You’ve surely heard of Tara and Zlatibor, you’ve probably visited Belgrade and Novi Sad, and you’ve dreamt of natural attractions such as Uvac. But do the Rosomački lonci sound familiar? What about the village of Vlasi? The Ice Cave? Vrmdža? Karađorđevo? Nothing? Never heard of them? Don’t worry! We’ve prepared a mini guide for the hidden treasures of Serbia!
1. Donja Lokošnica, the Red Pepper Kingdom
The chances are that you’ve tried a pepper from Donja Lokošnica without even knowing it. Barely anyone knows about this little village near Leskovac, but the matter of fact is that it’s a proper Kingdom of the red “nizač”. And the highest quality ground pepper is made from it. How extraordinary, right?
It’s much like in an open-air museum as in Donja Lokošnica you’ll find small village houses the facades of which are covered with thousands of “nizač” peppers. So, if you ever find yourselves in south Serbia, make sure you visit this unusual village near Leskovac. You’ll enjoy the picturesque village and the local traditional cuisine which here contains a lot of this “red treasure”.
2. Rosomački lonci, the vibrant gem of nature
…called also the Rosomača canyon, the Rosomača gorge or the Slavinjski lonci. Yet, it is perhaps the easiest to call it simply: Paradise for all those who love untouched nature and adrenaline adventures! The mere view of the canyon’s “layered” cliffs is enough to put this natural monument on your “list of the places you have to visit”.
What makes this canyon near Pirot special and very attractive are the many pot-like or cauldron-like structures with whirlpools in them. The Rosomača pots (“lonci” in Serbian ) are hidden in the untouched nature of eastern Serbia, more precisely on the mt. Stara Planina. And guess what – they’re waiting for you to discover them!
3. Vrmdža, a phenomenon of the magnetic appeal of Rtanj
We’ve already written about the village in the foothill of the Rtanj mountain, near Sokobanja. Still, interesting facts worth knowing are always good to revise. The thing we’re talking about is the inexplicable force that draws people to this little village.
Is it the phenomenal nature? The clean and crisp air? The sound of the clear mountain stream? Or something else? It’s most likely to be “a little bit of everything”. So, it’s best you head to Vrmdža and discover for yourselves the legends of the supernatural and the inexplicable energy that fills this place. And you can enjoy the unique nature of Rtanj while you’re doing that.
4. The Ice Cave, a fascinating underground castle
With its magical halls, embellishments, pillars and draperies, the Ice Cave (in Serbian “Ledena pećina”) can certainly be called a unique underground castle and a patient artist’s – nature’s – masterpiece. But the adventures and surprises don’t end here!
Bearing in mind that the Ice Cave is hidden below the steep limestone cliffs of the Uvac canyon, you can only reach it one way – by boat. That makes the tour even more exciting and the discovering of this hidden treasure of Serbia even more interesting!
5. The Prskalo Waterfall, the hidden jewel of Resava
If you ever had the chance to visit the Resava region, the kind people of Despotovac and the surrounding villages probably took you on a tour of the Buk waterfall, the Resava cave and the Manasija monastery. And we’re sure you enjoyed it. However, many people simply omit from their tour a hidden jewel and one of the most unusual natural occurrences on Kučaj – the Prskalo waterfall.
The next time you’re enjoying the enchanting Resava region, don’t forget to include this phenomenon in your itinerary. The magic of water and limestone, peace, tranquility and lush nature await you!
6. The Vlasi village, a forgotten paradise
Most people have never heard about the Vlasi village, while the remaining part simply forgot it. It’s all about the nature. It decorates the green Vlachian meadows with fragrant wild flowers and the vast landscapes with vibrant colours.
If you’re wondering what makes this village near Pirot so special, the answer is quite simple. The nature. Here it is preserved in its original form and exactly that makes this place a rare and valuable treasure. Visit this place and relax your senses with a view of beautiful mountains, the soothing sounds of the Jerma river and the intoxicating scent of the various trees which are characteristic for the Vlasi village.
