Here you can find the list of nature and manmade must-visit places in Serbia.
It’s enough just to look at the satellite pictures of this region to see how much beauty nature has to offer. There are so many lakes, rivers, caves national and nature parks to make it almost impossible to visit them all. If you are up for the even more active way to take a vacation or just fulfill the time, Serbia has to offer many hiking trails, sports centers, running and bicycle routes and all kind of sports terrains.
If you want to spend your vacation time relaxing and letting your mind unwind, here you can find a lot of spas, mountain resorts and “ethno villages” which are thematically designed to give the experience of some period or place from Serbian history.
Because of the position of Serbia on Europe’s map, there are many historical sites worth of visiting. From the archaeological remains of Vinča Neolithic culture, a Roman Felix Romuliana palace, through a number of beautiful medieval monasteries, fortresses, and palaces.
We have divided this section into Outdoor activities (excursions and sport & hiking), Spa & Chill and Historical, Monuments & Other Interesting Sights.
Maybe you want to find the most beautiful natural swimming areas in Serbia or to visit one of our nature parks. Maybe you just want to spend your time hiking and sightseeing or playing sports with your friends.
If your idea of a vacation includes a lot of activities, this section is for you. We’ve divided it in Excursions and Sport & Hiking.
On the world map, Serbia may look small, but it is rich with beautiful sights of nature. From unique caves and forests to waterfalls and turquoise lakes, here you can find the list of the perfect ways to spend your day.
National Park Tara
Tara National Park is located in Western Serbia. It is rich in different geomorphological units and specific forms of relief.
National Park Đerdap
It is located in northeastern Serbia, on the border with Romania.
In the Lepenski Vir you can find the 11,500-year-old archaeological site with exceptionally important traces of settlements and the life of the Mesolithic and later Neolithic people.
National Park Fruška gora
Fruška Gora National Park is just 25 kilometers away from Novi Sad. Fruska Gora is an isolated, narrow, island mountain in Pannonia plain.
It is surrounded by river courses extending to the south and north, with some side steep slopes ranges spreading from the main narrow range.
Nature Reserve Uvac
Because of the incredible beauty and great natural wealth, one of the first things everyone thinks when talking about Uvac are beautiful meanders of the same river.
Monument of nature Đavolja Varoš
“Devil’s Town” is located in the South of Serbia. This natural monument is comprised of two natural and rare phenomena:
the soil figures, as specific forms of relief which appear rather attractive, and two springs of extremely acid water with high mineralization.
Avala
With a height of just 511 meters, Avala barely qualifies as a mountain, but it is one of the favorite places to visit for many Belgraders.
The Lake Sava on Ada Ciganlija in Belgrade
This artificial lake is known as the “The Belgrade sea”. Up to 300,000 visitors come here every day in the summer to swim or play any sport you can imagine.
Beach Štrand in Novi Sad
Štrand is the most popular city beach in Novi Sad. Nowadays it is the entire small town that stretches along 700 m long sandy beach.
Đerdap Lake
This lake is located in the east of the country and it is a part of the Đerdap national park.
It formed after construction of the dam and it became one of the most visited tourist attractions in Serbia.
You can easily find accommodation here and spend your days fishing, swimming, relaxing and visiting historical monuments, like nearby Golubac Fortress.
Palić Lake
Nearby Subotica, the northernmost city in Serbia, you can visit this beautiful natural lake.
Palić is a small tourist town, with beautiful nature and many fish restaurants all around the lake.
You can’t actually swim in the lake, but there’s a lot of relaxing opportunities to keep you occupied for days.
Vlasina Lake
In the south of the country, this lake is famous for its “floating” islands. They constantly float across the lake and attract fish (and fishermen alike) because they provide them with shelter and food.
Vlasina is the largest - 16 sq km or 6.2 sq mi - and highest in altitude – approx. 1200 m or 4000 ft - artificial lake in Serbia.
Semeteš Lake
Another lake with floating islands, located on the Kopaonik mountain in the national park region.
The main attraction is climbing on one of these islands and “driving” across the lake using oars or wind.
Semeteš is also interesting because it has an underwater spring making it impossible to measure its true depth.
Gazivoda Lake
It is an artificial lake, but people built it with stones, earth, and clay so it looks really beautiful.
