“Qhere the aroma of coffee blends with that of ćevapi (cylindrical meatballs) and the scent of sachertorte alternates with that of baklava, a dessert with ancient origins. Are we east of the West or west of the East? Like any middle ground, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovinawhose history unfolds between the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires, they hide treasures that are revealed only to the eyes of those who want to discover them» affirms Dante Bartoli, archaeologist and often accompanist on trips “with the expert”. Always a meeting place (and clash) between different civilizations, these two countries boast a wealth of natural beauty and, especially in Serbia, of monasteries with astonishing Byzantine frescoes, where monks and nuns still live.
The temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade, Serbia: one of the largest Orthodox churches in the Balkan world. (Getty Images)
Belgrade: Art Nouveau and white nights
Belgrade, the former capital of the former Yugoslavia, majestic by day and bustling metropolis by night, has multiple souls – European, Balkan, Austro-Hungarian – which oppose each other in a surreal dance to Emir Kusturica and multiply its charm. Worth seeing is one of the largest Orthodox churches in the Balkan world: the Temple of San Sava, and the fortress citadel of Kalemegdan, at the confluence of the Danube and the Sava, which has always defended the city as evidenced by the quantity of war finds, today home to museums and destination for early joggers and romantics at sunset.
The old city continues along Ulica Knez Mihailova, a concentration of the most representative buildings of the Belgrade Belle Époque. A succession of Art Nouveau buildings, crystal glass windows and designer boutiques, in addition to Zepter Museum, the first private museum of contemporary art. In the evening, the Skadarlija district is strong, the bohemian area of writers, intellectuals and orchestras, reminiscent of the Parisian Montmartre, the old warehouses of Beton Hala today transformed into clubs trendy and disco on the barges on the banks of the Danube.
Novi Sad, music and melting pot
Even Novi Sad, a young university city, European Capital of Culture in 2021, is in great shape. Crossroads between Balkan multiculturalism and Central European spirit, Novi Sad gathers its treasures in the historic center, to be explored on foot if possible. Perhaps the only exception is the Petrovaradin Fortress, the second largest in Europe, which every year in July reverberates the musical notes of the very popular EXIT Festival (from 6 to 9 July, exitfest.org ).
Serbia, from monastery to monastery
A fresco from the Sopočani Monastery, near Novi Pazar, Serbia. (IPA)
«The eternal confrontation between East and West is renewed in every corner of the country» insists Bartoli. From Vojvodina, the Serbian province crossed by the Danube, bordering Romania to the east and then Montenegro and Kosovo to the south, it is enchanting to follow the traces of the Orthodox monasteries erected to guard and protect culture and religion, wherehe monastic life has remained unchanged over the centuries as have the frescoes of saints and warrior angels ready to draw swords to stop the invaders. Just below Novi Sad is the Fruska Gora National Park, a sacred mountain (sveta gora) with orchards, woods and vineyards from which the bermet is produced, an infusion of wine with herbs and spices similar to vermouthso prized that it also appeared in the wine list served on board the Titanic.
Many Serbs migrated to this area between the 15th and 18th centuries and found refuge from the Ottoman advance from the south. Of the thirty-five monasteries builtwhich over the centuries have represented Serbian spirituality and culture, but are also a symbol of national resistance, sixteen remain. At least two must be visited for the beautiful Byzantine iconostases and frescoes. I am the Krusedol Monastery (16th century), razed to the ground by the Turks in 1716 and then rebuilt, and Novo Hopovo Monastery (16th century) with frescoes by Cretan masters who worked on Mount Athos, Greece.
South, in Roman Serbia
The Palace of Galerius, at the ruins of Felix Romuliana, in Gamzigrad, Serbia UNESCO heritage site. (Getty Images)
Resuming the journey towards the south, one comes across the important traces of Roman Serbia (where 18 of the 57 emperors were born between 249 and 383 AD), such as the site of viminaciumalso called thein Pompeii of the Balkans, to be discovered also on the new digital platform born from an Erasmus project ( project.cooltour.app ). It is one of the first military camps on the Danube, rebuilt in the 6th century by the Emperor Justinian as a stronghold. Recent excavations have brought to light an amphitheater for 12,000 spectators and an aqueduct.
