Historical power: Top 20 attractions in Serbia

Belgrade Fortress (Belgrade)

Any more or less large settlement in ancient times needed fortresses, because invaders from all parts of the world sought to seize new territories. The capital of Serbia was no exception.

Now it is the most famous landmark of the country, the Belgrade Fortress, which was repeatedly destroyed and finally restored in the XX century. It was owned by Byzantines, Hungarians, Bulgarians and Turks.

Now the fortress works as a historical museum complex, which includes Kalemegdan Park, Upper and Lower Towns. There is also a military museum, which presents countless exhibits - different types of weapons, from medieval catapults, crossbows, nuclear cannons and self-shooters to modern bombs and missiles. There are also the remains of the Metropolitan Palace, the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the chapel of the gunpowder storehouse gate and many towers. One of the symbols of Belgrade, the Victory Monument in honor of the victory over the Turks, stands on the territory of the complex.

National Museum of Serbia (Belgrade)

For travelers who like to combine pleasant and useful in their travels, we recommend visiting the National Museum of Serbia, the largest museum in the whole country.

The museum was founded in 1844. Currently, its collection numbers about 400 thousand exhibits, including paintings and engravings of famous European artists, such as Picasso, Matisse, Degas, Renoir, Rubens, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Rembrandt and others.

Nikola Tesla Museum (Belgrade)

Nikola Tesla is considered not only the most famous Serb, but also perhaps the most famous scientist in history. His discoveries turned the world upside down, and some of his ideas were so brilliant that all the minds of mankind are still unable to realize them.

Interestingly enough, Nikola Tesla has never been to Belgrade or Serbia, but this does not prevent Serbs from loving and being proud of their countryman. In the center of the Serbian capital since 1952 there is a museum dedicated to Tesla's life and scientific activity. It is almost the only place in the world where the real things of the inventor are kept: notebooks, schemes, drawings, clothes, etc. There are also working models of Tesla's devices and a container with his ashes. The museum contributes in every possible way to everyone who is engaged in studying the activities of the scientist who "invented the XX century".

Uvac River

One of the amazing wonders of Serbian nature, the Uvac River is an unusually shaped river, like a wriggling giant snake. The bottled waters of the Uvac, however, do not carry any danger, but only flow, looping photogenically between the rocks.

Above them, huge white-crowned vultures, which in the 90s decided to die out, but changed their mind after Serbian enthusiasts promised to feed them regularly. They kept their promise, so if you arrive at the reserve at a good time, you can watch this not very appetizing, but certainly fascinating process from afar.

Devil's Town (Kuršumlija)

Javolja-Varoš or "Devil's Town" is one of the most interesting natural attractions in Serbia. The group of bizarre rocks, formed as a result of weathering and erosion of rocks, is located on the slope of the Radan mountain range in the south of Serbia, and represents 202 stone pillars up to 15 meters high, with massive stone blocks on top of them.

The place looks really unique and fascinating.

Fruška Gora National Park

Fruška Gora has received the status of a national park because of the huge number of rare trees and shrubs on its territory. On 22,000 hectares in the local forests there are roe deer, deer and birds. And even before 1941, about thirty monasteries were located here. So far 17 of them have been partially restored.

In the park spreads recreation with tents, photo shoots and walks in the arms of nature. Numerous restaurants and cozy cafes, which you can find by following the signs, offer guests delicious Serbian cuisine. Here you can relax from the hustle and bustle of the city and have a great time.

Resava Cave (Despotovac)

Resava Cave is one of the largest and most beautiful caves in Serbia. It is located 20 km from the town of Despotovac, at an altitude of 485 meters above sea level.

The cave was discovered in 1962, and its construction took almost 10 years. The length of the cave is 4.5 km, but only 2850 meters have been explored by scientists. The circular tourist route is 800 meters long. In the upper gallery of the cave there are four observation halls featuring fossilized waterfalls, columns, stalagmites and stalactites.

Kopaonik National Park

In winter, Serbs head south to the country's largest mountain range and biggest ski resort for skiing and snowboarding. Ravni Kopaonik, the resort's main ski center, is 1,700 meters high, and the highest station, Pančićev vrh, is at an altitude of 2016 meters.

There are 11 kilometers of ski slopes. Chair elevators continue to operate even after the snow has completely melted, as the national park remains a popular destination, attracting outdoor enthusiasts looking to explore the mountains on foot or by mountain bike. Bird watching is another popular activity here.

Drvengrad (Užice)

The village of popular movie director Emir Kusturica, also known as "Drvengrad", is an ethno-village built for the filming of the movie "Life as a Miracle" in 2004. It is recommended to watch the movie before visiting.

The ethno-village is made of stone, wood and other materials, but in a way that repeats or continues the tradition of building a Serbian village. To build otherwise in such places is simply forbidden. Now there are about 30 houses, a movie theater, a museum, restaurants, a spa, a mini-market and a house of Kusturica himself, where he lives during his visits to the village.

Various cultural events such as music, theater and film festivals take place here. Every year in August, the Kustendorf Festival is held here, attracting thousands of tourists from all over the world.