There’s no accommodation nearby lake, but it’s nevertheless really popular destination for fishermen and swimmers.
Beneath the lake researchers have found remains of the medieval palace, monastery, two churches and nine Roman necropolises.
Perućac Lake
This beautiful lake actually represents the national border, like Drina river whose natural bend it occupies, between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It is a very popular destination for swimming and fishing, because of the amazing nature that surrounds it.
Zlatar Lake
Zlatar lake is located between mountains Zlatar and Zlatibor, on the river Uvac, with which it shares its amazing color.
It is an artificial lake formed after Europe biggest stone dam was built here. It is a very popular fishing destination because it’s filled with carp.
Bela Crkva Lakes
Nearby Romania, this is not one lake, but the whole group of dozens of lakes.
There are six largest and most popular ones, which represents the center of the tourists’ attention.
The water has a beautiful green color and you can find natural and concrete beaches here. There are a lot of hotels, villas, and camps around, so the accommodation wouldn’t be a problem.
Silver Lake
Popular tourist destination in the east of the country, located on the Danube, only 100 kilometers from Belgrade.
The water is clear because it's being naturally and artificially filtered and you can find many nice restaurants, rent gliders and sailing boats.
Bor Lake
This mountain lake is actually pretty warm in the summer so it’s a popular destination for many locals.
It has multiple arranged beaches and hotels, walking paths, sports objects… The lake is surrounded by forest, contributing to its relaxing character and nice color.
The Danube River
The Danube is the most important European river and has a long history as an important international waterway. For a long time, it formed the northeastern boundary of the Roman Empire.
The Sava River
The Sava river, with a natural reserve park that has been protected since the 19th century, is a river of exceptional beauty and significance for Serbia.
The Drina River
For centuries The Drina river was the place where the East and the West clashed, today the unusually green, clear,
winding and powerful Drina river carries the merriest regattas on its waves through exciting nature, for which it became the favorite destination of bohemians and adventurists.
Potpeće Cave
Subterranean rivers have created the Potpeće cave that was inhabited even during the Neolithic period. Its ornaments are very rare in karst caves.
Resavska Cave
The most famous cave in Serbia, Resavska is 4.5 km long. 2,830 m have been investigated in detail and around 800 m have been made accessible to visitors.
Rajko’s Cave
Rajko’s Cave is rich in cave formations of all shapes, made of the highest quality snow-white crystal calcite to be found in Serbia.
Ceremošnja Cave
Ceremošnja is known for its large halls adorned with a variety of cave formations – stalactites, stalagmites, columns, draperies, flowstone waterfalls, galleries and more.
If you like living an active life, Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš offer many sports centers and terrains, so you won’t have any trouble practicing a sport of your choice – whether it is basketball, football, Frisbee or running and lifting weights.
Serbia is also a popular region for hikers from all parts of the world. There are several hiking trails and long-distance footpaths that pass through Serbia.
Stolovi
What makes hiking on Stolovi mountain special is the fact that you can see wild horses that live on the mountain.
Horses are used to people’s presence and you can approach them with a great deal of caution.
Rtanj
Rtanj is one of the most favorite mountaineering destinations in Serbia.
This mountain attracts mountaineers during the whole year, both beginners and experienced mountaineers who are training physical condition for more severe ascents around the world.
Veliki krš
Trekking tour along the whole mountain ridge of Veliki krš is a great challenge due to very rocky and rough terrain, constant ascends and descends and rocky scenery altogether.
It is recommended that only mountaineers with experience and stamina go on this tour along the whole ridge.
Suva planina
The relief of the Suva mountain is very jagged, with big differences in altitude and because of that, it is very attractive for mountaineering and mountain hiking.
The whole mountain is clearly excluded from fairly lower valleys and surfaces which surround it. Because of that,
the mountain is visible from all sides and from afar, and the views from the Suva mountain ridges are remarkably pleasurable.
Malinik mountain and Lazar’s canyon
Visiting Lazar’s cave, going to the lookout on the cliffs of the canyon and out on top of the Malinik are the ideal plan for a one-day hiking trip on Malinik,
but also as one of the destinations within several days of trekking in Eastern Serbia.
