Belgrade, which I visited last week for this year's Epica Awards ceremony, needs rebranding. To be fair, it has already tried, in the form of the slogan «Belgrade – because I love it!» adopted by the local tourist authority. It's a nice try, even if it sounds familiar, but I don't think it really gets to the heart of what Belgrade is all about.
Let's be honest: this is not an easy city to love. It lacks the architectural harmony of Paris or Rome, and many of the buildings are Cold War era monoliths. Nobody is going to come to Belgrade for luxury shopping, monuments or museums – although Tito's mausoleum is not without a certain grim charm.
No, Belgrade needs to be promoted as a party city with a creative edge, a bit like Berlin. The place is incredibly cheap, with taxis that cost a couple of euros. There is a thriving underground club scene; in fact the open-air party boats along the Danube are already a cult favourite. For slightly more mature audiences, there are the lively restaurants of Skadarlija, where you can eat cevapcici sausages while being serenaded by a gypsy band. And the residents have hearts as big as their appetites. In short, Belgrade is my pick for the next hip destination.
By the way, Saatchi London's excellent T-Mobile spot won the Epica Grand Prix. See it and the other winners at www.epica-awards.com
