Adventure in South Banat | Where to Go on an Excursion?!

Nikola Igračev
10 min
20 May 2022.
Guide

The southern part of the wide Banat plain may evoke many things, but let's be honest, rarely a popular tourist destination. At least not in the traditional sense, which implies excitement caused by attractive landscapes, challenges, and a variety of tourist attractions.

Namely, this area represents the lowest part of the vast Pannonian Plain and is traditionally desolate and sparsely populated. The reasons lie in the frequent seasonal flooding of rivers, high groundwater levels, merciless winds (which have the greatest strength in this part of Serbia), as well as socio-economic aspects.

However, it will be confirmed by a two-day trip that the southern Banat is unfairly neglected as a tourist destination and that it represents much more than a flat windy steppe dotted with rivers and canals. We will start this trip on the right bank of the Danube.

Moving towards the Danube village of Vinča, and then further towards Smederevo and Kovin Bridge, we will cross the river and start our two-day adventure in southern Banat.

Vinča Archaeological Park

The first stop on this excursion route and a warm-up for what awaits could be the archaeological site in Vinča, a village on the right bank of the Danube, about 15 kilometers from the center of Belgrade. The place that represents the cradle of European Neolithic civilization (5th millennium BC) was discovered in 1908 when Professor Miloje Vasić began the first excavations, unaware that his research would have an epochal significance in world archaeology. Although the most important discoveries from Vinča are housed in the National Museum in Belgrade and the Archaeological Collection of the Faculty of Philosophy, visiting the actual site has a special charm. In addition to being able to see archaeological layers of different epochs of human civilization (up to the present day) on the spot, almost near the banks of the Danube, a professionally and super-interestingly presented lecture by a curator will shed a completely new light on all your previous knowledge about Neolithic man. The price of visiting this unique place on the tourist map, not only of Serbia but also of the world, is a symbolic 200 dinars for adult visitors, or 100 dinars for children and pensioners. With beautiful apricots from the museum garden (in season), you can slowly continue towards Kovin.

Smederevo Fortress

However, in Kovin and Banat, there could be another historically significant and touristically attractive place. It is the medieval fortress in Smederevo, the capital of the Serbian state in the 15th century. The best-preserved fortress in Serbia and one of the largest in Europe was built in 1428 by Despot Đurađ Branković as his residence, cultural, and military center of the Serbian Despotate. Built in the likeness of Constantinople and its walls, the complex of the Smederevo Fortress was erected at the confluence of the Jezava River and the Danube and consists of the Big and Small Towns. While the Big Town is now just a spacious park surrounded by walls, the Small Town is what attracts tourists from all over the country and makes this fortress the biggest attraction of Smederevo. Authentic walls and towers offering a magnificent view of the Banat plain and the Danube can be visited with a professional guide, by prior arrangement, or on your own for a more than symbolic price of 120 dinars for adults, or 60 dinars for children and pensioners. Many may be unaware that segments of the famous film spectacle "Battle of Kosovo" were filmed inside the walls of the Smederevo Fortress.

Model of the Danube River in Kovin

By crossing the Kovin Bridge from the direction of Smederevo, you step onto Vojvodina soil, and the South Banat adventure begins. The next stop is Kovin, a small town where a unique tourist attraction in Serbia is located - a model of the Danube River's course through Serbia. In a park located just a kilometer from the center of Kovin, over a length of about 150 meters, an extremely accurate model of the Danube Valley has been cast in concrete, depicting the section of the river from Bezdan to the mouth of the Timok. In a relatively small area, visitors can see all the significant morphological features of the course of Europe's second-largest river - meanders, river islands, gorges, and basins, as well as the cities through which the Danube flows. It is little known that this model has existed since 1964 but has only recently regained its deserved shine and significant tourist importance for Kovin. Not far from the Model, there is also an attractive quay and marina on the Danube backwater that connects the town with the main Danube river.

Model of the Danube River in Serbia (PHOTO: Nikola Igračev)

Zagajica Hills

After a short stay in Kovin, it's time to continue. On the way to Bela Crkva, about 30 kilometers from Kovin, there is a turnoff for the village of Grebenac. A small village on the eastern edge of the Deliblatska Sands, it doesn't differ from dozens of similar Vojvodina villages in any way, until you get a little further from the settlement. Because when you continue on the dirt road towards the northwest after the village cemetery, after about 5 kilometers, you reach the foothills of the Zagajica Hills, an area that breaks the monotony of the Banat plain to such an extent that one almost forgets they are in the Pannonian Plain. As part of the largest European sandy area, the Zagajica Hills represent a complex of typical sand dunes similar to those in the Sahara and other sandy deserts. The only difference is that the climate in Banat is not desert-like, so there is enough rainfall for these dunes to be completely covered with vegetation which, depending on the season, changes colors - from various shades of green in spring, to yellow and reddish in summer and autumn, to white during snowy winters. The best time to visit the Zagajica Hills is late spring and autumn, when the colors are most intense, but also when the temperatures are most pleasant for walking or cycling. Exploring the Zagajica Hills is probably the greatest adventure but also the most physically demanding destination in the entire itinerary of this trip. This activity should be reserved for at least 4 hours, comfortable footwear, a possible change of clothes, and at least two liters of water per person should be prepared. The total length of the hiking trail is about 14 kilometers round trip. Depending on weather conditions (when it's dry), driving by car can save on mileage, but a certain level of physical fitness is necessary in any case. However, once you climb to the top of one of the many hills and continue walking along their ridges, the sights that will appear one after another will justify every drop of sweat.

