Experience Serbia

Soulfood Serbia

2011-12-26T11:12:00.000-08:00

An interesting new promotional video, shot for the National Tourism Organisation of Serbia. It's main theme - the rich and very diverse culinary traditions in the country. It has generated a lot of buzz domestically, but most of it come from the portrayal of different regions, a peoples oppinions about what was overexposed, and what didn't get enough attention.

Personally, I think it a step in the right direction, expecially after seeing our previous horendes attmpts at making something even resembeling a cool tourist promo.
Is it mind-blowing? No, my main complaint is that the visual style is trying to compensate a relativly unoriginal idea. But, on the other hand, the video was shot so it looks really smooth and easy.

Check it out for yourself:

VIP promotion videos for Vojvodina

2010-11-15T08:28:00.000-08:00

Few days ago, thanks to the people on Serbia's Ambassador To The World, I found two brand new online promotional videos aimed at promoting investment opportunities in Vojvodina. The creator is an awkward named Vojvodina Investment Promotion, or VIP.

As you may know, Serbia in general didn’t have a stellar experience with TV promotional campaigns. The last big video, or to be precise, TV commercial that aired on CNN was, in my opinion, a failure. It looked like it was made by a bored film student stuck in a editing room with a lot of generic, bland shots of nature scenes, unrecognizable buildings and too many churches that are important, but didn’t catch the eye of an international viewer (if I’m not mistaken, one of them isn’t even on Serbian soil, it’s actually located across the Danube border in Romania).

Although it wasn’t a tacky attack on the scenes, this kind of flat promotion isn’t going to do anything, especially having in mind that every other country in the region created a targeted campaign. Croatia, for example, has the fantastic tag-line: Mediterranean as it one was, and the whole campaign revolves around it, cleverly distancing that country from other, similar offers like Greece, meanwhile painting those locations as too commercialized.

But, here are the VIP videos:

So, what are my thoughts?
Overall, I think they are pretty solid. Again, they are focusing on a traditional vision, and the look of the videos needs more color correction, so that those green and golden fields stand out, instead of being gray. Good thing is the listing of facts and advantages of investing in Vojvodina. Even better are the commentaries in the second video, where business leaders from abroad talk about their experiences working here.
But, the thing I like the best about it – the slogan. Come and grow. It’s simply fantastic.

All in all, I see these videos as a step in the right direction.
What do you think?

Vojvodina at Expo Azienda Italia Fair

2010-11-09T16:03:00.000-08:00

I already wrote about the need of Serbia and its regions to better present themselves at the international stage, especially to the countries from the EU block. That’s why I think that participation of Vojvodina, the northern province of Serbia, in the Azienda Italia Expo Fair is a great decision.
The fair is an event that brings together Italian investors involved with projects in Romania.

Vojvodina, with its underdeveloped tourism and excellent possibilities for investments in green field eco-friendly industries, should take the lead in its own promotion. Also, it shares a border with Romania.

Of course, it’s always a bad idea to drum up our image – there are several big problems waiting anyone who wishes to invest in Serbia (judiciary system is the biggest in my opinion, more on that some other time).

But, if you accept the risks, I truly think Serbia, and Vojvodina in particular, has a huge potential for a successful business venture.

The event will take place in Timisoara, starting on the 10th and closing three days later. Vojvodina will have its presentation on the 11th, and it will be called "Economic Cooperation with AP Vojvodina". Check it out if you’re in Romania.

More about the Vojvodina presentation here.

More about the Azienda Italia Expo Fair here.

Balkan Championship in orienteering

2010-10-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

Do you like hiking in the mountains? Well, if you do, you will probably like orienteering.

The term represents a sort of sport – in it, the participants use their navigational skills, assisted by a map and compass to navigate in an unknown terrain.
The goal for competitors is to move from one predefine points to the other, and the first team or individual to reach the last one wins.

Balkan Championship in orienteering is an annual event that brings top team from the region, and this year, it will be held in Serbia, Jastrebac mountain to be precise. Jastrebac is located in central Serbia, near the cities of Nis and Prokuplje. Its well-forested hills and surrounding valleys are well known to aficionados of both hiking and mountaineering.

The opening day of the Championship is the 23 of October 2010, and it will last for two days. If you choose to visit Jastrebac in that period, you will have a chance to learn a lot about orienteering from the right people, and I bet there will be a lot of additional activities for non-competitors.

Find out more about the event by calling Serbian Mountaineering society on +381 11/2642 065.

Almasi and its traditional candy

2010-10-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

We all know that dining is an essential part of travel, but sadly, small local deserts and other sweet snacks are usually off the radar, or at least don’t get the same amount of attention as the lunch-diner type of meals.

For most of us, when we crave something sweet, ice-cream and chocolate based treats from big international companies work just fine in any part of the world.

But, if you’re traveling to or through Senta, a small town in Vojvodina (northern Serbia) there is a place all you sweet toots shouldn’t miss, and it’s a candy store called Almasi (Almaši in Serbian).

Why is this store special?

Well, mainly because they specialize in production of marzipan.
Marzipan is a generic name for candy product based on almond meal – this store still makes them in the traditional way.

A single piece of marzipan weights around 30 grams, and has a very thick and sweet taste to it. They are formed in simple shapes like cubes or wheels and there aren’t many different flavors to choose between. It might not be trendy, but the owners stick to the traditional recipes. The price should range between 0.80 and 2 Euros per piece, but don’t worry – after few marzipans from Almasi, you won’t need anything sweet any time soon.

It’s almost guarantied not everyone will like the rich taste, but those who do will remember it for sure.

The address of Almasi candy shop is Sečenjev Square 3, Senta.

The Agenda 21 for culture in Novi Sad

2010-09-30T14:52:00.000-07:00

Novi Sad is often called ''Serbian Athens'' because of its longstanding cultural significance, both historically and in the present. But, in the past few years, the city government and several independent organizations for promotion of cultural activity have had a falling out.

