NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANISATION SERBIA of SERBIA Life in the Rhythm of the Heartbeat SERBIA www.serbia.travel MAP OF SERBIA LEGEND National border Airport Provincial border Prehistoric archaeological site Settlement signs Ancient Roman archaeological site Rivers and Lakes Monastery Mountains Fortress Highway Spa Motorway National Park Regional road Šargan Eight, scenic railway UNESCO World Heritage THE HEARTBEat – the first sound we hear before being born which represents the rhythm of life, energy, excitement as well as relaxation. Enrich your heart – listen to the pulse of Serbia! WHERE IS SERBIA? Serbia extends over the territory of Southeast Europe, the Danube River basin and the Balkans. The country provides the shortest link connecting Europe, Asia, the Near East and the Mediterranean. Serbia is easy to reach by air, by boat and also overland. Welcome to Serbia 2 Wake up in Belgrade! 4 20 The White Summits of Serbia – an Influx of Adrenaline! Within Easy Reach of Belgrade 6 21 “Back to the Future” on the Old Train Vojvodina – Europe in a Nutshell 8 22 Rural Tourism – Life from a Different Perspective Niš – the Gate of the East and the West 10 23 Serbia’s Spas – the Spring of Health Šumadija – the Heart of Serbia 11 24 Food – the Real Soul of Serbia! Roads of Culture, Roads Through Time 12 26 Wines of Serbia Heritage of Imperial Times 13 27 Incentive and Team Building – Imagination is the Limit Monasteries – the Medieval Foundations of Spirituality 14 28 Serbia – Exciting Business Destination Beautiful and Blue – the Danube 16 30 Events – Appeal for Everyone Active Holidays – Rediscovering Nature 18 32 Useful Info Welcome to SERBIA SERBIA WHAT IS THE SIZE OF SERBIA? According to the census of 2011, Serbia has a population of 7,120,666 citizens and stretches over a territory of 88,509 km2. Although ranked only 100th on the list of countries by popu- lation and 115th by area, its scientists, artists, sportsmen and women have often put Serbia at the forefront of the world’s attention, making its contribution to history more significant than that measured only by numbers. WHAT ARE THE ORIGINS OF SERBIA? Numerous settlements on Serbian territory existed in pre- history and in ancient times. In the 7th century, the Annals of Novak Djoković Nikola Tesla the Kingdom of the Franks referred to the “Sorbs”, and later in the 10th century, “Servia” was mentioned by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porfirogenit. The first Serbian kingdom was declared in 1217 under the crown of the descendants of the Nemanjić dynasty, one of whom was the Serbian enlight- ened statesman St. Sava (1174–1236). In modern times, Serbia was internationally recognized at the Berlin Congress held in 1878. From the end of the First World War until 2006, Serbia was part of Yugoslavia. Today’s Repub- lic of Serbia is an official candidate for acquiring the status of European Union membership. Miroslav’s Gospel Nemanjić dynasty www.serbia.travel Welcome to SERBIA 2 | 3 WHAT IS SERBIA LIKE? Serbia is ancient and contemporary; traditional and exotic; with mountainous scenery contrasting with lowland lying plains; mild and challenging. As Serbia’s territory has been changed and shifted, expanded and shrunk throughout its turbulent historical evolution, the quality of what Serbia of- fers tourists today is of a rich and diverse nature. A variety of valuable cultural-historical monuments support this. A mixture of indigenous and global influences is reflected in the country’s architecture, art, living styles, culinary art and in its broad-based culture. The nightlife of the Serbian capi- tal city, Belgrade, and its other cities and towns is vibrant and lively in contrast to the serene, relaxing tranquillity of its provinces where nature combines with the eco-environment to provide many opportunities to escape city life. Belgrade Fortress Wake up in BELGRADE! BELGRADE There is a famous thought expressed by the Serbian writer museum of the metropolis with its romantic Ružica Church and aphorist Dušan Radović, who wrote: “Whoever was lucky and St. Parascheva’s Chapel; the Museum of Natural Sciences enough to wake up in Belgrade this morning can consider and the Military Museum; and the “Victor” monument – that he has achieved quite enough in life for today. To insist the most popular monument in Belgrade, sculpted by Ivan on anything more would be unseemly.” If you happen to be Meštrović. The towering Belgrade Fortress also provides a tourist, waking up in Belgrade is a good start to the day; spectacular views of the city – the confluence of the Sava and as soon as you find yourself in the city streets, you “will have the Danube rivers as well as Great War Island. achieved” and experienced so much more. Belgrade is one of the oldest cities in