Two-day Excursion Around Braničevo | Where to Go on a Trip?!

Eastern Serbia undoubtedly belongs to the most beautiful and attractive parts of our country. In the area where the Carpathian and Balkan Mountains are dotted with hundreds of river valleys, gorges, and canyons, you can find some of the most stunning natural landscapes not only in Serbia but also in Europe as a whole.

Mountain peaks and cliffs, dense forests and vast meadows, deep pits and long caves, as well as unusual springs, lakes, and waterfalls, are harmoniously intertwined with the authentic cultural and historical heritage of this part of Serbia, making it an extremely attractive tourist destination.

Exploring all the sights and beauties of eastern Serbia could literally take weeks, so for practical reasons, it would be convenient to divide it into several multi-day trips. One of them would be a trip along the Danube and Braničevo, the "gateway" to eastern Serbia, where you can truly spend two fulfilling and beautiful days.

Smederevo Fortress - the best-preserved fortress in Serbia

Assuming we start the trip from Belgrade, taking the highway, after about 40 minutes, we arrive in Smederevo, the capital of the Serbian Despotate, where one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Serbia and Europe as a whole is located. Although many of us have encountered Smederevo Fortress at least once in our lives, it is always nice to stroll along its ramparts again, observe the Danube and the confluence of the Jezava River from above, and reconstruct life in it during the Middle Ages with the guidance of a tour guide. Constructed in 1428 by the order of Despot Đurđe Branković, Smederevo Fortress was the main political, cultural, and military stronghold of the Serbian medieval state until its final collapse. Targeted multiple times by various conquerors, it has suffered numerous damages over the centuries, but it has remained to this day as a fortress with the most authentic elements from the time of its construction. Since 1946, it has been under state protection as a cultural monument and today represents the largest and most visited tourist attraction in the city of Smederevo, which can be visited independently for a symbolic fee of 120 dinars (adults) or 60 dinars (children, seniors, and other privileged categories).

Viminacium Archaeological Park

From Smederevo, we continue towards Kostolac, where in its immediate vicinity, you'll find the magnificent archaeological park and site of Viminacium. For all history enthusiasts and admirers, this archaeological site will be a top destination as it is one of the largest and most significant monument complexes of antiquity in the Balkans. In this area, from the 1st to the 7th century AD, one of the most important settlements of the Roman Empire and the capital of the Roman province of Upper Moesia was located, which included the largest part of present-day Serbia, parts of Bulgaria, and Macedonia. From the first archaeological excavations in the late 19th century to the beginning of the new millennium and the museum arrangement of Viminacium, hundreds of authentic objects and artifacts from the Roman period have been discovered - gates, mausoleums, tombs, baths, amphitheaters, and more. The representative museum was opened in 2006 and is one of the most important points on the tourist map of Serbia, attracting tourists from all over Europe and the world. To further increase the tourism potential of this site, the discovery of an impressive mammoth skeleton in 2009, symbolically named Vika, which is also exhibited in the Viminacium complex, took care of that. In these unique attractions, accompanied by a guide, you can enjoy for the price of 600 dinars (adults) and 400 dinars (children and seniors), while children under 10 years old can enter for free.

Ram Fortress

Twenty kilometers northeast of Viminacium, in the small village of Ram, in an exceptionally attractive location overlooking the Danube River, stands a magnificent medieval fortress. Recently renovated and opened to visitors, at a place where the Danube reaches a width of over 3 kilometers, Ram Fortress is more than half a millennium old. It was built by the Turks in 1483, during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II, on the foundations of an old Byzantine stronghold, as an important strategic object between two significant cities at the time – Smederevo and Golubac. The Turks also participated in its reconstruction, enriching the cultural and historical heritage of Serbia with another highly attractive site. Visiting Ram Fortress can be done independently or with a guide, at a price of 300 dinars per person. At the foot of the fortress, there is a pleasant café where you can refresh yourself and enjoy the rare beautiful view before continuing your journey.

Silver Lake

About 20 minutes from Ram Fortress, in the direction of Veliko Gradište, lies one of the most popular resorts in Serbia – Silver Lake. Formerly a Danube riverbed, it was divided by two dams in 1971, creating an artificial water reservoir that is now one of the most popular bathing spots in Serbia. Silver Lake can be reached from various directions, but the route from Ram Fortress is undoubtedly the most attractive due to the road that stretches along the Danube. The harmonious natural and ambient setting makes it an extremely pleasant place for swimmers, anglers, families with children, and all nature lovers seeking comfort. Silver Lake, together with its immediate surroundings, is a fully equipped tourist destination with all accompanying facilities – a well-maintained beach, promenade, restaurants, beautifully designed villas and apartments, water sports, etc. Therefore, it is also an ideal place for lunch or dinner and overnight stay after the first day of exploring Braničevo.