The main flash point was the way the city-distributed fund, and a bitter argument ensued. The result: few of these organizations had to terminate their programs, and the city itself lost a part of its cultural scene.

But now, the city government wisely decided to implement Agenda 21, a document that will define Novi Sad’s long-term cultural development and goals. The Agenda 21 for culture is an international system that is supposed to resolve the conflicts and more importantly, wider the cultural cooperation between partners from abroad.

In short, an excellent news for the future cultural development of Novi Sad!

Dead Tisa

2010-09-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

Vojvodina has a lot to offer when it comes to inland waters – from one of the biggest rivers in Europe, the Danube, to artificial formed lakes in former quarries (some of those are, sadly, disappearing).

But, for me personally, the best summer time spot for some fun in the sun is, without a doubt, the National Park Dead Tisa, or Mrtva Tisa in Serbian.

This boggy marshland was cut of from the main flow of the Tisa river in 19th century, and is located near the village Curug, some 30 kilometers from Novi Sad by car.

But, although it’s technically a swamp, the main part of the national park is a canal-like lake, constantly supplied by fresh water from a series of natural underground wells that are located in the area.
Because of them, the water is never stale or smelly, and because of its relatively small surface area, easily heated by sun.

The place is perfect for swimming or canoeing, and even possibly sailing in small, one-seat boats.

Thanks to its status as a park, building is allowed on its banks, but installment of electricity, sewers or running water is not.
Without any waist waters, the Dead Tisa is amazingly clean and odorless.

Also, the practice of locals for the last 10-20 years was to build small summerhouses right next to the water, and equip them with wooden docks.
The banks are very steep, making those docks, alongside small patches of land where they are built ideal for jumping and sunbathing.

The best thing is that anybody can use those docks when the owners aren’t around.
They are public property, and there are a lot of them.

A lazy summer afternoon, little BBQ, a few beers cooling in the water and lot of friends and/or family – sounds like an ideal setting for a great day on Dead Tisa.

Silver Lake

2010-08-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

I never went camping as a kid. I’m not sure why I avoided it for so long, but I finally tried it last year and simply loved it. That’s why I’m planning to travel and camp around Serbia, and one of my first destinations is Silver Lake (Srebrno jezero in Serbian) near the town of Veliko Gradiste. It’s located near Belgrade, some 110 km southeast of it and is easily accessible by car or bus.

This is what Wikipedia says about the lake itself:

Silver Lake has an irregular arch shape; it is 14 kilometers long, up to 300 meters wide and covers an area of 4 km². It is situated at the altitude of 70 meters and deep as much as 8 meters. The water is clear due to the lack of pollution and the natural philtration of the water through many sand dunes. The lake is abundant in fish, including white amur, carp, catfish, pike, perch and other freshwater whitefish.

The river Danube is also very near, so the region must be a great treat for fishing.
My friend visited it just recently and was very impressed, especially by the development – he said it looked like a lot of money recently went into maintaining and improving the landscape, as well as re-building the tourist infrastructure. According to him, the place had an almost ‘’seaside’’ feel to it, which is great.
He stayed in a bungalow, but I recommend a camping trip. All in all, Silver Lake looks ideal for a short, late-summer outdoors vacation.

Vojvodina on Open Days 2009

2009-10-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

Representatives of Serbia's norther province Vojvodina are going to attend for the first time ''Open Days 2009''. This is an annual summit of European regions and cities that was created as a discussion platform for many diverse issues and problems that are facing the continent and its people. Its organisers hope that through this summit, regional representatives can interconnect and eventually, form mutually beneficial partnerships.

Although Serbia isn't a member of the EU, this is a great chance for Vojvodina and the rest of the country. Tourism, like food production, is one of the economical forerunners currently developing in Vojvodina, and it's important to get this message across.

Instead of using just standard tools like advertising, I believe that open discussion about pitfalls and possibilities in Serbia is also very important.

The decision to take Vojvodina to the ''Open Days'' is even more important with the publication of statistical data about visitors to the region: according to it, number of visitor for the first 8 months of 2009 dropped 9% compared to the same period last year.

If Vojvodina wants a steady revenue generated by tourism, it's time to expand its European promotion.

Anti-violence march announced in response to the death of Brice Taton

2009-09-29T14:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the french football fan that was attacked on 17th of September in Belgrade has died from his injuries. Heads of State sent out condolences to his family, and there was an united call for an end to street and sport violence from all major political parties in Serbia.

Also, according to B92, Human Rights Ministry State Secretary called on citizens to gather at Belgrade's central square at 11:30 CET on Wednesday, (30.09.2009) to pay tribute to the victim.

Attend this important, although very sad event if you can, no mater where you come from.

Safety in Belgrade

2009-09-27T15:10:00.000-07:00

In the last few days, 4 foreigners were attacked in Belgrade. One, a supporter of Toulouse FC was badly injured in a fight that broke out before a match with Partizan FC, and just few days ago, a Libyan student was a victim of an a apparently random attack.

So, did Serbia, and especially its capital, suddenly become unsafe for visitors from abroad?
I don't believe so.

Although street violence is a horrible thing, I don't see this as something endemic (although some do). The bright side is that all of these crimes got a lot of attention from the media. In my experience, it's better to maybe overestimate these kinds of problems, then to underestimate them.
With increasing publicity, the justice and the police department got under more public pressure. Police officers are more visible than before, and now, all most all alleged perpetrators of these attacks are incarcerated and waiting for their trials.

It is also comforting that a lot of statesmen have voiced their concerns about these attacks - the most recent is the statement of the tourism Minister about the negative impact these incidents have on Serbia's international standing.

photo from srbijanet.rs

Hopefully, all of this will transform those attacks into a bad memory.

Lake of Ledinci is gone

2009-09-13T15:31:00.000-07:00

Usually, I write about interesting places and events in Serbia. This time I will write about something opposite - the complete destruction of one of those places.

