How well do tourism professionals actually know the target group of culturally interested guests? Sometimes you can’t help but get the impression that they are unable to properly assess this target group, either don’t know the treasures in their area of responsibility or don’t realise their relevance for culturally interested groups of guests.
Take Belgrade, for example – the Serbian capital is a place where those interested in culture can find everything that makes up European culture: Roman, medieval, Ottoman, Baroque and Habsburg heritage alongside monumental and magnificent buildings from Art Nouveau, Socialism and the present day. Top-class music and art events, festivals and a young, exciting art scene enrich every visit. All of this is quite rightly described and advertised in the relevant media.
However, a stroll along the main shopping street, Kneza Mihaila, and the surrounding streets is enough to give culturally interested visitors an understanding of what constitutes the ‘everyday cultural core’ of Belgrade – authentic, endearing and very close to the locals.
The capital’s inhabitants are a well-read bunch – you can’t help but get this impression from the number and layout of the countless bookshops – a paradise for literature lovers. From short story books from small contemporary publishers to monumental illustrated books, you will find everything, and in many languages. What’s particularly nice is that many bookshops, such as the Bookastore at Cara Lazara 12, have integrated coffee counters and comfortable seating areas that invite you to browse – even on a rainy day. Or the Knjizara Srpski Kutak bookshop in the building of the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts (Kneza Mihaila 35): under stucco ceilings and crystal chandeliers, you can browse through the rich book selection (very good English-language literature section) and enjoy a coffee. You can even spend an evening reading here, as the shop is open until 10 pm – and is always busy. Contact with other book lovers comes naturally.
The handicrafts of local artists are also visible throughout the city. Whether made from fabric, metal, precious metals, ceramics, gemstones or natural materials – the creative variety is enormous. Many small shops are worth a browse, but pop-up shops such as the one currently open in the Istorijski institut Beograd (Kneza Mihaila 36) with its mix of antique dealers, jewellery designers and artisans are an inspiring treasure trove of ‘Balkan made’ design.
Another surprise are the many small galleries that offer fine art in handy formats – paintings, prints, sculptures. Admittedly, some of it is mass-produced goods, but the majority of the works undoubtedly reveal a skilful hand. In between there are original works that may not conquer the art market, but are a very special, personal souvenir. Anyone who takes one of these works home can look back on a culturally inspiring city trip every day.
Neither the café-bookshops, nor the arts and crafts, nor the rich ‘art to take home’ are mentioned in the city’s advertising media. A pity, because that’s what cultural tourism is all about: Discoveries beyond the cultural ‘must-sees’.
Picture: Knjizara Srpski Kutak bookshop in Belgrade / November 2024
Picture credits: KDK