7. The Bač Fortress, a medieval town on water
Barely anyone has heard of this historical landmark of great importance and 14th century fortress. It seems as though everyone forgot about the old fort surrounded on all sides with water. It was even necessary to enter it using draw bridges. This is why it’s high time we remember it.
We would need a lot of pages to write out its long and tumultuous history. But the fact it’s the oldest fortress in Vojvodina says enough. We’ll just say that if you want to discover the undoubtedly important bridge between the present and the past of the plains of Vojvodina, you have to visit Bač!
8. The Temštice canyon, the small Serbian Colorado
Did you know that the Grand canyon of the Colorado river has a double? Here in Serbia? Not by size but by certain features certainly. We give you the impressive Temštice rivera and its canyon whose unusual red cliffs will undoubtedly remind you of the famous Colorado!
Flowing from the heights of mt. Stara Planina to the Nišava, this beautiful river represents a well-kept secret of south-eastern Serbia. Here you’ll find impeccably preserved nature and kind locals of the near-by village of Topli Do. To enjoy this experience to the max, just come with a smile and positive vibes!
9. The Sretenje monastery, the tucked-in diamond of Ovčar
We wouldn’t be too surprised if you were to tell us that you’ve never heard of this monastery. This sanctity is located on the very peak of mt. Ovčar which makes it literally hidden from the public eye. Engulfed in nature’s warm embrace, this monastery stands for one of the most beautiful houses of God on the territory of the impressive Ovčar-Kablar gorge.
The Sretenje monastery was presumably built in either the 15th or the 16th century, but many claimed it happened earlier than that. There is many a legend about how it came to be, and this sanctity is also famous for its built iconostasis, which is rare in Serbian church masonry.
10. The Godina river
No, this river is not actually named “Godina” (Serbian for “year”). Its real name is Vrelo, but it got the nickname “Year” because of its unique length. Believe it or not, this river is precisely 365 meters long. Apart from being one of the shortest rivers in the world, the Vrelo river is a clear transparent little river with a gorgeous waterfall which flows into the Drina river from a height of 10 m. Do you need another reason to visit it?
If you do, here’re a couple of them: an interesting fishpond on the right shore, an old watermill on the left, two bridges, a restaurant next to the very waterfall, the California trout, unique nature and the vicinity of the magnificent Tara mountain and the emerald Perućac lake.
11. Arača, the impressive remnants of a benedictine monastery
After the salaši, the stone roads, forest patches and fields, the tallest and biggest edifice sprouts from the ground. It is the Arača cathedral. The ruins of this fortification, mentioned for the first time in the 13th century, are a true rarity. In the middle of nowhere and surrounded by fields across which deer dart freely, these ruins are not only interesting for the eye but have an interesting history as well.
Today, on an interesting site near Novi Bečej, you have a unique opportunity to see the remnants of an impressive edifice with its massive pillars, arches and a single high tower. It is believed that the town of Arača existed here during the Middle Ages, but nothing is left of it to tell the tale.
12. Karađorđevo, a well-kept secret
The Karađorđevo military facility has always been a mystery for the public eye. The only people who knew about this oasis of peace, hunting and equestrian sports were politicians and high-ranking state officials who used to meet here often. From Tito and Slobodan Milošević to the political leaders of today, every important government official walked along the paths of this beautiful place near Bačka Palanka.
This is why Karađorđevo is a place where you can enjoy the beauty of nature as well as its rich history. Tourists have the option of visiting the hunting grounds, horse farms, the racetracks and its museum. The most important exhibits are the sleds from the time of Tito, photographs of galloping racing horses, the photograph of Queen Elizabeth’s visit and many others.
The list of the amazing and hidden beauties of Serbia is very, very long. Feel free to add your own favourite destinations to out list!
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