Useful Information
The Weather in Belgrade
Belgrade has a moderate continental climate. The average annual air temperature is 11,9°C. Seasons are usually well defined. Autumn is longer than spring, with lengthy sunny and warm periods. Winter is not particularly harsh, and averages 21 one days with below zero temperatures. January is the coldest month of the year with an average temperature of 0,4°C. Spring is rather short and rainy. The hottest months are July (21,7°C) and August (21,3°C).
Belgrade is in the Central European Time Zone. In the winter months this means clocks are set at GMT + 1 hour, and in the summer (March to the end of October) GMT + 2 hours.
Currency Exchange in Belgrade
The official Serbian currency is the dinar (RSD) and 1 dinar consists of 100 para. There are coins to the value of 50 para, 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 dinars, and notes for 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 5000 dinars.
All visitors are advised to exchange currency only at accredited places. It is both risky and illegal to attempt to do so in the street. The majority of banks have 24-hour ATM's some of which can also exchange foreign currency. Money can be exchanged at official exchange offices, which are clearly labeled and they are numerous in the city centre. Individual banks and exchange offices are free to set their own rates, but they must be clearly displayed. Rates offered at exchange offices are generally better than those available in the banks, at the airport and in hotels.
Your credit cards (AMEX, Diners Club, Mastercard, VISA) will enable you to withdraw cash in dinars 24 hours a day at the automatic cashpoints in the city. Also, credit cards can be used in hotels, restaurants and shops for purchases. Signs are displayed at the entrance showing which cards are acceptable.
Opening Times
Post offices and banks - Most post offices are opened from 8 am to 7 pm, Monday to Friday, and 8 am to 1 pm on Saturday. Closed on public holidays. Banks are generally opened from 9 am to 5 pm, from Monday to Friday or from Tuesday to Saturday. For cash withdrawals, automatic cashpoints (ATMs) operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Banks are closed on public holidays.
Shops - The majority of shops are opened all day from 9 am to 9 pm, Monday to Friday. On Saturday they are opened from 9 am to 3 pm. Sundays and public holidays are the usual closing days, although there are some exceptions... Supermarkets are opened all day from 6 am to 10 pm every day a week.
Non-working days - New Year (1&2 January), First day of Orthodox Christmas (7 January), Serbian Statehood Day (15 February), Intl. Labor Day (1&2 May) and Orthodox Easter from Good Friday to the second day of Easter. On non-working holidays only shops and institutions on duty are open.