Zika Monastery

Any tours in Serbia consider this site as a valuable point in the tourist itineraries. The Zika Monastery, built in the early 13th century, can be called a truly unique historical site. Stefan, the first autocrat of the country, was crowned here, and Serbia acquired the status of a kingdom.

According to legend, a total of seven holders of the country were crowned here. After the ceremony was over, the door through which the new king passed was immediately bricked up for a long time. Today, the Church of the Holy Savior, with its purple color and grandeur, reminds visitors of the invincibility of the spirit of Christians who gave their lives for the faith and shed their blood for Serbia.

Petrovaradin Fortress (Novi Sad)

Novi Sad is a city of museums, galleries and monuments. The main attraction here is the Petrovaradin Fortress - a powerful fortification, also called the Hungarian Gibraltar, was founded in 1692.

It was here that the decisive battle between the Turkish and Austrian armies took place in 1716, and the Austrian victory ended the Turkish threat to Central Europe. The fortress took almost 100 years to complete and in addition to the outer walls, there are 16 kilometers of underground tunnels.

Currently, the fortress houses a city museum, an observatory and a planetarium. Since 2000, the State of Exit music festival has been held in Petrovaradin Fortress every summer.

Tara National Park

For a truly dramatic wilderness experience, travelers can set out to explore the mountains and gorges of Tara National Park, where the Drina River forms a natural border with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In this pristine karst landscape, spruce, birch, pine and juniper forests cover hills rising to nearly 1,525 meters. It is also home to 53 species of mammals and 153 species of birds, and the bears, chamois and roe deer that inhabit the reserve are protected by law.

If you want to ride the park's 200 kilometers of biking and hiking trails, you can rent bicycles from the tourist offices in Mitrovaca and Baina Bašta.

Jerdap Gorge

The Djerdap Gorge is an extremely picturesque place, reminiscent of Montenegro and Norway at the same time. The gorge is a gorge of the Danube, surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains on one side and the Old Planin Mountains on the other.

Here is located a hydroelectric power plant better known as the "Iron Gate". It is unique in that it is located right on the border between Serbia and Romania, and the energy produced here is shared equally between the two countries. In the surrounding area you will find many observation decks, restaurants and recreation centers, thanks to which you can stay longer in this amazing place.

Medieval Fortress (Smederevo)

Smederevo fortress was built back in the XV century. It is said that the idea of its construction belonged to a woman, but this information seems to be just a good legend. The huge fortress to protect the town of Smederevo, which was practically the capital of the country at that time, was built very quickly. It required extremely strenuous efforts and the workers were exhausted to death, calling the construction and the wife of the Serbian ruler ordering the work to be accelerated "cursed".

Today, the fortress is a masterpiece of Serbian medieval architecture. There are constant excavations on its territory. Recently, the tomb of an unknown noble lady, decorated with jewelry, was unearthed in the cellars of the buildings. In summer, performances and parties are held here, and the mysticism of the place turns them into unforgettable events.

Manasseh Monastery (Despotovac)

Manasseh Monastery was built as a fortress due to its location. However, no matter how high and powerful the walls were, the monastery was repeatedly plundered and destroyed. And yet, despite the continuous conflicts, the novices of the monastery tried not to change their way of life. They combined religion with science, for Manasseh was considered the cultural center of Serbia for over a hundred years. Here they translated manuscripts, copied books and painted icons.

Empires collapsed, one army defeated another, but the monastery continued to exist, and it still exists today, being a monastery of monks and a popular tourist attraction.

Ada Ciganlija (Belgrade)

Ada Ciganlija, or Ada for short, is a river island on the Sava River in Belgrade, artificially transformed into a peninsula.

Due to its location 4 km from the center of Belgrade, the island, after draining the marshes, has turned from a place of punishment into a popular recreational area, known for its beaches and sports facilities. In summer, up to 100 thousand vacationers visit it every day.

You can book a hotel in Serbia with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

Chele Kula Tower of Skulls

Cele Kula is a rather creepy, yet unique attraction. This place is a witness to the time of the first Serbian uprising. The tower was built by the Turks from the skulls of Serbs killed in the battle on Mount Cegar. This monument of Serbia carries a huge weight for the locals.

Visiting such monuments as Chele Kula, you can feel on your skin all the bloodiness and horrors of the battles that made history.

Pokajnica Monastery (Bolshaya Plana)

This unusual wooden monastery is one of the few monuments of wooden architecture. The church of the monastery was built in 1818 by Prince Vujica Vulicevic and dedicated to the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas.

The very name of the church symbolizes the act of repentance of the Prince of Smeredevo, who, shortly before the foundation of the church, became an accomplice in the murder of his godfather Karageorge. By the middle of the 20th century, the church was a parish church, and then a monastery was founded here. A few more years later, Pokajnica was officially included in the list of sites of exceptional historical significance.

Vrnjačka Banja (Raš District)

Serbia in January is famous for its balneological resorts, where you can warm up in warm thermal waters even in winter. Vrnjačka Banja is one of the health resorts where people come for a relaxing vacation and, of course, to improve their health.

It is noteworthy that the temperature of the thermal springs here is 36.5 degrees all year round, which fully corresponds to the temperature of the human body.

The resort has a developed European infrastructure - there is everything not only for treatment, but also for a good rest: hotels, restaurants, stores and souvenir stores.