Belgrade Fortress
Some 115 battles have been fought over imposing, impressive Belgrade Fortress (aka Kalemegdan); the citadel was destroyed more than 40 times throughout…
©Vladimir Nenezic/Shutterstock
Serbia
Diverse, welcoming and a hell of a lot of fun – everything you never heard about Serbia is true. Best of all, this landlocked country in the heart of the Balkans is still delightfully off the tourist trail. While the feisty Serbian spirit is embodied in Belgrade’s world-class nightlife and Novi Sad’s epic EXIT Festival, look beyond these historic metropolises and you’ll discover a crucible of cultures and unsullied outdoors ripe for exploration.
The art nouveau town of Subotica revels in its Austro-Hungarian heritage, bohemian Niš echoes to the clip-clop of Roma horse carts, and minaret-studded Novi Pazar nudges the most sacred of Serbian Orthodox monasteries. Established wine regions and thermal spas cradled in rolling hills date back to Roman times. On the slopes of Kopaonik, Zlatibor and Stara Planina, ancient traditions coexist with après-ski bling, while super-scenic Tara and Đerdap National Parks brim with hiking, biking, rafting and kayaking opportunities.
Explore Serbia
- Belgrade Fortress
Some 115 battles have been fought over imposing, impressive Belgrade Fortress (aka Kalemegdan); the citadel was destroyed more than 40 times throughout…
- Uvac Canyon
The Uvac River's spectacular meanders are the highlight of the 75-sq-km Uvac nature reserve in southwestern Serbia. The incredibly green river snakes…
- Studenica Monastery
One of Serbia's most sacred sites, Unesco-listed Studenica was established in 1196 by the founder of the Serbian empire (and future saint) Stefan Nemanja…
- Kadinjača Memorial Complex
Serbia's most grandiose spomenik (Yugoslav-era memorial), Kadinjača commemorates the Partisans from the Workers' Battalion who perished on this spot…
- Memorial Museum '21st October'
Šumarice Memorial Park is home to a sombre museum that tells the harrowing story of the 1941 massacre of around 3000 Kragujevac civilians during the…
- Petrovaradin Fortress
Towering over the river on a 40m-high volcanic slab, this mighty citadel, considered Europe's second-biggest fortress (and one of its best preserved), is…
- Vratna Gates
The remote Negotin region hides one of the country's more dramatic natural phenomena. Three gigantic stone arches – known as Small Gate (Mala kapija), Big…
- Museum of Yugoslavia
This must-visit museum houses an invaluable collection of more than 200,000 artefacts representing the fascinating, tumultuous history of Yugoslavia…
- Lepenski Vir
What is now Đerdap National Park was once a major centre for Mesolithic- and Neolithic-era fishing communities, a past that has been wonderfully preserved…
Latest Stories from Serbia
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Serbia.
See
Belgrade Fortress
Some 115 battles have been fought over imposing, impressive Belgrade Fortress (aka Kalemegdan); the citadel was destroyed more than 40 times throughout…
See
Uvac Canyon
The Uvac River's spectacular meanders are the highlight of the 75-sq-km Uvac nature reserve in southwestern Serbia. The incredibly green river snakes…
See
Studenica Monastery
One of Serbia's most sacred sites, Unesco-listed Studenica was established in 1196 by the founder of the Serbian empire (and future saint) Stefan Nemanja…
See
Kadinjača Memorial Complex
Serbia's most grandiose spomenik (Yugoslav-era memorial), Kadinjača commemorates the Partisans from the Workers' Battalion who perished on this spot…
See
Memorial Museum '21st October'
Šumarice Memorial Park is home to a sombre museum that tells the harrowing story of the 1941 massacre of around 3000 Kragujevac civilians during the…
See
Petrovaradin Fortress
Towering over the river on a 40m-high volcanic slab, this mighty citadel, considered Europe's second-biggest fortress (and one of its best preserved), is…
See
Vratna Gates
The remote Negotin region hides one of the country's more dramatic natural phenomena. Three gigantic stone arches – known as Small Gate (Mala kapija), Big…
See
Museum of Yugoslavia
This must-visit museum houses an invaluable collection of more than 200,000 artefacts representing the fascinating, tumultuous history of Yugoslavia…
See
Lepenski Vir
What is now Đerdap National Park was once a major centre for Mesolithic- and Neolithic-era fishing communities, a past that has been wonderfully preserved…
Guidebooks
Learn more about Serbia
Ready to go? Get to the heart of Serbia with one of Lonely Planet's in-depth, award-winning guidebooks.
