If this summer you are planning a vacation with children in Serbia, a guest post from Svetlana Randjelović, author of the blog "Your Serbia", will tell about all subtleties and nuances of the upcoming trip.
Holidays in Serbia with children
To begin with, on the one hand, I am very sorry that Serbia is not a popular tourist destination. If there were tourists-it would be richer and more comfortable, more chances for growth and so on. But, on the other hand, now it is generally quiet and not trampled, informal, simple and artless, not wound prices — you can feel like a guest, not a tourist.
Because 4 years of work of our guest house (we live in the boonies, in the city of zaječar) we have already accumulated some experience, we know what often want parents and children on vacation, and consciously expanded knowledge about the world — from our city to distant loved ones and natural beauty, health resorts and points of interest. Therefore, we will try to answer the question: why (for what) is to go to Serbia on vacation with children.
Serbia with children
We are often faced with the fact that travelers to Serbia relatives and friends escorted with bewilderment — where? What for? there'S no SEA, is there?"
Yes, there is no sea in Serbia. To the seas in Montenegro, Greece, Bulgaria from us about 600 km. But our resolute guests only with laughter remembered here about it "there is no sea" — because they found in Serbia a lot of other things.
What is interesting about Serbia?
Natural resources
Mountains and hills, caves and canyons, waterfalls and springs, beautiful valleys with fields, gardens and small houses and huge arrays of greenery — and a large part of these beauties do not require long hikes with a backpack through impassable thickets: you can reach them, walk up, see enough and return home within daylight — especially if you choose the right place, your "safe Harbor" for the trip to Serbia.
Where to go in Serbia with children
Thermal baths
In Serbia there are a lot of thermo-mineral springs, some of them are folk (wild), some of them gave life to sanatoriums (in Serbia the sanatorium is called "bath") and Spa centers.
Good drinking water
Serbia "stands" on fresh water, there are many artesian springs available in everyday life. Despite the fact that the water in the water supply is good, it is still very valuable.
Serbian cuisine
Serbian cuisine is praised by all who joined. We often heard that even children with allergies on vacation in Serbia there is no food Allergy. It is delicious, excellent dairy and meat products, delicious pastries — and, of course, fruits and vegetables. Cooking some dishes will pull on an interesting master class, some recipes can be taken note of.
Serbian pleskavitsa
Ancient monasteries of Serbia
Serbia is an Orthodox country with many churches and monasteries. Since it survived more than 400 years of enslavement by the Ottoman Empire, the confession of faith was often secret, with many monasteries and shrines hidden in secluded places. There are those in which the original frescoes are preserved, and there are others that have been rebuilt from scratch over and over again.
Danube and Danube gorge
While on vacation in Serbia, you can see not only covered with songs and stories of the Danube, but also the Danube gorge with steep rocky banks — it is considered the most picturesque part of this great river.
Danube gorge
Ruins of Ancient Rome
Yes, the Danube was the Northern border of the Roman Empire, and stumble upon traces of the Romans, wander along the towers erected in the 3rd century ad, "hear" the story can be in museums and archaeological sites almost all over Serbia. Very good addition to textbooks.
Roman ruins
Archaeological sites of "primitive" times
Lepenski VIR (city Donji Milanovac) - at the moment it is the oldest settlement of primitive people of those that are found in Europe. There are other objects of this kind, and mammoth bones are where to look. 🙂
Mostly good weather
Somewhere after the 20th of June until the autumn not to overlap with the rains (although it is difficult to predict such in the modern world, but observations confirm this). Blooming warm April, very warm may, hot June, July and August, mild September and the first half of October — usually something like that.
Holidays in Serbia with children in summer
Lots and lots of red roofs
Serbian architecture pleases the eye, it is very human, responds in some floors of the soul-and cute clean houses, and old wrecks, and neat gardens, balconies, and frowning from the burden of economic worries of construction, and naive yard homemade. They are like an open book of life-delve, try on, argue. Not boring.
People
Agree-when everyone is ready to help, when you are calm among people, when meeting with a child, everyone's eyes warm up, when you do not have to be afraid that you will do something wrong, when the environment is friendly and safe-it's good.
Emphasis on sports and active recreation
Here, as a rule, it is easy to find equipped sports and playgrounds, Jogging trails, equipped with simple simulators, marked eco-trails, parks (sometimes with birds or animals living there) — in short, sports in Serbia in honor, and playgrounds-in fashion.
Natural history at every step
The flora and fauna of Serbia has some differences from the flora and fauna of Central Russia, is in its own exotic (southern fruit, oleanders and palm trees in pots around the house, large escargots, if you're lucky — turtles, chamois, etc.), but the overall nature lives by the laws, and farm, meadow and forest monitoring, the taste and smell of herbs, all of these sensations from contact with the outside world will be valuable and useful.