Golubac Fortress

After a morning walk and breakfast at one of the pleasant lakeside restaurants, the first destination on the second day of the trip could be another medieval fortress - Golubac Fortress. It would be interesting to take the local road along the Danube, passing through Požarevac and Vinac. Besides being situated right by the river, at the beginning of this stretch, near Veliko Gradište, you can also see the picturesque confluence of the Pek and Danube rivers.

Renovated according to world tourism standards, Golubac Fortress was opened to visitors in 2019 after years of reconstruction and has become the most visited tourist attraction in Serbia in just over a year. This is certainly due to the fact that it is part of the Djerdap National Park, one of the 160 most beautiful areas in the world that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Furthermore, the fortress itself is located in an absolutely enchanting spot, built into the rock, overlooking the Danube, which reaches an incredible width of 5 kilometers at this point, resembling the Amazon or some sea bay.

There are no reliable sources about the origin of Golubac Fortress, but its construction is associated with the Hungarian King Louis I, with the assumption that it was built on the foundations of an older ancient fortification. As a large and important stronghold, it was targeted by all conquerors passing through Serbia during the last millennium. It consists of 9 towers and a palace, which is now arranged as a museum space. Most of the towers cannot be visited independently because the path to them represents quite an extreme hiking adventure that visitors undertake at their own risk, wearing appropriate footwear and accompanied by a guide. And this is not an exaggeration - at the entrance to the fortress complex, visitors literally sign an agreement on behavior rules within the fortress.

Out of the four routes available for visiting Golubac Fortress, three are considered demanding, offering a completely unique experience and special moments for visitors. Ticket prices for this kind of experience range from 600 to 1200 dinars.

Tuman(e) Monastery

After an exciting visit to Golubac Fortress, we distance ourselves from the Danube and embark on a more hilly part of Braničevo, towards Kučevo. Just under 10 kilometers from Golubac, on the way to Rakova Bara, there is one of the most visited Orthodox monasteries in Serbia – Tuman Monastery. An interesting legend is associated with the name and establishment of this monastery, according to which the folk hero Miloš Obilić, in his time, accidentally wounded the hermit Zosima while hunting, who was resting in a nearby cave. In order to help and heal the unfortunate man, Obilić carried him for kilometers in his arms until the hermit said, "Tu me mani." At the spot where he breathed his last breath, to atone for his sin, Miloš Obilić built a place of worship believed to be the present-day Tuman Monastery.

Many times targeted by plunderers and vandals, the present-day monastery with its church was built and consecrated in 1924. In addition to the charming legend of its origin, the monastery is widely known for miraculous healings of various diseases, which is why it has become a place of pilgrimage for Orthodox believers from all over Serbia. In fact, over a million people visit this holy place each year. In the vicinity of the monastery, there is also the hermitage of Saint Zosima the Miracle-Worker, which can be reached by a leisurely walk through the forest.

Ceremošnja and Ravnište Caves

After visiting Tuman Monastery, a new adventure awaits, this time directed by Mother Nature and subterranean rivers. If we were to descend from Tuman into the valley of Pek and Kučevo and then turn towards Petrovac, in the village of Kučajna, we would see the turnoff for Ceremošnja. It is a village where you can find the eponymous cave, one of the most beautiful spelunking sites in Serbia, adapted for tourists. Nestled on the northern slopes of the Homolje mountains, Ceremošnja Cave, although relatively short in length, is one of the most visited tourist caves. Besides its relatively easy accessibility, this can also be attributed to the fact that it hides some of the most beautiful examples of cave formations shaped over millions of years. Discreetly illuminated, damp and cool, with a well-maintained walking trail of about 430 meters and several spacious underground chambers, Ceremošnja is just one of several hundred caves in this part of Serbia, many of which are still unexplored.

In its immediate vicinity, in the neighboring village of Ravnište, there is also Ravnište Cave, slightly longer in dimensions but equally fascinating in terms of its formations. For geology enthusiasts and true lovers of natural underground wonders, this is an excellent opportunity to visit two of the mere ten developed caves in Serbia in one go.

Moravski Konaci Ethno Village

The last stop before returning to Belgrade and an excellent place for a late lunch or early dinner is Moravski Konaci Ethno Village. In the immediate vicinity of Velika Plana, this village was established at the end of 2007. Covering an area of about 5 hectares, Moravski Konaci feature a multitude of authentic antique buildings adapted to the needs of modern tourists (restaurant, accommodation facilities, antique museum, sports and recreational amenities, etc.). A special attraction in this complex is an artificial lake with as many as nine small islands connected by wooden bridges. The lake is open for boat rides, and there are also two water mills on its shore. Along the lake's banks, there is a well-maintained walking trail with benches, creating an entirely idyllic atmosphere in this ethno-complex.

It could be said that this is a perfect opportunity to reflect on impressions from yet another fulfilling excursion before joining the highway and returning to Belgrade.

Recommended: Excursion Sites Worth Visiting in the Vicinity of Belgrade

Type of Excursion: Two-Day

Transportation: Car/Motorcycle

Approximate Distance: 350 km

Physically Demanding: 2/5

Average Budget (per person): 5,000 – 6,000 RSD