? Serbia is a Balkan country located almost in the center of the European continent. Serbia on the map is a small piece of a huge patchwork quilt called Europe. Part of the once-mighty Yugoslav empire. But despite its modest size, Serbia has a lot to see, show and surprise even the most discerning tourist. The best places to visit in Serbia - fortresses, monasteries, lakes, nature reserves, ski and balneological resorts, cities of Roman heritage, national cuisine - will be demonstrated to its guests by sunny and hospitable Serbia. Then, in this blog, we will talk about travel to Serbia, and we should start with a question, what to see in Serbia?
1. Natural Serbia attractions
The Tara National Park - In Western Serbia, almost on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is an amazing mountain - Tara. Bounded by the deep canyon of the Drina River, it rises at an altitude of 1000-1200 meters above sea level. And if you're looking for pristine wildlife, crystal clear air and privacy, this is your journey. Coming here to rest, be prepared for the fact that for many kilometers there will be no civilization. The diversity of flora and fauna allowed Tara to receive the status of a national park. And the stunning views from the observation deck of the Lake Zaovine dam made them the hallmark of the reserve. Lakes Zaovine and Perucac, Banska Stena are the most famous tourist sites of the national park. It is said that a whole village is hidden under the waters of the man-made lake Zaovine. And even now, diving to the bottom with scuba gear, you can see the sunken church. Banjska Stena is probably the most famous observation deck in Serbia. It offers a majestic view of the canyon of the river Drina and lake Perucac, which divides Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition to the obvious natural beauty, Tara will show you the treasures of cultural and historical heritage. The foundation of Serbian alphabet and literature was laid in the Racha Monastery. And during the Second World War, the altar of the monastery kept the oldest Serbian book-the Miroslav gospel, dating back to the 12th century. Medieval tombstones on the plot of Memorie in Perucica recognized as UNESCO world heritage sites.
2. Mountains
Mokra Mountain- Mokra Gora is a small settlement almost on the border with Bosnia, which mysteriously attracts people. Even in the Middle Ages, the atmosphere of this charming place inspired poets to create poems and ballads. And today it is a mecca for creative people and admirers of their talent. Emir Kusturica-known all over the world as a director received the Philippe Ratier Award for an original project, but not a cinematic one, but an architectural one, which he embodied here on Wet Mountain. So there was his dream village Drvengrad. There's a lot to see here. The settlement was based on a typical Serbian village. Now it has 50 wooden buildings, a church and a tower. Wooden houses here are not only houses but also sidewalks. Squares and streets are named after famous people who are loved and respected by Emir Kusturica himself: Nikola Tesla, Diego Maradona, Federico Fellini, Nikita Mikhalkov. Here you will also find cars that were filmed in the films of the owner of the village. For more than seven years, the miracle village has been hosting a film and music festival. To get to Degrada possible by the narrow-gauge railway, which is called Sarganska osmica. It is laid along the gorge in the form of an eight. Hence its name-octopus.
3. Fortresses
Petrovaradin fortress - "Gibraltar on the Danube" - so dubbed Petrovaradinsky fortress, located on the right bank of the city of Novi Sad - the capital of the autonomous district of Serbia Vojvodina. For many centuries, the Austro-Hungarian stronghold served as the arena of battles for dominance in this region, was the border between the Christian and Muslim worlds. The Turks never managed to capture the fortress. The importance of the fort for the Habsburg dynasty was enormous. Built in the 17th and 18th centuries, the fortress is the second largest in Europe and somewhat resembles French military fortifications. The Petrovaradin fortification system has 16 kilometers of underground passages, some of which are now accessible to tourists. The length of the fortress walls reaches 5 kilometers. One of the main Serbia attractions of the fortress is the clock tower. Its peculiarity lies in the "inverted" hands: the large (long) hand shows the hours, and the small (short) hand shows the minutes. A walk through the Upper Town will take you to the officers' Pavilion, the arsenal and the barracks. In the Lower Town, you can see hospitals and officers' quarters. Currently, the powerful citadel has become a place of attraction for lovers of culture and art. Every year, the fortress hosts the Exit music festival, which gathers hundreds of thousands of modern music fans. Here you will be able to visit the Museum of the city of Novi Sad, the historical archive and Observatory.
4. SPA resorts
The Vrnjacka Banja - The resort is located in the south-western part of Serbia and is one of the best tourist and rehabilitation centers in Europe. The water's healing properties of the seven thermal and mineral springs of this balneological resort were known to the ancient Romans. Especially popular is the source, which has a water temperature of 36 and 6 degrees, similar to the temperature of the human body. And it is the only one in Europe. By visiting Vrnyachka-Banya, you will receive a full range of services from diagnosis to treatment and rehabilitation. The resort has a medical center equipped with modern equipment and specializes in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and diabetes treatment. The surroundings of Vrnjacka Banja - Baths are comfortable climate, rich nature and unique architecture. Winters are mild and summers are warm, without the sweltering heat. Medieval architectural structures (monasteries Studenica, Zica, Sopocani) are under the protection of UNESCO. Goch Mountain is a great place for skiing in winter, picnics and walks in summer. The best places to visit in Serbia to relax and improve your health: Sokobanja, Prol-Banja, Lukovska Banja, Bukovica Banja, Gornja Trepca, Ribarska Banja, Vrdnik).