Ledinacko lake (or Lake of Ledinci) formed in an abandoned quarry on Fruska Gora mountain. The first time I saw it I was amazed, because it looked like something from the pages of National Geographic magazine. Surrounded by steep rocky hills, the water in the lake was light blue, cold and very clear. During the summer, people came from Novi Sad and other near-by towns and villages to enjoy this great place that wasn't meant to be. Few years ago, a boulder fell from the rock wall and injured a few people, forcing the authorities to close all access to the lake.

This year, the site was drained and the lake is no more.
Local politics, business interest and safety issues aside, it's hard for me to believe that there was no other solution except the one that called for total annihilation of this gem.

I can just hope that the next generations won't look at these pictures and wonder what the hell were we thinking...

photos by Sel Emil

Golubac Danube fair

2009-07-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

I’m very pleased to see that cities and town with access to Danube are expanding their tourism offers. This year, from 24th to 26th July, Golubac, a city in eastern Serbia, is hosting a Danube fair. This etno-event will cover smaller venues that will offer local food (especially the fish stew), traditional artwork and crafts, as well as folk music, all with the common theme of Danube.

I personally love Danube, because I grew up with this mighty river. But Golubac, located just before the Djerdap National park is truly a spectacular sight. There, Danube widens drastically, and is a great spot for waters sports like sailing. If you didn’t visit Golubac or Djerdap, Danube fair is a perfect opportunity to change that and enjoy on of Europe biggest rivers in its true glory.

May Day in Sokobanja

2009-04-26T15:59:00.000-07:00

Single party communism was abandoned almost 25 years ago, but people in Serbia are still madly in love with the biggest workers day off – May 1st, or May Day. It’s a nation-wide holiday, and everybody takes to the great (or not so much) outdoors to barbecue and seriously relax.

This year, Sokobanja, one of the leading spas in the country is making a wide ranging picnic festivity. Sokobanja is located in central part of eastern Serbia, some 230 km from Belgrade, and 90 km from Nis. The event is called ‘’Prvomajski uranak’’, or loosely translated ‘’Mayday Morning’’, and it’s going to take place on several meadows and picnic sites, ideal for BBQ. For everyone that doesn't feel like cooking, a mini fair will be dedicated to local cuisine. A part from this, galleries will be presenting an ethnic themed series, and in the center of the city, forth annual flower festival will be held.

This event sound like fun for families or bigger visitors groups. I like the ethnic touch, because usually, Mayday is all about eating meat, drinking beer and doing nothing else. This is a good sign of diversifying a big national holiday.

Novi Sad & Souvenirs

2009-04-07T17:34:00.000-07:00

News like this gives me some hope in development of Serbian tourism – Novi Sad harbor is getting a souvenir shop!
This doesn’t sound like a big deal, but in many ways it is. Novi Sad lies on Danube, and weekly, big river cruise liners from Germany, Romania, Hungary and Austria pass through. A lot of tourist go out and spend few hours strolling around city center. There are souvenir shops around town, but it was more than logical to put one right in the harbor, where these types of tourists are sure to pass.

I’m not big on collecting stuff, but I love nicknack's that I picked up during my travels, especially those that where cheap, small and useless – the exact things this new shop should store. For example, my friend has a collection of fridge magnets he bought during his time in the USA, and it looks great.
I hope that ‘’river’’ visitor will be able to get “Greetings from Novi Sad’’ or ‘’Novi Sad ain’t half Bad’’ magnets soon.

Inviting investors to Serbia

2009-03-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

Like most of the eastern European countries, Serbia is in need of more foreign investment into domestic tourism. Local business investors usually favor heavier industries or commerce sectors, rather then tourism, which is seen as more of an exotic and risky opportunity.

On recent Travel Trade Show that was organized in Berlin, Serbian government promoted its plans for bringing more investment into the tourism sector. Except for the usual rhetoric about our untouched natural beauties, Serbia’s improving image (at least, they hope it’s improving) and so fort, I think two things stand up for investors that are (rightly so) interested in profit, and not the improvement of our world-standing.

First of those is the expansion and promotion of archeological sites from the Roman era, so called ‘’Emperors Route’’ – I believe this is really a potential for development. Ancient Roman sites are always interesting and have a big appeal to most people.

The other thing, although less spectacular, is a planned cycling track alongside Danube, which is intended to promote bicycle tourism. This could be a jackpot for some low to medium investments – the landscape through which Danube flows is very flat, green and tranquil, and good basic infrastructure is already there. With some well planed tours that last 4-7 days, Serbia could easily get on the eco-tourist maps.

So, where do you want to put your money - ancient Rome or bicycles?

Karlovci Christmas festivities

2009-01-12T09:03:00.000-08:00

Although the New Year holiday season is whining down, there are still some events that are ongoing. In Serbia, majority of the population is Christian-Orthodox, and according to the old Julian calendar, New Year falls on January 14.

In Sremski Karlovci, a traditional event called ‘’Karlovci Christmas festivities’’ started in December, but will end on the 14th. Every year more and more people visit this event because of it broad and interesting subjects: culture, spiritual heritage, traditional folk values. All of this is presented in a modern, multimedia fashion.

If you like to learn more about local culture and, especially, spiritual and religions heritage (Sremski Karlovci is a very important center for both), on the 13th you can see the preparation for the Orthodox New Year in the church of St. Nikolaja around midnight, or New Year mass and church choir concert on the 14th , starting in 9:30AM.

New Year’s Eve in Novi Sad

2008-12-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

During my high school years I learned a valuable lesson about the ‘’big night’’.
Don’t expect anything. It’s just another night out – it can be great, or it can suck big time. Ether way, it’s not your wedding and shouldn’t be over planned.
The best way is to simply go with the flow, and this year, if you happen to be in Novi Sad, there will be several ‘’flows’’.

First, there is the traditional concert and fireworks on the main city square – Masimo Savic is probably the biggest star on this venue.
Other ‘’stages’’ will include traditional Vojvodina music on the smaller Mladenci square, which is almost next to the main square; a lineup of DJ, both local and foreign will play on SPENS, a big sports center that is also near by.

