Serbia is a relatively small country, but full of variety and contrasts when it comes to its nature. Vast plains and pastures lie in the north, region known as Vojvodina, while sharp mountains rise in its east and west side. Thick forests cover the central part and heart of Serbia - Sumadija region, while in the south, there's a little bit of everything. This kind of diversity offers all kinds of outdoor activities and places to visit and enjoy. Among these places, like in every other country, there are the ones protected by law, due to the their fauna and flora and other rare natural treasures within their limits. Serbia has in total 5 national parks, 20 nature parks and handfull of other protected sites, such as nature reserves, caves and other landscapes. All this makes Serbia an ideal place for anyone who seeks something new, for all the admireres of nature, wilderness and those of healthy lifestyle as well as the ordinary people who simply want to enjoy the outdoors. 

Šara National Park 

Common feature of serbian national parks is that all of them, except Đerdap National Park, are located on mountains, so naturally each of them carries the name of that specific mountain. Đerdap National Park, on the contrary, occupies the Đerdap gorge, also known as the Iron Gate. Our national parks are somewhat ''scattered'' throughout the country (as seen on the picture), so wherever in Serbia you go, you'll have the chance to visit one of them as well, since they will probably be nearby. This also shows the abundance of our nature and its, in a way, neglected potential, which is the case with almost everything in my country, unfortunately. 

But let's not talk about that. Let me introduce you to our five national parks. 

These are:

• Fruška Gora National Park
• Đerdap National Park
• Tara National Park
• Šara National Park 
• Kopaonik National Park

In the natural heritage of every country, national parks occupy a special place, and Serbia is no exception. Of what unique value and beauty our national parks are, shows the fact that they have been added in the European National Parks Federation - EUROPARC. 
Their importance stretches beyond the boundaries of Serbia and together they all make this modest country special in its own way and an interesting place to travel through. National parks alltogether permit only those activities that promote health and recreation, education and tourism and do not harm the environment or its inhabitants in any way. And with that said, they all give the example of inspiring symbiotic way of life life of man and the great nature. 

Đerdap National Park

Fruška Gora National Park

This national park is located on a lone, low mountain of the same name, situated in the southwest of the Pannonian plain, not far from the city of Novi Sad. As our oldest national park, it was established in 1960. with its protected area, stretching on 25.525 hectares. Main characteristic of the park lies in its numerous rare, endangered and thus protected plants and animals, the abundance of green pastures and fertile soil, especially vineyards and orchards, which are mostly located in the lower parts of the mountain. In higher parts, Fruška Gora is rich in thick forests, mainly those of oak, hornbeam, beech and other deciduous trees.  Forest covers around 90% of the park.

Vineyards of Fruška Gora

Steppe, that stretches over the brim of the national park, is almost completely destroyed and turned into arable land. Nevertheless, in some parts there are still preserved fragments of steppe and they represent home to many relict plants, such as yellow pheasant's eye, greater pasque flower, fern leaf peony and many more. Rich flora of this mountain includes also around 400 different species of mushrooms. Fauna consists mostly of birds (200+ species) and mammals (60 species). Some of the most endangered animals are eastern imperial eagle, european ground squirrel, lesser mole-rat and various bats. 

eastern imperial eagle                      pheasant's eyes                     greater pasque flower             european ground squirrel

Other natural aspects worth mentioning are lakes and caves. There are several artificial lakes on Fruška Gora, of which the most attractive are Ledinačko and Bešenovsko lake. Caves are few, with Grgurevačka cave being the most popular one.

Ledinačko lake

Since it's a low mountain (539 m), Fruška Gora is not so much popular in winter. This national park is most visited during spring and summer, and its numerous resorts and viewpoints attract large number of visitors in that time of the year. Most famous resorts are Letenka and Stražilovo, and probably the best view out there provides magnificent viewpoint Iriški venac. Some of the interesting towns nearby, that tourists can also visit are Sremski Karlovci, already mentioned, Novi Sad as well as Stari Slankamen.