If you find yourself with several free days, you may want to spend them relaxing in one of Serbia’s resorts. The list is divided into spas (which include mountain resorts) and ethno villages.
Spas usually include some kind of healthy natural source e.g. water full of minerals. The settlements were built around these sources and now the majority of them are turned into a tourist, quiet small towns. The same thing goes for mountains – the air is so fresh and so unpolluted that after just a few days you get the feeling of suddenly “waking up” after months spent living in big cities.
Zlatibor
This mesmerizing mountain provides a healing spa, a recreational center, a ski resort, a center for cultural events and gathering of people from all directions.
Numerous picnics, hiking routes, connection with all the surrounding tourist destinations like Drvengrad, Šarganska osmica, Višegrad, Tara, Drina regatta, Tornik.
Zlatar
This mountain's beauty still manages to avoid the trend of modernity and urbanity, so the untouched nature is the only thing you will enjoy here.
Divčibare
Located in Southwest Serbia this mountain is very well-known for its spa resorts, monasteries, memorial centers and places of historical importance and for its rural tourism.
Kopaonik
Kopaonik is the largest mountain range in Serbia. One section of the mountain is a protected zone of the National Park Kopaonik,
that by the number of endemic species represents one of the most significant centers of biodiversity of endemic flora in Serbia.
At the same time, this is one of the largest skiing centers in the country.
Vrnjačka Banja
Vrnjačka Banja is a spa with many hot springs where temperatures measure exactly that of the human body (37.5 degrees Celsius).
Archaeological findings, tools from the Stone Age, reveal the possibility that prehistoric people used this spa springs. It is home to a summer music festival Lovefest.
Sokobanja
The ancient legend of healing power of water in Sokobanja speaks of the lord of Soko grad (eng. Hawk city) who, after falling of the horse and hurting himself, was lying down and waiting to die when he suddenly heard a sound of water and saw a hawk putting its broken wing into the spring.
Niška Banja
Niška banja (the Spa of Niš) is located only 9 kilometers from the city of Niš, at the foot of Mt. Suva planina.
Traces of the Neolithic civilization from 3,300 BC were found in it, and during the time of the Romans, this was a well-known health resort.
A Roman bath with two pools richly decorated with mosaics remains as proof.
In some places, there are leftovers of the very old stone houses or wine cellars which somebody decided to save and turn into a resort, keeping the unique “soul” they have. Of course, there are newly built resorts that just look like villages from the past. Either way, this is a great way to relax while learning about the culture and “traveling through time”.
Drvengrad
This ethno village was built by famous director Emir Kusturica for his film "Life is a Miracle".
Ethno village is located on the hill Mećavnik, between mountains Tara and Zlatibor. The forest area provides all visitors with plenty of fresh air.
Sirogojno
Located in the eastern part of Zlatibor mountain. The village developed around the church that was built in the 19th century.
This place is known for Sirogojno sheep wool sweaters, that are sold all over Europe. If you go there, you shouldn’t miss the “stone meadow”.
Moravski konaci
This village is great for guests who like the combination of ethnic and modern. The complex is located in a village built on nine islands connected with a lake.
You can find accommodation in old houses, with a restaurant of local cuisine and an Orthodox church nearby.
Srna
For those who are not really traditionalists, and they don’t want to give up comfort for the weekend in the countryside, the ideal location is the ethno village of Srna.
Pimnice of Rajac
Pimnice are a heritage of traditional wine communities of Eastern Serbia from the past centuries.
Pimnice were built in the 18th century out of wood and stone, and today the local people use them for the disposal of wine.
Here you can drink wine and even sleep in some of them, surrounded by objects dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries.
Kamena Gora
For those who enjoy an active vacation in nature, Kamena Gora (eng. Stone Mountain) is perfect.
The village offers hunting and fishing, mountaineering, camping, paragliding, and mountain biking, and you can take a break in the surrounding monasteries,
of which Mileševa is best known. The river Uvac is also worth the attention due to its magnificent canyon and nature reserve.
“The side trips worth taking”. Some of these places are located in Belgrade, Novi Sad or Niš, some require more traveling, but all of them have great stories behind them. On this list, you can find sights from all periods of this region – from prehistoric sites to comparably modern castles and monuments.
