The Balkans is one of the most interesting areas of the former Yugoslavia . And, although there are areas that are more visited than others, the truth is that today it is still a fairly unknown territory for many tourists despite the different architectural jewels and wonderful landscapes. We are going to take a tour of the main ones so that, if you travel to the area, you do not miss any of them. The route takes us to Serbia and Montenegro .
Serbia
Within Serbia, the first thing to visit is its capital Belgrade. Known as ‘The Gate of the Balkans’ it is one of the oldest cities in Europe and has a long history. Not surprisingly, it has been razed and rebuilt up to 38 times.
One of the main characteristics of this city is related to its location, since it is at the confluence of two great rivers : Sava and Danube . It is an area full of walks along its banks with parks, restaurants and cafes and with the possibility of going by barge to enjoy spectacular views.
Once inside the city, the tour takes us to the district of Savamala , on the banks of the Sava, to appreciate art, including street artists , through cultural centers, galleries … The artists are also in Skadarlija , where there is a large restaurant area.
Another landmark is Belgrade’s main square , as well as Knez Mihailo street , which is the main pedestrian street in Belgrade and is protected. Nor should you leave the city without visiting the Kalemegdan fortress , the old citadel , the White Palace or the Monument to Prince Mihailo .
Besides Belgrade, another city that should be visited is Subotica , where you can see magnificent modernist buildings and the natural lake of Pálic, is the largest in Serbia.
Serbia is also rich in nature. One of its great attractions is ‘ La Puerta del Podrinje ‘, which is a viewpoint from which you can see Bosnia and Montenegro . Picturesque is the town of Bajina Basta and the Tara National Park in which the ‘ House on the rock ‘ draws attention, which is a house in the middle of the Drina river , the forests and the impressive canyon above this river. Another viewpoint that is worth seeing is the ‘ Banjska stena ‘, which has views, precisely, of this canyon.
Montenegro
Another of the jewels of the Balkans is Montenegro. The route can be done through the Tara National Park and through the Djurdjevica bridge, which crosses the river, reaching Durmitor , which is characterized by its high cliffs, forests, lakes and glacial caves such as the Ice Cave, which is World Heritage.
Durmitor National Park, already in Montenegro, concentrates one of the largest collections of landscapes in which glittering lakes and the deepest canyon in Europe stand out. They are attractive to which are added around 50 peaks higher than 2,000 meters above sea level and a special impression of 18 glacial lakes , known as ‘mountain eyes’, which are located above sea level. Of them, the Black Lake stands out for its landscape.
As in Serbia, Montenegro is also worth a visit for its cities. Podgorica is its capital, which is situated at the confluence of two rivers. Of its historic center – there is not much left for the destruction in the Second World War – the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ stands out with spectacular interior paintings and sculptures inside, the Clock Tower or the castle of Tvrdava Ribnica . Other jewels of Montenegro are the Moraca Monastery , which is Orthodox sacred art and is reached from Kolasin.