​Driven by the memories and the adventurous time we had on our last hiking trip to Stara Planina (read the guide here), we decided to take another hiking trip down to Western Serbia this time. After seeing many photos of the Uvac National Park, I pleaded for Kristian to take me. Being a good boyfriend that he is, we ventured south for a long weekend in May and saw much more than we bargained for…
 
We discovered many hidden gems on our trip that we want to share with you, in case you ever want to get to know Serbia’s nature and food culture better. We really recommend this trip for foreigners, Serbians from other parts of the country that still haven’t seen what wonderful places are hidden within their own borders, nature lovers, foodies, camping and hiking enthusiasts, and definitely budget travelers.

Osnova za ovaj članak bile su dve nama vrlo drage i vrlo različite vikend ture – jedna romantična u dvoje, druga prava kamperska sa ekipom. Ovde smo izabrali naše favorite i pokušali da ih spakujemo u jedan super ispunjen produženi vikend. Ako imate viška slobodnih dana, slobodno ovo razvucite na nedelju i više dana ili na nekoliko divnih vikend odmora. 

Veče je. Gledamo već treću vremensku prognozu. Gledamo mađarski radar. Na sve strane (sa svih strana) – kiša. Ali ima nešto što me muči više od kiše - onaj inat kada nešto sebi zacrtaš, koji plan pretvara u ultimatum. Šanse za dobro vreme su nam slične kao i našoj Kraljevini 1914., ali jedino na šta se mi obavezujemo jeste vikend ispunjen hedonizmom i čistim uživanjem.
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U nekoliko klikova rezervišemo kolibu. Naši planinarski rančevi, pošto su odležali 360 dana na polici u špajizu, sa nestrpljenjem isčekuju novu avanturu. Aktivni veš kupljen na akciji u Decathlonu i planinarske pantalone konačno će imati svrhu. Pakujemo ih u prethodno pomenute rančeve. Ispod njih ostaje beli trag oivičen prašinom. Pakujemo tatinog Švajcarca, baterijske lampe čije baterije samo što nisu oksidirale i kremen koji ne znamo da koristimo. Spremni smo.

Day 1
 
It was a 5 hour drive from Novi Sad to Zlatibor on a very rainy evening. Nobody in their right mind would head on a hiking trip in this weather, but Kristian. He made a plan to go on the 4th so he was going on the 4th even if it was raining bullets. He's my man with a plan.

​First off, let’s make something clear -  Zlatibor is a region and much more than the flashy pedestrian zone with expensive bars everyone thinks of. In my opinion, the only reason you should go to the city of Zlatibor is if you have some new expensive clothing you want to show off, or if you want to see the worst example of Serbian culture and messed up values we have in this country. If you’d rather pass, drive a bit farther south passing Zlatibor and exit off the highway toward the village of Ljubiš. About half way, you’ll find a quaint little cabin that is too cute to pass. Book a night in Previja cabin here. When we arrived on that cold rainy night, we lit the fireplace, opened a bottle of wine and enjoyed our evening watching Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Prvi dan

​Mala, kratka svađa pred put ne može da škodi. Sad smo stvarno spremni :D Prvo odredište - Zlatibor. Puteva ka Zlatiboru ima bezbroj i svako ima svoj „najbrži“ i „najbolji“, kojim su još njegovi baka i deka, automobilom domaće proizvodnje, sa još minimum jednom familijom i džakom krompira na krovnom nosaču, išli na more. Moj „najbrži“ i „najbolji“ (svakako to nije) jeste preko Šapca, Divčibara i Valjeva. Nailazimo na žutu tablu koja vodi prema turističkom mestu Zlatibor. Kako nismo željni lokala naše folk dive i zujanja autića za decu na gradskom trgu, produžavamo dalje. Žuta tabla koju mi tražimo jeste tabla za Ljubiš, koja se nalazi nekih 15-ak kilometara niže. Od naše kolibe deli nas 4 km asfaltiranog vijugavog puta. Vadimo rančeve, boce vina i osavremenjenu verziju bakinih kolača.

E sad, želim da zamislite savršenu drvenu kolibu, na savršeno zelenom proplanku okruženu savršeno nesavršenim borovima. Zvuči dobro, zar ne? E ova je još bolja. Naš savet je da kolibu rezervišite blagovremeno, pošto je prilično popularna među stranim turistima. Upalite kamin (ne zaboravite da otvorite odžak), otvorite bocu dobrog vina, skinite film sa solidnim recenzijama i bićete zahvalni univerzumu kao da ste sve knjige Lujze Hej naučili napamet. Ukoliko imate više vremena definitivno preporučujemo da Vaš boravak u kolibi produžite i  bez žurbe uživate u gurmanlucima i lepotama Zlatiborskog kraja.

Day 2
 
We had a morning coffee on the porch overlooking the foggy hills of Zlatibor, discussing our plans for the day ahead. We’ve planned several destinations for today. The winding road took us through scenic backdrops, through - Sirogojno Etno Village, Stopića Cave, Gostilje Waterfalls and we finished the day in Ljubiš village.

​Breakfast in Sirogojno Etno Village
 
Sirogojno village is a small village 25 km from the city of Zlatibor. It became home to the first open-air museum and the best ethno village in Serbia. 40 years ago, the village became well known all over Yugoslavia and the rest of Europe thanks to its women who made the most beautiful wool knit sweaters from Islandic wool with ethnic motifs. 
 
The ethno village is made up of old wood houses that were brought here from various parts of Serbia for visitors to see how the architecture and rural lifestyle differentiated depending on the region the family lived in. Some of these authentic houses are available for guests to rent out for a couple of nights. There is a restaurant offering local specialties like homemade buckwheat pies, cheese, herbal teas, cabbage, lamb under the bell, local plum brandy, etc. The prices are so affordable that you can try everything on the menu without breaking the bank. And we really recommend you do so, because the food is delicious! There is a small improvised market and souvenir shop that you can buy memorabilia and support the locals. We each bought a pair of knit slippers.

