Serbia and its borders. Serbia. Flora and fauna of Serbia

– the capital of Serbia, located "on the banks of one of the four heavenly rivers", or rather where the Sava River flows into the Danube.
Belgrade was founded by the Celts in the 4th-3rd centuries. BC, the settlement was called Singidunum, which means “hill”. The city still retains its uneven topography and is often called, like Rome, the city of seven hills. In 33 BC. The Romans conquered the settlement and built a white-stone fortress. In the 7th century the Slavs appeared, then the name was first heard White City, some sources associate it with the color of the fortress walls, but it can also mean the city north wind. In the XI-XII centuries. Belgrade was part of Byzantium, and since 1284 - Serbia.
In 1521, the city was captured by the Turks, and the Ottoman period began, which lasted until 1867, with a short break (1718-1739), when Belgrade was part of Austria. In the 17th century, Belgrade was considered the most important city under the rule of the Sultan in Europe with the exception of Constantinople. In 1806, Belgrade was liberated from Turkish influence, but from 1813 to 1830. the city again fell under Ottoman rule; in 1830 Belgorod became the capital of the Serbian principality, but the fortress in the city center remained Turkish until 1867.
Since 1918, Belgrade has become the capital of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and then since 1929 - Yugoslavia.
In the 1920s, Belgrade was the center of Russian emigration; our countries were connected by a common Christian religion and constant Russian-Slavic relations. According to the “Sovereign Committee”, there were about 10 thousand Russians in Belgrade, mostly in intellectual professions. Russian architects left a big mark on the city; for example, the old royal palace in Dedin was built according to the design of a Russian architect.
During the Second World War, Belgrade was occupied by German troops; after the liberation and end of the war, the city turned into a large industrial center.
After the collapse of Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro founded their own state in 1992 with its capital in Belgrade, which collapsed in 2006.
In 1999, Belgrade was bombed by NATO during the Kosovo War.
“In 78 days of air raids, more explosives were dropped on Belgrade and other cities in Serbia than were detonated in Hiroshima at the end of World War II.”
In 1876, after the massacre of the Serbian population carried out by the Turks, Victor Hugo published the article “For Serbia”: “They are killing the people. Where? In Europe. Are there any witnesses to this act? One: the whole world. Do European governments see it? No". The article, written more than a hundred years ago, has not lost its relevance at that time.
During these years, Serbia was in international isolation, numerous sanctions were in force against it, and many countries were hostile.

Belgrade is now the capital of Serbia, the city's population is 1.2 million inhabitants.

The historical center is located on the banks of the Sava River.
But before we talk about the 10 places you need to see in Belgrade, let’s remember the words of “the most famous writer of the most hated people” Milorad Pavic, in the book “Biography of Belgrade” he writes:
“Those who have come to know and love this city today know and love it not at all for what they can see or touch with their hands. There is no trace left of the larger and perhaps most beautiful part of Belgrade; we will never be able to look at it, photograph it or touch it. But history also has another, disappeared part, one that cannot be reconstructed, one that is stored not in the world around us, but in our soul.”

Belgrade. Serbia.

Kalemegdan. Belgrade. Serbia.

Name comes from the Turkish: “kale” - “city, fortress” and “megdan” - “battlefield”. The Turks also called Kalemegdan “Fichir-bair”, which translated means “hill for reflection”.
The Belgrade Fortress rises where the Sava River merges with the Danube. Currently, the fortress is a museum complex of the history of Belgrade, which includes Upper town, Lower Town and Kalemegdan Park.

The fortress existed back in the days of the ancient Romans, when two legions were camped here. And nearby there was a settlement of traders and artisans.
The fortress was destroyed and rebuilt several times.
At the beginning of the 15th century, under the despot Stefan Lazarevich, Belgrade became the capital of Serbia, and the fortress was further strengthened, a new palace and a military harbor were built. The despot himself collected a rich collection of books in his house, which formed the basis of the first Belgrade library.
At this time, Belgrade became an economic and cultural center, with developed trade and crafts.
The appearance of the city also changed; now it consisted of two parts - the fortress and the lower city, lying on the banks of the Danube and Sava rivers.
The fortress is located in the upper part, adjacent to it is a park, which became such in the second half of the 19th century, when the Turks left Serbia forever.
Here are the remains of the palace of the despot Stefan Lazarevich, a clock tower erected in 174-89, the Turbe (tomb) of Damad Ali Pasha, built in 1738, a Roman well 60 meters deep, as well as the “Winner!” monument erected in honor of Despot Stefan Lazarevich, Ružica Church and St. Heel Chapel.
In the lower part there was a settlement, which Stefan Lazarevich surrounded with a wall.
Here are the remains of the Metropolitan Palace, the Metropolitan Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Gate of Charles VI, built in 1736 in the Baroque style; gunpowder storage 1789-1720; Nebojsa Tower, which was the tallest medieval tower, built around 1460.
Church of the Nativity Holy Mother of God located in the northeastern part of the Belgrade fortress. The first church on this site was erected at the beginning of the 15th century, but the Turks destroyed it during the capture of Belgrade in 1521. The current building of the church dates back to 1867-69. At the entrance to Ružica (rose) there are two statues - Tsar Stefan Dušan and a Serbian soldier from the 1st World War.

Monument "Winner!" Belgrade.

2. Prince Mikhail Street (Knez Mihailova)

Prince Mikhail Street. Belgrade. Serbia.