Bela Crkva Lakes

After the efforts made during the walk in Zagajička Hills, refreshment and rest are more than welcome. About fifteen kilometers from Grebenac, in the direction towards Bela Crkva (via Vračev Gaj), there is the complex of seven Belocrkvanska Lakes, a kind of oasis of peace and relaxation for the inhabitants of southern Banat, and beyond. An ideal place for rest and rejuvenation at the end of a tiring and eventful day. The artificial lakes near Bela Crkva were created entirely by accident, through gravel excavation, at the beginning of the 20th century. Due to the shallow underground water depth, the excavated depressions were quickly naturally filled with water, transforming into lakes that completely changed the landscape of this part of Banat. The largest lakes (Gradsko, Vračevgajsko, Šaransko, and Šljunkara) have been arranged and transformed into bathing areas with beautiful pebbly beaches and all the necessary infrastructure, restaurants, and recreational facilities. The remaining three are a paradise for anglers as well as divers.

If you are tired and don't want to leave this idyllic place, there are several options for accommodation in nearby villas and cottages (with prior notice or reservation). If you still have some strength and energy left in you, the ideal option for a quality vacation and a pleasant dinner would be Vršac, located about 30 kilometers away. You can find villas and apartments for accommodation and restaurants for a pleasant evening.

Belocrkvanska Lakes (PHOTO: Darko Stojičić)

The second day of the excursion could start with a short walk through the center of Vršac. This beautiful town with a long history and magnificent architecture exudes an atmosphere typical of most cities in Central Europe. Serbian and Romanian Orthodox churches, the Cathedral, the City Museum Konkordija, and the birthplace of the writer Jovan Sterija Popović are just some of the important buildings in this city.

Vršac "hill" and wineries

In Vršac, you could spend a quality day, but in this case, it is only a stopover and a starting point for the next destinations. And the first among them are the Vršac Mountains, a nearby massif that, although only 641 meters high, rises like a gigantic lighthouse in the Banat plain. Considered the gateway to the Carpathians, Vršac Hill is to its "own" town what Avala is to Belgrade or Fruška Gora is to Novi Sad. The favorite picnic spot of the residents of Vršac is easily accessible by an asphalt road, as well as a marked hiking trail from the town, and its central and most popular part is considered Vršac Tower. According to belief, the medieval fortress was built by Despot Đurađ Branković after the Turkish siege of Smederevo, wanting to defend his possessions in Hungary. Completely restored and arranged for tourist visits (for a symbolic price of 100 dinars), Vršac Tower is a spectacular viewpoint from which Vršac and the Banat plain can be observed, almost as if from an airplane. At its base, there are several temples, among which the Catholic Chapel of St. Cross and the Orthodox Church of St. Theodore of Vršac are particularly prominent. The Vršac Mountains also represent a destination where nature lovers could spend the whole day. However, they have one "flaw" - the wind that blows almost constantly throughout the year.

The Vršac region is known for its vineyards, which can be easily deduced from the endless rows of grapevines covering the slopes of the Vršac Mountains. For all lovers of the heavenly drink, the village of Gudurica is known for its wineries where you can taste and buy top-quality wines from this region.

Ritiševo Brewery

With the Vršac Mountains reached, the furthest point of this two-day trip, a leisurely return to Belgrade follows, but on a slightly different route and with new attractions along the way. If numerous wineries are a recommendation for wine lovers, beer enthusiasts should not miss the oldest craft brewery in Serbia, Krugher & Brent, in the village of Ritiševo. Although we have been witnessing a real expansion of craft brewing in Serbia in recent years, the Ritiševo Brewery is probably the first among them, existing since 1991. Unfortunately, organized tours of the brewery are not possible, but buying excellent beer at slightly more affordable prices - definitely is.

Off-Roading in Deliblatska Peščara*

From Ritiševo, the road leads through Uljma and Izbište to the village of Šušara, where the real adrenaline adventure of passing through the heart of Deliblatska Peščara begins. Of course, on the condition that you are crossing this section by car. Namely, the road that connects the villages of Šušara and Deliblato was asphalted almost 50 years ago and today, in several places, it has only traces of asphalt. The ravages of time and weather conditions over the decades have eroded this road to the extent that on certain sections, good driving skills represent the greatest virtue a person can have at that moment. This 10-kilometer stretch through the wilderness of the sandy terrain takes almost an hour to pass. If you want to be "gentle" with your vehicle, slow and cautious driving is necessary. For enthusiasts of such experiences, there is probably no better opportunity in Banat than Deliblatska Peščara. For those for whom maneuvering and avoiding potholes is more stressful than challenging, the advice is to continue straight to Pančevo from Uljma (with a possible stop and tour of the city) and then head to Belgrade.

*The road is passable only in stable dry weather conditions and is not recommended during the rainy season!

Off-Roading in Deliblatska Peščara — One of the collapsed roads in Deliblatska Peščara (PHOTO: Nikola Igračev)

Kraljevac Special Nature Reserve

However, those who pass through this road will not regret it. In the small village of Deliblato, after which the sandy terrain itself is named, there is the Kraljevac Special Nature Reserve. As an artificial lake on the edge of the sandy terrain, Kraljevac represents a true oasis of biodiversity, peace, and silence, a natural harmony recognized by numerous wetland birds, otters, as well as valuable specimens of freshwater fish (catfish, carp, grass carp). The biggest attraction of this lake, however, is the floating peat islands, a rare natural phenomenon similar to those on Lake Vlasina. Unfortunately, as a protected area, the reserve does not have typical tourist and catering facilities.

After an exciting drive through the sandy terrain and then relaxation of the nerves at this beautiful lake, the return to Belgrade follows, via Pančevo. Depending on the time and fatigue, a walk through the beautiful city of Pančevo and a tour of its major attractions can complete this two-day trip through southern Banat.