Drugi dan
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Kafa i po koji preostali bakin kolač na tremu sa savršenim pogledom na zlatiborske pašnjake? Može. Danas nas očekuje lagan dan. Najpre krećemo ka Sirogojnu. Vozimo se divnim krivudavim putem sledećih 20-ak km. „Staro selo“ je muzej na otvorenom u kojem se prikazuje arhitektura, unutrašnje uređenje zgrada, način privređivanja i organizacija porodičnog života ljudi brdsko – planinskih predela dinarske regije. Prostire se na površini od 5 hektara i ima oko 50 objekata koji su dislocirani i preneti iz okolnih zlatiborskih sela. Priključite se grupi Japanskih turista i odslušajte njihovog plaćenog vodiča a onda pravac „Krčma“, koja je savršeno mesto za doručak. Naša preporuka jeste srpska prečica do infarkta – komplet lepinja – pravi način da se započne dan na planini. Nemojte propustiti njihovu heljdopitu, kiselo mleko i sjajne domaće sireve.

Stopića cave
 
After a delicious breakfast, head over to Stopica Cave near Sirogojno. This limestone cave is considered a natural monument and opened in 2009. A flight of stairs will take you down to the entrance where you will find yourself at a 18 m high and 35 m wide cave entrance. The main attraction here is the 10 m tall underground waterfall and beautifully lit cave decorations. It will take you about an hour to climb down and see the entire cave. The entrance fee is 250 rsd (2 euros).

Posle doručka za šampione, nastavljamo prema Stopića pećini. To je rečna pećina, kroz koju i danas protiče Trnavski potok. Pećina ima impresivni ulaz visine 18 i širine 35 metara, a nalazi se na 711,18 metara (sa dve decimale, kao da je sam predsednik merio) nadmorske visine. Njena glavna atrakcija je podzemni vodopad, visok 10 metara. Iako nije naročito bogata pećinskim ukrasima, ona ima veoma zanimljive bigrene kade, koje se izdvajaju svojom veličinom i dubinom, koja kod nekih iznosi i do sedam metara.

Gostilje Waterfalls
 
Gostilje village is just a quick drive from Sirogojno as well, and its waterfalls are a definite must see. It is actually a whole formation of several waterfalls along the Katušnica River. The biggest waterfall Vrelo, elevates to an altitude of about 20 meters, making it the biggest in Serbia. This is such a peaceful, colorful and instagramable place. According to a legend, this is where fairies come to bathe. The whole village is surrounded by mountains, pastures, pine trees and is therefore a perfect place for camping as well. The nearby Katušnica river is ideal for fishing and swimming. 

Dan nastavljamo kao pravi turisti i krećemo ka sledećoj atrakciji, vodopadima Gostilje, koji se nalaze na istoimenom potoku. Čitavim krajolikom dominira, 20 metara visoki, vodopad Vrelo – jedan od najvećih u Srbiji. Pratimo dalje potok sve do ušća u reku Katušnicu, i uživamo u velikom broju manjih vodopada, slapova i brzaka.

Ljubiš village
 
The owners of Previja recommended we go to Pećinar restaurant for their grilled trout, so we of course dropped in. This restaurant is the star of the village of Ljubiš or better said -  the whole village. The tavern (or locally. referred to as “kafana”) and store on the main square is all owned by the Pećinar family. It’s a miracle they haven’t renamed the village to “Pećinar“ by now. As we found out, people from all over the Zlatibor region come here to eat like lords. You will not find finer Serbian hospitality or rustic cuisine in a 200 km radius. They only have one rule - no quick meals, “just grabbing a bite to eat” sort of nonsense. If you’re in a hurry, they won’t serve you. Seriously. This is as slow as slow food gets.

Sada nam sledi pravi biser srpske gastronomije, mesto koje treba da služi kao pravi primer i zvezda vodilja svakom srpskom ugostitelju ponaosob i celokupnoj turističkoj ponudi Srbije zajedno. Da je ovo mesto postojalo pre 2700 godina, Penelope bi prste izderala od tkanja, pošto bi se Homer ovde zadržao bar još 5 godina. To mesto je restoran Pećinar. Nalazi se u selu Ljubiš i vodi ga porodica Pećinar. Ista ta porodica vodi seosku radnju. I seosku kafanu. Jedino je pošta državna. Porodica se bavi ugostiteljstvom od 1924. godine kada od kralja dobija lično kafansko pravo. 

​The Pećinar family has been in business since the beginning of 1924, when Miloš Pećinar received a state right to open a “kafana”. It’s currently owned and operated by the families 6thgeneration. Mr. Boban Pećinar works as the manager and waiter and his wife Marija is the head chef. We met both of them and the other waiter that works the other shift (we went to eat here twice, even though the second time we had to make a huge detour). It’s definitively worth driving the extra couple of kilometers to eat here. The food is as local as it gets – they source all of their produce from local farmers, so the cheese and yoghurt you get is fresh from under the cow, massaged by one of the older grandmas living up on the hill. Tomatoes are from the garden, teas are handpicked and dried and the trout was probably swimming in the fish pond out back just few minutes before you placed your order. 

Nas na vratima dočekuje Boban koji nas kao hipnotisane kroz čitavo iskustvo. Kroz nekoliko minuta shvatamo da je Bobanovo prezime Pećinar i da su njegova supruga Marija i on šesta generacija ugostitelja iz Ljubiša. Boban ima autoritet jednak učitelju iz vremena komunizma i ne preostaje Vam druga opcija osim da ga slušate. Kako nam je samo drago što smo ga poslušali to veče. Zagrevamo se za ono što predstoji odličnom domaćom rakijom – za mene šljiva a za g-đicu medovača. Pod Bobanovom dirigentskom palicom meni gubi izvorni smisao i postaje večera od 20 gangova. Ovde se dolazi izgladnjen i bez žurbe. Ovde nema večere bez 3 sata. 

The menu is simple, just one page of pure comfort food – that’s it. Anything you choose from the menu will be made especially for you. When Boban came to take our order, we listened to his recommendations like the good students we are (or Kristian is), and when he left, we realized he actually came to tell us what he’ll order for us. The evening began with a cold appetizer – a cheese and meat platter enough to feed the whole village along with bread, “kajmak”, salad, polenta, cheese pie and baked potatoes. Yes, this is all one dish. Next came the trout. You know how some fish smell like fish? We found out that not all fish do. This trout needed no spices or olive oil to make its white fluffy meat delicious. As dinner was progressing, one first class plum and honey “rakija” (some call it brandy, some moonshine) ended with five. Once Boban got us tipsy, he found it a good time to mention they had rooms upstairs. Well, we like their food, we thought, we’ll probably like their beds as well. So we ended our night happy and full in Pećinar, sorry, Ljubiš village in a rustic wood room with crisp white bedding.

