Tourism in Serbia

Serbia stretches across two geographic and cultural regions of Europe: Central Europe (the Pannonian plain), and Southeastern Europe (the Balkan peninsula). This boundary splits SerbiaDanube and Sava rivers. The northern parts of the republic are Central-European lowlands while the southern and central parts are mostly mountainous. There are more than 15 mountain peaks rising to over 2,000 metres above sea level. The navigable rivers are the Danube, Sava and Tisa. A moderate continental climate predominates, with a more Mediterranean climate in the south. roughly in a ratio of 1:3 alongside the

The variety of scenery and cultural and historical monuments, curative spas, hunting grounds and fishing areas give the basis for Serbia's tourism. International roads and railway lines link Western/Central Europe with Greece, Turkey, the Near East, Asia and Africa. The main air transport routes between West and East and North and South cross this country, too.

The Serbian lands were the crossroads of various civilizations in the past, with different spiritual, architectural, artistic and cultural influences. Serbian culture and its historical heritage is diverse because of mixture of various influences. Numerous prehistoric and classical monuments represent some unique examples of the changing times (Vinca culture, Starcevo culture, Lepenski Vir, etc). Serbia is a land of natural, historic, cultural and ethnic contrasts. The northern lowlands (the province of Vojvodina) form the Central European part of the country. The Fruška Gora hills are the only mountains in that part of Central Europe.Central Serbia is characterised by fields, hedges, orchards and meadows. Southern Serbia has bigger mountain ranges with wide river valleys and hollows. The altitude of some of the mountains is over 2,500 m, the highest peak being in Kosovo province- Djeravica with 2,656 m above sea level. However, Kosovo's status is disputed; the government of Serbia refuses to recognise the territory's independence.

The historic areas and buildings of Belgrade are among the city's premier attractions. They include Skadarlija, the National Museum and adjacent National Theatre, Zemun, Nikola Pašić Square, Terazije, Students' Square, the Kalemegdan Fortress, Knez Mihailova Street, the Parliament, the Temple of Saint Sava, and the Old Palace. On top of this, there are many parks, monuments, museums, cafés, restaurants and shops on both sides of the river. The hilltop Avala Monument offers views over the city. Josip Broz Tito's mausoleum, called Kuća Cveća (The House of Flowers), and the nearby Topčider and Košutnjak parks are also popular, especially among visitors from the former Yugoslavia.

Beli Dvor or 'White Palace', house of royal family Karađorđević, is open for visitors. The palace has many valuable works from Rembrandt, Nicolas Poussin, Sebastien Bourdon, Paolo Veronese, Antonio Canaletto, Biagio d'Antonio, Giuseppe Crespi, Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Ivan Mestrovic, and others.^{[citation needed]}

Kalemegdan park

Ada Ciganlija is a former island on the Sava river, and Belgrade's biggest sports and recreational complex. Today it is connected with the shore, creating an artificial lake on the river. It is the most popular destination for Belgraders during the city's hot summers. There are 7 kilometres of long beaches and sports facilities for various sports including golf, football, basketball, volleyball, rugby union, baseball, and tennis.^[1] During summer there are between 200,000 and 300,000 bathers daily. Clubs work 24 hours a day, organising live music and overnight beach parties. Extreme sports are available, such as bungee jumping, water skiing and paintballing There are numerous tracks on the island, where it is possible to ride a bike, go for a walk or go jogging. Apart from Ada, Belgrade has total of 16 islands on the rivers, many still unused. Among them, the Great War Island at the confluence of Sava, stands out as an oasis of unshattered wildlife (especially birds). These areas, along with nearby Small War Island, are protected by the city's government as a nature preserve.

Belgrade has a reputation for offering a vibrant nightlife, and many clubs that are open until dawn can be found throughout the city. The most recognizable nightlife features of Belgrade are the barges (сплавови, splavovi) spread along the banks of the Sava and Danube Rivers.

Many weekend visitors—particularly from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia—prefer Belgrade nightlife to that of their own capitals, due to a perceived friendly atmosphere, great clubs and bars, cheap drinks, the lack of language difficulties, and the lack of restrictive night life regulation.