Prince Mikhail Street acquired its modern appearance in 1867.
Until the 1950s, the houses of the rich and noble families of Belgrade were located here.
In house No. 7 there is a kafana (tavern) “Russian Tsar”, the building was erected in 1922-26. The upper floors were intended for residential premises, below - office buildings, and on the ground floor - a restaurant. Unfortunately, the original interior of the kafana was destroyed in the 1960s.
The magnificent arcade of Nikola Spasic in the Art Nouveau style occupies house number 19.
At number 35 there is the building of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, built in 1923-1924. in an academic style. In front of the academy there is a pyramid, on the four sides of which the latitude and longitude are indicated, as well as the altitude and acceleration of gravity at a given point.
The Academy Gallery, founded in 1937, is located at 53-55. At the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries. the house belonged to Marko Stojanovic, vice-governor of the National Bank and a famous amateur photographer. Marko Stojanovic became the first in Belgrade to use a typewriter with Cyrillic letters.
As a photographer, Stojanovic left a series of photographs about life in Belgrade at the turn of the century, which are stored in the archives of the National Bank.
At number 56 there is the Srpska Kruna Hotel, built in 1869 in the romantic style. Nowadays it houses the Belgrade City Library.

3. Temple of St. Sava

4. Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel

Patriarchy. Belgrade. Serbia.

5. Kafana “Question Mark”

Kafana "Question Mark". Belgrade.

6. Konak Princess Lubice

Princess Lubica. Belgrade.

7. Skadarlija

Inside there is a sarcophagus with the remains of the Serbian ruler Stefan Dusan, who created the Serbian kingdom, as well as the graves of King Alexander and Queen Draga, brutally killed in 1903 by the conspirators, with their death the reign of the House of Obrenovic ended in Serbia.
By the way, Queen Draga defended her husband, the king, until the last minute.

Here is a description of the murder, written at the beginning of the 20th century: “...they hit the King with six shots from a revolver and 40 blows from a saber, and the Queen with 63 blows from a saber and two revolver bullets. The Queen was almost completely chopped up, her chest was cut off, her stomach was opened, her cheeks and hands were also cut, the cuts between her fingers were especially large - the Queen probably grabbed the saber with her hands when she was killed, which apparently refutes the doctors' opinion that she was killed immediately. In addition, her body was covered with numerous bruises from the blows of the heels of the officers who trampled on her. I prefer not to talk about other violations of Draghi’s corpse, they are so monstrous and disgusting. When the killers had had enough of the defenseless corpses, they threw them through the window into the palace garden, and Draghi’s corpse was completely naked.”

Church of St. Mark. Belgrade. Serbia.

9. Wrangel's grave

Church of the Holy Trinity. Belgrade. Serbia.

Until 1944, the battle flags of Napoleon and Turkish banners brought to Belgrade by White Guard emigrants were kept here, but in 1944, before the arrival of the Soviet army, they disappeared from the temple without a trace.
To the right of the entrance is grave of Pyotr Nikolaevich Wrangel.
Baron Wrangel died in 1928 in Brussels after suddenly contracting tuberculosis. Although the relatives were sure that Wrangel was poisoned.
Subsequently, the ashes of Pyotr Nikolaevich were transferred to Belgrade, where the baron was solemnly reburied on October 6, 1929. To be buried “in a fraternal Slavic Orthodox country” was the desire of the Russian officer himself.
The iconostasis of the temple includes 48 icons painted by Russian emigrant artists in the Old Novgorod style.

Church of the Holy Trinity and Wrangel's grave. Belgrade. Serbia.

Not far from him there is a monument “Why?”, on which 16 names are engraved.

Monument “Why?”

“In 1999, eighteen Western European countries and the United States, NATO members, attacked Yugoslavia. In seventy-eight days of air raids, these new crusaders rained down more explosives on Belgrade and other cities in Serbia than were detonated in Hiroshima at the end of World War II. One of the main streets of Belgrade, Miloš the Great Street, has since become unrecognizable.”
Excerpt from the book: Pavic, Milorad. "Biography of Belgrade"

We thank the Serbian Ministry of Tourism and Luna-Travel (lunatravelserbia.com) for organizing the trip.

Serbia is perhaps one of the few countries where Russian-speaking guests are treated with special “brotherly” warmth and cordiality. Still she is not popular tourist destination among Russians and, like the Balkans in general, remains a kind of exoticism in the center of Europe. And, I think, in vain! This region is interesting for its rich cultural and historical heritage, unusually beautiful nature and mild climate, ski and health resorts, simple and natural national cuisine and, in addition to this, attracts visa-free regime and low, in comparison with average European, prices. Having visited Serbia once, it is impossible to remain indifferent. So, for example, she settled in my heart forever.

Visa and border crossing

Citizens of Russia and most countries of the former USSR do not require a visa to visit Serbia. Entry only with a foreign passport. However, you are allowed to stay in the country for 30 days. If you need more time, you will have to cross the border. Fortunately, Serbia is surrounded from the west and south by visa-free countries, Macedonia, and the so-called “visa-run” (quick crossing of the border “back and forth” to obtain a stamp in the passport) will not be a big problem. Without crossing the border, you can constantly stay in the country with a “borawak” (a kind of visa, it is also often called a residence permit). But to obtain it you will need grounds: ownership of real estate, employment or registration of your own business, obtaining an education, marriage with a Serbian citizen. Plus you will have to spend at least 200 euros on duty, health insurance and other fees.

An important point is the mandatory registration (“white cardboard”) at your place of residence. This must be done within 24 hours of entering the country. Hotels and hostels usually register guests themselves. If you are staying with friends or renting an apartment, for example, through Airbnb, then ask the owner for such registration. You can get “white cardboard” at the nearest police station using your passport. The procedure will not take more than 15 minutes. When leaving the country, the customs officer may ask you to show “white cardboard”, and if you do not have it, you will face a fine of 5 to 25 thousand dinars (40-200 euros). In practice, checking registration at customs is a rarity.