So, if you happen to be in Novi Sad on the 31. December, feel free to venture out in the cold - there will be dancing on the streets.

Number of visitors to Serbia remains stagnant

2008-12-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

Serbia, although never a ‘’hot destination’’, has seen a steady increase in the number of visitors since the regime change in 2000. It seems that this trend hasn’t continued into 2008.

According to the State statistic agency, the total number of visitors that Serbia received during first 10 months of this year is lover by one percent compared to the same period in 2007.
The most popular destination is the capitol Belgrade, then the second largest city, Novi Sad. The majority of the visitors, around 38%, stayed in spas and other thermal resorts like Vrnjacka Banja. Also, most visitors came from Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Germany.

I know that this isn’t a big downturn, but I think it may be a good sign for thing to come, especially having in mind the ongoing economical slowdown and the poor state of air travel industries.

I guess 09 isn’t going to brake any tourism records in Serbia - at least no positive ones.

Eco-house ''Small Bodrog''

2008-11-30T11:39:00.000-08:00

Similar to most developing countries, village and ecotourism in Serbia have a lot of potential, but sadly, most of it is untapped. Although the local and regional governments are always quick to point out that tourism is a great source of income, money and other real backing rarely follows the reassuring words.
That’s why I’m glad to see small scale projects like ‘’Small Bodrog’’ (‘’Mali Bodrog’’ in Serbian) in Backi Monostor.

This country house was built 150 years ago in the style typical for the 19. Century south-east Austria–Hungary era, and was recently renovated and turned into a historical site.
Alongside the house and its preserved interior, ‘’Small Bodrog’’ displays the traditional large backyard with its well and accompanying buildings that were used by the generations of farmers who lived there.
I think it’s very good that people take the initiatives in their own hands and try to develop their cultural heritage into a tourist destination for everyone to enjoy, and also make some profit.
You can visit this small but interesting place and find out how people lived in this part of the world almost two centuries ago. I doubt it’s going to blow you away, but it should at least prove interesting.
The entry ticket is currently under one Euro, which is another incentive.

Find out more by calling +381 25/807-163, or just 025 807 163 if you are already in Serbia.

Joan Miró exhibition

2008-11-18T16:55:00.000-08:00

Sombor is a small sleepy town in the far north of the country, but it’s organizing a very interesting event. Starting on 27Th November, Sombor city museum will open a big Juan Miro exhibition. There, almost 70 paintings, graphics and drawings created by this Spanish contemporary artist will be displayed.

I can’t say that I know a lot about his work, but he is a world renowned painter and sculptor, so this looks like an ideal opportunity to visit Sombor for a lazy afternoon of art and relaxation. The exhibition is open till December 20Th.

Medical tourism in Serbia

2008-11-09T06:06:00.000-08:00

Being sick isn’t usually the first thing people associate with travel, but the phenomenon of medical tourism is growing in Serbia.
A little background story:

Republic of Serbia, like all former Yugoslav countries, has a very strong social approach to medical care. All citizens are eligible to receive a complete medical insurance package, provided by the state. There are several bases for this, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a child, unemployed or something different – everybody has it.
This system is in place for almost 60 years, and wasn’t disturbed by the regional conflicts or anything else.
Naturally, the level of medical services has dropped in the period of 1990-2000, but is steadily recovering. Because of this, Serbia has a lot of medical professionals like doctors, dentist, nurses and many others. Now, some of them have set up private clinics or smaller practices, because a lot of people choose to pay and receive faster service. For example, an ultrasound diagnostic will be complete after some 45 days from the moment the patient show up in the general hospital; in a private practice, it takes only few days to make an appointment and receive full results.

Medical tourism offers to foreign visitors, usually those from Western Europe, a chance to come to Serbia and get the medical treatment they need at a much lower price. For example, dental procedures are 4 times cheaper than in UK and the noninvasive diagnostic methods like magnetic resonance imaging are even cheaper.

So far, Belgrade and Novi Sad (capitol and second larges city) are expanding offers in medical tourism. Belgrade, with its international airport is the logical first choice, but organized transport to Novi Sad is also available.
In my case, I use both private clinics and state run medical institutions in Novi Sad, and I’m generally very pleased with the levels of service and professionalism, even having in mind that the free options are somewhat slow.
If you have some kind of medical condition or problem, especially a non-life threatening, like bad teeth or knee injury, think about this somewhat unusual option.

For more detailed information, check out Serbia Medical Tourism.

Beer Museum

2008-10-27T18:44:00.000-07:00

Do you like beer?
I absolutely love it – no matter what time or place, I won’t refuse a cold one.
So you can imagine why I was pretty excited when I heard that Celarevo brewery (now part of the Carlsberg Serbia company) opened a beer museum!

The Beer Museum, set inside the brewery complex in the small northern town of Celarevo, will showcase how the process of beer-making evolved in this region. Although people were traditionally more inclined to wine or schnapps, beer became more widespread in the 19th century. Now it’s the most popular alcoholic drink in the land.
Celarevo brewery was established in 1892, and although there are older ones in the country (Apatinska brewery began working in 1756); this is still an impressive history of uninterrupted production.

I trust there will be things to see in the newly opened museum.
Of course, a chance to try out some of the beers from the current Celarevo production line like Lav and Tuborg, and then compare those to other big European brands like Kilkenny or Guinness isn’t either going to spoil the trip to this, shall we say, house of learning.

Days of Honey

2008-10-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

Another day, another food festival!
This one named somewhat unimaginatively ‘’Days of Honey’’, is intended to promote... well, you guest it, honey.
It will last for three days, starting on the 17th October, and the location is town only a few dozen miles from Belgrade - Indjija. This little town in Fruska Gora range is by itself a pretty interesting place, being somewhat of a mini industrial Mecca inside Serbia, all thanks to its local government that has wisely offered a variety of Greenfield investments opportunities.
This place is definitely going places, no pun intended.

