None of the rivers in Serbia is as attractive to the regatta lovers as the moody green Drina. That’s why from spring until late summer regattas are organized on this wild river with tens of thousands of people participating.
If you find summer, nature, fun and an adrenaline rush on your mind then one of your associations will certainly be a wild river. And if you think of something like that is Serbia then, the road is clear – straight to the river Drina. During July on the Drina you practically can’t miss one of the regattas which aren’t just about going down the water but, are crazy parties with trumpets, socializing and side concerts.
These unique parties start already at the end of June, one the first regattas which proves nothing is impossible on the Drina stars – the Regatta for people with disabilities.
This is one of the rare events of this kind in Europe. In this event 200 people go by boat from lake Perućac to the estuary of Rača into the Drina and this boat trip is followed by sports events as well as hanging out by the campfire with grill and music.
The regattas and fun on the Drina continue in the first week of July with the Loznica regatta which has you sailing down a 17km navigable path from Mali Zvornik to Gornja Koviljača.
The second Saturday in July is reserved for the Regata in Ljubvoija for a decade. The merry crews go down the 40kilometers from Rogačica to Ljubovija followed by the sounds of trumpets this lasts for nine hours.
As an overture for the grand “Drina Regatta” a student regatta which lasts 3 to 5 days is organized in mid July.
The floating caravan with hundreds of students is probably the cheeriest of the regattas that pass down the Drina during the summer. After the descent, the swimming in lake Perućac and the games without borders in the nature the unforgettable student parties continue and the environment provides extra charm.
Within this student regatta field trips are organized to Mokra Gora and Višegrad in which you can find the famous stone bridge of Mehmed Pasha Sokolović (Sokollu Mehmed Pasha) from the end of the 16th century.
This structure which is protected by the UNESCO organization was immortalized in the novel by Ivo Andrić “The bridge on the Drina” for which he got a nobel prize for literature in 1961.
Only a few days of silence announce the most exuberant event – the big and most crowded “Drina regatta” in Bajina Bašta that usually takes place within the last ten days of July. In those days around 20.000 enthusiasts from all over the world go down from Perućac lake to Rogatica in the most diverse vessels. In the 3 days of this regatta all kinds of “boats” can be seen on the river, many of which are made of old things, beds, car tires…
However, the river doesn’t seem to care what the vessels of the regattas are made of, all you need is your imagination and positive energy. The “sailors” of the merriest Drina caravan in the five hours of sailing pass by the Vrelo river, the shortest river in Europe only 365 meters long, and they have the opportunity to see an unusual sight – a house on a rock in the middle of the river! The whole event is followed by the “Most fest” (Bridge fest) in Bajina Bašta which features famous Serbian bands and performers.
During August many local regattas are organized on this river, and the Drina is always ready to carry you on its waves through the forests and cliffs of western Serbia.
How to get to all the regattas on the river Drina?
You can take a bus from the Belgrade bus station to one of the cities on the Drina. To Loznica it will take you about two and a half hours, but to Bajina Bašta or Ljubovija you need around four hours.
If you are travelling from the direction of Belgrade with your own trasport, the fastest way to go is to take the Belgrade-Valjevo-Bajina Bašta road (150 km), although it is also possible to go via Užice (180 km).
When you are already here dont miss…
Going to Mokra Gora, a train ride on the old “Ćira“, the tour around the “Šargan Eigth” rail and the ethno village Drvengrad (Wooden town) in which the famous director Emir Kusturica organizes a film and music festival “Kustendorf“.
If you are in Bajina Bašta during the regattas, don’t miss the Tara National park, where you can breathe in the fresh and sharp air of this mountain and enjoy the hospitality of the locals, try their mountain products and homemade rakija (a kind of brandy). Take the opportunity to visit “Carpet valley” which deflects under your feet because of what the earth is made of.
In the first half of august you cant miss Guča brass festival, one of the most visited and most famous events in Serbia. Guča is 100 km from Bajina Bašta.
If you want to catch the Carp Fish, dont miss the “Skobaljiada” (Carp festival), if competing in telling lies sounds like a challenge for you then, you must visit “Lažijada” (Festival of lies) in Drlače village near Ljubovija. Both events are held in the first half of july.
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