Marija je pravi čarobnjak i naše reči ne mogu Vam dočarati ukus onoga što je izašlo iz kuhinje. Sve je naravno lokalno i domaće. Krećemo od domaće salate. Folk diva naših suseda je možda videla snijeg u maju ali onakvo povrće sigurno nije. Sledi nam domaća, sveže umešena pita od sira i zelja. Zatim, Ivanjički krompir iz rerne ušuškan ispod zlatiborskog pršuta, praćen savršenim kajmakom. Plata sušenog sira i mlečnih proizvoda nikom nije škodila, pa neće ni nama. Pastrmka na žaru izvađena pre 10 minuta iz ribnjaka iza restorana još manje. Ova pastrmka ima jednu veliku manu: toliko je dobra da drugu nećete hteti da jedete. Sve je naravno praćeno odličnim i nepretencioznim domaćim vinom. Do sača nismo dogurali. Vi budite pametni, dođite više puta i prošetajte se kroz ceo meni. Više puta smo se podsetili kakve su bile šljiva i medovača sa početka večere i odlučili da prespavamo u sjajnom smeštaju iznad restorana.

​Day 3

Uvac Special Nature Reserve 
 
We woke up excited about the breakfast ahead. It didn’t disappoint, so again, happy and full we proceeded south to Uvac National Reserve. Like I said, I saw many photos of the famous Uvac meanders or “ the three curves” as Kristian cynically called them, afraid that my choice of nature parks was too commercial and instagramable. 

Dan treći 

​Ustajemo rano, srce puno, želudac ništa manje. Ostatak puta rezervisan je za planinarenje. Manjak volje i proždrljivost ne dozvoljava nam da preskočimo doručak kod Pećinara. Ipak su domaća pita, komplet lepinja i kajmak najbolji prijatelji svakog planinara. Kupujemo slatko i rakiju – valja se. Pakujemo se i krećemo prema Uvcu, koji Ivana, već neko vreme, žarko želi da vidi.

Vozimo se prema Novoj Varoši, nastavljamo ka Sjenici a zatim se odvajamo prema Ivanjici. Sa magistrale se odvajamo nedaleko od sela Krstac, na mestu gde se Kanjevska reka uliva u Uvačko jezero (na oko 8 km od Sjenice prema Ivanjici). Iako sam bio skeptičan i pribojavao se da osim tri krivine (koje smo već videli na Instagramu) i mesta gde su nekad živela tri beloglava supa nećemo videti ništa, prvi metri treka dokazali su da debelo grešim a ženska intuicija se opet pokazala superiornom. 

We drove down to Nova Varoš, heading toward Sjenica where we make a turn toward Ivanjica. We exit off the highway to Krstac village where the Kanjevska river flows into the Uvac lake. Just as we were passing through a flock of sheep making our way toward the Družinići village, Kristian confessed that I was right. By the look of his smile, stretching from ear to ear, I knew he wasn’t being just nice. We pass through Kandića Krš Peak and made our way down a narrow road toward an improvised camp site by the lake. We park our car, pack some snacks and head by foot toward a small wooden gate marking the start of the trail. 
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Probijamo se kroz stado ovaca i sledeća 2 km se krećemo makadamskim putem koji vodi ka selu Družiniće. Obilazimo vrh Kandića krš i spuštamo se užim putem do kampa. Što se kola tiče, „dalje nećeš moći!“. Parkiramo se, pakujemo užinu i vodu, razgibavamo se (po savetima Nade Macure) i spremni smo za pokret. Iznad kampa, primetićete drvenu kapiju od koje kreće uređena staza. Trek je dugačak nekih 14 km i nije tehnički niti kondiciono zahtevan. Više info o treku naći ćete na sjajnom sajtu Staze i bogaze. 

The 14 km trek is nor technically nor conditionally demanding and therefore is suitable for beginners as well. After a few minutes we came across a hanging bridge that leads to Lopiže village. An innocent mistake results in us walking 10 km more, doing a photoshoot with cows and taking part in a village celebration. So unless you’d like to do the same, I advise you to NOT cross the bridge and follow the trail along the right side of the river. With every step we took, we tried to soak in the beauty of our surrounding. If you want to make someone fall in love with hiking, you might as well bring them here.
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Pratimo stazu i posle nekoliko minuta stižemo do visećeg mosta koji vodi ka selu Lopiže. Loše tumačenje informacija vodi nas preko mosta i produžava trek za 10-ak kilometara. Ukoliko slikanje sa kravicama i proslavljanje seoske slave sa Lopižanima nisu na vašoj bucket listi vi ne prelazite preko mosta već i dalje nastavljate stazom koja vodi sa desne staze jezera. Krajolik nas svakim pređenim korakom iznenađuje, redefiniše značenje lepog i neprestano mami naše uzdahe. Ukoliko želite nekog da navučete na planinarenje, savetujemo Vam da probate sa ovim trekom. 

After a slight uphill climb, we pass the “Ladies Rock”. The terrain started to change and the famous Griffon vultures fly over our heads. They have been declared as an endangered species in Serbia and live only in the Zlatar region. We hike the last few hundred meters of the stone lined trail to the Molitva viewpoint. “If a picture speaks louder than a thousand words, than this view speaks louder than a thousand Instagram posts”, declares Kristian. We snacked and made a few photos to add to my Instagram diary, hoping to motivate others to come see this magnificent place. The meanders of the Uvac river resemble a maze that was formed naturally due to many years of the water punching through the limestone rock.
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We took the same trail back, making one last stop to soak in the view. Kristian, aka “the best boyfriend ever”, blew up a lazy bag, opened champagne and a bag of cantuccini biscuits and we called it a successful day while watching the sunset over the Uvac meanders.