Letenka

Iriški venac

Cultural and historical side of the national park is rich as much as its natural one. Fruška Gora is often reffered to as 'serbian Athos' or 'holy mountain', because of many old monasteries situated there (out of 35, 16 of them were preserved to this day), built between 15th and 18th century and famous for their unique architecture, libraries and frescos. 

Some of the most mentioned monasteries among these are Krušedol, Hopovo, Grgeteg, Jazak, Vrdnik-Ravanica... These monasteries had major role in preservation of the tradition of serbian people during the Ottoman occupation. That makes them an important part of our cultural heritage and there are many organized one-day field trips to Fruška Gora, for those interested in visiting and learning more about them.

Grgeteg monastery

There are also numerous archaeological sites, that date back from neolith, copper, bronze and roman period. Due to the complexity of mountain's geological structure and mentioned archaeological sites (on which mostly plant and animal fossils are found), Fruška Gora is a true mirror of our geological past and that was one of the main reasons why it was put under protection in the first place.

For more information visit: http://www.npfruskagora.co.rs/eng.html

Đerdap National Park

Located in the northeast of Serbia, on the very boarder with neighbouring country Romania. This national park lies at the right shore of the river Danube, covering the area of almost 64.000 hectares, which makes it Serbia's largest national park. Established in 1974, it is often called 'river national park' because the Danube makes up a significant portion of the park. As for its natural beauties and cultural heritage, it is important on a European level.

The Đerdap gorge

Map of the Đerdap (Iron Gate) gorge

Đerdap National Park was named after the Đerdap gorge, the largest and longest breakthough gorge in Europe. Know also as the Iron Gate, it consists, in total, of 4 gorges (Golubačka, Ljupkovska, Gospođin vir, Donjomilanovačka) and 3 ravines (Veliki and Mali kazan, Oršavska, Sipska). Veliki kazan, where the Danube is at its narrowest and at the same time, reaches the maximum depth on its course (90 meters), is the most attractive part of the whole area.

Park is inhabited by more than 1.100 plant species and majority of them are relict. For that reason, the Đerdap area was and still is quite intriguing for botanists. Some of these interesting plants are smoke tree, bellflower, lilac, hellebore... More than 64% of the park is covered by forest.

Beside its abundant flora, this national park characterizes extremely rich fauna. Well-preserved and intact habitats made perfect conditions for different kinds of animals to coherently exist in it for centuries. Exceptionally important habitats are those of the river Danube and its tributaries, forests, meadows, ravines and canyons. This remarkable gorge is a true botanical garden in the open, where around 150 birds live throughout the year. However, the most numerous animals are mammals - deer, wild boar, lynx, wild cat, mountain goat, wolf, jackal...

What makes this national park different from other national parks in Serbia, are its rich heritage monuments, that this area is well-known for. It is a park with the largest number of historical monuments from the Roman limes on the Danube as well as Europe's largest natural history museum and archaeological museum.
First there is the Lepenski Vir archaeological site, on which were found the remains of the earliest neolithic settlement (houses with hearthstones and around 54 similar fishlike sculptures), created over 8.000 years ago. After the construction of the damm, the site had to be relocated, so it doesn't get flooded by the rising level of the Danube.

Lepenski Vir

Then there is Tabula Traiana (Trajan's table), located in the end of the Kazan gorge. On this table stands, carved into a rock, an inscription in latin dedicated to the Roman emperor Trajan. It is part of a group of classical monuments on the Roman road, that also includes the remains of the bridge once built by Trajan across the Danube. Opposite of the Trajan's table, at the romanian side of the Danube, there is a 40-meter high stone sculpture of the dacian king Decebel, Trajan's lifelong enemy.

