Serbia Adventure Travel Guide: Ideas and Inspiration
PureTravel Says: “The Balkan country of Serbia is a major land route connecting Central Europe to Turkey, it is one of the least discovered European countries for touring purposes. However, with advancement in its tourism sector, Serbia has become one of the major holiday destinations for people who like to indulge in nightlife and multi-cuisine restaurants and those who like to visit architectural wonders, such as those found in Danube and Subotica.”
Holiday Highlights
History & Culture - Visit Belgrade, Serbia’s capital city, and explore Belgrade Fortress and Orthodox Cathedral. Visit the Kalemegdan Park with its zoo and castle, and Princess Ljubica’s Konak, a Turkish architectural piece can be visited. History lovers can spend time in the National Museum (Narodni Muzej), later relax at the Danube River, and enjoy a quiet meal in the floating restaurant along the river.
In Novi Sad you can visit a military base and park at Petrovaradin and enjoy in the Dunavski Park. Religious people can visit St. Mary Cathedral and Fruska Gora Monasteries.
In Sombor, you can enjoy shopping on the main street at Glavnjak and also walk along the historic buildings. At Zupanija, a City Hall takes you back in old Serbian times. Sombor National Museum, National Library, and Veljko Petrovic Gimnasium are some other attractions.
Visit Kragujevac’s sights: the historical building of First High School, the New Church, and the Monument to the Executed Pupil.
Hiking & Mountaineering - In Eastern Serbia, the Homolje Mountain Range is a popular destination for hiking and mountaineering. Use a local specialist tour operator for customized hiking and mountaineering expeditions of short or long distance. On the way to the Homolje Range, you may explore Serbia by visiting different medieval forts, monasteries, peaks, caves, lakes, and mountains. Golija hiking is also popular because of the scenic beauty it presents and you may be able to taste Rakija, a special form of beer, in this region of Serbia. Similarly, regions like Stara Planina, Tara, and Fruska Gora are popular for hiking, mountaineering, and mountain biking excursions.
Birdwatching - Many guided and study tours are organized for bird watching across Serbia. Obesdska Bara in Panonian Basin has more than 220 species of rare birds. You can also enjoy boating while bird watching at Ludasko jezero of Backa region and at Carsca Bara. The white-headed vultures, the species found in the Balkans can be seen near Zlatar Mountain in the Canyon of Uvac River.
Skiing - Adventurers can feel the rush while skiing in Kopaonik ski center in Serbia. Here the track is nearly 45km. During winters, the Zlatibor ski center at Tornik peak is a great place to travel for skiing activities.
Cave Exploration - Exploring the caves of Serbia is one of the popular holiday activities. Many formal and informal caving groups are present in different parts of Serbia and are able to enrol visitors in professional caving experiences. Even cave diving is an adventure activity taught in these groups. Ceremosnja, Risovaca, Belgrade and Stopica are some of the popular caving destinations.
Rafting & Log Rafting - View panoramic views of the mountain Tara while rafting down Drina River. A Joy Ride event is organized on Ibar River in August. You can watch and also participate while enjoying the scenic beauty of curvy green forests along the way. Among many rivers, Lim River is said to be the rafters’ favourite river because of its whirls and its bright hues.
Serbian Wine Routes - See where Serbia’s oldest and most famous wine is made. The heritage varieties like Muscat Croquan, Kederka, and Kevedinka are popular along the Palic Wine Route. Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, and Italian Riesling from Vrsac Wine Route are also famous. Similarly you can explore Smederevo, Oplenac, Negotin, and Fruska Gora Wine routes.
Fishing - The Serbian rivers are full of carp, trout, perch, pike, starlet, and white fish. You can enjoy fishing in various riverbeds like Danube, Morava, Sava, and Tisa.
When To Go
From May to October the Serbian climate is warm and dry. Skiers should visit in the winter season that runs from November to March.
Top Tips
- Take along warm clothes, even in summer months. Sweaters are needed in the evening.
- While visiting shrines, churches, and cathedrals, visitors should wear conservative attire.
- Beware of restrictions on photography in different museums and other places of attraction.
Classic Itineraries
- Explore the cities of Belgrade, Novi Sad and Nis.
- Visit the charming villages of Kosjeric, Lucani and Mionica.
- Mountain resorts include Kopaonik, Zlatibor with Mt. Tornik at 1,460 meters and Tara with mountain peaks, gorges, caves and mineral springs.
- Relax at the Serbian spas of Banja Koviljaca spa, Vrnjacka Banja spa and Prolom Banja spa Djavolja Varos (the Devil's City).
- Culture at the monasteries of Decani which is 17km from Pec on the road to Prizren and is the largest construction of medieval Serbia, the Studenica Monastery near Usce and Monastery Gracanica which is 13km south of Pristina in Kosovo polje.
- Explore ethno villages including the Sirogojno Open Air Museum of National Architecture depicting a traditional Serbian mountain village, Mokra Gora and Trsic museum in the birthplace of Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic.
- Historical highlights include Lepenski vir, a prehistoric discovery, Gamzigrad which is south of the Danube, near Zajecar with ruins of the late-Roman fortress and Sremska Mitrovica, a town on the site of Sirmium which was the capital of the Roman Empire
- National Parks include the Djerdap National Park which stretches along the right bank of the Danube River from Golubacki grad to the dam near Sip, Tara which was declared a National Park in 1981 and is in the mountainous region of Western Serbia and Kopaonik which was also declared a national park in 1981 and is the biggest mountain in Serbia.
- Scenic highlights include Deliblatska Pescara in north-eastern Serbia, Djavolja Varos with stone sculptures and the Zasavica Wildlife Preserve which lies just outside the former Roman settlement of Stremska Mitrovica.
- Go skiing in Kopaonik which has more than 44km of ski tracks and 17km of ski lifts making Kopaonik the leading ski location in Serbia.
- Go bird watching in Obedska bara, a rich and diverse protected wetland area in the Panonian basin.
- Go rafting down the Drina River with stunning views of Mountain Tara.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Stari Ras and Sopoćani
- Studenica Monastery
- Medieval Monuments in Kosovo
- Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius
Travel Resources
By Julie Bowman