Savladavamo malo veći uspon i prolazimo pored tzv. „Devojačke stene“. Teren postaje krševitiji a beloglavi supovi proleću iznad naših glava. Savladavamo i poslednjih nekoliko stotina metara i spuštamo se stazom oivičenom kamenjem do vrha i vidikovca Molitva. Ta-daaaa! Ako slika govori više od hiljadu reči onda ovaj pogled govori više od hiljadu Insta-slika. 

Iako je trek u linku kružni, oduševljeni prethodno viđenim, odlučujemo da se do kampa vratimo istim putem. Usput, stajemo na jednom od vidikovaca duvamo laybag i uz prosecco i cantuccine (tako su nekad i naši dedovi) uživamo u poslednjim zracima sunca. Vraćamo se u kamp i posle kratkih pregovora dobijamo najbolje mesto u kampu - tik uz jezero. Iako smo bolji pregovarači nego što smo kamperi u nekoliko poteza rasklapamo šatore i pripremamo se za noć pred nama. Kamp je prilično divlji i neorganizovan, tako da zaboravite na luksuz. Naravno, ovo nam nikako ne kvari utisak, već doprinosi čitavom iskustvu. Večeramo, čavrljamo sa ekipom i uz album Jana Bloqvista i vino sumiramo dan za nama.

*​After this trip, we knew we had to visit Uvac again. That’s why, when we decided to take a trip to Golija a month later, a mountain in southwest Serbia, we included Uvac in our plans. Based on our experience from those two visits, we put together this guide. Based on the number of free days you have, you can either end your trip here or continue to Golija. However you decide, we highly recommend setting up camp on the Uvac lake after your hike. There’s nothing like zipping open your tent in the morning and watching the sunrise over nature’s masterpiece. 

Day 4

Golija Nature Park
 
A tour guide we met in Sirogojno told us, “there’s absolutely nothing on Golija”, when we asked if it should be included in our touristic plans. We looked at each other and knew that was our next destination. So if you have a few extra days, after Uvac, make your way to the Golija mountain the next day. Located between two towns, Ivanjica (the first Serbian air spa) and Novi Pazar (also called, mini Istanbul), the mountain is heavily forested with significant biodiversity. Over 117 species of algae, 40 species of moss, 7 species of lichen and 75 species of mushrooms have found their home in Golija. You’ll see mountain maple trees which have survived the ice age and a wide variety of wildlife.The highest peak is Jankov Kamen at 1.833 m, from which you can see half of Serbia! Which we unfortunately did not see due to bad weather the next day. 

Četvrti dan

Dok smo uz pomoć komplet lepinje u Sirogojnu radili na povišenju našeg krvnog pritiska za susedni sto je sedao prethodno pomenuti vodič ekipe Japanskih turista. Častili smo ga kafom i iskoristili priliku da se raspitamo o okolini i mestima koje smo planirali da posetimo. U jednom trenutku neko je pomenuo Goliju. „E tamo nema ničega.“ – odgovori on. Kratak pogled u Ivanu i prećutni dogovor za sledeću destinaciju je pao. Stoga, poslednji dan ovog produženog vikenda rezervisan je za Goliju.

Golija je jedna od najlepših i šumama najbogatijih planina u Srbiji. Neretko, naići ćete na staba visoka i do 40 metara. Na Goliji je zabeleženo 1091 vrsta živog sveta među kojima su 117 vrsta i varijeteta algi, 40 vrsta mahovina (bio sam ubeđen da postoji samo jedna i da raste na severnoj strani drveća), 7 vrsta lišajeva i 75 vrsta gljiva. Takođe, Golija je prebogata divljači i njome danas krstare lovci na vukove, lisice, divlje svinje, medvede, jazavce, jelene, zečeve. Zbog prisustva 95 vrsta ptica jedan je od veoma važnih planinskih ornitoloških evropskih centara. 

On the day we arrived, we found out that there was an organized hike tour the next day to Radočelo Mountain, so to escape the crowds, we decided to hike to Krivača peak on Radočelo Mountain the first day and leave Jankov Kamen on Golija Mountain for the next day. The trail took us through untainted nature with steep and untamable slopes. 

Na Goliju smo otišli, takoreći „na slepo“, bez previše istraživanja i nekog konkretnog plana (Goliju smo posetili sa društvom i u originalnoj turi tamo prespavali dve noći – prve smo kampovali u dvorištu osnovne škole u Rudnu a druge odseli u seoskom domaćinstvu. Vi, ukoliko pratite naš vodič, u Rudno stižete posle kampovanja na Uvcu). Pošto smo spavali u šatorima, budi nas sunce, brujanje Lada Niva i prvi đaci koji u školu dolaze iz okolnih sela. Dok čekamo da se otvori prodavnica motamo se po selu i saznajemo da je za sutra zakazana organizovana tura na Radočelo. Ako je ova tura dobra za dve stotine planinara, dobra je i za nas, ali kako dan ne bi proveli gledajući u đonove tuđih patika i ostatak McKinleyeve kolekcije proleće/leto odlučujemo se da preduhitrimo planinare i osvojimo Krivaču dan ranije. Rezervišemo smeštaj - na osnovu odličnih recenzija i ljubavi prema ruralnom turizmu i domaćoj hrani odlučujemo se za vilu Selena – i krećemo. 

Rudno Village
 
After such an exhausting hike we were glad we booked a night at Vila Selena in Rudno, run by a welcoming older couple. We pre-ordered dinner as well, so we went straight from the trail to the table. It’s best to always arrange dinner beforehand, because these rural family run villas usually don’t operate as a regular restaurant. You have to arrange the time and meal you prefer from their local cuisine. The grandma made us delicious cabbage rolls for dinner. We took off our shoes, opened a bottle of wine and chatted the night away.
 
If you would rather camp, the school yard is a great place to set up tents. The kids will be thrilled to see campers and the teachers will let you use the bathroom and freshen up in the morning.

