The most beautiful natural sites to discover Serbia

Tara Park is certainly the most beautiful park in Serbia and one of the main ones in the Balkans, rich in a wide variety of animal and plant species. It is distinguished from other parks by its forests of Serbian spruce (a protected species and classified as endangered), which was discovered by the botanist Josif Pančić in 1875. In addition to spruce, the park is also characterized by primary forests of beech and fir. As for the mountain fauna, they are all here: bears weighing up to 250 kg, chamois taking refuge on the high walls, skilful lynx and reckless eagles. Also wolves, foxes, wild boars and... hedgehogs. Finally, more than 140 species of birds live and grow freely in the park, with some species preserved because they are endangered. As for the flora, it is represented by an omnipresent forest, composed of very high and dark green alpine trees: high firs, pines up to 150 years old, flaming larches and numerous beeches. But the most amazing is the famous pančićeva omorika: a fir tree that grows only in these remote areas, and reaches considerable heights thanks to a special orography. Finally, more than 1,000 species of flowers are present here, a third of the species growing on the territory of Serbia! From daffodils and violets that can be found in all the Alps, to protected species endemic to the region: the božur so purple or the jeremičak with white and ochre colors.

The park is located in the western part of the Vračar municipality. During the First Serbian Revolt of 1806, this was the camp of Serbian insurgents led by Đorđe Petrović known as "the Black", founder of the Karađorđević dynasty. During the assault on the Belgrade fortress and during its occupation, several rebels were killed and buried where the park is today. Some of the graves are still visible today. In 1848, Prince Alexander had a monument built to the glory of these insurgents.

In the continuation of the park, which begins at the extension of the main street Kneza Miloša, there is a forest of the same name where Belgraders walk, picnic and relax almost every day (13 hectares of the tallest plane trees in Europe measuring about 34 meters). In 1831 Prince Miloš Obrenović had his residence built there in a typical Balkan style, mixing oriental and classicist elements. Today, the konak houses a museum dedicated to the first Serbian uprising against the Ottomans.

The Uvac River, nestled comfortably between the mountains of Zlatar and Zlatibor and the towns of Nova Varoš and Sjenica, is especially known for its dazzling meanders.

The best way to enjoy it is to take a boat or kayak ride, as this will allow you to appreciate the full grandeur of the gorge and, at the same time, to follow the flight of many rare and protected bird species, as well as to watch them fly proudly from the cliffs surrounding the gorge. The meanders can be admired from the Uvac lake, created by the construction of a dam. A great view is also offered by the many viewpoints overlooking the Uvac River.
The slopes of the gorge hide entrances leading to several caves, the most important of which create the Ušac Cave Complex, consisting of the Ušac, Ledena, Bezdana, Tubića and Baždarska Caves. This reserve is known as the habitat of the last (endangered) European Griffon vultures, which form their nests on cliffs and in caves overlooking the lake. This area is inhabited by more than 100 pairs and recently other species such as the black vulture and the Egyptian vulture, as well as the golden eagle and the white-tailed eagle have established themselves here, which is great news for biodiversity! The gorge is rich in spruce and birch forests and there are also many species of medicinal and aromatic plants.

On this hill transformed into a promenade, the Germans made, from 1941 to 1943.80 000 men, women and children for their refusal to comply with the new order Nazi. An imposing monument commemorates memories of this tragedy, in a 80 acre park designed by in 1960 Branko Mirkovi ć.

The Gradac river gorge, which stretches south of Valjevo, is one of the natural attractions of Western Serbia. Numerous meanders and significant erosion contribute to form, a few kilometers from the city, interesting canyons for climbing or walking. The walks on the paths cross a dense forest, while below flow the pure and clear waters of the Gradac. Springs proliferate in this favorable environment. We suggest the following walk: start from the Gradac spring called Zelenaca (only 3-7 °C); following the Kolovrat spring, you will arrive at the point called Šareno, where the Gradac association has a bivouac. A night at this place is full of charm, close to three springs and some dantesque whirlpools! The Gradac valley is also popular with fishermen - Degurić and Novaković are their favorite places - and bathers. A few typical Western Serbian waterwheels adorn the route, like the one in Savina, magnified in a poem by Milovan Glišić.

For caving enthusiasts, there is a cave that is still untracked and unmarked: Petnića. Next to the village of Petnica, 8 km from Valjevo, this cave is an important paleontological and archaeological site. The entrance to the cave can be visited without a lamp; the cave is 580 m deep and has 414 m of corridors. In front of the cave, whose entrance is impressive, the site has been developed.