Having that in mind, I’m betting ‘’Days of Honey’’ will be a very meticulously organized event, and should at least prove interesting.
The main venue will be the town square, where the honey makers will present their products, and local art societies perform music and small-scale plays. Beside honey, there should be other kinds of honey-based products – I recommend you try Medovaca, a honey-infused schnapps drink. Personally, I prefer my spirit straight and cold, but Medovaca isn’t half bad, especially if you like sweet liquor.

This is chance to see a micro industrial boom town and try a lot of different honey flavours while drinking honey-schnapps – how bad could this half day visit be?

Devil’s Town

2008-10-06T22:24:00.000-07:00

Recently, there’s been a lot of talk in Serbia about a place called Devil’s Town (Djavolja varos).
It’s a relatively small nature park, or nature monument, as defined by local law.
What is it exactly?
Well, simply put – a collection of weird rock formations. There are around 200 of them in Devil’s Town and they look like strange, elongated sculptures. Every one is really narrow and has a stone on its peak. They are created by erosion, and as I understand it, are somewhat of a geological rarity.
I never visited this place, or even heard about it till recently, but I’ll give it this: it sure looks like out of this world.

Devil’s Town became more famous when it entered the ‘’New wonders’’ competition, under the ‘’nature’’ section. Currently, it’s on the 24th place.
Generally, I’m always skeptical about any ‘’new and hip’’ tourist locations. Devil’s town it located in the southern Serbia, near the town of Kursumlija, so it’s not exactly very accessible because of the distance and road quality (except if you’re visiting Nis or some other southern city). For example, a one-day visit from Belgrade would take up around 10 hours just in transit.

Devil’s Town does look like it’s worth a visit, but don’t expect much more than what you have seen in the pictures.
Near-by Kursumlija has more tourist sites, so it’s probably best to incorporate Devil’s Town into a bigger sightseeing trip, just in case.

Belgrade air show

2008-09-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

This is somewhat unexpected – Belgrade is going to host its first big air show.

Of course, there are periodical air shows all over the country, but this one sounds really big – around 40 aircraft and 60 pilots and skydivers are going to take part.

They will include the Serbian air force, national airline JAT, special airborne police units, private air companies and air sport societies. This will all take place on this Saturday, the 27 of September, starting at noon. The main spectator location will be the upper part of the Kalemegdan fortress (now really more of a park), located just next to the city center.

I’m not sure how will this air show stand up to similar events in the rest of Europe, but the idea is absolutely fabulous.
The Serbian capitol needs this kind of major public happenings for all ages, so if you’re in Belgrade or planning to come this weekend, I’m recommending you take a look to the sky from Kalemegdan.

The view should be interesting.

Update:

Yesterday, while practicing for the air show, one of the aircraft had a malfunction and crash-landed on the Belgrade airfield. Its pilot, Istvan Kanas a veteran instructor, has died in the accident.
The organizers decided to cancel the upcoming event because of this tragic development.

Vojvodinijada food festival

2008-09-04T15:32:00.000-07:00

Vojvodina, the northern region of Serbia, has a very mixed ethnic background. During last 200 years, almost 20 different nationalities have migrated to this region. Naturally, they brought their own culture, and with it, cuisine.

‘’Vojvodinijada’’ intends to promote this fact.
Actually, this festival is organized like a ‘’best of’’ collection of several similar events that take place year round in several Vojvodina towns. Every one of them is centered on a particular dish or product, like cabbage stew or spicy sausages. Everything will be made on site (riverside resort called ‘’Dunavski salasi’’ located in the suburbs of Novi Sad) and following traditional recipes. Of course, local traditional music band and performers will also attend.

‘’Vojvodinijada’’ looks like nothing new – like all ‘’best of’’’, it’s better to visit one of the original festivals that revolve around just one food product. On the other hand, if you can make to one of those, this isn’t going to be bad, either.
Because I live in the region, I can tell you that the food will be slightly greasy, spicy, and mostly based on pork meat product. If you’re a vegetarian, run for your life.
But if you like me find those thing tasty, you should spend an hour or two there.
Just plan for a light dinner afterwards.

Fruska Gora – Petrovaradin Fortress

2008-07-29T04:27:00.001-07:00

In my last post I mentioned that Exit music festival in Novi Sad takes place on a huge fortress complex. Well, that place is called Petrovaradin Fortress, and is probably the oldest constantly settled site in Vojvodina.
The original fort was built on a natural cliff extending from Fruska Gora, right next to the river Danube by local Pre-Celtic tribes around 3000 B.C. Although historians aren’t sure what was that village or small town like, they are certain it was a permanent, fortified settlement.

Those tribes were succeeded by the Romans, Hungarians, Turks and many other nations and, more importantly, armies. Current structure was built by the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 18Th century, and hasn’t changed since then.
Today, Petrovaradin Fortress spreads for acres with an elaborate underground tunnel system that has 4 levels and combined length of 16 kilometers.

Fort lost its military purpose some 50 years ago, and now is completely transformed into a cultural destination.
It has a hotel, several restaurants with different themes (I recommend the one with Italian cuisine), two museums and dozens of galleries and painting studios. Because of its tranquility and picturesque scenery, a lot of people regularly spend a few hours every weekend there, relaxing and enjoying the grate view of Novi Sad and Fruska Gora.

Of course, if you like to go out and party, there are two big clubs on the fortress you shouldn’t miss out.
First one is called ‘’Museum’’ and is located right next to the hotel and the real natural history museum.
But the second one is far more interesting.

‘’Jelisavetin Bastion’’ was built right in the outer tunnels and has a big summer garden between the fortress walls.
Firs time I went there I was completely blown away – guests have to walk something like 100 meters through a tunnel network before they reach the club rooms – it was like an Indian Jones adventure and you should check it out, but not if you’re claustrophobic.

Exit festival is over!

2008-07-14T04:46:00.000-07:00

And thank God for that.
One more day and my immune system would have completely shut down. But for me this festival was probably the best one in the last 5 years – all the fun and no fuss.

