Serbia

Official script: Cyrillic

Faiths: 85% Eastern Orthodox Christian, 5.5% Roman Catholic Christian, 3.2% Muslim

National holiday:15thFebruary – Serbian National Statehood Day

Time zone:central European, CET (GMT + 1 hour)

Electricity:220 ~ 230V, 50 Hz

Water from public mains:Safe to drink

Culture

Although Serbia has for centuries been the scene of frequent wars, devastation, fires, and mass-migrations, on the turbulent roads leading from East to Europe and from Europe to East, a rich cultural and historical legacy has remained there. The rich variety of historical monuments and sites of natural beauty make Serbia a country of great interest for tourism and very much part of its attraction. A testament to prehistoric life in this region are the numerous archaeological sites. Lepenski Vir, the first example of socioeconomic structure between 6500 and 5500 BC, Starčevo from the Early Neolithic, 5500 to 4500 BC, and Vinča from the Late Neolithic, 4500 to 3200 BC, constitute the evidence that this was for millennia a cultural center of the prehistoric world. There are also the important remains of Roman roads and towns – Gamzigrad, Sirmium, and Mediana, with a variety of structures – which today bear witness to six centuries of the presence of the Roman Empire on the territory of Serbia.

One of the most important categories of the preserved monument in Serbia is Orthodox monasteries, which came into being during the period from the 12th to the 17th century. They can be found in an area ranging from Fruška Gora in the north, through the Morava and Ibar valleys, all the way to Kosovo and Metohija. The Stari Ras and Sopoćani complex, Studenica monastery and Visoki Dečani, together with the Patriarchate of Peć, Gračanica and the Our Lady of Ljeviš church in Prizren, are listed under the joint name of “Mediaeval Monuments in Kosovo (Serbia)” on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Nature

Plant and animal varieties which have disappeared and become extinct in other parts of Europe can still be seen by lovers of nature and wilderness, living in the green marshlands and dense forests of Serbia.

Serbia is also a perfect destination for all those seeking an adventure-packed outdoor holiday. Those daring enough to experience true freedom at dizzying heights can try cliff or rock climbing. If hiking is more to your taste, you can expect to enjoy the beauty of nature with its abundance of medicinal herbs, mushrooms and forest fruits.

Serbia abounds in protected areas of special geological, biological and environmental diversity, as defined by international criteria and indicators. The biodiversity – the natural diversity of species and ecosystems, together with the geodiversity – the diversity of forms and phenomena in the geological make-up of Serbia, make it a country in which every nature-lover can find something of interest.

The UNESCO list of wetlands of international significance – protected under the Ramsar convention – includes nine sites in Serbia. The UNESCO MAB Council has designated part of the Golija nature park as the Golija-Studenica Biosphere Reserve not only for its exceptionally well-preserved authentic natural resources but also for its cultural resources.

We invite you to visit Serbia’s nature reserves, national parks, natural monuments, protected habitats of threatened plant and animal species, areas of outstanding beauty and nature parks.

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