Nis Serbia is the third largest Serbian City.  Things to do in Nis Serbia include;

• Nis Fortress
• Skull Tower
• Tinkers Alley
• Stevan Sremac and Kalca Monument
• World War II Concentration Camp
• King Milan Square
• Church of the Holy Emperor Constantine and Empress Helen
• National Museum of Nis
• Watch a Football Match

I was staying within walking distance of Nis Fortress and all the things to do in Nis.  Hotels in Nis Serbia are good value, as a result you should have no problem finding a place to stay.

Nis Fortress

Nis Fortress is the top attraction of Nis.  In fact, it’s an Ottoman style fortress which makes it different to both Belgrade Fortress and Petrovaradin.  Inside there are a few restaurants as well as a park.  An interesting fact about the fortress is that during the first world war the Bulgarians used it as a prison for Serbia patriots.  In addition, opposite the fortress is the Nisava river where you can take a promenade walk.

Skull Tower

Skull Tower is exactly that, a tower made from skulls.  Serbia used to be be part of the Ottoman Empire and at the start of the 19th century there was an uprising to liberate Nis.  However, they were unsuccessful in their liberation of Nis attempt.  As a warning, the Ottomans built a tower from the skulls of the fallen Serb soldiers.  Moreover, the Ottomans were short of skulls, so killed a few extra Serbs to complete the tower.  Today, 59 skulls remain but there were originally 952.

Tinkers Alley

Tinkers Alley is the modern day nightlife district of Nis Serbia.  However, it used to be the craftmen alley of the Nis Bazaar.  For this reason, this street looks like it could be part of old town Sarajevo.  If you visit this street during the summer months it will be lined with tables and chairs therefore perfect for people watching.

Stevan Sremac and Kalca Monument

Steven Sremac was a famous Serbian writer.  In this sculpture he is sat with one of his characters, Kalca as well as his dog.  This is a popular selfie spot in Nis.   Furthermore it’s located in front of Tinkers Alley.

World War II Concentration Camp

When you think of a world war II concentration camp you think of Auschwitz, Poland.  One of the last places you would think of is Nis Serbia.  As a matter of fact it’s one of the best preserved concentration camps from this era therefore a must visit.  In addition to the preserved prisons and watchtowers are the personal possessions of the victims.  If you’ve visited Auschwitz, the amount of tourists may have disrupted your learning experience.  The Nis world war II concentration camp is quiet, for this reason you can take your time and learn about this terrible era.

King Milan Square

At the center of Milan Square is the Monument to the Liberators of Nis.  It’s huge and as a result is a popular meeting point in Nis.  The monument is dedicated to the liberation of Nis both from the Ottoman Empire as well as after World War I.  Milan Square is the central square of Nis and is surrounded by shopping malls, hotels, restaurants as well as bars.  Additionally, Nis Fortress is opposite Milan Square.

Church of the Holy Emperor Constantine and Empress Helen

The Church of the Holy Emperor Constantine and Empress Helen is located in Saint Sava Park.  As a matter of fact, Constantine the Great was born in Nis therefore they built this grand church in his honor.  In addition, this park is surrounded by communist era buildings, as a result those who photograph these buildings will like this part of Nis Serbia.

Nis National Museum

The history of Nis goes all the way back to the Neolithic Age.  You can learn all about the history of Nis up to the present day in the Archaeological Hall of Nis National Museum.  For the latest exhibitions, visit the Nis National Museum official website (Serbian or French).

Nis Serbia Football Stadium

The football team of Nis Serbia is Radnicki Nis.  They play their home games at the Cair Stadium which is a short walk from the city center.  Moreover, the stadium capacity is over 18,ooo.  As a matter of fact Radnicki Nis are one of the top Serbian teams and play in the Serbian SuperLiga.  They are not as famous as Red Star Belgrade or Partizan Belgrade but often finish in the top 4.  It’s worth checking if they’re playing at home when you’re in town.

How to get from Nis to Pristina Kosovo

There are 2 daily buses from Nis to Pristina, Kosovo.  One leaves Nis early morning and arrives around 10 am in Pristina.  Alternatively, there’s a bus which leaves late evening and arrives quite late in Pristina.  For this reason, I chose the early morning bus to Pristina.  The journey time is around 3 hours depending on how long it takes to cross the border.  Furthermore, Serbia don’t recognise the Kosovo border so you won’t officially exit Serbia.  As a result it’s not possible to do this journey in the opposite direction, from Pristina to Nis because you won’t officially enter Serbia.  Of course, if you already have a Serbia stamp you can take the opposite route  (i.e you visit on a return journey from Nis).

Pristina to Prizren