The Serbian dating scene is equally exciting and confusing. Thankfully, I am here to reveal all the insider tips and secrets to successfully dating Serbian women. I already wrote an in-depth guide to the latter; make sure to check it out here.
After spending plenty of time in the country, talking to locals, going out with Serbian women, and watching my foreign friends succeed or crash and burn for completely avoidable reasons, I’ve learned there are a few unwritten rules worth knowing.
I’ll also share the best places to meet Serbian women, both online and in real life, along with the mistakes that can ruin your chances before the first date is even over.
So, let’s get straight to today’s topic and learn more about the dating culture in Serbia!
Serbian Dating Doesn’t Always Feel European
Yes, geographically Serbia is in Europe. And even though the country is not in the European Union yet, you’d still expect the dating culture to be more European and less traditional.
But if you expect casual hookups and girls in monokinis (loose morals seem to be what people expect from us Europeans), you are in for a big surprise! Serbian women are very classy and traditional.
They are anything but one-night stand material, though they are certainly wifey material. I mean, they are one-night stand material, but they will rarely – if ever – accept such casual hookups.
The Serbian dating scene is much more purposeful than what you are used to in the West. If a girl chooses to give you a chance, it will be because you fit her standards for a long-term partner.
That might scare you – and it’s ok. I don’t appreciate thinking about a wedding on a first date, either.
The good news is that she won’t go that far either. Still, she will approach every relationship with the long term goal in mind (which, yes, might also mean marriage).
To impress a Serbian girl you would need more than a nice blazer and a disarming smile. Think of what a woman would be looking for in a husband/steady boyfriend. You want to represent that.
Some of the qualities she expects to see are:
Integrity – Don’t tell lies/half-truths to impress her, especially not about things that are easily verifiable. Girls have FBI-level stalking skills and once she discovers your little white lie you would have no chance with her.
As a bonus point, you will turn into one of those stories she tells her girlfriends while they are complaining about modern men.
Bold Leadership – Careful here. You want to take the lead but not push her around. Since this is a traditionalist culture, the Serbian dating scene is very permissive of guys making decisions for their date.
If anything, you are expected to do so. One sure way to improve your chance of getting a date is to suggest an actual plan – say ‘Do you want to go to dinner at X restaurant with me tonight?’ instead of ‘Want to grab dinner with me sometime?’
You don’t want to seem pushy or the only person who makes decisions, but it always helps to show some initiative and always have a plan.
Stability – You get bonus points on this one just for being a foreigner. Few girls (if any) want to date a broke guy – it has nothing to do with them being materialistic or gold diggers.
Of course, you don’t have to be a millionaire, either. What you do need is a steady job or a vocation that impresses her.
If you are only a student but you pursue that career passionately, that still looks pretty good in her eyes. Living without any aspirations, though, is one of the biggest turn-offs in Serbian dating.
Also read: The Ultimate Guide To Dating Georgian Girls
Best Serbian Dating Websites & Apps
While in Serbia, most of the dating is made within one’s social circle (which includes LOTS of people as Serbians are amazing, social people), this doesn’t mean that there’s no way for outsiders to get a piece of the pie.
Actually, dating has gone online recently – thanks to the situation the world is in and the normal technological advances. Yes, dating websites might seem like a thing of the past but THEY WORK.
You have better chances at scoring a girl through one of these websites because those there are actively looking for a date. Makes sense, right? Fewer headaches when you go straight to the point! So let’s see what your options are!
International Cupid
If your goal is specifically to meet Serbian women before arriving in the country, or if you’re interested in long-distance dating that could eventually become something serious, International Cupid is still my favorite recommendation.
Best parts? Fake profiles and scammers are an exception to the rule thanks to the multiple streams of verifications users have to go through.
Of course, we also have the fact that all ladies here are actively looking for a relationship – so no worries you might get friendzoned or that she has a boyfriend.
The bottom line is that you will be extremely satisfied if you choose to check it out – lots of beautiful Serbian ladies are there, speaking English and without any serious competition to worry about.
Tinder
Once you are in Serbia, Tinder is also a popular choice, especially in larger cities like Belgrade or Novi Sad. Women on Tinder won’t be as ‘easy’ as you might be used to, though.
Unlike the U.S. and Western Europe, Serbian dating through Tinder is not hookup-centered. These are simply single girls looking for an interesting guy. However, Tinder is a lot more difficult and more of a hit-or-miss type of service.
It sure requires you to spend a lot of time finding the right girl, which might end up proving to be a fake. This happens everywhere, as it does with free services.
Also, there’s a lot more in terms of competition, so unless you have the looks and/or style on your side, things will be a bit more difficult there.
Although this is not an issue limited to the Serbian dating scene, fake profiles are quite common (especially if it’s a free service as those tend to have poor security). The usual common sense rules apply.
- Don’t send money to people you don’t know.
- Always ask for Skype or any sort of video call to confirm that she is who she says she is.
- Look for profiles that are filled out with actual information, not generic stuff like ‘I enjoy long walks on the beach.’
- And most importantly, if your gut feeling tells you that something is off, trust yourself.
Call it a sixth sense but when things don’t feel right they usually are not.