Uspon na Krivaču nije preterano težak (čeka Vas oko 600 metara visinske razlike) a staza je solidno markirana. Pokupite seosko kuče i čeka Vas superkvalitetan ostatak dana uz ekipu, neprohodnu i prohodu šumu i bujne pašnjake. Malo smo skrenuli sa puta i posle 35 kilometara šetnje vraćamo se u Rudno. Čeka na topla dobrodošlica domaćina dodatno podgrejana domaćom šljivom. Čitavo domaćinstvo izgleda set iz Diznijevog crtaća iz prve polovine dvadesetog veka. Drvena kućica u koju ostavljamo rančeve izgleda kao da su iz nje tek izašli patuljci a u trpezariji kao da se jos čuje eho pesme uz koju su Snežana, ptičice i sitna divljač postavljali sto. Sama večera nije ništa manje idilična. Čeka nas savršena domaća sarma, sveži kajmak koji je do pre dva minuta na vrhu šerpe sa mlekom i odličan polutvrdi sir.

Day 5

What else to see?
 
There are numerous monuments and monasteries which date back to the Middle Ages scattered all over Golija. Since the weather was not suitable for hiking to Jankov Kamen, we took a trip to the Studenica Monastery nearby. The monastery is considered one of the biggest treasures of the Serbian Orthodox Church, because despite being destroyed several times, the Studenica monastery on the slopes of Mt. Radočelo has been treasuring some of the most beautiful medieval Serbian frescoes for over eight centuries.

​Another hidden cultural gem is the Hanging Monastery of Saint Sava. I saw a random image of this place on Google before our trip and I knew I had to see it. It's such a unique place, especially if you know the story behind it. Three hundred meters above the ground, built on the cliffs of mountain Radočelo, on a vertical rock cliff over the Studenica river canyon, the upper hermitage of St. Sava has been hanging there for over eight centuries. From the Nemanjić dynasty to present day, this hermitage is a place of silence and the greatest ascetic exploit for monks. Just as they did eight centuries ago, people walk with awe through the narrow mountain path, pray and take water from the springhead in the cave where St. Sava led an ascetic life. There is no precise information about the period it was built in.

​We kept our promise to go on hiking trips at least once a year and actually managed to squeeze in two this year. Hope this guide helps you organize your own hiking trip and visit Serbia’s less known areas and villages. Just do a bit of research and keep an open mind, because Serbia is unpredictable and loves the adventurous. If you have any tips for us, leave a comment below. We’d love to hear any ideas where to go next! 

Poslednji dan

​Zla kraljica je saznala da je Snežana ipak živa a i sutra je radni dan, tako da je bolje da palimo. Vozimo se Ibarskom magistralom, melanholija se može seći nožem, ali saznanje da su za neopisivu sreću dovoljni voljena osoba, dobri prijatelji, lepote i delikatesi rodnoga kraja razvlači ti osmeh od uva do uva i stavlja savršenu tačku na još jednu avanturu.

Five winters ago I fell in love with Jahorina Mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina for two reasons: 
1. it has 40 km of mostly red intermediate slopes;
2. it's probably the cheapest ski destination in Europe.

SKI PASSES:
​Before visiting Jahorina, I skied at Jasna, Nizke Tatry resort in Slovakia. The main difference being, that in Jasna, there are definitely more beginner slopes, while Jahorina has only one as of this year. In Jasna, a 6 day ski pass throughout December to April costs 223 euros, while ski passes in Jahorina are most expensive during the peak season (from December 25th to Januray 2nd and  February 1oth to 18th) and still cost an astonishing 110 euros! That means if you go after the New Year, the prices will be even lower! Note: even though the country has it's own currency ("km" - convertible marks), you can still pay everywhere in euros for a fair exchange rate. Here are the latest ski pass prices for Jahorina.

ACCOMMODATION:
​We rented an apartment for 6 people for 80 euros! If you come during the Orthodox Christmas, you may even get a piece of lamb roast from your host! We've stayed at Dobro's place the previous five times, so I really recommend his place if you're on a budget and looking for an apartment with all the basic necessities. Visit: www.jahorina.cc for more accommodation options.

 EATING OUT:
 ​When I'm on a holiday, I love to relax and eat out. Cooking is the last thing on my mind. The prices in all Jahorina's restaurants are just lovely: coffee costs 1.25 eur, mulled wine goes for 1.75, soup 2.5 euros and main dished vary from 4 - 10 euros. Unbelievable, right? My favorite restaurant is "Rajska Vrata" located on Prača slope and "Restoran Ognjište" located at the bottom of "Poljice" slope (near Intersport). The wooden interior and large fireplace in the center are typical characteristics for the majority of restaurants in Jahorina. They use the fireplace to cook specialties in clay dishes. Food you need to try while in Jahorina are: "uštipci", sort of salty doughnuts served with fresh cheese and "kajmak", pumpkin and veal soup, veal with vegetables cooked "ispod sača",  ham hock with cabbage, "ćevapi" and sticky apple cake or "baklava" for dessert. Yum, yum! If you would like to dine in a modern a perfectly designed interior, head over to"Restoran Koliba" Hotel Termag restaurant, located on the Poljice slope. For just a few euros more you'll experience first class service, perfect food and live music every night from 9 p.m.

There's definitely a lack of appreciation of nature in Serbia. It's not part of the Serbian lifestyle to go hiking. If it wasn't for our Slovak friend Peter, we never would have sought out to go on a trip like this. If you're looking for an alternative way to spend the weekend or you have some guests coming in to visit, this weekend guide is for you. It's the perfect way to get to know the southeast part of Serbia, not only the people, food, lifestyle but mainly to see the untouched nature. And when I say untouched, I literally mean, untouched. No tourists - just goats, cows, horses and two or three herdsmen. Stara Planina is a protected Nature Reserve and the largest mountain in Eastern Serbia. It formed a natural border with Bulgaria and is home to the highest peak in Serbia, Midžor, standing 2169 m high. When choosing a time to visit, keep in mind that the mountain is under snow 5 months per year. We went during the last weekend of June and had terrific weather, ideal for hiking. Remember to pack some sunscreen, comfortable shoes, hat and lightweight jacket. The nights are colder and it can be really windy high up in the mountain. 

Ako čitate ovo, verovatno ste već videli naš post o Šri Lanci. Sećam se tačnog momenta kada se rodila ideja o Staroj Planini. Švercovali smo se u drugoj klasi voza koji je vozio za Ellu i na leđima smo imali rančeve teške dvadeset kilograma. Zapitao sam se: „Pa ovako se možemo „zlopatiti“ i u domovinini, zar ne?“. Sjebane vozove imamo i kući, prelepu i neukroćenu prirodu takođe, a nema tog kottu roti-ja koji ne bih menjao za porciju od 400 grama mesa, propraćenu brdom super-kvalitetnih domaćih proizvoda.

