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To start, this blog is already way overdue. I’m also a frequent visitor of the city of Niš which is the third largest city in Serbia. And whenever I am in the city, I never miss the chance to visit Niška Banja or the Spa of Niš which is only 10 kilometers away. Therapeutic spas are all over Serbia, each of them being famous for treating a specific condition. The spa of Niš is well-known for helping people with rheumatic disorders through it’s thermal radio-active water containing radon. People soak their feet under the warm water for relaxation and healing.

However, the tranquility in the spa resort is meant for the healthy ones as well. As most places in Serbia, the locals are the main visitors in the spa. Mostly senior citizens sitting on benches, chatting with each other, playing instruments and people watching. During the summer vacation, then the kids start coming, practicing with their bicycles, running around and playing with each other.

So one weekend, I decided to spend a night at Niška banja. The accommodation was really affordable and you can get a decent room for around 25 euros. So I found this Hostel Zone for around that price. The room was clean and the staff was very helpful.

Among all the cities in Serbia that I visited, Niš probably has the most affordable prices when it comes to food. Here are some of my food finds in Niška banja.

This croissant is from a bakery chain in Niš. I bought this the night before for breakfast.

Another thing that I found for breakfast the next day is Mekike or fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar and some strawberry syrup. It only costs 50 Serbian Dinars.

For a 100 or 110 dinars, you can get this delicious cup of hot chocolate while soaking in the beauty of nature.

During the summer, a lot of tourists pass by Serbia on their way to the beaches of Greece and nearby countries. Most of the time, they get their rest in their cars parked in gasoline stations along the way and very few of them really stop by to visit some of the tourist attractions in Serbia. Since people rarely go out of the highway, it seemed like a good idea to build something interesting for tourists without them having to go out of any highway exit. On the way from to Belgrade to Niš, an ethno village was built. Ethno villages are like small towns designed and built to represent the way of living in old Serbian villages. They mostly have a few rooms/wooden cottages for accommodation and a restaurant serving authentic Serbian food. A few of them also have man-made lakes, a few farm animals, old cooking pots on display, wooden carvings, etc. They are recently popping up everywhere in Serbia and they are boosting tourism in small towns instead of just visiting the country’s capital.

Will I go back? Maybe.

Will I recommend it to tourists? Definitely. You deserve to stretch your legs in between long trips.

There’s no doubt that I am a fan of Mt. Rtanj. I can still remember the first time I went there and seeing the mountain from afar. I can literally say that I was enchanted by it’s beauty. It is on the eastern part of the country and not very far from Belgrade. It has this perfect pyramid shape which draws attention from tourists from time to time. I honestly have no idea how many people have heard about it. I will write more about the mountain and the stories that comes with it in a separate post.

Anyway, for years I’ve been visiting Rtanj regularly and it has always been quiet there. A few locals from nearby towns having a picnic during the weekends, but that’s mostly it. When you get to the center of the village or the town proper, there are a few hotels which seems to be not in operation for quite sometime already. There are a few B&Bs and apartments for rent within the area for tourists and mountain climbers. But if you are looking for something a bit upscale, I’m afraid the town is still not ready for you.

So… a few months ago, in one of my visits to the mountain, I saw a signage that a new hotel was in construction. Back then, the road to the hotel was still closed and there was no way to see the object from the main road. Nevertheless, I was so delighted to see that someone finally decided to invest in the area. Rtanj is place where there is so much potential that it’s almost a shame not to share it to the world. And now, fast forward to the 1st of July this year, the hotel opened it’s doors to the public.***

I wasn’t able to come to the opening day thinking that there will be a big crowd and that I will not be able to enjoy the beauty of the place. So finally, the time arrived to visit the newly opened Ramonda Hotel Rtanj.