Skull Tower
This tower in Niš was built after 1809. battle of Čegar in the First Serbian Uprising against Ottoman Empire.
Commander Stevan Sinđelić was attacked by Ottomans on Čegar Hill and, not wanting to be captured with his soldiers,
he ordered for a gun powder magazine to be detonated. The tower was built with skulls of those dead soldiers.
Monument to Biryuzov and Zhdanov
Russian marshall Biryuzov and colonel general Zhdanov traveled to Serbia for the celebration of the anniversary.
Unfortunately, their airplane crashed against mountain Avala, near Belgrade. You can visit the monument that was built on the crash site.
Red Cross concentration camp museum
On this site in Niš, there was a Nazi concentration camp during the WW2. Over 35,000 people were imprisoned and it is estimated that over 10,000 were killed here.
Pobednik
The Victor is a monument in the Belgrade Fortress (Kalemegdan), built to commemorate Serbia's victory over Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empire during the Balkan Wars and the First World War.
It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Belgrade and the city's most recognizable landmark.
Lepenski Vir
Lepenski Vir is one of the largest and most significant prehistoric archeological sites from the Stone Age. The cultural center of the prehistoric world was right here in what today is Serbia.
The culture of Lepenski Vir is around 8.5 millennia old and it is a cradle of archaeological discoveries that have changed our knowledge about the early Stone Age in Europe.
The remains of the oldest Neolithic European civilization in Vinča
The archaeological excavations have been revealing numerous cultural layers of a civilization preserved in a seemingly just an ordinary hill in Vinča.
Archaeologists concluded that it was the largest Neolithic settlement in Europe, dating back more than 7,000 years B.C, and there they found the remains of several cultural layers.
Felix Romuliana
The monumental imperial palace Felix Romuliana was created when the Roman Emperor Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus,
in the late period of his reign, decided to withdraw to his birthplace. Its remains were found in the archaeological site known also as Gamzigrad,
near the city of Zaječar in Eastern Serbia. Today, it is a part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites List.
Viminacium
Viminacium was a major city (provincial capital) and military camp of the Roman province of Moesia (today's Serbia), and the capital of Moesia Superior.
The city dates back to the 1st century AD, and at its peak it is believed to have had 40,000 inhabitants, making it one of the biggest cities of that time.
Monastery Studenica
It is one of the most beautiful Serbian monasteries due to its sophisticated architecture of the Byzantine-Rascia style, but also because of the beautiful surroundings.
It is on the UNESCO list since 1986. Studenica was built in 12th century by Stefan Nemanja, the founder of Nemanjić dynasty and the state that evolved into the Serbian Empire.
His relics are still present in this monastery.
St George Church - Oplenac
This church was built by King Petar I Karađorđević in 1912. It serves as a mausoleum of Karađorđević dynasty.
Today, within this complex you can see the Church of Sv. George, Mausoleum of the Serbian royal family, royal vineyards, museum, King Peter's house, a royal villa, and hotel.
Stari Ras
Stari Ras is a medieval complex of monuments, the most significant site being Gradina.
It is located nearby the monastery Sopoćani, which is also a great place to visit.
And, when you are already there, you can go one kilometer further and visit the Đurđevi Stupovi, one of Serbia’s oldest monasteries, built by Stefan Nemanja, today under the protection of UNESCO.
Fantast Palace
Bogdan Dundjerski built the Fantast palace, one of the most beautiful palaces in Serbia, 100 years ago. He did it, according to some stories, just to prove he hadn’t gone bankrupt.
The Belgrade Fortress – Kalemegdan
The Belgrade fortress was built during a long period of time from the 2nd to the 18th century.
Destroyed and rebuilt numerous times, the fortress has become the symbol of the city that keeps raising and growing.
Petrovaradin Fortress
Petrovaradin fortress was a significant military fort of the Austrian rulers who, at the time of Napoleon’s conquests, hid their treasures here.
Today it is Novi Sad’s art center, home to Exit festival and place which mysterious underground keeps intriguing explorers from around the world.
Niš Fortress
The fort settled on the right bank of Nišava River is a magnet for all the lovers of history, architecture, festivals, and unusual legends.
The fortress of Niš has a continuity of around two millennia of constant existent.
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