Utopia Belgrade

“How did I not know about this place?” I thought when I started rummaging through the extensive Dada book collection in Utopia bookstore.

The same question was echoing through my mind as I was studying a double DVD with a documentary on the Berlin electro scene in the ‘80s.

Seriously, how? I have no explanation! Honestly, this bookstore has everything I am interested in, plus some more.

Decadent writers? Check!

Punk, new wave, alternative music in general? Check!

Dadaism, Zenitism, Avant Garde? Check, check, check!

Eastern philosophy? Check!

Anarchism, utopism? Yup!

Rare and obscure books? You bet!

Documentaries? Tons of!

Comic books? You name it!

An owner who enjoys sharing interesting stories from his unusual trans-continental life? Absolutely!

The only half-valid excuse for not discovering this obscure treasures trove sooner is that it does a really good job of hiding itself inside a humdrum local mini-mall, between hairdressers and dry cleaning shops, in an equally uninteresting area near Slavija Square.

I feel both amazed and grateful that Belgrade, after all these years, still holds such miraculous surprises hidden in its shabby sleeves. You gotta love this city.

Most of the books are in English, so all you Shakespeare and Company lovers will feel right at home.

The secret is out. You are welcome!