Famous alternative clubs include Akademija and the famed KST (Klub Studenata Tehnike) located in the basement of the University of Belgrade Faculty of Electrical Engineering. One of the most famous sites for alternative cultural happenings in the city is the SKC (Student Cultural Centre), located right across from Belgrade's highrise landmark, the Beograđanka. Concerts featuring famous local and foreign bands are often held at the centre. SKC is also the site of various art exhibitions, as well as public debates and discussions.

A more traditional Serbian nightlife experience, accompanied by traditional music known as Starogradska (roughly translated as Old Town Music), typical of northern Serbia's urban environments, is most prominent in Skadarlija, the city's old bohemian neighbourhood where the poets and artists of Belgrade gathered in the nineteenth century and early twentieth century. Skadar Street (the centre of Skadarlija) and the surrounding neighbourhood are lined with some of Belgrade's best and oldest traditional restaurants (called kafanas in Serbian), which date back to that period^. At one end of the neighbourhood stands Belgrade's oldest beer brewery, founded in the first half of the nineteenth century. One of the city's oldest kafanas is the Znak pitanja.

The respected Times newspaper in the UK reported that Europe's best nightlife can be found in buzzing Belgrade. In the Lonely Planet "1000 Ultimate Experiences", Belgrade was placed at the 1st spot among the top 10 party cities in the world.

Cultural Property of Great Importance

Temple of Saint Sava

Serbia has a rich cultural heritage ranging from the remains of the oldest human settlement Lepenski Vir, 7000 years old, through the Neolithic site at Vinca, Roman and Byzantine edifices, Tabula Trajana, Gamzigrad, the Belgrade Fortress, Petrovaradin Fortress, to medieval monasteries with their unique architecture and fresco paintings of outstanding beauty from golden age of Serbia in the 12th and 13th centuries. Đurđevi Stupovi, Žiča, the Patriarchate of Peć, Gračanica, Visoki Dečani, Ljubostinja, Mileševa, Sopoćani are some of them.

• Patriarchate of Peć, Gračanica and Our Lady of Ljeviš- medieval spiritual heartlands of Serbian orthodoxy, protected by UNESCO
• Studenica Monastery and the medieval town of Ras, with the Sopoćani Monastery are included in the list of the world most valuable monuments, protected by UNESCO.
• Visoki Dečani monastery- UNESCO protected cathedral near Peć; one of the biggest medieval churches in the Balkans
• Đurđevi Stupovi monastery- 12th century temple of Nemanjić dynasty
• Mileševa monastery- royal family's shrine (Nemanjić dynasty)
• Banjska monastery in Kosovo province
• Žiča monastery of Stefan Prvovenčani, first king of Serbia, 13th century
• Kalenić monastery in Central Serbia
• Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade

Mountains and Winter tourism

Belgrade Zoo, is a home to rare White lion.

Serbia's mountains are its wealth and its beauty. The joint characteristics of most of its mountains are the vast areas under coniferous and deciduous forests, pastures and meadows, a moderate altitude and very agreeable climate for both summer and winter vacations, sports activities and rehabilitation. Kopaonik, Tara, Šar Mountain and Fruška Gora have been proclaimed national parks, thanks to their exceptional beauty. The most developed mountain tourist centre is Kopaonik, 2,017 m above sea level, a well known winter sport resort. Kopaonik is a mountain giant, about 120 km long and 50 km wide. With a ten year long tradition its ski centre has become established in Europe. It is convenient to all categories of skiers. Kopaonik is not only attractive in the winter, but also a summer tourist centre. In the surroundings of Kopaonik there are many interesting monasteries such as Sopoćani, Studenica, Žiča, Visoki Dečani, Patriarchate of Peć, Župa vine-growing region, night spas, the Ibar and other rivers. Zlatibor is a traditional health, recreational and vocation resort. The Zlatibor plateau is a climatic resort, and thanks to the modern recreative and preventative programme it has become popular among the all categories of tourists.

The Brezovica on the mountain Šara has a lot of similarities with the Alps. Even this fact is sufficient for the development of modern tourism in the summer and the winter and especially for the development of winter tourism. Mt Para is about 80 km long with numerous peaks over 2,500 m. covered by snow all the year around. The whole area has an exceptional environment: changing scenery, beautiful valleys and mountains, picturesque villages and historical monuments. Divčibare, Tara Mountain, Vlasina Lake, Goč, Zlatar, Stara Planina, Golija offer the favourable climatic and tourist conditions. But, there are the other mountains resorts offering the facilities for tourism.