Rasina District: Mountains, Culture and Wine in Serbia

Mountain landscapes between 250 and 2,017 metres

Rasina District extends across elevations ranging from 250 to 2,017 metres. The mountain regions of Kopaonik, Jastrebac, Goč, Željin and the Gledić Mountains belong to Rasina District. Jastrebac is one of the few mountains in Serbia with extensive silver birch forests; the silver birch trees found there are protected by law.

At an elevation of around 650 metres, Jastrebac has an extensive plateau with an artificial lake. The plateau is approximately 20 kilometres from Kruševac. Jastrebac is used for walking, hiking, cycling, skyrunning and orienteering. The “Jastrebački trougao” mountain-bike trail connects the Jastrebac mountain lodge, Ribarska Banja at the foot of the mountain and the village of Svarča in the valley of the Toplica River.

Active experiences and trails

The “Stazama Jastrepca” adventure offering includes a children’s adventure park, a zip line across the lake, a climbing rock equipped with the required documentation for training, and large adventure courses on two levels. Rasina District also offers opportunities for hunting and fishing on Jastrebac, at Lake Ćelije, on the Western and Southern Morava rivers and on the Rasina River.

The Morava Corridor is relevant for regional orientation: it connects Ćićevac, Stalać, Kruševac and Trstenik with important long-distance roads, including Corridors 10 and 11.

Ribarska Banja: spa and leisure activities

Ribarska Banja was one of the first six Serbian spas to be restored in 1833 during the reign of Prince Miloš. Ribarska Banja offers massages and treatments with medicinal herbs, algae, wine and chocolate, as well as salt rooms, saunas, whirlpools, a fitness area, an indoor and an outdoor pool, a Green Bar and a Turkish hammam.

The “Samar” sports and leisure centre in Ribarska Banja includes tennis and beach-volleyball courts, a small water park and a children’s playground.

Wine, festivals and regional cuisine

“Župska Berba” can be traced back more than half a century. At the harvest festival, visitors can taste wine from the “Wine Fountain”, as well as wines and other grape products along the “Wine Street”. The “poljane” of Župa are a distinctive group of wine-growing settlements that have survived in this form only in Župa.

The Museum of Viticulture and Oenology is housed in a wine cellar built in 1924 by the agricultural school and documents the development of viticulture and winemaking over the centuries. An ethno-restaurant in the village of Srndalje is recommended for traditional folk dishes and regional specialities; it can be reached via a 1,800-metre-long paved mountain road.

Fortresses, monasteries and museum culture

Prince Lazar probably had his capital, Lazarev grad, built in 1371. Among the remains of the larger fortified city of Lazarev grad are a palace, a court church and a stable block. The Lazarica Church is dedicated to Saint Stephen and was built in 1376 on the occasion of the birth of Prince Lazar’s son Stefan. The Serbian architect Rade Neimar built Ljubostinja as an endowment of Princess Milica.

The medieval Koznik Fortress is considered one of Serbia’s best-preserved medieval fortifications and is located at an elevation of more than 900 metres. The event “Koznik – City of Knights” uses a medieval setting with a princely hall, craft workshops, stables, arbors, banners and shields. Performers and volunteers in medieval costumes bring the Serbian Middle Ages to life at the event. “Koznik – City of Knights” also includes a feast with various dishes and Župa wines.

The church of Veluće Monastery was built in the 14th century, around 1370. The church of Veluće Monastery belongs to the Morava school and is protected in Serbia as a cultural monument of great importance. Veluće Monastery preserves old liturgical books and vestments. Two rose windows on the western façade of Naupare Monastery are considered important examples of the old Morava school.

The National Museum of Kruševac is located in the archaeological park. The National Museum of Kruševac has around 23,000 museum objects spanning a historical period of more than six millennia. Expert guided tours are available for visits to the museum areas; guided tours of the exhibition are offered in Serbian and English. The cultural event “Jefimijini Dani” is dedicated to the first Serbian poet, Jefimija, and takes place at Ljubostinja Monastery.

For further orientation, see Brzeće and Zlatibor District.

For the higher-level travel overview: Central Serbia.