Ramonda Hotel is a luxury hotel in the middle of nature. I haven’t seen the rooms in person yet but hopefully I can share that experience soon. For now, let me tell you our experience with the hotel’s restaurant. The restaurant has a well-designed modern industrial interior, with a spacious terrace where you can dine with a view. Unfortunately, the view isn’t facing the mountain but on the opposite side. On the other hand, the fresh air isn’t affected on where the hotel is facing so it offsets the lack of view of the mountain. From the restaurant, you can see the pool, which according to one of the staff is a naturally treated pool with some special kind of algae and not with chemicals. The staff were very warm and friendly. We ordered coffee and the staff recommended their signature Rtanj iced tea. There is a variety of plant that people say grow only in the mountain and a famous herbal tea here in Serbia. Their menu is also offering a few authentic dishes like deer meat and pork knuckles but there are also pizza and pasta for the less adventurous ones. For lunch, we ordered a grilled meat platter for two (2) people, shopska salad and a basket of bread. As one would expect, the prices are above average but not ridiculously high. For the view, service and peace and solace, you sure are getting much than what you paid for.

*** This is not a sponsored post. I am just writing an honest experience and again please don’t think that this is sponsored.

So I took a very loooooooooong break from blogging and writing (but not from traveling) and took some time planning and redirecting this blog to it’s main purpose. I first started this blog to be able to give people a glimpse of what Serbia is all about, to introduce this place to people who haven’t even heard about it yet, to provide a little guide to people when planning to visit Serbia, to show people how fascinating it is to live in this country, and my list goes on… I am no creative writer, but I will try my best to impart to you what it’s like living local in this beautiful country. Up to this date, I am still crossing my fingers that I will be able to write more and be able to share more through this blog. So, cheers to that and and I’m hoping to capture the heart of travelers and tourists to visit MY SERBIA.

Serbia, being in the center of the Balkan Peninsula, makes it easier to travel throughout Europe. With that being said, we are privileged to be have easy access to our neighboring countries. One of them is the beautiful city of Vienna, Austria.

Here is my list of sights and experiences not to miss in Vienna.

State Opera House: Your visit to Wien will not be complete without visiting the opera house. A treasure for the lovers of art and culture. It is advised to visit the landmark both during day and night to have a full experience of its magic.

Stephansplatz: Since the first on our list is the opera house, why not visit nearby attractions. Stephansplatz is right on the geographical center of the city. This area is stuffed with tourist attractions for everyone to visit. Stephansplatz might be crowded with tourists, but I doesn’t take away the charm of this part of the town.

Parliament Building: The same as most of Europe, the Parliament building in Vienna is something you should not miss. Whether you visit during day or you happen to pass by it during the night, both views are spectacular. As of the moment, the place is closed for renovation but photos of the exterior can still be taken as a remembrance of your trip to Vienna.

Belvedere Palace Museum: This museum is definitely not just for the art lovers. Walking through the whole place will surely awaken the artist inside you. The home to the famous painting of Gustav Klimt, “The Kiss”, tourists flock around the area to have their mandatory selfies.

Buxbaum Restaurant: No visit to any country will be complete without trying their authentic dishes. I recommend not to miss this restaurant which serves one of the best schnitzel all over vienna.

Schachtelwirt: If your not looking for something fancy and just good food, Schahtelwirt is the place o go to. Not your typical fastfood.

Vienna Naschmarkt: The last but definitely not the least in my list.. A very charming place where you can get your souvenirs and gifts. A culinary adventure is also awaiting for you in this market.

Hotel Sans Souci Wien: Certainly one of the best hotels in Austria. Maybe a bit pricey for budget travelers but definitely a treat for travelers who are into a bit more comfortable accommodation.

Vienna Airport: If you love to shop, Flughafen Wien-Schwechat is a great starting point when visiting Wien. Make a headstart at buying gifts, souvenirs and branded items as well. And if you need a ride from the airport and a bit hesitant how to carry your luggage and shopping bags in one of the available public transportations, you can easily book your airport transfer in Vienna online.