Regarding customs rules... The import of foreign currency is not limited and its declaration is not necessary, but the export is limited to the equivalent of 2,000 euros. You can import personal items into Serbia duty-free per person, 1 liter of wine or strong alcohol, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco, 250 ml of cologne or 100 ml of perfume. Well, as standard, it is prohibited to import drugs, poisonous, psychotropic, explosive, radioactive substances, pesticides, gold in bullion, in raw form, in coins, weapons, gasoline in cans. It is prohibited to export items of historical, cultural or artistic value from Serbia without special permission..

How to get there

Popular ways to get (by plane, train and bus) to Serbia are described in detail by me. I will only note that Serbia has regular railway connections with neighboring Hungary, Montenegro, Macedonia, Romania and Croatia, as well as Slovenia, Austria, Germany and Greece, the schedule and prices of which can be found on Serbian railways. You can view flight options with different connections using this link.

By plane

By car

For those who are planning to visit the country for own car, you must have an insurance policy (green card), which is best obtained from insurance companies in your home country, but can also be obtained at sales points (kiosks and houses with appropriate signs) before crossing the border. The cost of such insurance today starts from 30 euros and depends on the duration of the policy and the type of vehicle. It is not necessary to have an international driving license.

Tourist regions

Conventionally, based on administrative division, Serbia can be divided into two regions: Northern (most of it is occupied by the autonomous region of Vojvodina) and Southern (central and southern Serbia south of the Danube).

The first is flat, economically developed, preserving examples of the cultural and architectural heritage of Austria-Hungary. It is not rich in natural attractions; the main interest is in cities and national park Frushka Mountain. The agritourism sector is very developed here.

The second is forest and mountain, this is where the main natural beauty, ski and health resorts of Serbia are located. On its territory are the largest cities of the country, Kragujevac and. If you want to immerse yourself in colorful and authentic Serbia, then this is definitely the place for you.

In this review we will not consider disputed territory and Metohija. Firstly, it has the characteristics of a separate state ( border posts, visa regime, the euro as a currency, and so on), and secondly, let's leave the disputes to those who are interested in them.

Top cities

Belgrade

Serbian capital, capital of the former Yugoslavia, one of largest cities in the Balkans, dynamic, hospitable and comfortable, “the city that never sleeps.” Large detailed material on Belgrade can be found. It remains to add: this is the main attraction of Serbia, a must-see. You can get acquainted with the tour options in.

Novi Sad

The second largest city in Serbia, its cultural capital with numerous museums and educational institutions. It is located only 80 kilometers and 1-1.5 hours drive from Belgrade, and has regular bus and train connections. much calmer and quieter than the Serbian capital, which is why many families with children prefer it as a place to live. On the banks of the Danube, opposite the city, there is the Petrovaradin Fortress, on the territory of which one of the largest music festivals in Europe EXIT takes place. Detailed guide You can read around the city.

Nis

Large industrial and commercial city in southeastern Serbia with rich history and culture. Main attractions: Niš Fortress, the ominous and curious tower of skulls of Čele Kula, the Mediana archaeological complex, the first Serbian concentration camp (now a museum), the Red Cross, and many churches and monasteries inside and outside the city. - the second city in Serbia with its own airport. Although there are much fewer flights to/from it compared to Belgrade, in some cases it can be considered as a destination/departure point for European low-cost airlines such as Wizz Air and Ryanair.

Subotica

Handsome and cozy town in the north of the country near the border with Hungary with well-preserved buildings in the Hungarian Art Nouveau style of the early 20th century. Not far from Subotica is Palic - one of the best SPA resorts in Eastern Europe with hot artesian springs and healing silt from the bottom of the lake of the same name. In general, if you are traveling along the Hungary-Serbia route, I highly recommend checking it out.

Kragujevac

The first capital of Serbia (1818-1841), a city in the Balkan-Oriental architectural style: the straight lines of Slavic architecture are perfectly combined with the arches and ornate patterns of the East. Kragujevac is famous for its restaurant and bar culture. Fun and noisy bars, concentrated along King Alexander Street, open their doors after dark and stay open until the morning.

Search hotels in different cities In Serbia, you can book hotels conveniently on the well-known Booking-by. You can view rental options for private apartments.

Top attractions

Fruška Gora National Park

The picturesque hilly area just 16 kilometers from Novi Sad is famous for its complex of 17 ancient monasteries and home-grown apiaries and wineries. This park is one of the favorite vacation spots for residents of nearby towns (many families come for the weekend), an excellent place for hiking and cycling.

Drvengrad

The ethno-hotel, built by the famous Yugoslav film director Emir Kusturica, is a village with traditional Serbian houses, streets and squares named after historical figures and artists revered by the director. For example, there is Che Guevara Street and Nikita Mikhalkov Square. Drvengrad is located on the territory of the small settlement of Mokra Gora on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The narrow-gauge railway "Sharganska osmitsa" operates nearby. It lost its original purpose in the middle of the last century and was closed. It was recently reopened. Now, winding among the mountains along numerous tunnels, she carries curious and enthusiastic tourists. It is important to note: it is not always possible to stay overnight at the Drvengrad hotel itself (my advice: it is better to book rooms in advance and always by phone - for some reason the administration often does not respond to emails), however there are rentals around large number houses and rooms local residents, besides, their price will be at least two times lower. You can walk and eat at the hotel without any problems.

Tara National Park

Literally 10 kilometers from Drvengrad, among the Serbo-Bosnian mountains, is the Tara National Park with a beautiful artificial lake in the center. Legendary place Serbia is recognizable by the famous house in the middle of the Drina River. And here is the shortest river in Europe - Vrelo, whose length is only 365 meters.

Canyon Uvac

Perhaps the most incredibly beautiful place in Serbia. Previously, the Uvac river flowed in a zigzag here. Then they built a dam and the canyon flooded. There are many caves along it, some of which reach several kilometers in length. In ancient times, they were used by people as roads. The griffon vulture, listed in the Red Book, also lives here. In warm weather, pleasure boats ply along the canyon. I highly recommend using them - it’s hard to forget such a walk.