Sačekali smo prve tople dane, okupili ekipu, uzeli slobodan petak i zaputili se prema najvećoj planini istočne Srbije. Planiranje i organizacija trajali su prilično kratko, pokupili smo nekoliko saveta od prijatelja i iskusnih planinara a i znali smo da u ekipi imamo i slovačku verziju Bear Grylls-a, tako da razloga za brigu nije bilo. Krenuli smo, kao i obično, sa blagim zakašnjenjem (od 3-4 sata) i sa poslednjim zracima sunca izašli na na E-75.

Savet br. jedan: omnia mea mecum porto. Na Staru Planinu idete zbog divljine, a tačno to ćete i dobiti, tako da sve što mislite da će Vam zatrebati kupite pre puta. Opremite se konzervama, suvim mesom, sezonskim povrćem i domaćom rakijom. ​

Day 1: Arriving in Topli Do

If you're coming from Belgrade, head down the highway to Niš from where you will take the exit for Pirot city. This is a good time to turn on your navigation system (we use Sygic app) and look up the tiny village of Topli Do, about 30km away from Pirot. It should take you through Temska village, then 18km up a windy, single-lane road until you reach the God forsaken village of Topli Do, located at the foot of Stara Planina mountain, and therefore, the closest town to Midžor peak. The plan was to hike from Topli Do, to the top of Midžor, through Babin zub and back to Topli Do. That's 27 km in one day.

We arrived past midnight and set up camp in an abandoned school yard. We woke up to the sounds of bells. An elderly woman was taking her goats out for a graze. It was 7 a.m., the sun hit hard through the tent, a sign to wake up. After breakfast, we packed our lunch, headed down the main and only road, passing by century old houses made of mud and straw. I've never seen anything like it. It was a ghost town as one of the locals in the empty shop told us. 25 people were left living there, the youngest, Božidar Cvetković, was 70. Everyone else had moved to the nearby city of Pirot or went up north to Vojvodina. The locals love when hikers come through their town. Stop for a chat, coffee or a morning shot of rakija. There was one house in particular that caught our eye. A night there costs 540 din (less than 5 euros) but you need to book in advance, selo.co.rs/najda-jandric/ or look for them on Facebook.  I found a really nice album with great pictures describing the village of Topli Do here: goo.gl/DrQjMm Be sure to check it out!

Pratite auto put do Niša, gde će te se isključiti i nastaviti prema Pirotu. Na ulazku u srpsku prestonicu gume skrenite prema Sopotu i pratite put za Temsku. Ovde postaje zanimljivo. Postavljate sebi pitanje: da li sam klasičan vikend turista i skrećem levo prema turističkom centru i hotelu sa četiri zvezdice, ili pratim malu žutu tablu koja me vodi u Topli Do? Savet br. dva: pratite malu žutu tablu. Čeka Vas osamnaest kilometara vijugavog puta koja su prava noćna mora za Vaš mali gradski četvoročkaš. Hiperbolišem naravno, bilo koji automobil sa iole većim klirensom sa lakoćom će savladati ovu deonicu. Budite samo malo pažljivi i strpljivi.

Stižemo u Topli Do. Što smo tražili to smo i dobili: 10°C manje nego kad smo seli u kola, trideset polu-razrušenih starih kuća, mrkli mrak i nekoliko pasa koji lutaju selom u dva ujutru. Tražimo mesta za šatore. Divan prizor – preko puta crkve nalazi se napuštena škola sa porazbijanim prozorima, ali travnjak je idealan. Kakva dobrodošlica! Rasklapamo šatore, dogovaramo se oko sutrašnje rute i hvatamo nekoliko sati sna. Ukoliko pak želite komfort koji samo krevet može da pruži, opredelite se za smeštaj kod Najde , odličan izbor po više nego pristupačnoj ceni. ​

Day 3: Hiking around Dojkinci

The next morning we went to Golub's place for breakfast. He made us pie with homemade sour cream, cheese and mountain herbs. He recommended we go see the Tupavica Waterfall, 4.5km away. It's 15m high and located near Dojkinci, in the area of Stara Planina called, Visok. It's best to ask locals for directions and there are signs which will direct you to the waterfall. Once we reached the waterfall, we headed along the river, Medjudolski dol toward the bigger Arbinje Waterfall. Somewhere along the way we had lunch. After 8km, we unfortunately gave up, as the waterfall was obviously much farther away than we'd anticipated. The boys bathed in Dojkinačka River, fulfilling their dream of freezing their balls off. We ended the day with another warm dinner at Golub's tavern and called it a night after several rounds of beer. ​

Preko puta, uz reku, postoji mala poljana gde rasklapamo naša dva šatora. Sutra nas čekaju vodopadi Arbinja. Kolima se vozimo do planinarskog doma u Dojkincima, jednog od najmodernijih planinarskih domova u Srbiji. Ukoliko želite da odsednete ovde, moraćete da blagovremeno rezervišete, pošto je potražnja velika i dom je zauzet mesecima unapred. Put od doma je znatno lošijeg kvaliteta, tako da zaboravite na kola. Prvi vodopad, Tupavica, nalazi se na 4,5 km od planinarkog doma. Skidamo se u kupaći i na opšte čuđenje, rashlađujemo ispod vodopada. Krajičkom oka ugledali smo prilično strmu stazu, koja se penje uz bok vodopada. Prihvatamo izazov i penjemo se uz Tupavicu. Pratimo korito Međudolskog dola (pritoka na kojem se vodopad nalazi) koje je magično. Priroda je netaknuta. Prilično sam siguran da ovde niko dugo nije kročio (to kasnije za večerom potvrđuje i Golub, koji kaže da je tamo poslednji put bio kao dečak). Opet upadamo u trip i u stilu Memedovića se probijamo kroz žbunje i nebrojeno puta preskačemo reku. Posle nekih 3 km teren postaje sve teži i ovde odlučujemo da napravimo pauzu. Još jedan savršen ručak.

