Savamala is a neighborhood that holds many surprises, a place where one never gets bored. One of my favorites among many surprising spots is the short but elegant Koče Popovića Street. Above all I find it appealing because of its looks: a harmonic row of 1920s period buildings whose grandiose stature makes the street look like a small canyon. What is surprising here is that at one end of Koče Popovića is the picturesque but chaotic Gavrila Principa St while on the other opens the square next to the central bus station, never too pretty a sight.

Nonetheless, Koče Popovića seems almost a world apart from its surroundings, a place where not much has changed in almost a century. It is also a spot that offers a respite from the upbeat tempo of the neighborhood, a place to enjoy shades of stone colossi and cold wind from the cellars in the summer or a place to hide yourself from Belgrade’s nasty wintertime winds.

Lately, this short street gained another “layer”: you won’t fail to notice that it is full of people from the Middle East. This is because at its end stands Miksalište refugee aid as well as a makeshift medical center. The two surely add to the specific feel this street has as well as to the sharp contrast between the stately buildings and hard life down on the street.