Sure our beloved country don’t have any sea to swim in but it sure is full of beautiful mountains that nature has to offer. There is Mt. Rtanj which is my most favorite of all, Kopaonik which is a well-known ski destination all over the world and of course Zlatibor which is probably every Serb’s summer getaway. There are a few ski tracks in Zlatibor but it is more famous for it’s “Golden” summer color. People flock to Zlatibor to get away from the city’s heat and of course to feast on the beautiful scenery of this place.

Aside from the view, there are lots of activities and side trips to choose from. With just a bit more than 200 kms from Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, this trip is surely worthwhile. We visited Stopića Cave and The Sirogojno open-air museum and I must say that I will regret it if I didn’t visited these two places. Besides the cave and the museum, there are still a few places to visit the next time I come to Mt. Zlatibor. The Gostilje waterfall and Ribničko Lake.

The VIEW and ACCOMMODATION:

The view in Zlatibor is certainly breathtaking. There are a lot of hotels and apartments to choose from. Most of them you can actually book in AirBnb and Booking.com from $10 to $100 per person. We found an apartment which is absolutely beautiful and affordable and I can’t be any happier with our choice. The place is not perfect, but I forget about everything the moment I stare at the window.

The FOOD:

In the center of this tourist destination, there are a lot of restaurants and fast food stands to choose from. I’m a big fan of traditional Serbian cuisine (sarma, prebranac, goulash, mučkalica etc.) and unfortunately I didn’t came across too much restaurants serving these kinds of food but there are a lot of grilled meat and other serbian delicacies. The most recommended restaurant in tripadvisor is the Restaurant Perun located in Hotel Mona so we had to try it. And true to the reviews, the restaurant was excellent. The Interior design is very elegant and the food is very good. The prices are just a bit above average but definitely worth it. Nobody can’t go to Zlatibor without trying the infamous Komplet Lepinja. It’s bread with kajmak and some fat drippings from roasted pig (kindly correct me if I’m wrong). I bought my lepinja from one of the small huts on the street, but you can also order “the sandwich” from restaurants. 😉 There are also Belgian waffles and some Palačinke (Serbian pancakes) being sold on the streets if you’re looking for a quick fix. One thing is for sure in Zlatibor, you will never go hungry.

ACTIVITIES:

If you’re looking for adventure, there is an adventure park right in the center of Zlatibor, near the local market. If you go right from the market, you will find the trains which travels in two routes. One, I believe is just going around the center of Zlatibor and the other one will take you to Ribnicko lake. There are also bus rides available going to the nearby Mokra Gora and Drvengrad. Beside the lake, you can find the usual activities like zorb balls and pedal boats for rent. 7 kms from the center is the Ski center Tornik which is now open during the summer too. Also, out of the center is the awesome Stopica cave, Sirogojno museum and Gostilje waterfall. Hey, nobody can say they got bored in Zlatibor.

Our trip took 4 days and 3 nights which is definitely not enough to see the whole place but we will surely be coming back and back and back to Zlatibor.

• Plovdiv, Bulgaria – I first saw Plovdiv as one of Trip advisor’s top things to do in Bulgaria. Upon reading further, I was charmed by this culture-rich city. The ancient ruins and historic sites are something this city is famous for. In fact, it was chosen as the European Capital of Culture 2019 .

• Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina – As much as I love the city, whenever I go somewhere I prefer not to be surrounded by tourists. I came across an article about the watermills of Jajce in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and I can already imagine the relaxing sound of the watermills. I’ve read reviews that not too many tourists flock this area which is oh so perfect for me, sitting down in a serene environment and taking a trip back in time.

• Cetinje, Montenegro – Budva maybe the most popular travel destination in Montenegro but this nation offers a lot more than it’s scenic seaside views and warm beaches. The city of Cetinje is one of the main cities in Montenegro because of a number of national institutions and historic attractions. Not to mention the good reviews about the adventure that awaits in one of the largest cave monuments in Montenegro, the Lipa cave . I have heard of lot of good experiences about the beauty of Lipa cave, so this tour is definitely a must for me.