Exit is a music festival that started in Novi Sad in the year 2000. Since then it has grown to become the biggest event of that kind in the former Yugoslavia, and some say southeastern Europe. It takes place in the Petrovaradin fortress, a beautiful location on the Danube, just on the other side of Novi Sad city center.

I always attend, but this year was something special. The organization was best so far – no queuing, no big crowds, even on the main events. Also, around 50% of the visitors were from abroad, mostly UK, so this also gave it a great international flavor.

Performers I especial like were the N.E.R.D, Sham 69, Juliette and the licks and Tizzies, a small band of my friends that had it’s firs Exit show (I co/directed a lo-fi video for them, check it out on youtube). Between the main shows I chilled out on Reggae stage where dancefloor DJ and MC rocked all night long – this was a perfect combo for me.

I couldn’t attend the last day, so I missed The Sex Pistols and Hives, but so is life.

All in all, Exit festival didn’t let me down this year not one bit. I hope it will stay like this in the years to come, so you too can come and enjoy the good music vibes.

Cinema city Novi Sad

2008-06-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

If you heard anything about the second largest city in Serbia, Novi Sad, it was probably because of Exit, the fastest growing music festival in Eastern Europe.
Although that sounds like some bad promotional slogan, it’s actually true.

But Exit starts in July.

Right now, Novi Sad is all about Cinema City - international film and new media festival.
What’s the connection? Both festivals are managed by the same team of young, experience people, with the backing of local and regional governments.
This is only the second annual Cinema City, but it has a lot of potential. There will be several projection locations – some indoor, and some under the open sky, right in the city center. Alongside those, experimental workshops, new media labs and of course, a lot of nightlife events (we never pass an opportunity to throw a good party) will take place.
The festival starts on the 14th of June, and will last another 7 days.
Check out more about Cinema City.

I know the festival is starting really soon, but if you’re in the region (Belgrade, possibly), you should come to Novi Sad at least for a day.
If you like movies and/or you like to go out and party, this is the best ticket in town.

Fruska Gora – introduction

2008-05-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

I’m continuing to write about mountains in Serbia, but Fruska Gora is somewhat special.
Unlike the majority of places that I described so far, Fruska Gora is really close to my home, and I got to know it quite well.
Local pride aside, it’s really a great place in many ways, so I decided to make a series of articles about it.

First of all, it’s not a mountain. It’s more similar to a really small mountain range, and it’s made up from several elongate, wide hills, extending 80 km lengthwise east to west, and about 15 km north to south. The highest peak is Crveni Cot at only 539 meters, which is not exactly gigantic.
It’s located in the southern part of the northern province of Vojvodina, and it’s the regions only real non-flat part. Second largest city in Serbia, Novi Sad is practically just next to Fruska Gora; some neighborhoods are even almost on it.
Belgrade is around 50 kilometers to the south, depending from the point of reference.

If I had to describe Fruska Gora in one term, it would have to be: ‘’Green’’. The hillsides are covered with either orchards, grape and wine plantations (Grape dance in fact takes place in Fruska Gora), or with wild forest and meadows.
There are several mane-made lakes, and one or two natural ones. The most famous and beautiful is Ledinacko lake that was formed right in the middle of an abandoned quarry (there will be a special article about it, it’s really quite stunning, but has generated a lot of controversy).

To people that live near it or on it (there are several small towns and even more villages), Fruska Gora is very important.
For some, it’s their livelihoods or home, for other a great, accessible recreational destinations.
But trust me, everybody, including me, loves it very much.

You’ll find out why exactly in following articles.

Divcibare

2008-04-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

Central and southern parts of Serbia have a very diverse mountainous landscape, but there is only one that is loved by every school kid in the country - Divcibare.

I'm not sure how exactly this whole thing started, but almost every elementary school takes it's pupils at least once to Divcibare. This has become an unwritten tradition.

Divcibare are located in the western Serbia. To get there, you will have to travel some 40 km from Valjevo, the largest city in the region, or 120-130 km from the capital, Belgrade.
The trip isn't hard, although the roads aren't great - expect potholes and bad surfaces.

Now, you're thinking: ''this is all fine and good, but what's that got to do with children?''.
Well, to put is simply - Divcibare are an ideal place for kids.

The highest peek is 980 meters above sea level, so Divcibare get a decent amount of snow every year; the resort has one ski lift, and the slopes are really mild.
But there are a lot of (no that expensive) ski instructors, so a lot of kids start learning how to ski or snowboard right there.

Divcibare have a very stable climate, and around 200 days a year are basically windless. Also, the air quality is so high that the mountain was declared a ''climate treatment resort'' in 1963.

During the spring and summer months, the activities can include hiking, boy scout trainings, nature schools and sports like tennis, handball and basketball. I'm not sure if there are any public pools, but it's more then likely.

In fact, only the late autumn period isn't interesting - every other period of the year is guarantied to be super-fun for the youngsters.

Visitors can choose between several hotels, apartments and private accommodations - whatever is your choice, be sure to try the local dairy and dry meat product - they are famous in the whole county, and for good reason.

So, if you have kids and are planning a visit to the region, take a 2 or 3-day detour to Divcibare.
It isn't going to be spectacular for you, but the younger members of the family will think different.

Kopaonik National Park

2008-01-28T01:32:00.000-08:00

National park Kopaonik is located in central Serbia, 230km from the capital Belgrade. It is accessible from two corridors - Josanicke Banje and Brisa.

Although its one of the biggest nation parks, it doesn't cover the whole Kopaonik mountain; its situated on a flat region, a plateau caller Suvo Rudiste, and is surrounded by mountain peaks.
Around 118 square kilometers of protected forest and other mountainous landscape are incorporated in the park, and there are 12 separate zones (Kozje rocks, Vucak, Mrkonja, Jankova pond, Gobelja, Barska river, Samokovska river, Metodje, Jerak, Suvo rudiste and Duboka plain)

These zones are classified as ''special interest'' areas, because of the animal and plant species that live there, and are intentionally isolated and additionally protected (I'm not sure does this mean that they are no-go areas for tourist). Local laws, as well as a number of different international conventions regulate the park.