Djerdap National Park

It is primarily interesting for the picturesque gorge of the same name (also called the Iron Gate), which separates Serbia and Romania. Within the park there are three more undoubtedly noteworthy attractions: the site of the Mesolithic hunters Lepenski Vir, the world's longest ancient bridge of Trajan (also the first bridge over the Danube), and the medieval Golubac Fortress, half submerged in the Danube.

Kopaonik

Largest mountain range Serbia. Located in its southern part on the border with. A picturesque region with densely forested mountains, clean air and healing springs. In winter this is the main ski resort countries. On the territory of Kopaonik there is one of the main shrines of the Serbian people - included in the list World Heritage UNESCO Cathedral of Studenica.

Smederevo Fortress

One of the largest lowland fortresses in Europe has an uncharacteristic triangular shape and stands on the banks of the Danube. Some of the medieval fortress's towers and fortifications were destroyed or heavily damaged by the explosion of a German ammunition depot during World War II and later by Allied bombing. Inside the long-suffering fortress there is a cozy green park, which in the summer becomes the site of the International Theater Festival.

Zlatibor

A plateau resort with unique “golden” pine trees (this species grows only here and nowhere else in the world) and a specific healing microclimate - above Zlatibor, mountain and sea air miraculously mix. The place perfectly combines modern tourist infrastructure and the opportunity for a quiet, secluded holiday. Here is the most high mountain in Serbia - Tornik.

Vrnjacka Banja

The largest and most popular health resort ("banya") in Serbia. There are seven carbonic and alkaline springs here, the temperature of one of them is exactly the same as human - 36.6°. The only one like this in the world.

Sremski Karlovci

The city is the center of Serbian history and Orthodoxy. The oldest seminary in the country is located here. Interestingly, it was in this city that the headquarters of the white movement was located during the Russian Civil War. The place is famous for its specific drink “bermet” (a certain mixture of wine, liqueur and grape juice), traditionally made according to ancient recipes that are passed down in winemaking families from generation to generation. The town itself is quiet and cozy. Located near Novi Sad. You can successfully grab it for review on the way from Belgrade.

Devil's City

A natural miracle in southern Serbia, consisting of two hundred stone pillars. The unusualness of the place gave rise to a lot of dark legends among local population. For a more intense experience, it is recommended to visit at night. The “city” is located in the south of Serbia, 27 kilometers from settlement Kurshumliya.

Weather

Serbia is very well located in terms of weather conditions. From the north of the country to the south, the temperate continental climate gives way to the Mediterranean. In the summer, in July and August, it can be quite hot, sometimes the thermometer shows 35-40°C. But the rest of the year is quite comfortable: autumn is dry and warm, winter is short and not frosty (temperatures rarely drop below -10° C), spring is often rainy, but the transition to summer can happen as early as March. If we take the regions of Russia for comparison, then the weather conditions of the Krasnodar Territory are most suitable.

Moving around the country

Many of Serbia's natural beauties (such as the Uvac Canyon or the Djerdap Gorge) are located in hard to reach places, which cannot be reached by public transport. Therefore, I recommend renting a car to explore the country in depth. You can do this at the airport or, by searching for information in advance, familiarize yourself with the offers of numerous “rent-e-cars” and choose the most profitable one. The largest selection of models and prices can be found in the corresponding section of travelask -.

To rent, in many cases you will only need a passport and a deposit, which depends on the make and class of the car.

Not the best, but still an alternative to a car is regular bus. Serbia has a very developed bus service; you can get to almost anywhere in the country. For detailed information with links to services where you can check the schedule, read.

More cheap way- electric trains. I advise you to choose new modern formulations (they are marked with the RE rank). Old compounds are often dirty and uncomfortable.

Connection

If you need mobile communications, then SIM cards from local operators can be purchased both in specialized stores and in regular newspaper kiosks "Moj kiosk", they won’t even ask you for your passport. The cost will be 2.5 euros (300 dinars). The price of a minute of conversation within the country is not low by Russian standards - 10 euro cents (12 dinars). You can also connect to a SIM card mobile internet. "Calls and Internet" package for 4 euros (500 dinars) If used infrequently, it should last for a week or two.

IN major cities in some parks and even public transport You can connect to free Wi-Fi, which, of course, is available in many hotels, restaurants and bars.

Language and communication

The official language in the country is Serbian. Interestingly, there are two alphabets in use: Cyrillic and Latin. Cyrillic is the official alphabet and is more often found, for example, in legal documents, government magazines and newspapers. In everyday life, both alphabets are used equally. The Serbian language is similar to Russian, many words are recognizable, but they can have a different, and sometimes opposite, meaning. For example, “harmful wife” in Serbian means “hardworking wife,” and “belly” means “life.” Nevertheless, it is quite simple to understand a Serbian to a Russian person (and vice versa), accompanying speech with sign language. In addition, the older generation of Serbs studied Russian at school and many can speak it.

In large cities, especially Belgrade, young people speak excellent English. If you also own it, then there will be no communication problems. Feel free to use it in shops, catering places and just on the street.

Here are 10 simple words and phrases in Serbian that will make communication easier:

• Dobar dan (dobar dan) - good afternoon, hello,
• Ćao (ciao) - hello/bye,
• Doviđenja (dovidzhenya) - goodbye,
• Hvala (praise) - thank you,
• Molim (we pray) - please
• Izvinite (sorry) - I think no translation is required,
• Ne govorim srpski (we don’t speak Srpski) - I don’t speak Serbian,
• Ne razumem (we don’t understand) - I don’t understand
• What do we do..? (how can we get to..?) - how to get to..?
• Koliko košta..? (how much cost..?) - how much does it cost..?

