Central Serbia can be explored through a range of travel interests: wooded mountains and hiking trails, monasteries with a long history, and archaeological traces and unusual landforms. The highlights vary considerably. Rudnik is known for its forests and peaks, while Kopaonik offers guided summer hikes alongside its ski resort. Monasteries tell stories of foundations, coronations and art from different centuries.

Mountain Landscapes and Activities

Rudnik is a defining feature of Central Serbia and the Šumadija region. Dense beech, maple and oak forests are interspersed with clear streams and green clearings. Hiking trails lead to high peaks, including the 1,132-metre-high Cvijić Peak. Ostrvica is a steep-sided volcanic rock formation. Thus, both forest trails and striking high-altitude landforms are among Rudnik’s described landscape features.

Kopaonik is considered Serbia’s leading ski resort and one of the leading ski resorts in the wider region. During the summer season, Kopaonik National Park organizes guided hikes to attractive destinations on the mountain. This means there are two distinct reasons to visit: its ski resort profile and its seasonal hiking offer. If you are specifically interested in a guided hike, take the summer season into account when planning.

Goč also combines nature with regional food culture. Selište is the only lake on Goč and serves as a picnic area. On the slopes, local people gather blueberries and wild strawberries and turn them into traditional fruit preserves. This makes the mountain interesting for travelers who would also like to learn about the local processing of native fruits while enjoying the scenery.

At Ovčar Banja, the thermomineral springs have temperatures between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius. Catamaran trips on the river and hiking tours to the summit of Kablar are also offered there. Catamaran trip dates may vary. The springs, water-based activity and mountain hike offer different ways to plan a stay.

Monasteries and History

The Sopoćani Monastery is part of the UNESCO serial heritage property. Its church frescoes date approximately from 1270 to 1276. This timeframe gives the murals a specific historical context and makes Sopoćani a special destination for travelers interested in medieval art.

Studenica Monastery is considered Serbia’s largest and richest Orthodox monastery. Stefan Nemanja founded it by the Studenica River in the late 12th century. The Church of the Virgin and the King’s Church house valuable collections of Byzantine paintings from the 13th and 14th centuries. The monastery’s foundation and its art history complement each other: one points to the time when the monastery was established, while the other concerns paintings from the two following centuries.

Žiča also has a clearly defined historical connection: the monastery is part of the Council of Europe’s Transromanica cultural route. There, Saint Sava crowned his brother Stefan Nemanjić as the first Serbian king. At Manasija Monastery, meanwhile, the focus is on architecture and written culture. Its fortifications include eleven towers and a moat; the famous Resava School of Orthography, which copied church books, was also active there.

Archaeology and Unusual Landforms

Risovača Cave is an important archaeological and paleontological site in Central Serbia. It offers a different way of exploring the past than the monasteries: the focus here is on archaeological and paleontological finds, rather than the history of a religious community or its buildings.

One unusual natural formation is Devil’s Town. It consists of 202 earth pillars formed by erosion beneath protective rock caps. A 900-metre-long footpath leads to a viewpoint.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Rasina District, Mačva District, Belgrade, Kopaonik, Toplica District, Pčinja District, Moravica District, Pomoravlje District, Jablanica District, Nišava District, Zaječar District, Raška District, Zlatibor District, Šumadija District, Pirot District.

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