Serbia Travel Guide

Plagued by years or war and political turmoil, Serbia is now emerging as one of Europe's tourist destinations. From its growing club scene and entertainment to its wildlife attractions, Serbia is slowly rising from its war torn past. Serbia was once part of Yugoslavia, which was dissolved in 1990 and was made up of six republics including Macedonia and Montenegro which broke off from Serbia in the year 2006.

Serbia consists of mountainous regions, deep gorges and fertile plains that are fed by the Danube. Serbia is bordered by Croatia to the northwest, Hungary to the north, Romania to the northeast, Bulgaria to the east, Macedonia to the south and Bosnia Herzegovina to the West. The scenery is varied from farmlands, rolling green hills, alpine valleys to rocky gorges and thick forests.

Visiting Serbia would mean getting off in Belgrade, the country's capital, which lies along the Danube. Belgrade's arts and culture scenes are one of the city's top tourist attractions. Visitors can enjoy the many different museums and galleries the city has or check out some of the first-rate opera and theater productions. Belgrade's club scene has also been on the rise, just like many other European countries and the café's and bars are usually open until 3 am.

The Manasija Monastery, built in the early 1400's, may not look anything like what you'd envision a monastery to be. The view from the outside is that of a huge block of citadel built by the people fleeing Kosovo because of the Ottoman takeover of the city. The frescoes that survived through the years are worn out but its vivid colors are still awe inspiring.

In Vojvodina, North of Belgrade, lies the town of Novi Sad which stretches along the banks of the Danube. It is a modern and friendly university town with a bit of Hungarian touches here and there. It is more culturally diverse than Belgrade and livelier, perhaps because of the students who mostly inhabit the town. Novi Sad is also known as the ‘Serbian Athens' and plays host to the largest southeast European music festival, Exit.

The main attraction which dominates the town of Novi Sad is the Petrovaradin Citadel which was erected between 1699 and 1780. It is huge man-made structure that was built on a block of volcanic rock and is also known as the ‘Gibraltar of the Danube'. Tourists can enjoy the beautiful views and serene landscapes by walking along its walls.

A visit to the scenic town of Sirogojno should not be missed. This mountainside town offers visitors a taste of an old 19th century reconstruction of a Serbian village. Furnished wooden houses with high roofs and the smell and atmosphere of home cooking dominate the scene. A walk along the town will surely make you hungry and there is no better place to taste home cooked lunch but in a wooden hut restaurant.

Traveling beyond the cities, one can enjoy vineyards and vast national parks where 80 percent of all bird species found in Europe can also be found here.