Of all the wildlife species that are living in the park, its variety of birds is probably most famous; those include scops owl, rock partridge and red-backed shrike. Bigger species of mammals like wolfs and bears are a rarity.

I have never visited Kopaonik National Park, but I have traveled to Kopaonik Mountain - the landscape is beautiful and often simply stunning. I can only imagine what the park looks like, but I can bet it's even more picturesque, due to it's protected status.

If you're into bird watching or are interested or love untouched mountain scenery, Kopaonik National park is the perfect place for a one-day visit.
For more info - kopaonik.net

Kosovo Mountains

2007-10-26T03:15:00.000-07:00

Similar to the entire region, except the coastal parts, the climate in Kosovo is continental.

Much of Kosovo's terrain is rugged, and its mountainous area, including the highest peak Đeravica, at 2656 m above sea level, is located in the south-west, bordering Albania and Montenegro.The mountain range dividing Kosovo from Albania is known in English as the "Cursed Mountains" or as the Dinaric Alps.

The Kopaonik Mountain is located in the north, bordering Central Serbia, although all of its ski resorts and other tourist destinations are outside Kosovo. The central region of Drenica, Crnoljevo and the eastern part of Kosovo, known as Goljak, are mainly hilly areas.

The Šar Mountains are located in the south and south-east, bordering Macedonia. This is one of the region's most popular tourist and skiing resorts, with Brezovica and Prevalac as the main tourist centers.

I have never been to Šar, but it is supposed to be very picturesque and beautiful; its untouched landscape is covered by glacial lakes, pine forests and very small villages, populated by sheep herders. A big part of the mountain (39.000 hectares) was declared a national park in 1986, with the purpose of protecting more than 147 butterfly species, and around 200 birds.

Although some locations are promoted as skiing resources, many of those are poorly managed and maintained. I believe that only Kopaonik has a developed center suitable for ski tourism, and that you should skip all others.

On the other hand, if you are interested in hiking, camping and love nature, these places, especially the Šar Mountain are a perfect destination for you.

Kosovo and Metohija (Kosovo)

2007-10-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

The most southern tip of former Republic of Yugoslavia, and now Serbia, Kosovo has had a very turbulent past.
In the last 20 years, its citizens have seen civil unrest, uprisings, curfews, low intensity guerrilla war and finally, the NATO bombing campaign in the 1999.
After the war that lasted more than 3 months, foreign forces entered the province under a peace agreement between Yugoslavian government and the NATO alliance. Since then, the province is formally still a part of Serbia, but in reality functions as a independent state under the peacekeeping force KFOR and the UN mission in Kosovo, or UNMIK.
Since the 1999 war, representatives of Albanians, the mayor ethnic group in Kosovo, have been seeking formal independence from Serbia, a move that is opposed by the Belgrade government.

I don’t want to go into the question of independence or the recent history.
I do not live in the region or believe I have a deeper understanding of this prolonged conflict.
Instead, I will try to write about interesting locations inside Kosovo, and all the things that foreign visitors could find worthwhile.

In the next part, read more about the nature and geography of Kosovo, here on Experience Serbia blog.

Grape Dance

2007-10-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

Sremski Karlovci is a well-known town in Serbia. They are culturally and historical very significant (more about them later), but are also host to the most famous vine festival in the country - the annual Grozdjenbal, or loosely translated - Grape Dance.

Sremski Karlovci is located in the Fruska Gora hills, a small mountain range in the northern province of Vojvodina. Traditionally, grape growing and vine making are very widespread in these parts, and the small hills and valleys are covered with grape plantations and orchards. The climate and, more importantly, soil composition are ideal for the cultivation of not only grape vines, but also many different kinds of central European and more resilient Mediterranean fruit tree breeds.

The Fruska Gora region had experienced its vine revolution in the late 18. Century, and it lasted almost to the beginnings of 1940'es. In that period small, family based farms (traditionally called ''salashi'') began to label and export their vines abroad, and the region started to build a reputation as a important, growing producer. But after the WW2, these farms were nationalized by the socialist government and merged into big collectives - this decision had effectively killed of all previous brands and the collective mentality gradually decreased the vine quality.

Now, more than 25 years since the abandonment of large-scale SSSR stile agricultural units, the small farms are rebuilding their vine production - in the traditional, 19. Century manner. Today, many farmers make and brand their own vine, interested more in its quality instead of shear quantities.

That's why the town of Sremski Karlovci organized the first Grape Dance in 1996. The festival doesn't have a long history, but it's proven to be very popular and almost certainly the most visited vine festival in the country.

It takes place every year in the end of September, intended, like all vine festival, to coincide with the end of grape harvest.

But unlike most festivals, Grape Dance is much more oriented towards live music.

A big concert stage is erected in the middle of the town, and for the next 3 days a great number of artist perform there - almost every music genre is covered: starting from traditional and folk bands and musicians, classic orchestras, pop stars right to heavy rock and experimental band.

Of course, you can try a lot of different vines in the small stalls and pavilions that line the neighboring streets. The producers of almost every brand are always present, so you can chat with them and find out more about their products.

I try to go every year, and Grape Dance is well worth it. The only big problem is the traffic jams that occur regularly, especially in the evening hours. Because of the terrain, there is only one main road (not counting the backwater roads that are of poor quality) that links Sremski Karlovci to the bigger surrounding cities.

Also, there aren't enough parking spaces, although the town will probably deal with that soon. If you plan to visit the festival, you should go by train.

Grozdjenbal is a developing event. It started with very humble, but it's obvious that Sremski Karlovci administration and the wine-making community are working hard to improve it. I'm certain it will only get bigger and better.

Zupa Harvest

2007-09-24T01:36:00.000-07:00

‘’Traveler, when you come to Zupa, weather you come from north or south, or any other direction, know that you are a welcomed guest in this blessed land.’’

