Exit Festival: The Real Deal with Stephanie Rosa

Stephanie Rosa shares her incredible experience at Serbia’s Exit Festival, including where she stayed and what else she did in the area. Here’s a glimpse into her experience. 

Tell us about yourself! What do you do when you’re not traveling the world? Where do you live?

When I’m not traveling the world, I like to work out and attend festivals. I absolutely love music and I attend as many festivals worldwide as I can. My favorite ways to work out are CrossFit and hiking (which is great because it can be done anywhere!).

How long did you visit Serbia for? How did you spend your time?

I visited Serbia for five days. I spent most of my time at the biggest music festival there, called Exit. Exit Festival is held at the Petrovaradin Fortress, which is the #1 rated place to see in Novi Sad. When I was not at the festival (which started in the evening), I visited the city of Novi Sad, which including seeing Strand Beach and exploring the downtown.What were your most memorable experiences? What were the biggest disappointments?

My most memorable experiences was definitely spending time with the Serbian people at Exit Festival. This festival was celebrating its 15th year, and it seemed as if the entire country was participating. Not to mention that the location, the Petrovaradin Fortress was absolutely stunning and offered the most amazing sunrises.

Aside from that, I was able to enjoy some delicious Serbian food including a national dish, pljeskavica. It’s like a hamburger, and it’s absolutely delicious. Similarly, their national drink is rakia, which is a liquor that is also quite delicious. The Serbian people are all gorgeous and friendly, and they’re all very proud of their heritage.

As far as disappointments are concerned, I didn’t really have many because I did not know what to expect going into the country. The country was inexpensive, and most of my meals were just a couple of USD.

What do you wish you knew before you went?

There’s not a whole lot that I wish I knew before I went. I did some research on the area, which was how I was able to find my hostel. Also, when I travel, I typically make sure that I talk to the local people to find out about local dishes and activities. Because I did this in Serbia, I was able to find their local dishes and local hot spots (like Strand Beach).

Any favorite restaurants/hotels/hostels/sites you’d like to recommend? Tell us what made them great!

I was able to stay at Varad Inn Hostel-Cafe in Novi Sad, which was about 20 steps away from the Petrovaradin Fortress. It was completely redesigned, it was very close to where I needed to be every night, and it was a quick walk across the bridge to Strand Beach and the main downtown area of Novi Sad. Varad Inn Hostel-Cafe was clean, inexpensive, and had the most amazing and friendly staff. Additionally, it was in a very quiet part of the city, which made it feel less touristy. There were lots of small restaurants in the area, and I was able to eat delicious Serbian food for not much money.

Is there anything that women specifically should know before they travel to your destination?

As a woman, I felt very safe while traveling through Serbia. Everyone was very friendly and glad to help out when they could. I would highly recommend staying at the Varad Inn Hostel-Cafe if traveling alone because everything was in close proximity, and I could return to the hostel quickly when necessary.

To read more about Stephanie’s travels, check out her blog: Sights n’ Sounds with Steph.