- 07. Feb 2019.
5 reasons why Serbia should be on your bucket list for 2019
Situated on the crossroads of Eastern and Central Europe, Serbia is truly a land of rich history and cultural heritage, incredible natural beauties, friendly people and amazing food!
Here is the list of 5 reasons why is right time for You to visit Serbia this year:
1. Intact Nature
If you are tired of urban architecture, hustle and bustle of big cities, and are looking for an escape outdoors, Serbia is without doubt right place, that may fit all your needs for affordable budget. With awe-inspiring mountains, breathtaking landscapes, canyons, rivers, gorges, springs and waterfalls, Serbia represents a paradise for real nature lovers (or seekers).
Every part of the country has its own natural beauties. In Northern Serbia that's Fruska Gora Mountain and Deliblatska Sand, while in South part, Devil's Town is one of the most attractive natural phenomena within Balkans. West and East part of the country are also full of breathtaking landscapes, mountains and hidden gems. In East Serbia, the most popular destination is Iron Gate Gorge, the largest and most beautiful gorge in Europe. Except Iron Gate, Krupaj Spring and Lazar Canyon are renowned for their pristine nature and magnificent beauty. West Serbia is popular nature getaway destination with its mountains, rivers, lakes, hundreds of splendid viewpoints and infinitive vivid landscapes. Uvac Nature Reserve, Tara National Park with Mokra Gora and Sargan 8, Zlatibor and Zlatar Mountains are top destinations in this part of the country.
2. Medieval Monasteries and Fortresses
Besides being a paradise for nature seekers, Serbia is a great place for history lovers and visitors interested in cultural heritage, fortified cities, medieval monasteries, etc. From North to South, there are more than 200 monasteries. The majority of Serbian orthodox monasteries were built in medieval period during the reign of the first Serbian Royal Dynasty - Nemanjic (XII-XIV century). Among all of them, the most significant and beautiful ones are: Studenica (XII), Sopocani (XII), Manasija (XV), Ravanica (XIV), Gracanica (XIV) and Decani (XIV century).
Due to the fact that Serbia is located at the crossroads of Eastern and Central Europe, and that the second largest European river, the Danube, is flowing through its territory (588km), from ancient time Serbia was on the military map of many Empires such as: Romans, Austro-Hungarians, Ottomans, etc. This situation led to construction of many fortresses built by different nations. The most impressive ones are located on the coasts of the Danube River: Petrovaradin Fort (Novi Sad), Kalemegdan Fort (Belgrade), Smederevo Fort (Smederevo), Ram Fort (Veliko Gradiste), Golubac Fort (Golubac), Fetislam Fort (Kladovo). Apart from these ones located on the legendary blue Danube, in Serbia you may also see: Bac Fort (Bac), Maglic Fort (Kraljevo), Stari Ras, etc.
3. Country of Great Hospitality
Every tourist has its own assumption about a country and people before visiting. When it comes to Serbs, preconceptions are mostly negative, due to the negative image presented by media during and after Yugoslav War. The image created by propaganda is totally contrary to Serbian people. Serbs are renowned for being intense, passionate, patriotic, but above all else for their hospitality, especially in contact with the foreign travelers. The main proof of this is the fact that the majority of visitors said that the best thing about Serbia are its people, because they are the one who make the country as it is. No matter if they know you or not, if they see you for the first time or not, it's most probably that they will do their best in order to help you feel comfortable, as you've never even left home.
4. Fabulous Food
It is no secret that food is one of the universal languages of the world. If you decide to visit Serbia, one thing is for sure, traditional cuisine will never leave you hungry. Serbian gastronomy is derived from mixed traditions, influenced by oriental, central European and Balkan cuisines. During its tumultuous history, Serbia was occupied by different Empires and every one of them gave the influence to nowadays Serbian cuisine. That's why in Serbia you will have the great opportunity to try some dishes, that you maybe already tried in some well-known tourist destinations, but believe, here the food is even better, because Serbs put a part of their soul in every meal they prepare. Food and gastronomy are really important part of their lives. Every kind of meat, especially grilled, baked and roasted meat, peppers, basil, horse radish, vegetables are used in abundance in Serbian traditional cuisine.
*Recommendations which dishes to try during your stay, you may find in our blog "When in Serbia, Eat and Drink like Serbians Do."
5. Festivals and World Famous Nightlife
Serbia is a country well-known for its numerous festivals and endless parties. Long tradition, positive energy, amazing food, dancing from dusk till dawn are main reasons why Serbian festivals are popular not only among Serbs but also foreigners from all around the world. Exit Festival, organized every summer on Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, is without any doubt one of the most visited festivals in the whole Eastern Europe. Except Exit: Guca Trumpet Festival, Belgrade Beer Fest, Love Fest in Vrnjacka Spa, Nisville Jazz Festival, Leskovac Grill Festival are festivals for which Serbia is famous for in Balkans. Not only festivals are place for having great time in Serbia, Belgrade is the center of world famous nightlife, city that never sleeps. River floating clubs, bars, pubs and discos are one of its top attraction and the reason why people from all around world are coming to Belgrade and Serbia.
We hope to see you soon here!