Things to do in Serbia with children
I put my hand on my heart: Serbia — in General, a Paradise for those who are tired and want to recuperate and change the rhythm of life to a more relaxed, for trackers, photographers and lovers of quiet tourism (including, of course, for children and parents). For those who appreciate simple pleasures and moments of peace: for all this, Serbia even has a special word — Merak.
How to choose a place in Serbia, where to go on vacation with children?
Spas
If there is a desire to purposefully heal — choose resorts with thermal mineral springs (baths). Here is a small review that can help Orient those who want to go to Serbia on vacation with children:
The most visited bath (sanitarium) — vrnjačka Banja, Soko Banja, the Spa, Palić, Vrdnik. There are good therapeutic factors, infrastructure and opportunities for resort pastime, while in season they are crowded. The peak season is July and August.
The mud (in addition to water for bathing), is a baths Break, Kanjiža Koviljača, Rusanda, Vrujci, Palić.
Not only bathe, but also to drink mineral water (by prescription) is possible in the baths Negotin (if you go for water, 15 km to the source), vrnjačka Banja, Prolom, Vrujci, the Spa, Niska, Palić.
Inhalation-in the bath Vrdnik.
Medical air — Soko Banja, Zlatibor.
The opportunity to ride bikes there in the baths Kanjiža and Junakovic.
Holidays in Serbia resorts
For a Wellness (or meaningful) walks most adapted baths, Soko Banja, vrnjačka Banja, Kanjiza, Junakovic, Vrdnik, Niska, Palić, Centre. Near cities (the available attractions, cultural and entertainment attractions) — Niska (NIS), Gamzigradska (zaječar), Junakovic (Apatin), the Spa (Arandjelovac), Koviljača (Loznica).
In order to strengthen the respiratory system go to Sokoban, organs of the gastrointestinal tract — in Vrnjacka Banja, bath, genitourinary system — Break in bath, a musculoskeletal system — Gamzigradska in the bath, for skin good ones that have water with hydrogen sulfide, pools with therapeutic concentration of radon — in short, some motels in the framework of General strengthening of the body and have their specialization.
Tourist site
There are well — known tourist places in Serbia-there is a developed network of hotels and apartments, provided entertainment for tourists, including swimming pools, attractions, restaurants, rental of equipment and devices, ethno-objects. In winter, the ski resorts Kopaonik (Kopaonik), Tornik (Tornik), Stara Planina (Stara Planina).
In the summer, in addition to the above mentioned resorts, it's places like Zlatibor (Zlatibor), GOC (Goc), complexes for artificial lakes: lake Srebreno (Srebreno lake), Bor lake (Borsko lake), 7 lakes, town of Belaya Tserkov (white Church), place Sisevac (Sisevac Terme), a small city with ample opportunities for leisure — Negotin (Soko Banja) and Despotovac (Despotovac), as well as the fruška Gora (Fruska gora), Tara (Tara) and Ovcar-Kablar gorge (Ovcarsko-Kablarska gat).
Holidays in Serbia with a child
About minutes (because you can include them in the selling program, you can schedule tours there) — sometimes it seems that on hearing a very limited number of sites: Belgrade fortress (Kalemegdan), corner cafes and restaurants of Skadarlija — also in the capital, several well-known monasteries, city Kusturica (Drvengrad) and the adjacent ethnic objects, Sarganska osmica (small train adventure), the Danube gorge, a geological wonder Djavolja varoš in the South, the meanders of the river uvac River, and even a few places that deserves to go into the Internet from a review in the review.
Vratna
In my opinion, for those who are coming to Serbia on holiday with children, no less interesting (and accessible, and worthy to strive to see them) to such places as the fabulous Britanskie stone gate, Zlotska, Resavska other caves, Lazarev canyon and other canyons (near Pirot, near Zaječar, Sicevacka gorge, etc.), the nature Park Stara Planina and his mysterious Babin Zub—..
Stay in Serbia Babin subbotsky peerachai
In addition to outdoor pools (there are a lot of them in Serbia, for example in the photo-a pool in our city of Zajecar, there are water parks (they are not always associated with thermal waters and begin to work from the second half or even from the end of June). Here is a complete list of water parks in Serbia (Serbia uses both Cyrillic and Latin, the Internet is easier to set the search query in Latin):
Aquatic Bottom (Sokobanja), water Park source (Aranđelovac), water Park Draguljica (Jošanička Banja), aquapark Petroland (Bački Petrovac), water Park Silver Lake (Srebreno Lake), water Park Mlavske terme (Banja Ždrelo, Petrovac), Aqua Park Jagodina (Jagodina), water Park Sunny Hill (Vrnjačka banja), water Park Banja Junakovic (Apatin), water Park perspective (Lazarevac), water Park Doleac (Leskovac), s-KLUB Jakovo (Belgrade), Hollywood (the Ledeen, Belgrade), water Park (Knjazevac).
Pacific tourism (your ideas of interesting, your pace)
There are places less known and promoted (respectively, not so loaded with tourists and local vacationers), where you can really stay, relax, get new experiences. Here, ideally, it is important to focus on people, on good contact with the host country — especially because it is a holiday with children.
