"Belgrade may not be the prettiest capital in the world, but it makes up for it with a gritty resilience all of its own. Reminders of past rulers are everywhere – from grandiose Habsburg boulevards to cafes that recall the bygone days of Communist Yugoslavia."

Source: BBC

"Some 115 battles have been fought over imposing, impressive Kalemegdan; the citadel was destroyed more than 40 times throughout the centuries. Fortifications began in Celtic times, and the Romans extended it onto the flood plains during the settlement of 'Singidunum', Belgrade's Roman name. Much of what stands today is the product of 18th-century Austro-Hungarian and Turkish reconstructions. The fort's bloody history, discernible despite today's plethora of jolly cafes and funfairs, only makes Kalemegdan all the more fascinating."

Source: Lonely Planet

"A visit to Tito's mausoleum is obligatory. The big man rests in an aptly gigantic tomb in peaceful surrounds. Also on display are thousands of elaborate relay batons presented to him by young 'Pioneers', plus gifts from political leaders and the voguish set of the era. The mausoleum is attached to the fascinating Museum of Yugoslav History. Take trolleybus 40 or 41 at the south end of Parliament on Kneza Miloša. It's the second stop after turning into Bul Mira: ask the driver to let you out at Kuća Cveća."

Source: Lonely Planet

Photo source: Jorge Láscar

"My more immediate reward was a view of mossy green mountains that turned blue in the distance. The air was clean and mild, hinting at rain to come. It felt like the Brecon Beacons, but I was in the Zlatibor mountains, western Serbia’s summer and winter playground.

Serbia’s king Aleksandar Obrenović put Zlatibor on the map in 1893, when he discovered the health benefits of the area’s exceptionally clean air. People from the nearby city of Užice built summer homes here, creating what is now one of Serbia’s most popular tourist areas. It’s rather like a mini version of the Alps, complete with chalet-style steep-roofed houses in Zlatibor village, adventure parks, a lake full of pedalos and a bijou ski resort, Tornik. In summer, Tornik’s chairlift reopens to transport mountain bikers and hikers to its peak, which I could clearly see from the top of Čuker."

"And, like in most alpine resorts, there were things to do in weather that made hiking or biking unappealing. As the rain came down, I drove 25 minutes to Stopića cave, a wondrous limestone world of illuminated waterfalls and travertine terraces. Stalactites formed a jagged vaulted ceiling as awe-inspiring as any cathedral."

Source: The Guardian

adapted and submitted by Natasha from Angloland

www.angloland.rs

angloland.skola@gmail.com

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