| | | With its tourism industry still rudimentary and its attractions largely unknown and often well hidden, Serbia has a lot to offer to an independent and adventure-minded traveler. In "destinations" section, every interesting sight will be covered in detail, including info on transport, accommodation, photo-gallery etc. The purpose of this page is just to sketch out a brief image of country's attractions and perhaps give you some general idea of what you might find in Serbia. | Mountains | Serbia is located at the very heart of Balkans - which is an old Turkish word for mountain. The largest part of the country consists of mountains, most of them rising between one and two thousand meters above sea level, densely covered with lush deciduous and coniferous forests and inhabited by numerous animal species. The highest peak of Serbia is Midzor on Old Mountain (2169 m) followed by the Black Peak on Kopaonik (2017). Surrounded by untouched forest, nestled in picturesque green valleys around the streams of crystal-clear water, hundreds of little mountain villages are scattered all around the country. |  |  | Pretty isolated and without much contact with the rest of the world, village life still goes on in a pretty traditional way - grazing cows, making and drinking "rakia" (the traditional alcoholic drink) and fighting wolves being some of the common daily activities. |  | | | Just like everywhere else in the world, mountain folk is famous for its witty minds, high spirits and, of course, hospitality. | 
Monasteries Serbian kings started building monasteries in late 12th century, often choosing very scenic and inaccessible locations for their grounds - thanks to this, many beautiful churches have survived long ordeals of bloody wars and devastating invasions, and even today look pretty much as if the last eight hundred years never happened. Hidden deep inside the wilderness, often surrounded by massive stone walls with robust defense towers, monastic life timelessly goes on among the stunning byzanthine frescoes, fragrant incense and echo of orthodox church chanting lingering in the air. Built of sandstone or hand-cut white marble, rock-hewn in the labyrinth of caves or perching on slopes of green hills and hidden valleys, Serbian medieval monasteries offer a unique experience of quiet isolation, pious atmosphere and timeless existence. |  |  | * * * * * * * * * * |  | | | | |
Cities  | Belgrade, for many centuries the border between two powerful empires - Ottoman and Austrian, former capital of Tito's great Yugoslavia, holder of the unfortunate title of the most bombed city in Europe, is definitely one of the most interesting cities in the world. Located at the confluence of two big rivers, with the largest Turkish fortress on Danube, chaotic conglomeration of architectural stiles and the biggest orthodox church in the world dominating the horizon, presents a visitor with an intriguing mixture of East and West. | | Novi Sad, with its distinguishing austro-hungarian air of 18th and 19th century buildings, white clock-tower perching above Danube river, vine cellars, second largest fortification in Europe and a genuine medieval suburb Petrovaradin, is the administrative capital of Vojvodina, Serbia's northern province famous for its flatlands, racing horses and drinking songs. |  |  | Valjevo, the heart of Serbia and the Europe's raspberry capital, Uzice with numerous reminiscences of communist leader Tito, Vrsac with its stunning, unexpected two-towered gothic cathedral and Nish, the birthplace of roman emperor Constantin the great, famous for its beautifully preserved roman mosaics and Cele-kula, the horrifying relict of Turkish terror with human skulls built into the walls, Subotica with its relaxed air, wide promenades, beautiful fountains and excellent architectural examples of art noveau... | | Vranje, of all the cities in Serbia the one to stay under Turkish reign for the longest time, offers some excellent examples of old Ottoman architecture and a lively open market surrounded by cloudy mountain peaks. For real Ottoman spirit head for Novi Pazar, city with numerous old mosques, narrow cobbled streets and wooden buildings, with head-scarfed women gossiping in the doorways, their husbands sitting on little chairs in front of the shops, playing with beads and examining passerbies. |  | Medieval ruins, natural beauties, wildlife  | Golubac fortress in east of the country, at the entrance of the Djerdap gorge where Danube makes an eight-kilometers wide lake, or Maglic fortress on top of the steep hill overlooking the Ibar river, are among the most interesting and best preserved medieval fortifications in this part of the world. The Devils' Town, strange geological formation of hundreds of earth pillars with flat stone caps, is the place around which many eerie folk legends were woven. | Uvac canyon is a famous reserve of vultures, which can be seen, altogether with grey eagles, cruising the sky above. Ruined cathedral Aracha dominating the unspoiled Vojvodinian skyline, numerous clear mountain lakes and cave systems, rugged gorges and mineral springs and spas, national parks and abundant wildlife guarantee a great time for those fond of nature and outdoor activities. |  | Festivals Exit, the large-scale international music festival taking place every summer at the Petrovaradin fortress, Novi Sad international jazz festival, Belgrade movie or avant-garde theatre festivals are guaranteed to satisfy the taste even of the most picky urban-event fans.  | For the more peasant-minded travelers, a number of weird folk festival takes place all around Serbian villages throughout the year. Turija sausage festival, where the largest sausage in the world is made every year, Gucha trumpet festival or Nova Varos cheese festival, rakia festival in Kovilj, pumpkin festival in Kikinda... |  | |
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Serbia - traveling