Belgrade Hotels and Day Tours

My top side-trip recommendation would be the historic university city of Novi Sad, which has a lot of Austrian-style achitecture as well as many Art Nouveau buildings. For an architecture lover, Novi Sad is worth a multiple-night stay, but I think most tourists treat it as a day trip. There are at least two trains per hour going there; they take no more than 46 minutes. Note: A young local warned me that the police issue jaywalking tickets in Novi Sad, and you can also be ticketed for walking across a street while looking at your phone. I guess they are very safety-conscious. These are my pre-trip sightseeing notes on Novi Sad:

• Trg Slobode (Freedom Sq): Handsome heart of Old Town. 1895 Neo-Renaissance City Hall is here.
• Museum of Vojvodine: In beautiful 19C building. Costumes, musical instruments, agriculture, industry and crafts. Tue-Sun 0900-1900.
• Sinagoga-Kompleks: Early 20th-century Art Nouveau synagogue. Previously usually closed but may now be open. Has a small museum.
• Gallery of Fine Arts (Galerija R. Mamuzica): Art Nouveau building.
• Gallery of Matica Srpska – Art of the Serbian people.
  
• Museum of Contemporary Art: Focuses on Vojvodina but has European/foreign collection.
• St. George Orthodox Church: 1853 Serbian/Byzantine. Mosaics, stunning iconostasis.
• Dunavska Street: One of city’s most colorful streets; pedestrianized.
  
• Petrovaradin Fortress: 17th century. Views of city from across river. Branch of City Museum and art museum inside. Walkable from downtown Novi Sad in about 20 min.

I had hoped also to go to Pancevo, which is much closer to Belgrade, but I ran out of time. It's reported to be a lovely small town. From my notes on Pancevo:

• Access: Buses from Beograd A.S. to Pancevo Autobuska Stanica approx. hourly, most 0:35 and run by Auto Kodecs. www.redvoznje.net
• National Museum of Pancevo: Occasional temporary art exhibitions.
• Hram Preobrazenja Gospodnjeg (Church of the Transfiguration): Unusual Orthodox church from 19th century, combining Byzantine, Serbian, and Renaissance styles.
• Crkva Uspenja Presvete Bogorodice (Church of Dormition of the Virgin Mary): Two towers, magnificent iconstasis and icons. Synagogue
• Vojlovac Monastery
• Stapska Building: Most beautiful building in Pancevo. 1890s.

I didn't research bus-tour options from Belgrade, but I am sure there are some, possibly including something to Fruska Gora National Park not far from Novi Sad, which as 12 functioning monasteries.

For hotel recommendations it's best to provide a nightly hotel budget.

If you’re into cozy boutique spots, Saint Ten or Townhouse 27 are right in the center and super comfortable. If you’d rather have the big‑hotel feel with all the extras, Hyatt Regency or Metropol Palace are solid picks. For day trips, Novi Sad with its fortress is a classic, Sremski Karlovci is perfect if you’re into wine, and Tara National Park is the go‑to for nature lovers.