This is a Pannonian city rich in tradition and culture, where everything flourishes and everything is preserved, most of all the relaxed nature of the people. Novi Sad, the capital of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, has a great variety of buildings reflecting different architectural styles. Some of the most important Serbian cultural and academic institutions were located in Novi Sad and still are today: Matica Srpska, the Serbian National Theatre, Sterijino Pozorje, Novi Sad University and many others. In addition, Novi Sad can boast of being a multinational, multicultural and multireligious city to an extent that few others in Europe can. In this city, differences and diversity are considered advantages. A good example is the multilingual Novi Sad Theatre, as well as some departments of the Novi Sad University that hold lectures in the languages of ethnic minorities, as well as courses devoted to their study.

Novi Sad is also a city of science and art. The Novi Sad University has nineteen faculties with departments specialising in all areas of science and the arts. Besides the great number of young people from Novi Sad who study in their own city, the University also draws a great number of students from all over Serbia, as well as from abroad. The city also offers a great variety of museums and galleries, with different kinds of displays and exhibitions. Almost every week a new exhibition opens or a new collection is put on display in one of the museums. No list would be complete without mentioning the Museum of Vojvodina, the Novi Sad City Museum, the Vojvodina Museum of Contemporary Art, the Matica Srpska Gallery, the Pavle Beljanski Memorial Collection and the Rajko Mamuzić Gift Collection. All of these institutions guard a wealth of cultural heritage and attract a great number of visitors, both foreign and local.

Another important aspect of life for the people of Novi Sad is sport. The city and surrounding area offer a great number of facilities for different sports. There are also some sports that are specific to Novi Sad and only played here. One of these is “head tennis” or “headball”, one of the main games played on the beaches during the summer months. The people of Novi Sad are also drawn onto the waters of the Danube in the warm summer months to enjoy sports such as sailing, canoeing, water skiing, jet skiing, or simply relaxing in boats. Novi Sad is one of the most important centres of sport in Vojvodina, with top-level competitors in just about every major sport. One of the most popular of these sports in Novi Sad is volleyball, though others are not far behind in terms of mass-popularity and attendance.

Another characteristic of Novi Sad and its people is that they love to have a good time and party, and there are only a few months during the year without any major event going on. Certainly one of the best-known and most attended is the EXIT Festival, held every July in the Petrovaradin Fortress. Another famous events are the Street Music Festival, “Sterijino Pozorje” Theatre Festival, “Zmaj” Children’s Games, the Novi Sad Spring Horticultural Fair, the Tunnels of Light, the Night of the Museums and many others. All of these events attract a great number of visitors and reflect the spirit and relaxed atmosphere of Novi Sad.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that Novi Sad has a population of 400,000 and is one of the most promising cities in Serbia, if not the most promising, in terms of future economic development.
The three century-long tradition of this city is a matter of pride for its people, and its roots are visible wherever you go. This is one of those rare places where it is possible to live a lifestyle that is both peaceful and dynamic, in a city made to measure for its inhabitants. In this time of haste and modern communications, Novi Sad and its people continue to preserve their relaxed outlook and the peacefulness and friendliness typical of the Pannonian Plain. This is a city where people do everything at their own pace and still, always make it on time.