These is the welcome message for the event called ‘’Zupska berba’’ or in English – Zupa Harvest – a festival that celebrates the end of grape harvest. It takes place every year in Aleksandrovac, a small town located in the southern part of central Serbia. It’s one of Serbian vine counties, given its good landscape, climate and most importantly, a long tradition of family based vine making.

Zupa Harvest officially started in 1963, although the custom of celebrating the end of the grape harvest dates back several centuries.
It had humble roots, but the festival grew each year, and now, it’s became an event for all ages. It last 3 days and has incorporated poet nights, art exhibitions, music concerts, miniature agricultural fairs, children and folk shows and many more diverse happenings.
Of course, throughout the festival, around 30 best vine makers and grapes producers exhibit their products in the Vine Street, where everybody can try out any of their products. The main stage and the center of all activities is the square with its unique vine fountain.

I have never been to Zupa Harvest, but similar vine festivals in my region are all worthwhile and fun. Zupa Harvest took place this year in the period of 20-23 September, so I’ll have to wait for the next one. If you ever find yourself nearby Aleksandrovac in the early autumn, visit the festival – if you like vine, I bet you’ll like Zupa Harvest.

Regions in Serbia

2007-09-21T02:58:00.000-07:00

Although Serbia isn’t a big country, it has a very diverse cultural, geographical and economical landscape.

That’s in part because of the massive historical shifts that have changed the Balkans in the last 150 years - most importantly the First and the Second World Wars, and the later civil wars of 1990’s. Many regions that are currently inside Serbian national borders were parts of different neighboring countries just a few generations ago.

The other reason for this diversity was, and still continues to be a relatively accessible and widespread migration; very similar regional languages and other favorable factors attributed to the periodical mass movements of, more or less, every group of people that lived here.

Today, we can name 4 distinctly different regions that make up the modern Serbian state. Those are:

North – called Vojvodina

Center – like Vojvodina, it consists of several smaller regions, but is generally known as “central Serbia”.

South – although the region lies more to the south-east, it’s called “southern Serbia” or just “south”

Kosovo and Metohija – located on the southern tip, it's also called Kosmet, but you probably know it only as “Kosovo”

Find out more about each one on “Experience Serbia” blog very soon.

Belgrade, Part Two - History

2007-09-17T02:26:00.000-07:00

Belgrade was built somewhere around in 3rd century BC by the local Celts tribes.

It resides near the stone-age site of Vinca, inhabited by one of the first culturally developed societies in mainland Europe, some 6000 years ago. The consequent merger of Vinca tribes with the Celts makes Belgrade on of the oldest continuously populated cities on the continent.

The Celts where replaced for a short time by the Greeks, and then, in the first century AC, the frontier of Roman empire swallowed up the whole region, including Belgrade.

Romans built the first mayor infrastructural project such as pawed road, aqueducts and city walls. Although much of it was destroyed hundreds of years ago, the Roman period was fundamental for the establishment of Belgrade as a growing regional center.

After the division of the Roman Empire, Belgrade was conquered and run by a variety on nations. Among them are, most prominently: Avars, Huns, Franks, Arabs, Turks, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Germans, and finally the Serbs.

All those cultures left their mark on the city and its people. As a result of 2000 years of constant influences from every corner of central Europe, Mediterranean and the Middle East, Belgrade has developed a unique, vibrant and ever-changing cultural identity.

Belgrade, Part One - Z capital

2007-09-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

Belgrade is the capital city of Serbia.

There is a lot to say about Belgrade. First of all, it's big. Not as big as, let say London or Moscow, but in Serbia, it is by far the biggest city, and it's estimated that some were around 2.5 million people live in its wider area. That's something like 7 times bigger then the second biggest city in the county, and one third of the complete Serbian population.

There isn't a single thing that defines Belgrade. I live in a city some 80 km away, and the first association I have is - overcrowded. A lot of people from the south and central regions come here to live and find prosperity, even more in the last 15 to 20 years of economic stagnation. That is still the case.

You probably wouldn't think of it as pretty place in a architectural sense, because you can see almost everywhere a mixture of buildings from the late 19th and early 20 century, communist era stile (lot of concrete and square shapes) and those built in modern trends, bundled up together with no grater plan in mind. Also, road infrastructure newer planed for this kind of population level, and daily gridlocks are common.

But simultaneously, having so many people in the same place gives Belgrade a metropolitan fell. It, unlike every other city in the country, has a really rich cultural and artistic life. Business there is booming, and by getting some international attention in the last 5 years, it's become the unrivaled money center in the country, and possibly in the region, not counting EU member states.

Nightlife is certainly diverse and vibrant, fueled primarily by a big student population.
In short, with all of its shortcomings, Belgrade is currently the place to be in Serbia.

More about it - soon on Experience Serbia blog.

So, like, where is Serbia, like, exactly?

2007-09-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

If you never heard of Serbia, don't despair.

You're not stupid or ignorant, just a little uniformed about southeast Europe. Because, yes, that is where Serbia is roughly located. More precisely, it lies on the Balkan Peninsula, alongside Greece, Bulgaria and Albania to name a few. I won't bore you with the geographic info (find everything relevant in this wikipedia article), and instead, give you some traveling references.

The flight from London to Belgrade (Serbia capital) should last around 2 to 3 hour; Frankfurt-Belgrade should be a little shorter. You will have to travel at least 24 hours by bus from any northern European capital (Paris, Brussels, Berlin) to get to Serbia; train should get you here a little faster. Car is by far the best ground-based option, but journey time depends on your driving skill and the traffic. Let's just say that it's possible to get from Belgrade to Vienna in 7 hours, but you have to be rally driving material.

Welcome to Experience Serbia blog!

2007-09-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

Ever heard about country named Serbia?

Ever thought about visiting it?

If the answer is yes, stick around and find out more information about it, directly from local sources, and without the usual tourist agency BS. I'll try to tell it as I see it - so ask questions, give comments and your personal experiences, because every opinion is welcomed.

The Good and the Bad about Serbia - only on ''Experience Serbia'' blog.