On your way back from Vršac, you cannot miss to stop in this 354 km2 reserve, which is a unique phenomenon in this fertile region: a real desert in the heart of the Balkans! Indeed, this crescent of 30 km in length and 11 km in width is a wide expanse of dunes, covered with a pine forest, where normally should be extended, as far as the eye can see, fields of wheat. It is indeed here that at the beginning of the XXth century, the king of Serbia decided, following the example of Napoleon in the Landes a century before, to plant some coniferous forests, and to bring large quantities of sand: the goal was to offer to the aristocracy of Belgrade the same walks as in Biarritz or in Sologne. The result is beautiful: a desert landscape, with dunes and dry shrubs, alternates with large pine forests. In addition, more than 900 plant species thrive there, with some plants specific to the country called božur, pelen or šerpet. On the marked walks you can also see many birds, but also foxes and deer.

The most interesting place in the reserve is Devojački Bunar. In the village of Vladimirovac on the E70 road, turn right - coming from Belgrade - at the big sign "Plava Dama", then drive 8 km into the reserve. You will pass through very sci-fi landscapes and end up at a relay, with a few rooms and a terrace, the hotel Plava Dama.

Its 12,000 hectares cover the peaks of the highest mountain in Serbia, also a luxury ski resort. The wildest part is difficult to access, but absolutely beautiful.

Kopaonik deserves great hikes, both in summer and winter. Curious hikers can admire the Jelovarnik waterfalls, you can also visit the magical lake Semeteško Jezero or the remains of a 600-year-old church on the summit of Pančićevo (2,017 m).

Like most of Serbia, Zajecar has a beach in the center of the city, which is located on a bend in the Timok River. There is a wide range of infrastructure for activities: sports fields of all kinds and recreational, a mini-golf, a water polo field, a giant chess field, bocce ball, beach volleyball, skateboarding ..., as well as the beach area itself, arranged for children and adults. In short, it is a place that is a hit in the summer, especially since concerts are often given in the evening.

Take the winding road to Lipovica: 20 km to the north you will find the Gornjak Gorge. In a very green setting, the emerald-green Mlava River opens up here into a narrow gorge, with foothills more than 30 meters high. At the foot of a cliff overlooking the Mlava stands the church of the Gornjak monastery. Founded in 1380 by Prince Lazar, this monastery is located in a truly splendid setting and is decorated with wall paintings from the 14th and 15th centuries. It is known in Serbia through the poems by Djura Jaškći, "The Night at Gornjak" and "The Road to Gornjak".

The cave of Resava is the most famous and the most practicable. Opened to the public in 1972, it welcomes every year more than 50,000 visitors, who can see a total of 780 m of galleries and its stalactites, crystal columns and waterfalls. In the main hall, more than 30 m high, there is the highest stalagmite column - 20 m - as well as baths filled with water and chandeliers of stalactites. There is also a coral channel. Visits of 40 minutes. Please bring a woolen jacket as the temperature inside is a constant 7°C.

Since the 19th century, its multiple hot springs between 36 and 46 °C, as well as a high level of radioactivity, have been known to cure asthma, bronchitis and nervous diseases. Treatment and rehabilitation include thermal baths, aerosol therapy and physiotherapy. About 100 doctors, including many specialists, are present in the entire resort. The Sokobanja center is both a hotel and a hospital. With its 35 specialists and an operating room, it is able to treat rheumatism, hypertension and post-traumatic diseases. But Sokobanja is also home to numerous cold, hot and warm mineral springs scattered throughout the site. In the center of the thermal park, where the Park baths were built, there are three springs with water between 42 and 46°C. The Banjica baths, 600 m from the center above the Moravica River, have several warm water springs. Finally, the hotel Zdravljak has a mineral water spring at 20 °C. But above all, Sokobanja has two magical parks, the first along a beautiful promenade lined with old buildings, and the other, wilder, which climbs the mountain. In the center park, the Turkish Hammam is a marvel. Built in the 16th century, it is still in operation. The baths are naturally separated. On the women's side, the mosaics date from the Roman era. Of modest size, the hammam is typical of the Balkans.

In the center of the city, the oldest remains of settlement in this area. The site dates from the 4th century BC; it is formed by several bays and columns of the red brick baths. The Roman baths of Čačak were built in the late 3rd and early 4th centuries; they were restored in the second half of the^5th century and then abandoned in the late 5th century. Later, a medieval cemetery was established on its site. They were discovered during the construction of a building in the mid-1950s.