5. Ski resorts
Kapaonik (1700 meters above sea level) is the leader in ski holidays in Serbia. It is not only the most popular resort and the longest mountain range in the country (more than 80 kilometers). This is the business card of Central Serbia. Here you can find so many different routes that only to study the maps you will need a lot of time. The resort is popular with tourists not only in winter, where you can go skiing, snowboarding and paragliding. Located 290 kilometers south of Belgrade, capital of Serbia, it will also enjoy wonderful hiking, cycling and rafting on mountain rivers in the summer. There are many thermal springs at the foot of the mountain range. The keys have a temperature of 36 to 78 degrees Celsius. The landscape of Mount Kapaonik makes the picturesque landscape of evergreen coniferous trees recognizable. The climate of the resort is subalpine. About 200 days a year the sun shines over Kapaonik and its second name "mountain of the sun". In addition to the status of the country's first ski resort, Kapaonik is a national park. There is much to see and admire here. The nature of the mountain is full of rare species of endangered diurnal butterflies and relict plants. The variety of birds nesting here allowed Kapaonik to get the territory most important for birdlife. The season at the resort lasts from the end of November to March. Having a rest here, you will get very good hotels, democratic prices for housing and services, a unique nature saturated with the purest mountain air. And recently, in Kapaonika, there is an opportunity not only to book a hotel, chalet or winter house, but also to buy a property.
6. Monasteries
Valley of the Kings - Serbia, which adopted Christianity in the 7th century, has always played and continues to play an important role in the life of Orthodoxy. Perhaps that is why the country is so rich in masterpieces of religious architecture-monasteries and temples, which will interest lovers of medieval art and ordinary tourists.
Built under Byzantine culture's influence and absorbed the architectural techniques of Baroque and Romanesque, Serbian monasteries are distinguished by a wide variety of styles and rich interior decoration.
More than 200 monasteries in Serbia, 54 of which are recognized as architectural monuments, are under UNESCO protection. Some of them are part of the so-called Valley of the Kings.
The construction of medieval monasteries located between Kraljevo and Novi Pazar's towns in the Ibar River Valley dates back to the 12th and 13th centuries. Three of them are in the list of UNESCO cultural heritage: Studenica, Sopocani and Djurdjevi Berane. Together with the monasteries of Gradac and Zica, they are part of the cultural route “Transromantica”, designed to unite the European heritage of the Romanesque period.
Studenitsa - Currently, it is one of the largest and richest temples in the country. The main attraction of the monastery is the Byzantine-style frescoes dating from the 13th-14th centuries.
Djurdjevi Berane - The monastery was built in the 12th century by the Serbian ruler Stefan Nemanja as a sign of gratitude to St. George. Some of the frescoes of the monastery were transferred to the National Museum of Belgrade, capital of Serbia.
Sopocani - The complex was founded in the 13th century as the tomb of King Uros I and members of his family. During the Battle of Kosovo, the Turks burned the monastery. Now the one-nave Church of the Holy Trinity remains of the church. The fresco " Assumption of the Virgin” in 1961 at the exhibition in Paris was recognized as the most beautiful medieval painting.
7. Festivals
The climate of Serbia is the dream of any resident of central Russia. And the people who live in this Balkan country are cheerful and hospitable. Apparently, this is why a variety of festivals are so popular here, which are held all year round and for any occasion. Visiting such events will be a great opportunity to get acquainted with local residents' traditions and way of life. Serbia is known for its music, cinema, and food festivals. Lovers of wine and raki-the national alcoholic beverage of the Serbs-will be able to enjoy tasting at the holidays dedicated to the grape harvest. Gourmets will taste the delicacies of the gastronomic festivals that are typical for different regions of Serbia. Film festivals attract numerous audiences and well-known filmmakers and provide an opportunity to watch original films and award-winning films. Music festivals gather hundreds of thousands of music lovers from all over the world for concerts of jazz, classical, pop, rock and techno music. Exit - One of the most famous musical performances in Serbia is the Exit festival. Several times it was recognized as the best European music festival. Every year in July, in the most unusual place of Novi Sad Serbia, on the high bank of the Danube in the Petrovaradin fortress, musicians and their fans from the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia gather to have a good “break away” for four days to the music of various genres. The ancient fortress is a beautiful resonator. From late evening to early morning, waves of music can be heard over the Danube. And it does not matter what kind of music you are a fan of. The festival is sure to have a stage where you will hear rock or Latin, reggae or jazz. Or maybe you want to listen to the traditional musicians of Vojvodina - tamburas. You'll find them, too.
101 reasons
All that is written above will not make up even a tenth of what you can see in this Balkan country. Come and Serbia will show you its best places. And what to see in Serbia - you decide for yourself. You may want to take a hike in the mountains. Mount Rtanj will give you a local aphrodisiac - "Rtan tea". On Mount Golia you will see a triangular lake with different water levels. And Zlatar will treat you to a unique white cheese and show you the richly decorated Ushatskaya and Ice Caves, where you can swim on boats. Maybe decide to visit the cities of Roman heritage-Villa Median (modern Nis), Viminacium (Pozharevac), Felix Romuliana (Zaechar), where ancient Serbia history will come to life before your eyes. Lovers of history and art will be attracted by the Serbian land-monasteries and temples (Manasija, Krusedol, Lubostinja, Kalenić, Stary Ras, Decani, Gracanica). Travel to Serbia, learn the history and enjoy the unique atmosphere. Fans of active recreation in Serbia will have the opportunity to test themselves in rafting, cycling and skiing, free climbing. But the biggest trace in your heart will be left by the nature of Serbia with its unique nature reserves (Zlatibor, Fruska gora, Djerdap gorge), beautiful lakes (Palitskoe, Srebrno, Perucac) and great rivers (Danube, Drina, Tisza, Sava, Morava).