Checked: need someone to Orient, directed, advised — or at least 50% of the features can fly by. Among these towns, where you can have a good time and visit the neighborhood can not name our city Zajecar (Zajecar) in Eastern Serbia, almost on the border with Bulgaria.
Things to do for children in Serbia
If you want a variety of experiences, you can pre-view maps and photos, search for information on the Internet, choose a place and choose an apartment with the help of well-known services, or contact directly to someone who writes about Serbia in Russian in the context that suits you (in our guest house come usually those who found us through the site and who responds to the phrase "quiet tourism").
Where to go with children in Serbia
What is useful to know about holidays in Serbia
Russian citizens do not need a visa to travel to Serbia for up to 30 days. The most common way to get to Serbia — by plane to Belgrade (from Moscow, in the summer — also from St. Petersburg), then-by bus or car.
Where to go in Serbia
If you go to a purely Serbian environment, at first there may be language difficulties. English is spoken most often by young people, the Russian language was taught by the older generation-but for a long time. Most likely, you will quickly get used to it, especially if you use separate words with interrogative or exclamation intonation (many Russian and Serbian words have common roots, only the stress can stand differently). If you want to minimize contacts - this is enough.
You can stock up on a dictionary or print conversational topics that are, for example, on our website. But if you want a more complete experience-it is better to use the services of compatriots living in Serbia (ideally, they should have reviews or recommendations, or you just by correspondence will understand that it is "their").
If you are coming to Serbia in the notoriously hot months (most likely part of June and July or August) you have to be ready to heat is about 12 to 16 hours — if you are on a trip, it better at this time of the day to be home, therefore better to terrace, toys, books, or the ability to be at the pool under an umbrella.
With children in Serbia
Most likely, medical care, if necessary, you will have a "brotherly", but insurance is still worth having.
If you're driving your own car, you should be prepared for rich terrain. In my experience-not every driver loves it, sometimes it is easier to book a trip and relax.
Fuel (and in General the maintenance of the machine) in Serbia is more expensive than in Russia. That is, European prices.
You can safely rely on inexpensive services: catering, hairdressing, dental treatment, cosmetology, fitness.
Prices for most of the products are almost the same as the average in Russia, a pleasant exception-fruits, vegetables, nuts and, once again, the service sector. In particular, "big fellow" catering: cafes, restaurants, pizzerias, ordering ready-made meat at home, quality Serbian fast food.
Fruits and berries begin quite early-strawberries in may, cherries - from mid-may to mid-June, in mid-June cherry ripens-and so on. The approximate schedule "when than it is possible to regale" is on the website.
If you like black tea-take it with you. In Serbia more often drink coffee, juices, water and herbal teas (especially chamomile and mint), the choice of black tea is small.
Serbian raspberry
Holidays in Serbia with children suits you if:
Safety, friendly environment, informal (attentive, respectful, warm) attitude to you and children are of fundamental importance for you.
You do not want to take a long time to adapt to local conditions, you want something like "at home-but very differently."
You would like to use special Wellness facilities, take a course of treatments or swim in the therapeutic pools.
You love nature, you want mountains, canyons, waterfalls, thermal springs and so on — in General, a variety of experiences.
You would like to sometimes static rest, when you can let the child play in a closed courtyard, on a safe site, to be able to be nearby, but to do their own thing.
You love not only static rest (on the terrace, in the Park, on the grounds or by the pools), but also trips, excursions, feasible for a child.
You want the kids to get impressions, but not necessarily quite exotic. Rather, those that are easily correlated with the world around you at home, complement and expand horizons, give new skills.
You are not looking for a great gloss, it is enough for you to be clean and comfortable in your holiday "nest", so that you can be more outdoors, and the rest is life: somewhere richer and more well — groomed, somewhere older and poorer. You like to think and speculate on the topic of " who lives in this house."
You appreciate good food, at the same time ready to spend a vacation without borsch and vinaigrette, replacing the cottage cheese is salted homemade cheese or cheese, then yogurt Serbian or Greek type.
Being in an urban environment, you can still tolerate Smoking in public places, especially when in a cafe /for example/ there is an opportunity to sit outdoors.
You do not bother when everything is quiet. 🙂
Serbia trip with children
In order to stay with children in Serbia was a success, in my opinion, you must first determine the place (safe Harbor), where it should be comfortable and where you want to spend days free from activities. If children are more than two years old, it is usually better to stay in the city, in private apartments or guest houses, near the green area, playgrounds, swimming pools, markets and shops — and with a close "countryside", with easy access to nature.
If you want to know something or clarify - you can write to me through our website (the website address is above). Of course, we can help you more with regard to our region-East, South-East of Serbia, Sokoban-NIS-Zajecar, etc., but-than we can…
The fruit on the rest
The fact that a trip with children on vacation in Serbia — a very good decision, we judge by the reviews and the fact that many come back here. 🙂