Features of mentality

Serbs are very hospitable and welcoming people. Especially in relation to the Russians. Having learned that you are from Russia, the Serb will be genuinely happy to talk about common historical roots, brotherhood of peoples, mutual love and support at all times. Sometimes in the market, having learned that you are Russian, the seller can do good discount, and if you’re lucky, you won’t take any money at all. Serbs are sincere in their expression of feelings and extremely polite. A smile and a “warm” word are their main attribute in any communication. However, there are also dubious qualities in their mentality. Like many southern peoples, Serbs are a little lazy and leisurely in keeping promises. So, when going to Serbia, be patient and persevering. Be prepared, for example, for a saleswoman in a supermarket to slowly slice ham and at the same time discuss news from the lives of relatives with a random buyer, while a queue of 10 people has accumulated at her counter. No one will say a word, they will wait patiently. So it’s customary, what’s the rush?

Food and drink

Serbian national cuisine, peasant-style, is simple and natural. There are no culinary delights in it. Serbs do not treat cooking with aesthetic reverence, like, for example, the French or Italians. Many dishes contain a minimum of ingredients and are easy to prepare. However, something deserves attention.

5 dishes worth trying

Bakery

Serbs are fans of baking. Bakeries (“bakers”) are everywhere, literally in every home. Every Serb's morning begins not with coffee, but with pastries and yogurt from his favorite bakery. They have such a variety of assortments that an unprepared person, not knowing what to choose, falls into a stupor. To prevent this from happening to you, I advise you to first order burek or pita. The food is not easy, but filling and inexpensive (less than 1 euro per serving).

Rostil

This is the name of grilled meat dishes: pljeskavica, čevapi, sausages. You can order it at a restaurant, or you can try it at fast food. The difference is not great: in the first case, the meat with a side dish will be served on a plate, in the second - in a pita flatbread. Cost - from 1.5 euros (150 dinars) in fast food and from 4 euros (500 dinars) in a restaurant.

Rakia

A type of vodka, or fruit "moonshine". Usually made from plum, quince, grape and pear. It's worth looking for a homemade one. If you take a “store” one, then it is better to choose the one that is more expensive (from 8 euros); cheap options are not always good. You should drink rakia in Serbian style in small sips, enjoying and discussing the taste.

Kaymak and cheeses

Serbia is famous for its dairy products. Its diversity is sometimes not easy to understand. Kaymak (a type of cream) and young or mature cheeses made from goat, sheep, cow's milk or a mixture thereof deserve special attention. They are easiest to find at the market or in a store. But to avoid making a mistake in your choice, order a Serbian cheese plate at the restaurant. Don't deny yourself the pleasure - try it!

Aivar

Ajvar is a Balkan type of vegetable caviar based on red paprika and eggplant. It is usually served with roshtil. So, if you order, for example, pljeskavica or čevapi, ask to add ajvar to the side dish. Good ajvar can also be bought at the market.

Prosciutto

Serbia has incredibly delicious meat delicacies. Balkan prosciutto dominates them. The taste and method of preparation resembles Spanish jamon, but not quite. Homemade prosciutto can be bought at the market or ordered in a restaurant. From the “store” ones, I recommend those produced by the Zlatiborac meat processing plant.

Bermet

And, of course, the same bermet that was discussed just above. The best bermet is undoubtedly made and sold in Sremski Karlovci. But you can also find it in other wine stores.

Shopping

There is no shopping in Serbia. That is, absolutely. If you're coming here hoping to find a ton of branded products... low prices, then you are mistaken: there are few brands here, and their prices are steep. In this regard, Russia as a whole is much more favorable.

What to bring from this country

Serbia's calling card is natural and inexpensive products: from honey and herbal tea to handmade cosmetics. You can bring the same prosciutto, wine and brandy with you and as gifts. But remember about the customs norm for transporting alcohol - no more than a liter per person.

Safety

Serbia is the most safe country from those that I had the opportunity to visit. Nevertheless, you should not relax completely, because, despite the low crime rate, no one will give guarantees against isolated criminal cases. Follow standard safety rules - do not carry large sums of money or valuables with you, do not show your wallet in public places - and your stay in Serbia will not be marred by troubles.

Many are frightened by the presence of a large number of Roma in the country. But they are completely harmless. There are, of course, those who “earn” their living by begging or intrusive trading on Knez Mihaila Street in Belgrade, but there are only a few of them. Most work as “city nurses”: they collect and hand over all kinds of waste paper and metal.

Popular types of scams

I only know about taxi scams. For some private travelers, the trip ends up being very expensive. So I advise you to contact official taxi services or catch cars with special identification marks. There must be a meter in the salon.

5 things you must do in this country

1. Walk around Belgrade, visit the Kalemegdan fortress, relax (like the locals) sit in summer cafe, drinking a cup of coffee.
2. Visit Drvengrad and the narrow gauge railway railway"Sharganska Osmitsa".
3. See the impressive Uvac Canyon.
4. Try bermet and rakia.
5. Enjoy national cuisine. Try Rostil and Kaimak.

Nearby countries

Serbia is a convenient transport hub for Europe. Most border countries can be reached by train or plane, and absolutely all by bus or car.

To visit Hungary you will need a Schengen visa, to Romania and Bulgaria - a Schengen or national one.

Money

The national currency of Serbia is the Serbian dinar. It’s rare where you can buy them for rubles (in Serbian branches of Sberbank you can, but the exchange rate is bad), so it’s worth stocking up on euros in advance or withdrawing cash from an ATM with a credit card. If your card is issued by Sberbank, then I recommend receiving dinars from its ATMs in Serbia - it will come out without commission. At ATMs of other banks, the commission can be 100-400 rubles. The euro is not in use, although many large prices, for example, for renting an apartment, are usually indicated in the currency of the European Union. However, many private taxi drivers agree to pay for their services in euros, they also often indicate the prices of souvenirs on the main tourist street of Belgrade - Kneza Mihaila. In the cities of Serbia there are usually a lot of exchange offices ("menyačniki"), and if you brought euros, you can exchange them there. I advise you to first compare courses (they may differ significantly) in several and choose the most profitable option.