It is part of the paleontological park of Viminacium Vika, one of the best preserved mammoth skeletons in the worldlived about a million years ago. Beyond the medieval citadel of Golubac, made up of three walls dotted with ten imposing towers, built by the Romans on the Danube, we arrive at the gorge where the second longest river in Europe reaches its maximum depth (90 meters) and the narrowest point (150 meters). A little further on is the Mesolithic settlement of Lepenski Virthe oldest in Serbia, an important testimony of the transition from nomadic to settled life. It can be reached with a walk in the dense forest until it appears a very modern shell-shaped glass structure, to protect the site. Here, it is worth taking the time to watch the documentary on the excavations carried out in the 1960s.
The apotheosis of Roman Serbia is found in the remains of Felix Romulianaa World Heritage Site, a set of buildings commissioned by the emperor Galèrio Massimiano in the 4th century, to honor his mother, the pagan priestess Romula. By downloading the Holograd app, you can see the characters of the time between the columns of the patios and temples, thanks to augmented reality. This Serbia that wants to move on and forget its war past is truly amazing.
Sopočani monastery, a UNESCO heritage site. in Novi Pazar, Serbia. (Getty Images)
Further south, in the religious heart of the country, two other Unesco sites meet: the Sopočani Monastery (13th century), with the best of Byzantine pictorial expression, and the suggestive Monastery of Studenica (12th century), immersed in an unreal silence among oaks, ash trees, beeches and lime trees, perhaps the most beautiful ever. The architectural grace of the complex is due to Stefano II Nemanjić, known as Prvovenčani, king of Serbia between 1217 and 1228 who, in opposition to the orientalism of his brother Sava, married Anna Dandolo, niece of the Doge of Venice and introduced a western touch by calling artists from the rest of Europe. In front of these frescoes Giotto comes to mind. Which, however, was born a few decades later. «The renewal of medieval art, with the rediscovery of naturalism, here takes place in advance» argues Bartoli.
To Bosnia and Herzegovina by train
The bridge in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Getty Images)
In Bosnia and Herzegovina there is an excursion on board the Sargan Eightthe historic train, which connected Belgrade to Sarajevo. Comfortably seated in yesteryear carriages, you climb the mountains while fir trees and rock slabs pass before your eyes. The tour continues in Sarajevo, the Jerusalem of Europe, where religions and ethnic groups coexist strictly maintaining their individuality.
In Mostar, famous for the bridge (destroyed in 1993 during the Bosnian war and rebuilt in 2004) the journey ends walking through the narrow streets of the historic center, observing the Bosnians who dive into the Nerenta river on hot days. It is the symbolic city of the Balkan rebirth and of those multicultural dynamics that make these two countries unique, suspended between tradition and modernity. And between West and East.
Where sleeping in Belgrade
Belgrade Art Hotel
Knez Mihailova 27, Belgrade, Serbia.
In one of the main streets, bright and welcoming rooms. Double from €105. belgradearthotel.com
Hotel President
Bazardžani 1, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Modern, a few minutes walk from the Bey and Tzar mosque, the cathedral, the orthodox church and the Jewish temple. Double from €130. hotelpresident.ba
Where to eat
Manufacturing
Kralja Petra 13, Belgrade, Serbia. Very central. Try the gibanica, a savory pie made with phyllo dough and Pita-type cheese, or the sarma, rolls of cabbage and minced meat. Vegetarian dishes are also on the menu. restoran-manufaktura.rs
5ASoba
Rajiceva 12, Belgrade, Serbia. Design reigns supreme in the furnishings and dishes. Creative cuisine based on meat or fish, local vegetables and seasonal flower petals. Perfect
for instagrammers. 5asoba.com
Restaurant Shadrvan
Jusovina 11, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Centrally located by the river, traditional Balkan flavours, from soups to grilled meats. Excellent desserts, try baklava and tufahije (baked apples with walnuts).
Organized trips
The group trip that comes closest to the itinerary proposed in this article is the one proposed by the tour operator Kel 12 – Maurizio Levi’s travels (kel12.com).
Prices starting from 2,780 euros per person in a double room, in 3 or 4 star hotels, flights included.
INFO
iO Woman © REPRODUCTION RESERVED