4 reviewed party hostels · verified ratings
Novi Sad sits on the Danube 90 minutes north of Belgrade, and for 51 weeks of the year it is a quiet university city with cheap bars and a fortress you can walk around for free. Then EXIT Festival arrives in July and 200,000 people descend on Petrovaradin Fortress for four nights of electronic music, hip-hop, and rock across 20+ stages. The fortress overlooks the river from a clifftop: a setting that no field-based festival in Europe can match. Outside EXIT week, the Laze Telečkog pedestrian street in the centre has enough bars to fill an evening. A large beer costs 200-300 RSD (£1.50-2.20). Accommodation is cheap year-round: dorm beds from 1,500 RSD (£11). During EXIT, hostel availability in Novi Sad drops to almost zero. Most backpackers base themselves in Belgrade and take the 90-minute bus (500 RSD). The Petrovaradin side of the city, connected by the rainbow-coloured bridge, has a handful of restaurants and the fortress tunnel tours.
Ranked by verified guest rating · Prices per dorm bed per night
The oldest hostel in Novi Sad, next to the Name of Mary Church in quiet Njegoševa street. Free coffee, tea, and helpful staff.
Check Availability →Quiet, tree-lined location in the historical centre. Clean rooms, all facilities included, strong value for money.
Check Availability →Terrace, shared kitchen, and lounge with free WiFi. Social atmosphere popular with backpackers.
Check Availability →Budget central hostel where you meet travellers from around the world. Basic but functional.
Check Availability →How Novi Sad's nightlife zones break down
Pedestrian streets, Zmaj Jovina boulevard, the main square (Trg Slobode), and most bars and restaurants. Everything is within walking distance. Hostels cluster here.
The fortress side of the Danube, connected by the Varadin Bridge. The fortress is free to enter and gives panoramic views. A handful of restaurants and art galleries in the tunnels below. EXIT Festival is held here.
Residential area south of the centre. Cheaper food, local bakeries, and the Danube beach (Štrand) which fills up in summer. 15-minute walk from the main square.
Bars, clubs and live music in Novi Sad
Pedestrian street lined with bars and cafes. Start at the northern end and work south. Large beer from 200 RSD.
The fortress terraces have several open-air bars with views over the Danube. Best at sunset. Cocktails from 400 RSD.
Techno and electronic music. Open Thursday to Saturday. Entry 500-1,000 RSD. The closest thing to Belgrade's club scene.
Craft beer pub with a rotating tap list. 15-minute walk from the fortress. Pints from 350 RSD.
Summer club on the river. Open-air dancefloor, commercial and R&B music. Open May to September.
Expat and traveller meeting point. Live sport, pub quiz nights. Central location on the main pedestrian street.
What's on in Novi Sad