Bank cards (Visa, Maestro, Mastercard) are accepted in many shops and catering establishments. But it’s always better to have cash with you - just in case: the payment terminal may not work, or sometimes it doesn’t exist at all.

Located in the center of the Balkan Peninsula. It borders in the north with Croatia and Hungary, in the west with Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the northeast with Romania, in the east with Bulgaria, in the south with Albania and Macedonia, and in the southwest with Montenegro.

The name comes from the ethnonym Serbs (the people of the South Slavic tribe).

General information about Serbia

Official name: Republic of Serbia

Capital:

Territory area: 88,361 sq. km

Total Population: 10.8 million people

Administrative division: Serbia includes 2 autonomous regions: Vojvodina and Metohija. The status of Kosovo (also nominally part of Serbia) has not been fully determined.

Form of government: Republic.

Head of State: President.

Population composition: 62% - Serbs, Albanians - 17%. Montenegrins (5%), Hungarians (3%) and a number of national minorities also live in Serbia.

Official language: Serbian. Hungarian, Slovak, Croatian, Romanian and Ruthenian languages ​​are also used in Vojvodina. In Kosovo and Metohija the official languages ​​are Serbian and Albanian.

Religion: 90% are Orthodox, 5% are Muslim, 4% are Catholic and representatives of other faiths.

Internet domain: .rs

Mains voltage: ~230 V, 50 Hz

Dialing code countries: +381

Country barcode: 860

Climate

In Serbia it is temperate continental, on the Adriatic coast it is Mediterranean. In the central regions of the country it is always somewhat cooler than on the coast, and the influence of subalpine factors is more noticeable. In the coastal region, summers are usually long, hot (+23-25 ​​C) and quite dry, winters are short and cool (+3-7 C). In mountainous areas there are moderately warm summers (+19-25 C) and relatively cold winters (from +5 to -10 C), abounding in snow. Precipitation falls from 500 to 1500 mm per year, mainly in the form of rain, in the mountains near sea ​​coast In some places over 3000 mm falls.

Geography

A state on the Balkan Peninsula, one of the republics of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It borders on the north with Hungary, on the east on Romania and Bulgaria, on the south on Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Montenegro, on the west on Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and on the southwest on Kosovo.

The area of ​​the country is 88.3 thousand km² (including the territory of Kosovo, whose area is 13 thousand km²).

Flora and fauna

Flora

Species-rich natural vegetation, mainly of a transitional type from the Mediterranean to the Central European, has been preserved in poorly developed inland mountain areas. There are also a large number of endemic plant species, including remnants of the tertiary flora. Lowlands, hilly uplands and convenient areas in the foothills are almost everywhere plowed, occupied by cultivated vegetation with crops of grain, industrial and other crops, orchards and vineyards.

The forests of Serbia are dominated by deciduous tree species, especially oak and beech, which are most used for industrial purposes. In the uppermost tiers of the mountains (above 1700-1800 m above sea level), shrubs predominate.

Animal world

Thanks to forests, the country has preserved natural fauna, although not as rich as a century or two ago, is still more numerous and varied than in most other European countries. In the mountainous forest areas there are large animals: brown bears, lynxes, wild boars, wolves, deer, fallow deer, chamois, wild goats, on the steppe plains hares, gophers, field mice; On the coast there are jackals, in karst areas there are turtles, snakes, and lizards. The bird world is very diverse.

Serbia is still relatively rich in freshwater fish, which are found in the Danube and its tributaries and in mountain lakes.

Fishing and hunting, which have almost disappeared in many European countries, are a significant sector of the economy in Serbia.

Attractions

On the territory of Serbia many historical and cultural monuments, and most of them, despite the numerous wars that have swept through this land, are in excellent condition. Hundreds of medieval monasteries and ancient cities, dozens of balneological resorts, unique natural complexes the southern part of the Balkans, tens of kilometers of beaches of the Montenegrin Riviera, good-natured and friendly people - this is not a complete list of the advantages of this country.

Banks and currency

The official currency of Serbia is the dinar (international designation - RSD), equal to 100 para. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 5000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10 dinars, coins in 10, 20, 5, 2 and 1 dinar, as well as 50 para. At the same time, banknotes in denominations of 10, 50, 200, 1000 and 5000 dinars were issued in two modifications, and in 100 dinars - in three. The dinar exchange rate is pegged to the euro.

In Kosovo, only the Euro (EUR) is used. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euros, coins of 2 and 1 euro, as well as 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent.

Halyk Bank exchange offices are open from Monday to Friday from 7.00-8.00 to 15.00-16.00 (sometimes with a lunch break), commercial banks are open from Monday to Thursday from 08.00 to 13.00-15.00, on Fridays - from 08.00 to 13.00, on Saturdays most banks are closed. Montenegrin banks are usually open from 08.00 to 19.00, on Saturdays - from 08.00 to 13.00, closed on Sundays. In the center of Belgrade and Podgorica, as well as in resort areas, many currency exchange offices are also open on weekends.

Currency exchange can be done at bank branches, official exchange offices and many licensed exchangers. In Serbia in public places(train stations, airports) there are currency exchange machines. The rate even at nearby exchange offices can differ quite significantly. On the territory of Serbia, exchange transactions outside official institutions (commercial banks, exchange offices, etc.) are considered a criminal offense and are punishable by imprisonment for a term of 6 months to 5 years with confiscation of currency. In Montenegro, the punishment for such actions is an administrative fine.

Usage credit cards and traveler's checks are difficult throughout almost the entire country, with the exception of the capitals and resort areas of Montenegro, where Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and Diners Club, as well as traveler's checks, are almost universally accepted for payment.

