Start Driving in Niš / НишNiš / Ниш, Serbia’s third‑largest city in the southeast of the country, straddles the Nišava River as a strategic crossroads of around 250,000 residents whose Ottoman‑era fortresses, communist‑era blocks and modern bridges frame a climate of 29°C sultry summers and 0°C crisp winters, shaped for centuries by Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Yugoslav rule. Must‑sees include the imposing Niš Fortress crowning the city with its 18th‑century bastions, ramparts and occasional open‑air concerts, the haunting Skull Tower embedded with human skulls left from the 1809 Serbian uprising against the Ottomans, the Roman‑era Čegar monument and archeological park echoing the city’s ancient Mediana roots, the lively King Milan Square buzzing with cafes and street performers, and the nearby Niška Banja spa resort offering warm mineral springs amid forested hills. Culture blends Serbian Orthodox traditions with a strong sense of local history, visible in folk festivals celebrating fast‑paced Šop music, brass‑band parades, Orthodox liturgies in late‑night cathedral vigils, and Niš’ role as a hub for students, artists and political activism in southern Serbia. Cuisine delights with smoky grilled ćevapi served in somun bread, rich sarma cabbage rolls stuffed with minced meat, golden baked pastries like burek and pita layered with cheese or meat, sour‑cream‑dolloped kiselo mleko‑based dishes, and robust local wines or plum‑flavoured rakija shared in outdoor kafanas and riverfront restaurants.