Also read: Read This Before Dating a Greek Woman
The Club Scene
Club hookups are just as popular in Serbia as they are anywhere else in the world. Bear in mind that there are two types of clubs – the turbo-folk and the top 40-style places.
Turbo-folk, Serbia’s ‘finest’ musical export, is really more than just music. It’s a culture of flashy clothes, drinking industrial quantities of rakija, and showing off your wealth (no matter if you are actually well off or not).
The music itself is not that bad, but then again that comes from a foreigner.
For Serbian chicks at these clubs, hedonism rules. They tend to be the gold-digger type but also the kind that has ridiculously muscular, tattooed, skinhead-kind-of-vibe boyfriends.
Not all Serbian men are like that and not all women like those, so if you’re not exactly that type you still stand a chance.
Trying to score a girl at a turbo folk club is trickier than you expect, even if you have the means to own the kind of watch/order the sort of whiskey that would impress her. Not to mention that at the end of the day, she might very well turn out to only be after your money.
The other clubs are the generic type that you find all over the world.
A bit of hip hop, a bit of Beyoncé, maybe some rock (but only the top hits) and a more international crowd. Girls at these clubs are interested in foreign culture; they have often traveled more, and they tend to speak better English as well.
In my opinion, these are the ones you should be looking for.
Talking Up Girls On The Street? Hmm…
Everyone seems to have a different story about approaching women in Serbia, but after spending plenty of time there, I came to one conclusion: this isn’t the easiest country in Europe for cold approaches.
On the one hand, it’s not very common – people in Serbia mind their own business and rarely look for friends/more than friends outside their existing social circle.
If you decide to go talk to random girls on the street you have the surprise factor and most will be way too nice to turn you down immediately. On the other hand, Serbian women are masters of ‘leading you on’.
Yes, there is a reason I put that phrase in quotes. Serbian girls are more feminine and delicate than your normal Western woman.
They are not into a direct confrontation (at least not in this context, though they can be quite fiery if truly provoked).
Say you approach a girl on the street or in a café. Chances are she will smile sweetly at you, maintain the conversation for a few minutes, and then slip away at the first opportunity that comes up if she’s not interested.
You might have even scored her number in the process but that does not mean she will answer any of your calls or messages. Well, at least they are polite about this!
That catches plenty of foreign men off guard. Back home, they might assume they absolutely nailed it. Then they never hear back and wonder what happened. Nothing happened – she simply wasn’t interested.
Don’t take it personally, don’t send ten follow-up messages, and definitely don’t start asking why she isn’t replying. Accept it, move on, and enjoy the rest of your trip.
Also read: The Ultimate Guide to Hungarian Girls
First Date Etiquette
If you’ve managed to get a date, congratulations! Now comes the easy part, provided you don’t sabotage yourself with behavior that might be perfectly acceptable somewhere else.
The safest choice for a first date is coffee or something similarly low-brow.
Serbia has one of the strongest café cultures I’ve experienced anywhere in Europe, and people can happily spend two hours over a single coffee without anyone rushing them out the door. That relaxed atmosphere makes it easy to talk and get to know each other without the pressure of an expensive dinner.
As for paying the bill, my advice is simple. Offer to pay and insist on paying. Many Serbian women will insist on paying their share, and plenty are perfectly happy splitting the bill. Still, making the offer comes across as good manners rather than some outdated display of masculinity and is, in most cases, expected.
If she insists on paying for herself, don’t turn it into an argument though and accept. Just be sure that she really means it and doesn’t just say it to keep appearances.
Dress well, too.
You don’t need a designer wardrobe, but turning up in worn-out shorts, flip-flops and a crumpled T-shirt tells the other person that you didn’t put much thought into the evening and is totally unacceptable.
As you will see, Serbian women make an effort when going out – even if it’s “just” for coffee – and matching that effort shows that you care about her.
Being punctual also matters – being even 5-10 minutes late will send wrong signals. She might be late, that’s a different story – you shouldn’t!
One final tip that has served me well is to leave politics out of the first date (and many more to come, if possible).
Interest in Serbian Culture = One-Way Ticket to Her Heart
The ultimate life hack for dating Serbian women is simply some interest in their country and culture.
Eastern Europe is a complicated place, politically and historically speaking, and people here are much more attached to national values than they are in the West. Let’s not forget that war is a very recent reality for most Serbians.
They are all about national pride and presenting their homeland in the best way possible.
You don’t need any knowledge of history or politics to impress your Serbian date, though.
In fact, the less you know, the better. Ask her questions – what are the best places to see, the tastiest foods to try, the phrases that you have to know.
One fun way to break the ice is to ask about bad words. You will make her laugh because of your accent and swearing in Serbian is surprisingly satisfying, too. Must be all the rr’s and ss’s.
Also read: My Guide to Dating Russian Girls
Wrapping up
However you choose to meet and date Serbians, remember that the Serbian dating scene is supposed to be fun (and it is).
Don’t take rejections too personally and enjoy seeing the girls that do say yes. And hopefully you know a lot more about dating is Serbia than you did before starting to read this article and you’re all set.
Good luck and looking forward to hearing your stories in the comments below.