-largest producer of raspberries in 2023. It also grows a great many plums.

A family's feast day for its patron saint. The slava is a family's feast day for its patron saint, passed down through the male line. UNESCO listed it in 2014.

True. True. The Serbian Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar, so Christmas Day falls on 7 January.

False. False. Serbia has driven on the right since 1926.

thank you. Hvala means thank you. The usual reply is 'molim', you're welcome.

an open-air market. A pijaca is an open-air market, the best place for fresh fruit, vegetables and cheese.

right. Desno means right, and levo means left.

True. True. Izlaz (излаз in Cyrillic) is the exit, and ulaz (улаз) is the entrance.

Prijatno!. 'Prijatno!' means enjoy your meal. It is also a friendly way to say goodbye.

Cheers!. 'Živeli!' means cheers! Look the others in the eye as you raise your glass.

Račun, molim. 'Račun, molim' means the bill, please.

True. True. Molim is used for please, as the reply to thank you, and even for 'pardon?'.

An exchange office. A menjačnica is an exchange office. Their rates are usually better than the banks', and much safer than street dealers.

194. 194 is the ambulance. 192 is the police, 193 the fire service and 1987 roadside assistance. From a mobile, 112 also works.

True. True. Hotels register you automatically at check-in. Elsewhere, ask your host, as you can be fined if it is not done.

Taxis and small shops often have no change for big notes. Taxis and small shops often have no change for big notes, such as 5,000 dinars, so break them in supermarkets.

10 to 15%. Tipping is not required, but 10 to 15% is common when you are happy. In taxis people simply round up.