3 DAYS | TRANSROMANICA Short Trip to Serbia

Crucifixion at Studenica Monastery | Picture: Branko Jovanović | NTOS Archive

1st DAY: After a hearty breakfast in the town of Kraljevo visit Žiča Monastery. After lunch in the “Etno brvnara” restaurant enjoy a ride through the picturesque area by the Ibar river towards Studenica Monastery. The Treasury of the Studenica will introduce you to the ring of King Stefan the First-crowned, religious artefacts, frescoes, books and other very important relics of the Serbian medieval church and state. At Studenica Monastery you can rest in the dormitory and taste the “monastic dinner”.

2nd DAY: On the second day of your tour, Studenica Monastery with its Church of the Mother of God and the King’s Church will take your attention during the whole morning. This church blends a Byzantine sense of space and exterior forms in white marble with frescoes that are masterpieces of Byzantine painting from the early 13th century, making the Church of the Mother of God the masterpiece of central European architecture. After a demanding morning full of art and history, a lunch in the Studenica Monastery Dormitory could be just the right thing. In the afternoon, a one-hour trip will take you to Gradac Monastery close to the town of Raška. Gradac Monastery, which was endowed by Queen Helen of Anjou, a French princess and the wife of King Uroš I is located in the unspoiled natural surroundings of Western Serbia. The Golija Mountain, on whose slopes the monastery stands, has been declared the Golija-Studenica Biosphere Reserve on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Travel to the village of Rudno on the Golija Mountain. There you can enjoy an overnight stay in houses with traditional architecture and a specific village atmosphere, and dinner with traditional dishes.

Žiča Monastery | Picture: D. Bosnic
Fresco at Studenica Monastery | UNESCO World Heritage | Picture: D. Bosnic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3rd DAY: A rural breakfast will give you the energy you’ll need for the whole day. On the third day, visit the Monastery of Nova Pavlica which is situated about 8 km from Raška. Important representatives of medieval aristocracy built it at the end of 14th century. The gentle slopes of its surroundings will make this trip complete. Lunch at the famous “Etno Kuća Čakmara Restaurant” will keep you in the mood for traditional Serbian food. After a tasty meal, drive on via the town of Kraljevo. Some 30 km south-west of the town lies the medieval fortress Maglič, one of the best-preserved and most beautiful fortifications of medieval Serbia.

Golija Mountain | Ticar Lake in Ivanjica | UNESCO Wolrd Heritage | Picture: D. Bosnic

 

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