Vraćamo se istim putem nizvodno do Tupavice i nastavljamo trek. Prelazimo još nekih 8 km ali nas jučerašnji umor i nešto kasniji start sprečavaju u pronalaženju ostalih vodopada. Iako blago razočarani „neuspehom“, vraćamo se prema Golubovoj kafani, radujemo se večeri i uživamo u lepotama Arbinja (mnogi je smatraju najlepšom rečnom dolinom u Srbiji). Ostala je još jedna stvar na našem bucketlisti: kupanje u Dojkinačkoj reci. Na putu prema Dojkincima nailazimo na deo korita nalik na prirodni bazen. Bez mnogo oklevanja, skidamo se i uskačemo. Udovi Vam trnu, koža boli ali adrenalin i (dečija) sreća čine da na to potpuno zaboravite. Za detaljnije informacije i sjajne savete posetite: http://www.stazeibogaze.info/2010/08/14/vodopadi-arbinja/. Stižemo do Golubove kafane. Opet smo oduvani s nogu (što zbog hrane, što zbog piva). Tokom današnjeg treka za oko nam je zapala livada pored planinarskog doma koja je idealna za kampovanje. Pripiti, borimo se sa našim šatorima i ležemo da spavamo.

On the way back we stopped in Niš, the third largest city in Serbia. We saw the fortress and city centre where we had a coffee and ice-cream before heading back home. This trip certainly awakened my interest in nature and hiking. I look forward to going on short trips like these at least once a year, ideally two, at the beginning and end of summer. If you're a bit hesitant about going on a trip like this alone, or if it's your first time, there are a lot of different groups on Facebook that organize day, two-day or longer hiking trips all over the country. All you need to do is reserve a spot and the guides will take care of everything else.

Zadnji dan. Ustajemo. Savet br. pet: ustanite pre drugih i provedite jutro sedeći na obali Dojkinačke reke. Doručkujemo. Golubova pita idealan je doručak i lek za blag osećaj melanholije prisutan na licima za stolom. Vraćamo se u „civilizaciju“. Noge bole, ruke i ramena peku (savet br. šest: ne zaboravtie kremu za sunčanje), ali srce je puno. Netaknuta priroda, dragi ljudi i dobra hrana. Zvuči dobro zar ne? Zato ne čekajte, već okupite ekipu, spakujte konzerve i rakiju i na proleće pravac (Stara) planina.

This guide is written by two very different people, which you'll notice if you read both our English and Serbian texts. This two-week trip crowned our three year relationship and enabled us to create a stronger bond as partners. If you're an English speaker, I'm afraid you're left to read my rational take on Sri Lanka, while the Serbians are able to enjoy a more emotional text by Kristian. Hope you like this dual text and let us know who's style you enjoyed more! Be honest please :P

Colombo City

Once you get off the bus you are left to the tuk-tuk drivers. Here is where you get to test your haggling skills. The first price they ask is usually three times more than the realistic one. Of course, we knew we'd have to haggle in Sri Lanka, but we quickly figured out that this was a new level of haggling. The price you should be going for is 500 rupees - they'll probably ask for 1,500 and please don't this your ripping them off by giving them so much less. 

We were in Colombo for only a day so we just needed a place to crash. We stayed at "Hostel At Galle Face" for $17 for two people. It was cheap, friendly, clean place (for Sri Lanka standards) and in a good location.

I was so disappointed that no one in their guides didn't mention the fact that Colombo should be skipped altogether. It should. Just forget about Colombo and rather go to Negombo city. Especially if you're only looking for a place to spend the first night and refresh after your flight, or if you are on a tight schedule and don't have a lot of days to spend. Colombo will just drain you even more and proved to be a total waste of time. However, if your keen on still going or somehow find yourself there, here are the places to see:

1. Pettah Floating Market - Don't expect much, it's not like the floating markets in other cities. Most of the shops were closed and the ones that were open sell overpriced typical tourist merchandise. What you can do is have a fruit drink or some local street food like us. After we ate, we wandered through the rest of the Pettah neighbourhood. Now this is where all the action is. It's Sri Lanka's busiest commercial area. This is where we got the first glimpse of true Sri Lanka. Masses of people, cars, motorbikes, smells and sounds.
2. Old Dutch Hospital - During the Dutch occupation, the building served as a hospital, but in 2011 it was renovated into a restaurant and shopping complex. In the courtyard you can enjoy live music, shop around and have a nice dinner. The famous "Ministry of Crab" restaurant is located here along with other fancy bars and restaurants.

There was basically no one at the beach even though it was high season, so you can totally skip that. You'll enjoy much better beaches later on in the trip.

The next morning we left for our next destination. Polonnaruwa was next on our map. We took the 6 am train since that was the only one with seats left. Everyone said we should buy our tickets earlier, and they were right. Seats get sold out really quickly so buy your tickets at least a day before! We used this website's train timetables during our entire trip.

Izbor za prvu Šri Lankansku noć bio je Hostel At Galle Face. Karakterišu ga opuštena atmosfera, prijateljski nastrojeno osoblje i pristupačnost. Nadomak hostela nalazi se Galle Face Green – “park” koji se proteže uz okean. Jedini razlog zašto ga spominjem, jeste kako bih naglasio da nije vredan Vašeg vremena (iako će Trip Advisor i ostali pokušati da Vas uvere u suprotno). Štaviše, naša preporuka je da preskočite Colombo, ostanete u Negombu, i čim predahnete od Vašeg leta, odatle nastavite Vaše putovanje. Ako se ipak zateknete u Colombu, naši pick-ovi su:

1. Pettah Floating Market – mala plutajuća pijaca na jezeru Beira. Ništa posebno, ali nama je ostala u lepom sećanju zbog prvih popijenih sveže cedjenih sokova i dobrog ručka. Posle ovoga obavezno prošetajte ulicama starog Pettah-a – ovo je suština Šri Lanke – apsolutni haos i šok za sva Vaša čula.
2. Old Dutch Hospital – nekada bolnica, koju su tokom kolonijalne ere sagradili Holanđani, a danas je to mesto gde ćete naći dobre restorane, kafiće i šopove. Ovde bi izdvojili nadaleko poznati „Ministry of Crab“, koji predstavlja nezaobilazno mesto za svakog ozbiljnog foody-ja.