Europe. The first settle- Skadarlija, in the very heart of Belgrade, is the old bohemian ments on the city’s territory date from as early as 4,800 B.C. district where painters and poets used to gather. There are The city was founded by the Celts in the 3rd century B.C., af- still several art galleries to be found here. Paved with cob- ter which it became a Roman settlement – Singidunum. The bles and crammed with locally designed pubs of yesteryear, Slavic name of Beligrad (White City) was recorded for the first Skadarlija is in stark contrast to the nearby Strahinjića Bana time in 878. Belgrade became the capital city of Serbia in 1405. Street, where numerous restaurants, cafés and clubs offer an exciting time in a modern ambience. With its population of more than one and a half million, Bel- grade is the largest city in the region, and the fourth largest in Southeast Europe. Its climate is moderate-continental, with all the four seasons, and the sunny autumn in Belgrade is known as “miholjsko leto” (Indian summer). Republic Square, Knez Mihailova Street and Kosančić Square are broad pedestrian zones and are located at the very cen- tre of the city. Here, you can visit the National Theatre with the Opera, as well as the National Museum and the Serbian Academy of Arts and Sciences, cultural centres, numerous art galleries, antique shops and restaurants. The most famous part of the city is Kalemegdan which is located as an extension to the pedestrian zone of Knez Mihailova Street. The park is often described as being like a Temple of St. Sava www.serbia.travel 4 | 5 Belgrade’s central King Milan’s Street forms a link between the two important city squares – Terazije and Slavija. Not far away from the latter, there is the Plateau of Vračar, with a church and a magnificent Orthodox Temple of St. Sava, dedi- cated to the first Serbian archbishop.A lso within this area is the National Library of Serbia. There are two royal palace complexes in Belgrade – one in the city, consisting of the Old Royal Palace and the New Royal Palace; and one in Dedinje, which includes the Royal Palace and the White Palace. The city and state adminis- trations are in the palaces located downtown. Both palace For those interested in modern history there is the Museum complexes are open to visitors. of the History of Yugoslavia and the House of Flowers, where Josip Broz Tito, who was the president of Yugoslavia from 1953 to 1980, is buried. On the other bank of the Sava River, there is New Belgrade, the residential-business part of the city, with modern malls and office buildings.A little further in the same direction lies Zemun – once an independent town but today one of Belgrade’s municipalities, with numerous restaurants on Ze- mun’s promenade straddling the banks of the Danube River. The ‘must-see’ green oases of Belgrade include Tašmajdan Park and Topčider Park, also being places of cultural and historical significance.A da Ciganlija, located on the Lake of Sava, is a favourite with Belgrade’s citizens providing an ideal place to relax in a unique recreational atmosphere. The Royal Family of Serbia Tourist Organisation of Belgrade www.royalfamily.org www.tob.rs Zasavica Special Nature Reserve Within Easy Reach of BELGRADE AROUND BELGRADE From Belgrade, visitors can explore many interesting places, which are all within easy reach of the city centre. One place worth a visit is Avala, with its Monument to the Unknown Hero from the First World War. Near this mausoleum, there is one of Belgrade’s striking landmarks – the Avala Television Tower – 204 m high. It provides a view of the whole city and other parts of Serbia from its rotating restaurant and viewing decks. Pančevo is a carnival city and a well-known industrial centre on the Tamiš River, not far away from its link up with the Dan- ube River, which is marked by two interesting lighthouses. A little further to the north, lies the small town of Kovačica, famous throughout the world for the naïve art of the Slovaks living there. The Deliblato Sands (Deliblatska peščara), a unique geo- morphological and ecological phenomenon in Europe, occu- pies the area between the cities of Pančevo and Vršac, a city known for its neighbouring bountiful vineyards. On the right bank of the Danube River, 14 km down from Bel- grade, an extremely valuable archaeological site Vinča is situ- ated. The Vinča locality of Belo brdo contains the remains of a Neolithic settlement with houses, sod houses and the re- mains of the culture of prehistoric man. Zasavica, a special nature reserve, located on the territory lying between the Drina and the Sava rivers, is an ideal place for the whole family to go on a trip. With a wide variety of diverse plant and animal species, many of which are pro- tected, this eco-system is a ‘living classroom’ of nature.