Trajan's table

Decibel's sculpture

Monument that also stands out is definitely the Golubac fortress. It lies on the Danube's right bank at the very entrance to the Iron Gates, located 4 km downstream from the modern-day town of Golubac. To this day, it is still unknown how old the fortress actually is and who first began its construction. The only thing that has been established for certain is that the first fortification in Golubac on the Danube was built by Romans in the 1st century AD.

Golubac fortress had tumultuous history, repeatedly changing hands between Blgarians, Turks, Hungarians, Serbs and Austrians until it was finally (in 1867) turned over to the serbian knez Mihailo Obrenović III. Today it is a popular tourists attraction and an inevitable destination on many Danube boat tours.

Golubac fortress

At the very exit of the Đerdap gorge. on a high cliff above the Danube called the Karataš, there is one more fortress - Diana. Built during the reign of Emperor Trajan, it represents one of the largest and best preserved forts on the Danube. Its primary task was serving as a military fortification and today it remains an importan archaeological site. Numerous marble and bronze sculptures and everyday items discovered in Diana indicate that, beside being a crucial Roman fortification, the castle was also a major economic centre and port.

Remains of Diana fortress

Diana also stands close to the hydropower Đerdap I (around 300 m downstream), that is part of the Đerdap hydropower system. This system consists of two hydropowers built on the river Danube - already mentioned - Đerdap I and 80 km distant - Đerdap II. They are  located on the Serbo-Romanian border, so they belong both to Serbia and Romania. Plants Đerdap I and Đerdap II are accounted for around 20% of the total electricity production in Serbia.

Hydropower Đerdap I

For more information visit: http://www.npdjerdap.org/?lang=en

Tara National Park

Tara National Park was declared in 1981. It occupies a large surface of the Tara mountain (19.175 hectares), that is located in the western Serbia, at the very border with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
As for its altitude, mountain Tara belongs to medium high mountains whose average altitude ranges from 1.000 to 1.200 meters. Tara's highest peak is Kozji rid (1.591 m) and the lowest point is at the Perućačko lake (291 m) on the Drina river, above whom Tara stands. Many people assume that the triassic limestones on the northern side of Tara were genuine Pannonian Sea coast in the tertiary.

This is a typical forest area, and for its preservation and diversity of forest ecosystems (many of which are relict) is one of the richest and most valuable forest areas of Europe. On Tara dominate mixed forests of spruce, fir and beech (over 85% of forest area).
Around 1.156 species of vascular flora were identified on Tara, which makes 1/3 of total flora of Serbia. Due to the favorable climate and remoteness, on Tara survived relict and endemic species of the Balkan Peninsula - Serbian or Pančić spruce, as well as many other monuments of nature. In the forests of Tara there are more than 251 species of fungi, of which 3 are poisonous. One of them is the Amanita phalloides mushroom - most dangerous fungi in Europe, also known as the Death Cap mushroom.

Of the 53 species of mammals recorded on Tara, the most attractive are brown bear (this area is inhabited by the largest population of brown bears in Serbia) and chamois, that live even at the altitude of 290 m. Of the 135 species of birds, 43 are migratory. The ones that particularly stand out and are most endangered are eagles, hawks and other scavengers. The best-known species, something like a symbol of fauna of Mt Tara, is endemorelict Pančić's grasshopper (Pyrgomorphella serbica).

Pančić spruce                                                                                           the brown bear

There are several artificial lakes at the foot of Mt Tara and their main purpose is electricity production, but they are of great tourist value as well. The ones that stand out are already mentioned Perućačko lake, particularly vivid in the summer season due to the fishing, bathing and rowing boats and Zaovine lake, above whom rises a beautiful and famous viewpoint.

Perućac lake

Zaovine lake and its viewpoint

Due to the limestone formation, water precipitation does not linger long on the surface, but appears in the form of wells and springs. The most attractive and most profuse karst spring is Perućačko spring, situated at the altitude of 265 m. The spring forms the short river known as 'The river of the year' (the shortest river in Serbia), which through its attractive waterfall flows into the river Drina.

