Sofia doesn’t appear to have quite the same recent historical turbulence, but neither city has packaged an identity for selling on; neither, therefore, feels ‘touristy’. In the UK, we’ve had centuries of political and social consensus allowing national and cultural obsessions to develop and inform the navel gazing which has spawned a collective narcissism and pop culture, and a hothouse for attractions to erupt with all manner of trivial themes. So there. In ‘not so well off’ economies and in cities recovering from purges and invasions, tourism struggles or simply doesn’t exist.
A city without tourism is easier to imagine than to experience. Belgrade’s fort is spectacular, but the Tesla Museum comes closest to being a bona fide ‘tourist attraction’, complete with interactive exhibits and Tesla groupies (once the tour finished, the Museum’s four smallish rooms were assailed by a lone snapper, swooping display cases with tablet rigidly held out like a pillow ready to tackle a bloodless, tough old relative threatening to re-write their will). But it seems very odd in this accommodating and communicative stance.
The other odd thing about the Tesla Museum? It’s located in Belgrade for no other reason than Tesla was, by birth, Serbian. The inventor’s effects (including, somewhat mawkishly, his ashes) have been brought back to the city, and, err, that’s it. He apparently visited Belgrade once, but did none of his sciencey magic here, or anything else remembered by the museum or biographies. Until the museum was erected in rememberance.
Examples of tourism in Belgrade and Sofia:
(Bar actually may have a tourist winner in Stari Bar - its old town. I didn’t visit…. I did, however, visit Café Mozart - very nice too - though the only thing I could find linking Mozart and Montenegro was another Café Mozart, up the coast in Budva).
Belgrade has a fair few attractions, though most of these - including the Contemporary Art Gallery and National Museum - were closed.
Great writing, this.
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