meet a local belgrade

In our new column Meet a local we present interesting individuals from different professional fields living in Belgrade. The idea is to get to know some locals and their favorite neighborhoods and venues in the city.

Please introduce yourself to our readers:

My name is Ada Karahasan, and I am from Belgrade. I live on XVII floor in one of dozen Zemun skyscrapers and I share apartment with my beloved dog Zoja. I work as a dentist. Beside dentistry I am a huge fan of animals, mountains and rivers, of nature in general, also I’m an avid hiker and mountaineer.

Has there been a new project lately?

With my parents and my brother, I work in our family-owned dental clinic Adamat in Zemun. I am planning to do specialist studies for quite some time in the field of oral surgery. I love what I do. There is a very special felling about returning smiles to people faces – literally.

What do you like about Belgrade?

As any true nature lover, I really appreciate the fact that Belgrade is located on two major rivers. This gives me a chance to sail which I enjoy, although nowadays, I prefer riding a bike or taking a long walk along the coast with my dog.  During summer I like to swim around Great War Island-Lido. And, of course nearby is the Avala mountain.

Green markets give a special charm to Belgrade and I highly recommend Zemunska pijaca and Bajloni market places. I adore the Zemun market and the way it is pulsing with life, and all the different colours and varieties of produce you could find there. At least once a week I go there shopping and buying food from people which I now know for many years. I enjoy to have a little chit-chat with them.

Where do you like to go out?

When I was younger, I used to go out more. Now I prefer to invite friends over for wine and dine. I love when we get together to listen to fine music, and talk about different topics. Right now I’m more into concerts such as Musicology sessions, which I love visiting whenever I find time.

Name 3 of your favorite restaurants in the city

Belgrade has a well-deserved reputation for its exquisite cuisine. I enjoy both traditional and sea food specialties.

At the jaga and gica – where traditional Serbian cuisine is served

Mika Alas on a road to Obrenovac and At the end of the world (Na kraju sveta) in Visnjica are two hidden fish restaurants / kafanas.

Where do you drink coffee?

On my terrace, since it offers a magnificent view of almost entire Belgrade. If I’m not on the 17th floor, then I’m usually sitting in Savana. It is a wooden river raft with an interior inspired by an African culture, a place for all generations with or without pets. There, you can always hear some good music, get a fine service and relax on the Danube river. I can easily say that I feel pretty much at home there.

garasko-jezero

Where do you spend your leisure time?

I usually walk and ride a bicycle, or have a cup of coffee with my friends. During the weekends I go to concerts if I’m not hiking. Belgrade is beautiful, but I have to admit that Serbia is beautiful also. I came to realize that when I started hiking and discovered new landscapes that I never dream existed in our country.

Name your 3 favorite locations in Belgrade and justify your choice:

Avala mountain- my warm recommendation as a hiker

My apartment and terrace overviewing the city and Danube river.

radnicki-planinarski-klub

There is a part of Vracar historical, in Kajmakcalanska street, where my hiking club Radnički is situated, across old kafana, where we go out to grab a few drinks after club meetings. I particularly like this area because of the interesting mix of architecture. You can see rustic and traditional on the one side, and contemporary and modern architecture on the other. I find this juxtapositions as the very essence of the city’s imperishable charm.