River of the Year and its waterfall

House in the middle of the Drina river near the town of Bajina Bašta

The area of Mt Tara is rich in archaeological sites dating from the Neolithic period to the Middle Ages. Of some interest is necropolis with tombstones at Perućac and the one in Rastište, both nominated for UNESCO World Heritage List. Then, remnants of medieval fortification Solotnik and Rača Monastery, founded by King Dragutin Nemanjić in the 13th century.

tombstones at Perućac                                                                                Rača Monastery

For visitors interested in recreation, there are 18 hiking trails with a total length of 120 km. For these trails, it is recommended to use hiking maps, that can be found at tourist centres - Kaluđerske Bare and Mitrovac.

Mitrovac

There are also 27 cycling paths with length of about 420 km, a football pitch and small outdoor sports fields, among other facilities. In the winter, the ski slopes and two ski-lifts are available, a 150 m-long one for children and beginners and a 450 m-long one for amateur skiers, located at 1000 m above sea-level.

For more information visit: http://www.nptara.rs/en/

Kopaonik National Park

Kopaonik National Park covers an area of highest and best preserved parts of the Kopaonik mountain, that rises in the central part of southern Serbia. Same as Tara, the park was established in 1981. and according to its natural values, is the most important center of biodiversity of endemic flora of Serbia with a number of protected natural areas within its limits (area of total 11.810 hectares). Mountain Kopaonik is the largest massif in Serbia on whom the biggest ski centre in our country is located, which is good for tourism, but can have negative impact on the surroundings.

The largest area of the park encompasses the central and most forested part of Kopaonik mountain, a large, relatively flattened region around 1.700 m high, known as Flat Kopaonik. The mountain landscape is dominated by the highest, Pančić Peak (2017 m above sea level) on whom is located the mausoleum of the famous Serbian naturalist Josif Pančić. What makes this mountain particularly attractive is its distinctive landscape with dense coniferous forests (spruce and fir) in higher parts and mixed beech and oak forests in the lower parts of Kopaonik, pastures, meadows, as well as prominent peaks.

Over 1600 species of plants were found on this massif (91 endemic ones). Here we can mention three local Kopaonik endemics: Kopaonik houseleek, Kopaonik violet and Pančićeva režuha. On the European red list are four of these plants, on the Red List of flora of Serbia 50 and on the list of natural rarities of Serbia 30 plant species. Compared to the high mountainous endemic flora of the Balkan Peninsula, 11.9% of endemic species are growing in Kopaonik, which makes it one of the most important centers of endemism in Serbia and the Balkans.

Fauna is especially rich in insects - Kopaonik is the only known site where living endemic and relict butterfly species Colias balcanica Rebel can still be found. Then birds (170 species) of which 90% are nesting as well as 39 species of mammals. A few decades ago, according to Josif Pančić, here lived bears, lynxes, deers, wild cats, martens and otters. Today, of the large game remained wolves and other smaller wild animals - deer, fox and rabbit. Among rare and protected species are mostly birds - golden eagle, peregrine falcon, tawny owl, shore lark, crossbill and others.

Nature was quite generous to this mountain in terms of water. It granted Kopaonik mostly cold, mildly radioactive water at higher altitude and thermo-mineral springs at its foothill. So prominent natural features are various springs: Marina water, Krčmar water, Pajin presses, Maple fountain... Hiking trails usually pass by these springs and tourists often visit them as part of the walking tours. There are also many smaller lakes. Semeteško lake is the biggest and is located at 900 meters above sea level in the village Semeteš. It is circular with a diameter of 60 m.

Semeteško lake

At the foot of Kopaonik in few places there are thermo-mineral springs of unqestionable quality and high temperatures, suitable for different kinds of treatment and development of spa tourism. Water temperature ranges from 78 ºC (Jošanička spa) to 38-57 ºC (Kuršumlijska and Lukovska spa, the highest altitude spa in Serbia - 681 m).