Useful information for tourists

In Serbia, there is quite a lot of respect for residents of the countries of the former USSR. There is practically no language barrier - the Serbian and Croatian languages, although they are very vaguely similar to Russian, are nevertheless united in their linguistic basis, and the number of people who know Russian “from old times” is also large. English language Although it is used almost everywhere in the resort business, it is extremely unpopular for political reasons.

Most of the country's residents are heavy smokers. Even in transport and in public institutions you can constantly meet smokers.

Photography is allowed only in places where there is no prohibiting sign (crossed out camera). You are not allowed to photograph objects transport infrastructure and energy, port facilities and military installations.

Tips in restaurants usually amount to 5% of the bill.

Serbia or Republic of Serbia- a landlocked state in southeastern Europe, in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula.

In the north, Serbia borders with Hungary (151 km), in the northeast with Romania (border length - 476 km), in the east with Bulgaria (318 km), in the south with Macedonia (221 km), in the southwest with Albania ( 115 km) and Montenegro (203 km), in the west with Croatia (241 km) and with Bosnia and Herzegovina (302 km).

Serbia contains two autonomous provinces: Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija. Kosovo is a UN protectorate. Local government institutions, in which Albanians form a majority, unilaterally declared the region's independence on February 17, 2008. Serbia refused to recognize Kosovo's sovereignty.

Mountains occupy most of Central Serbia. There are 4 mountain systems in Serbia. The Dinaric Highlands occupies a large area in the west, stretching from northwest to southeast. Stara Planina and the East Serbian Mountains are in the east, separated from the Dinaric Highlands by the Morava River. In the south there are ancient mountains - part of the Rilo-Rhodope system. Highest point Serbia - Mount Jeravica (2656 m).

The largest lakes in Serbia are Lake Djerdap and White Lake. There are also waterfalls in Serbia, the largest is Jelovarnik (71 meters), it is located in national park Kopaonik.

Climate in Serbia

Climate in Serbia temperate continental, with warm summers (up to +30°C) and snowy winters (-5°..-10°C). Best time to visit the country - the period from May to September-October.

Population

Population of Serbia- 7,243,007 people (2013).

The population is dominated by Serbs (62%) and Albanians (17%). Montenegrins (5%), Hungarians (3%) and a number of national minorities also live in Serbia.

During the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1991-1995, several hundred thousand refugees from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina arrived in Serbia. In 1999 there was a large wave of emigration of Albanians from Kosovo, and in 2000-2001 - the emigration of Kosovo Serbs.

Most of the country's believers are Orthodox (95%), and there are also large communities of Muslims (5%), Catholics (4%) and representatives of other faiths.

Official language The country is Serbian. Hungarian, Slovak, Croatian, Romanian and Ruthenian languages ​​are also used in Vojvodina. In Kosovo and Metohija the official languages ​​are Serbian and Albanian.

The Serbian language belongs to the South Slavic subgroup of Slavic languages. It is a close relative of the Russian language; Many words can be understood by us without translation, although the flow of speech is difficult to understand without prior preparation.

Currency

Serbian Dinar (RSD) is the national currency of Serbia. 1 Serbian dinar = 100 para.

There are coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 dinars; banknotes - 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 5000 dinars.

Currency exchange can be done at bank branches or exchange offices. In Serbia, there are currency exchange machines in public places (train stations, airports). The rate even at nearby exchange offices can vary quite significantly.

Banks are open from Monday to Thursday from 08.00 to 15.00-16.00, on Fridays - from 08.00 to 13.00, on Saturdays most banks are closed. In the center of Belgrade, as well as in the resort areas, many currency exchange offices are open on weekends.

Dollars and euros are not accepted everywhere in the country. While in neighboring Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina you can pay in euros at supermarkets, in Serbia you cannot. Euros and dollars will only be accepted in large hotels or by prior arrangement with the store owner or taxi driver. In this case, you will be offered the most unfavorable exchange rate. Thus, when traveling to Serbia, it is important to immediately exchange euros or dollars for Serbian dinars.

The use of credit cards and traveler's checks is difficult throughout almost the entire country, with the exception of the capital and resort areas, where large stores and hotels accept Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and Diners Club, as well as traveler's checks.

Communications

Dialing code: 381

Internet domain: .rs

Police: 92, fire department: 93, ambulance: 94

City codes

Belgrade - 11, Novi Sad - 21, Subotica - 24, Nis - 18

How to call

To call from Russia to Serbia, you need to dial: 8 - dial tone - 10 - 381 - area code - subscriber number.

To call from Serbia to Russia, you need to dial: 00 - 7 - area code - subscriber number.

Landline communications

Payphones accept cards for payment, which can be purchased at newsstands, tobacco kiosks, and the post office. A small number of machines accept coins and credit cards.

Calls from hotels are significantly more expensive, and the connection quality is usually worse than from a pay phone.

Mobile communications

There are 3 major cellular operators in the country: Mobile Telephony of Serbia, Telenor Serbia, Vip mobile

SIM cards of local telecom operators and express payment cards are sold everywhere in post offices, shops, newspaper and tobacco kiosks, as well as in the offices of cellular operators.

Internet

The Internet is developing intensively in Serbia. In almost all cities of the country you can find many Internet cafes (usually open seven days a week).

Shopping

Shops are usually open from 9.00 to 20.00-21.00 with a lunch break (from 12.00-13.00 to 16.00-17.00 depending on the establishment). Large department stores are often open from 6.00-7.00 to 21.00; in resort areas and large cities there are also “24-hour” stores.

Numerous private retail outlets operate according to their own schedule, and often without it at all.

Where to stay

Most hotels in Serbia are 3* or 4*; there are few five-star hotels. A significant part of the hotels are still from the “Soviet” past.