Sledećeg jutra ustali smo u cik zore, trčali ulicama Colomba sa sve rančevima, uhvatili tuk-tuk (koji smo sada za istu rutu dobili za 450 LKR) i seli u prvi jutarnji voz za Polonnaruwu. Savet: karte za voz se trudite da kupite bar dan ranije, kako se Vaša poseta određenom gradu ne bi nepotrebno produžila.
Detaljnije informacije o rasporedu i cene karata možete pogledati ovde.

Polonnaruwa City

The train ride took some getting used to, I won't lie. We travelled second class along with other locals which I loved. The highlight of the trip was the scenery through central Sri Lanka and trying homemade snacks from the local sellers hopping on and off the train. Every train stop, a new seller would hop on offering fresh mangoes, fried shrimps or fish and stuffed pastries. Yum. Note: since you're going to a new country with new food, be sure to check your allergies or bring antihistamines. Kristian found out he was allergic to mangoes the hard way - on the train - and we had to ask some fellow travellers for pills. ​

​Vožnja vozom je nešto što morate probati dok ste u poseti Šri Lanci. Ako ste ovde došli bez Vašeg batlera i velikokalibarske puške za lov na krupnu divljač, savetujem Vam da prvu klasu u vozu preskočite i uzmete karte za drugu. Ovako ćete stvarno uroniti u lokalni mentalitet i atmosferu. Sa svakom novom stanicom u vagonu će se smenjivati prodavci lokalnih specijaliteta i svežeg voća. Osećaj gadljivosti ostavite na Tesli. I proverite alergije, da Vam mango ne bi došao glave ;)

Kandy

Heading south, our next stop was Kandy. Once we returned from Sigiriya to the Inamaluwa junction, we just missed our bus to Kandy. The bus left while I was buying biscuits just across the bus station. This turned out quite well for us, because in a few minutes a driver  offered us a ride to Kandy. Of course his initial price was 8,000 rupees which we marked down to 400 rupees. You can't imagine how proud and happy we were. We had mastered the art of haggling at this point. The driver suggested we stop at a spice garden, which turned out to be a highlight of our trip. I strongly suggest you do the same. There are several spice gardens along the road leading to Kandy. 

Kandy, the second largest city, attracted us with its preserved colonial houses and the most significant Buddhist shrine - The Temple of the Sacred Tooth. Unfortunately, arriving late in Kandy meant the temple was closed and there was no chance we could see it the next day since the train to Ella left early in the morning. We didn't have any reservations so we had to take whatever we could. 

Personally, I think Kandy is much cleaner, more cultural and developed in comparison to Colombo. I really enjoyed the few hours we spent there and it definitely had the most bars, cafes and restaurants to choose from. We stayed at a nice place called "Camarin Residence". It was super clean with hot water, wifi and a nice breakfast included in the price. ​This was the first hot shower I had since leaving home. It took me a couple of days to realize that hot water was not included in the price of the cheaper rooms in Sri Lanka. I just thought the boiler was either broken or didn't heat well enough and never actually asked any of the owners why we never had hot water in our accommodation. 

Zovu je najlepša vožnja na svetu, možda zato što USTVARI i jeste! Ako ste uradili sve kako treba, sada sedite u drugoj klasi, grickate neko egzotično voće, zagrlili ste dragu i uživate u živopisnim predelima Šri Lanke. Posle nekih pet sati stižete u Ellu, sve oko Vas je drugačije. Ludilo i haos kojim ste bili okruženi do sada nestalo je. Sve je nekako sporije a Vi smireniji. Ignorišite smeštaj koji Vam nude lokalci u centru, uzmite tuk-tuk i krenite pravo ka Guest house Ella Hide View. Za 35 eura ovakav pogled nećete naći više nigde na Svetu. Kada dođete sebi od pogleda iz Vaše spavaće sobe, vratite se u centar i idite u mali ulični restoran Raha. Nedozvolite da Vas izgled zavara, već pustite da njihov kottu roti priča sam za sebe. Posle toga naručite kurd sa medom – fantastičan je.

When I found out I had an 8 hour layover in Munich, I knew it wasn't enough time to see the Bavarian capitol. I don't even know how, but I stumbled upon a town called Freising, home to the oldest running brewery in the world and I was sold. Freising town is just north of the Munich airport represented by two hills. On one sits the Freising Cathedral (or Saint Mary and Corbinian Cathedral) dating back to 1159. This romanesque basilica proves that Freising was one of the oldest Bavarian settlements and a major religious center in the Middle Ages. The other hills hosts the before mentioned Weihenstephan Brewery (Weihenstephan Brauerei).

I stopped at a local bakery and bought a pretzel for the road. One of the locals directed me in the way of the brewery. It was a 30 minute walk which took me through the residential area and toward the outskirts of town. A short climb up the hill and I was there.

This flower market is definitely not only for those looking to refresh their flower boxes. It's a place where Londoners love to visit on Sundays for artisan coffee, homemade pastries, English and Italian delis and of course, fresh flowers from around the world. The flower market is located in East London on Columbia Road and has been going since 1869. The 60 small independent shops selling everything from vintage and antique pieces, homeware, clothing and sweets give the street an old feel to it. The flower stalls flood the street with scents and colors while the friendly locals try to lure you in for a chat 'n' buy. ​It truly is a great place to visit even for tourists because of the unique atmosphere and selection of merchandise.

It is best to visit early in the morning as to avoid large crowds. The market opens at 8 a.m. and closes around 3 p.m. There are many cafes, pubs and restaurants to go for breakfast or brunch. We dropped in at The Royal Oak but unfortunately, there wasn't a free table. A shame, because it really is a typical English pub offering traditional dishes. 

Each little shop holds it's own treasures. This retro sweet shop called Suck and Chew sells sweets in the most adorable shapes and sizes. I bought most of my gifts here. I always look for things in metal or glass packaging, because that way I can reuse and keep the packaging even after I've eaten or used up the contents. I find that those make the best souvenirs that you can keep in the house or give away to friends.

Have you been to the flower market? What are your favorite places to visit? :)