Like in most European cities, there are many free walking tours that operate around Belgrade, but if you had to choose only one, I’d go for the “Belgrade Alternative Tour” offered by Belgrade Free Tour. It’s a fascinating look at contemporary Belgrade through the eyes of locals, artists, activists, and subculture movements.

Today I had a chance to meet Ana, our wonderful tour guide, who so happily shared her passion for street art with us. I also gained a lot of perspective on what it would have been like to live in Belgrade at the end of communism in the 1980’s, the breakup of Jugoslavia and NATO bombings in the 90’s, and the economic downfall that people are still suffering from today.

Today, Belgrade’s street art reflects defiance against bureaucracy and capitalism, propaganda and political ideologies, ecological destruction and gentrification. Some of it is entirely legal, painted with the permission of the city and even as part of urban art festivals and revitalization projects. We had a chance to see one of Europe’s only street art galleries and an entire alleyway dedicated to artisanal student-run shops and free-form design projects.

Take a look at some of the fantastic things we saw on the tour!