Užički Stari Grad stands on a projecting rocky ridge, which the Đetinja flows around on three sides. The fortress and river thus provide a striking introduction to the history and landscape of Užice. During your stay, you can consider cultural sites, paths through the gorge and regional specialities as different points of focus.

Fortress and Industrial History

The earliest reliable historical records of the Užice fortress date from the mid-14th century. On 7 March 1983, Užički Stari Grad was entered in Serbia’s central register of immovable cultural properties as a cultural property of great importance. The mid-14th century marks the earliest reliable historical record; the exact date in 1983 refers to its later entry in the register.

Industrial history is also part of the area’s cultural identity. The “Pod gradom” hydroelectric power plant began operating in 1900 and is Serbia’s first hydroelectric power plant. Its building was declared a cultural property of great importance on 14 July 1977. The start of operations and the date of protection represent two separate chapters: the history of the facility and the later designation of its building.

Jokanović House is an ethnographic cultural monument in Užice. The permanent exhibition “The Town House in Užice in the 19th and Early 20th Century” opened there in 1992. Another permanent exhibition, “Partisan Factory of Arms and Ammunition 1941,” is located in the underground tunnels. It opened in 1961 and was expanded and reconstructed in 2011. The exhibitions focus on different periods: urban life in the 19th and early 20th centuries in one, and the year 1941 in the title of the other.

Đetinja Gorge and Trails

The Green Trail runs through the rocky Đetinja Gorge from Gradska Plaža in Užice to Staparska Banja. The route lies in an ecologically significant area within Serbia’s Ecological Network and is suitable for hiking, cycling, mountaineering and relaxing by the river. Its starting point, destination and possible activities give you a practical framework for planning if you would like to include time outdoors in your stay.

Further practical details are available for the route to Staparska Banja: seven kilometres are paved, and all the tunnels along this route are lit. This adds information about the surface and tunnels to help with planning. Gradska Plaža is also the starting point of a promenade connecting Užice city centre with the route of the old railway and the Đetinja Gorge. At Gradska Plaža, there is a lift for families with children, people with mobility impairments and cyclists.

A zipline runs for 375 metres above the Đetinja Gorge and the route of the old railway. This adds another way to include the gorge and the old railway route as themes for your trip.

Regional Specialities and Finding a Hotel

Regional specialities can also add a culinary focus to your trip. Komplet Lepinja, also known as Lepinja “sa sve,” is a speciality from Užice. Užička Pršuta is considered a traditional speciality of the region around Užice. Both names offer a distinct connection to the cuisine of the town and its surroundings.

Will the town’s history—with its fortress, hydroelectric power plant and exhibitions—be the deciding factor, or would you like to plan time at the gorge and on the trails described here? Regional specialities can also shape your travel plans. Consider these themes as different elements of your stay and plan your activities according to your interests. This way, choosing a hotel remains part of your own planning, rather than assuming a fixed itinerary.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Ponikovica, Gostilje, Rudine, Duškovci, Sainovina, Mitrovac, Mačkat, Nova Varoš.

See the broader travel overview: Zlatibor District.