Six kilometers north of Aranđelovac is the memorial park of the first Serbian uprising. Two hundred years later, the site, a symbol of the creation of the modern Serbian state, was adorned with a fountain with three marble plaques that read "It was at this place that on February 15, 1804, the first Serbian uprising began." in 1954. Thirty years earlier, a school was also built here. A small museum completes the arrangement in a very well laid out site in a pleasant valley. From Aranđelovac, take buses to Mladenovac and Belgrade.

Nature reserve and favorite hunting ground of the communist leader Tito. Established in 1885, it is one of the richest hunting grounds in Europe for fallow deer, stags, mouflons and wild rabbits. Moreover, Karadjordjevo is probably the best equipped in Serbia. You can rent guns, hunting dogs and gleaming 4x4s.

For accommodation and hunting permits , please contact the Military Institution in Karadjordjevo, Tel: (021) 765 254.

The Zemun Park is located in a protected area because of its historical and cultural significance. It preserves the remains of a Roman sarcophagus dating back to the ancient Taurunum, a city that was long replaced by today's Slavic settlement. There are also two religious buildings that housed travelers who were quarantined here during their passage through the Austrian Empire. Here you will find the Chapel of the Archangel Gabriel, in a typical baroque style of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the middle of the park you will find a monument dedicated to Lamartine.

On this small hill, which is now a promenade, the Germans executed 80,000 men, women and children between 1941 and 1943. An imposing monument commemorates the memory of this tragedy, in an 80-hectare park laid out in 1960 by architects Branko Bon and Brana Mirković. The creation of this memorial park began on July 7, 1951. Several tenders for the project of the monument to the victims of fascism were made only to fail. Finally, it was not until 1988 that the monument by sculptor Vojin Stojić was realized.

From Niš, in the direction of Pirot and Sofia, about 14 km, is a part of the imposing canyon of the Sićevačka Gorge. For a distance of 17 km, the river Nišava, the same one that flows through Niš, it cuts a path between rocky cliffs and mountains. If the road leaves few places to stop, do not miss the authentic village of Sićevo, known for its excellent wines and breathtaking panorama. For the next part of the tour, we suggest you to return to Niš by another way, in a loop, through the Jelašnica Gorge. To do this, turn right towards Golobac, 5 km after the end of the gorge (^first crossroads after the gorge). You go up to the ridges by a road in bad condition, but the landscapes are then enchanting. The wild nature, the view on the Suva Planina range, everything contributes to transport you in another world. You can also make this circuit in the other direction. To do so, when turning right towards Niška Banja from Niš, immediately turn left again at the sign "Ploče". It is in these two gorges that the extreme sports agencies in Niš offer you outings. There are several mountain activities: trekking on marked routes above the Jelašnica Gorge, skiing and mountaineering on the Trem and Suva Planina. For overnight stays, mountain cabins are available for RSD 1,000 per night in the village of Donji Dušnik, which is served by buses from Niš.

An archaeological site on the road to Niška Banja that testifies to the brilliance of the Roman Naissus. This summer residence of the emperor Constantine, is no longer in very good condition, but we can see some interesting remains: fragments of the peristyle, mosaics of pavement of some villas, a baptistery and baths have kept something of their original splendor. The adjoining museum houses some valuable pieces, including a collection of 16 statuettes, faithful representations of Roman deities such as Aesculapius, Bacchus or Hercules.

17 km south of Zrenjanin and a short hour's drive from Belgrade, on the way to the capital, is one of the most beautiful nature reserves in Europe. There is an information center at the entrance to the reserve, which is 3 km long. On 1,600 ha, a set of swamps, ponds and streams, offering splendid landscapes and colors, especially in autumn. It is the largest fish pond in the Balkans and represents a real reservoir for river fish. Some of the species preserved here are the delight of zoologists from all over the world. But Carska Bara is most famous for its protected areas where the birds stop before the winter migrations: it is a beautiful sight, because all the bird species meet here on their way to the north. The reserve has 250 species of birds fluttering freely: the stars here are the cormorants, pelicans and wild geese. The reserve is well laid out for walking, with many small wooden bridges along the way.

Carska Bara offers a wide range of activities: bird watching from wooden boats and watchtowers, photo safaris, boat trips from the landscape park to Stari Begej, and, for the more sporty, tours of the park on horseback or in a carriage.

Sport fishing is allowed, but only in certain areas.