After your Serbia host meets you at the airport (bor bus/train station), we will continue straight to Šumadija to the town of Topola. Renewal of the modern Serbian state commenced here in 1804. On the tip of Oplenac hill, you’ll visit the Royal mausoleum, the church where 27 members of the royal family are buried. From this point onward we are only enjoying Šumadija wine. Three wineries are on our list: Royal wine cellar, established in the 1930s by the Serbian king, then prominent Serbian winery Aleksandrović and as a highlight of wine exploration, a young family-owned winery. These young winemakers will serve lunch with their matching wines. The rest of the day we’ll spend in the household House of Čolović. Warm hosts from the guesthouse will show you firsthand how local people live in Serbian villages nowadays.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Kuca Čolovića House of Colovic

The second day will start with reach and tasty homemade breakfast which is a treat for all senses. After you say goodbye to our hosts we’ll drive towards West Serbia and the iconic Zlatibor Mountain where you’ll enjoy pure nature. The first stop is Stopića Cave, then after the cave, we continue to the village Sirogojno, where the ethnological open-air museum Old Village is settled. From Sirogojno we move on to Gostilje waterfall where 20m water dropdown creates a wonderful scene and cold water makes pleasant refreshment on hot summer days. Lunch and finish off the day in the rural area at guesthouse Pećinar which is managed by the Pećinar family for six generations.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Кафана Пећинар Љубиш

If the voices of birds don’t wake you up, the smell of Zlatibor food will. After breakfast, we head to Mokra Gora town. Here you’ll experience the most attractive narrow track railway in this part of Europe, the famous Sargan Eight train. When we finish with the train ride, we will cross to Bosnia to visit Višegrad with a famous bridge over river Drina dating from the XVI century. Yugoslavian writer Ivo Andrić who wrote the novel with the same name Bridge over the Drina won the Nobel Prize in 1962. Here you’ll enjoy a boat ride on Drina River with a local captain and lunch on Drina bank. After lunch, we’ll return to Mokra Gora and to Kustendorf ethnic village. The complex is the creation of our famous film director Emir Kusturica.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Drvengrad - Mećavnik

The day ahead of you will combine your handcraft skills in making pottery in village Zlakusa, with a scenic drive over picturesque Golija Mountain. The final destination for the day is the monastery Studenica from the XII century. This UNESCO world heritage site is considered the most beautiful Serbian monastery. Before we reach the monastery, you’ll try the best trout in the area, caught fresh from the pound. Overnight is in monastery Studenica guesthouse. Here you can expect regular accommodation typical for guesthouses. All rooms feature an ensuite bathroom and Wi-Fi.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Studenica Monastery

On the morning of the fifth day, we’ll explore Studenica monastery. Its churches, architecture, and frescoes, together with spirituality and heritage are the cornerstone of the Serbian Orthodox church. From here we will get down to the valley of river Ibar, also known as The valley of kings. This name is the result of numerous endowments built by Serbian medieval rulers. Here we’ll stop for lunch in a special place, a local tavern ran by the same family for 200 years. After lunch, the next stop is monastery Žiča from the XIII century. This one has a different appearance compared to any other Serbian monastery. You’ll learn the reasons for this on the spot. The final destination for the day is Niš, the economic and cultural center of the south and third biggest city in Serbia. You’ll have the rest of the day to explore Niš on your own. Tips and recommendations will be provided.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Hotel Sole

Before we leave Niš we’ll take you to one unique place, The Skull Tower. This memorial from the XIX century is actually a tower where skulls of Serbian revolutionaries were built by the Ottomans. From Niš, we’ll continue to East Serbia. En route, we will first stop at a winery that has a unique process for wine aging. The same process Romans used when they were in these areas. Here we’ll have lunch in combination with their wines. The next stop is Felix Romuliana, a UNESCO Roman palace from the IV century, built by Roman Emperor Galerius. Overnight in the Bor lake, here you’ll have a chance to relax in the hotels pool.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Hotel Jezero

From Bor Lake, we continue further to the very east of Serbia, to its border with Romania. The biggest gorge in Europe is located here, the famous Iron Gate gorge. We’ll have a boat ride through the most beautiful part of the gorge to the Tabula Traiana, a Roman memorial tablet from the I century. After the boat ride, we’ll get back on the road and drive to a local household Captain Misa’s hill where we’ll have lunch typical for this area. After lunch, we continue upstream to the archaeological site Lepenski vir dating from 8000 BC. From there we continue to the Golubac fortress, located at the very entrance to the gorge where Danube is widest on its whole flow (7km from side to side). In the evening we reach Belgrade.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Hotel City Savoy

We’ll take you first to Belgrade fortress, the most iconic Belgrade landmark. Then from the fortress, we move to other parts of the city, posh Dedinje. You’ll visit the House of flowers, which is the eternal home of former Yugoslavian president Tito. Your Serbian host will explain how Tito’s cult was nurtured during his life, but also long after he was gone. From the controversial Yugoslavian dictator’s tomb, we’ll take you to a holy place, to St. Sava church. This the biggest Orthodox temple in the Balkans is dedicated to the true saint who was born in the XII and who brought autonomy to the Serbian Orthodox Church in the XIII century. When we finish this part of the exploration we’ll take you to a restaurant in the neighborhood, where local food is prepared in a modern manner. After lunch, we’ll switch to the other side of the river, to Zemun. This old part of the city was actually a separate town till 1934. Stroll along the Danube promenade or walk to the Gardoš hill and drink in one of the local cafes will make you feel like a local. Rest of the day you have free to explore Belgrade on your own. Tips and recommendations will be provided.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Hotel City Savoy

After breakfast, you will travel straight to the Vojvodina region and its sole mountain Fruška gora. Here you’ll visit monastery Krušedol from the XVI century and then you’ll continue to the town of Sremski Karlovci. The next stop is Petrovaradin fortress, where you’ll learn why it took 88 years for the complex to be completed. The lunch and gourmet part of the day is planned in a small wine cellar where the winemaker is also a cook. He will serve his homemade food and match it with his fine wines. You have the rest of the day free to enjoy Novi Sad on your own. Tips and recommendations will be provided.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Hotel Centar