Lukovska spa

Under special protection of the National Park are 1375.2 hectares, separated in 13 nature reserves. Those reserves are:

1. GOAT ROCKS - with relict spruce, fir and heather and a number of relict species of vegetation and rocks.

2. VUČAK - includes unique community of fir and spruce (present only on Zlatar), as well as the communities of spruce, fir and beech.

3. MRKONJA - includes a community of beech and fir-preserved structures in terms of degraded land.

4. JANKOVA POND - the largest peat bog on Kopaonik, with a number of peat bog communities as well as specific communities of spruce, fir, pine and Scots pine.

5. GOBELJA - Reserve representing a community of skerries with habitats of rare and highly endangered species.

6. BARSKA RIVER - includes relict forest communities of beech, fir and spruce relict, significant for science.

7. SAMOKOVSKA RIVER - includes extremely interesting and diverse community of spruce with moss, sorrel, viburnum shrubs, etc. as well as peat vegetation.

8. METOĐE - with six different phytocoenologically spruce and beech communities and a number of other rare and relict plant species.

In this reserve is located Metodje shrine, monument of religious architecture with access path of about 600 m, as well as cold water geyser whose jet reaches 5-6 meters in height.

9. JELAK - with interesting beech fir ecosystem with significant and rare species of yew.

10. DRY RUDIST - characteristic representative of high mountain landscape at the upper limit of forest vegetation with blueberries, juniper and low subalpine spruce, as well as communities tipca and blades wigs.

11. DEEP - in the municipality Brus - includes parts of relict communities of beech with moor grass, as well as the community of beech with black hornbeam (the only such community in Kopaonik).

12. JELOVARNIK - hydrological and geomorphological monument, a waterfall with three cascades of the total height of 70 m, surrounded by a community of beech, fir and spruce.

13. WHITE WALLS - (grooves) - Geological Monument, a prominent Wall ant limestone of the upper border of forest vegetation with blueberries, juniper and low subalpine spruce.

In the vicinity of Kopaonik there are numerous cultural-historical monuments. Some of them are the remains of medieval path Kukavica (literally translated Coward), the remains of a medieval mine Gvozdac, St. Peter and Paul church in Kriva Reka, the remains of medieval towns such as Ras, Zvečan, Maglič, Kozjak and others.

Nearby and below Pančić Peak, at an altitude of 1800 meters, which is the highest location in Serbia, an unusual archaeological site was discovered, called Celestial chairs. According to popular legend, this place is called crkvine, meaning the church and is dedicated to St. Prokoplju, the patron of miners. It is thought that in this place there was Christian basilica that dates back to the V or VI century AD.

Celestial chairs

When it comes to tourist infrastructure, Mt Kopaonik has quite a lot of it. Accommodation in Kopaonik is divided into three building environments, such as Flat Kopaonik, Brzaće and settlement Treska. Within the National Park was built a tourist center with a system of ski lifts and ski slopes for alpine and nordic skiing. As I mentioned earlier, ski center Kopaonik is the largest and best equipped ski center in Serbia and probably one of the most popular in the region.

It offers 62 ski slopes, including paths for beginners and runs for skillful and experienced skiers, cross-country, alpine trails and parks for snowboarding. For children there are special ski kindergarten' where they can learn the basics of skiing, and there is a possibility of night skiing as well. Thanks to systems for artificial snow, ski season lasts longer, and skiers can be sure that during the season they will be able to enjoy the well-prepared tracks.

In the end, I think national parks should be spared of any kind of unnecessary construction, since it brings more harm to nature than good. Of course, it brings a lot of money to people, and since most national parks are situated in mountains, and mountains are for skiing and other human activities, this is almost inevitable. This naturally wouldn't be the problem, if only authorities in Serbia would have been little more rational and economical and maybe looked up to countries like Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia who take care of the environment and minimize the amount of infrastructure in these crucial places.

For more information visit: http://www.npkopaonik.com/