Ajvar (pronounced as ay-var) can be considered as the “Serbian Vegetable Caviar” and is a must-try for all the foodies out there. It is made of roasted red bell peppers and sometimes combined with eggplants. Mostly prepared in the middle of autumn where you will see tons (literally… tons and tons) of red peppers and can last until the early days of spring for most people. It’s just so hard not to eat all the home-made ajvar before mid-winter. Ajvar is so versatile and it just makes everything in your pantry taste better. It can be enjoyed as a spread, as a dip for potato chips, a side dish to your meat and as I said “everything that comes to your mind”, but let me tell you that if you eat ajvar with some domestic white cheese, then you reached the peak of ajvar goodness.

As much as I love homemade ajvar, there are a few brands of ajvar available in our local supermarkets which are just as good. Wherever you are in the world, I would recommend trying this condiment or visit our lovely Serbia.

First of all, a big clap to me for finally being able to write another post. My apologies for bragging, but I haven’t updated for quite sometime and I feel sorry not to share all the beautiful places that I’ve been to lately.

So I decided to write about a quite famous destination (for both tourists and locals) here in Serbia which is Sokobanja. A banja is a Serbian word for spa. There is quite a number of spas in Serbia, and each banja is known for it’s own therapeutic specialty. Few banjas are bigger than the others and one of them is Sokobanja. Tourists often see the pedestrian zone which is full of coffee shops, restaurants, street sellers and mostly elderly pensioners relaxing with the fresh clean air.

There is also a big park just beside the pedestrian zone where the therapeutic spa water is. Here is a view of the park at night

A few steps from the pedestrian zone is a park along the river which has a path going to Soko Grad which is a medieval city and fortress. I still haven’t visited the fortress (I don’t like myself for that), but I plan to check it out soon and take a few snaps to share on this blog.

From the path next to the Moravica river you can get the Soko Grad Fortress, the view halfway is already very amazing.

When you climb up halfway to the fortress, you can follow another path to a restaurant which is beside the river (I know, I know… I chose the restaurant than the fortress). Hopefully, I can visit the Fortress soon for more photos.

So we had to go to the city of Šabac on a 7°, rainy Wednesday… where are you Mr. Sun? It’s still raining and freezing cold until now. Anyway, it was for work so I didn’t managed to take pictures of the city center or the big Sava river, or that beautiful fields of yellow flowers along the road. I read that there’s also a fortress near the riverbank of Sava. Too bad that my watch and weather was not on my side since I would like to explore this city more. Maybe next time, I can show you more of Šabac.

It is more than an hour drive from Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, and is situated along the Sava river. This city is not a famous tourist destination, but they do have a fair share of attractions and festivals to celebrate so I wouldn’t mind going back in the furture.

Meanwhile, I managed to take a picture of Hotel Sloboda Šabac which was our main destination. As I said, it was a very gloomy weather so please excuse my dark shots (excuses, excuses, excuses…. haha I just really don’t have creativity in me).

This hotel was renovated a few years ago and it is now considered a luxury hotel. The ground floor is surrounded by coffee shops in almost all sides (all-operated by the hotel of course) and is just connected to each other. The prices are above average, but still justifiable when you look at the fancy ambiance of this hotel.

The weather may not be on my side, but one interesting happened when we’re already heading home. Somehow we were once again a victim of confusing and missing road signs that we couldn’t figure out how to go back to the highway. We had to stop a bit to figure out how to get out of the city when another car pulled over and then a man got out of his car to ask what’s bothering us. I’m telling you people, I don’t see that often in here. So we asked him for directions to the highway and tadaaaa… he went to his car and said he will turn around and guide us to the highway. I was in a complete state of shock, because once again, I don’t see that often in here. We do live in a world where people just like to rush and don’t have anytime to spare, I can’t help but be moved. This man and that woman seating in the passenger seat went out of their way to help complete strangers. And just that is reason enough for me to go back to the city of Šabac.