However, in fairness it should be noted that the situation with hotels is gradually changing for the better. In Belgrade, for example, new modern hotels of a fairly good standard sometimes open. Last changes: 09/01/2010

History of Serbia

During the period of the Roman Empire, most of the territory of modern Serbia, then inhabited mainly by Illyrian tribes, was part of the province of Upper Moesia. Around 395, these lands were assigned to the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire.

From the middle of the 6th century, a gradual expansion of Slavic tribes began in these lands, accompanied by the devastation of the Balkans. The ancestors of the Serbs settled the lands south of the Sava to the Adriatic. They assimilated or displaced the area's former inhabitants - Illyrians, Celts, Greeks and Romans - into cities, mainly on the coast, but also into the mountains of the Dinaric Highlands and Albania.

Already in the 7th century, the Christianization of the Serbian tribes began, which ended in the second half of the 9th century with the direct participation of the disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius.

In the middle of the 9th century, under the influence of the attack on the Serbian regions of the proto-Bulgarians, a princely power and state was formed in Raska, headed by Prince (Župan) Vlastimir, who managed to push back the Bulgarians and subjugate part of the coastal territories.

The hereditary principle of transfer of power, however, did not work out, which led at the end of the 9th century to civil strife, the weakening of Raska and its transition under the rule of first the First Bulgarian Kingdom, and then, after its fall, Byzantium. Some strengthening of Raska in the middle of the 10th century during the reign of Prince Caslav, who significantly expanded the territory of the state, was replaced after his death in 950 by the collapse of the country.

At the same time, the active penetration of Bogomilism from Bulgaria began, which also contributed to the weakening of the central government in Raska. In 1040-1041 Belgrade and the Morava Valley became the center of a massive Slavic uprising led by Peter Delyan against Byzantium.

From the middle of the 12th century, a new strengthening of Raska began, which gradually freed itself from the power of Byzantium.

In 1190, the Byzantine Empire recognized the independence of Serbia, and in 1217, Stefan Nemanja's son Stefan the First Crowned was crowned King of the Serbs.

By the middle of the 14th century, Serbia had developed into a major power, covering almost the entire southwestern part of the Balkans. Serbia flourished during the reign of King Stefan Dusan (1331-1355). However, after his death the state collapsed.

In 1389, the troops of the Serbian princes were defeated by the Turkish army in the Battle of Kosovo, which led to Serbia recognizing suzerainty Ottoman Empire. Serbia was finally conquered by the Turks in 1459. Over the next 350 years, Serbian lands were under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, and the northern regions were part of the Austrian Empire from the end of the 17th century.

The Serbian Principality was formed as a result of the First Serbian Uprising in 1804-1813. against Ottoman rule. The rebels elected Georgiy Petrovich, nicknamed Karageorgiy, who had previously served in the Austrian army as a non-commissioned officer, as their supreme leader. In 1811, at the assembly in Belgrade, Karageorgi was proclaimed the hereditary ruler of Serbia. But in 1813 the uprising was suppressed, Karageorgi fled to Austria.

In 1815, the Second Serbian Uprising began, led by Milos Obrenovic, a participant in the First Uprising. It was successful, but only fifteen years later the Sultan officially recognized Milos Obrenovic as the ruler of Serbia.

Under the terms of the Berlin Peace of 1878, Serbia gained independence, and in 1882 it was proclaimed a kingdom.

By the beginning of the 20th century, a parliamentary monarchy had emerged in Serbia, and a rapid rise in the economy and culture began. Two dynasties of peasant origin - the Karadjordjevics and the Obrenoviches - succeeded each other on the throne in Serbia until 1903.

As a result of the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913. The territories of Kosovo, Macedonia and a significant part of the Sandjak were included in Serbia.

In World War I, Serbia took the side of the Entente countries. During the war, Serbia lost, according to some estimates, up to a third of its population. After the end of the war, Serbia became the core of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

In 1929, the state became known as Yugoslavia.

On April 6, 1941, German and Italian troops invaded Yugoslavia. They were joined by the armies of Hungary and Bulgaria. The country was occupied and divided: Backa was annexed by Hungary, Macedonia and southeastern Serbia by Bulgaria, Kosovo by Albania. A puppet government was created on the territory of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina Independent State Croatia. Direct German military rule was established in central Serbia, although Milan Nedić's own pro-German government nominally existed.

As in other occupied countries, almost all Jews were exterminated in Serbia, in addition, tens of thousands of people were executed or sent to concentration camps on suspicion of collaboration with anti-fascist forces or as retribution for the actions of the partisans.

By 1945, Yugoslavia was liberated and declared federal republic. The war caused enormous damage to the country. According to modern estimates, about 1.1 million citizens of Yugoslavia died during the war, of which about 560 thousand were Serbs. The Serbian population of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia suffered the greatest losses; about 200 thousand people died on the territory of Serbia proper.

On November 29, 1945, the creation of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia was proclaimed. It consisted of six national republics, one of which was the People's Republic of Serbia (since 1963 - Socialist republic Serbia). Within Serbia, two autonomous provinces were created - Vojvodina, with a significant Hungarian population, and Kosovo and Metohija, where the vast majority of residents were Albanians.

A significant number of the Serbian population remained outside the People's Republic of Serbia - primarily in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. Although Serbia became only one of six equal federal subjects, the role of Serbs at the state level remained high: Serbs and Montenegrins, who made up only about 45% of the country's population, occupied more than 84% of positions in the Yugoslav state apparatus.

Initially, Yugoslavia was oriented towards the Soviet Union, but in 1948 there was a break between Tito and Stalin. In 1949, collectivization of peasant farms and accelerated industrialization of the economy began. These measures, however, did not bring an improvement in the economic situation and were unable to stop the decline in living standards.

Collapse of Yugoslavia

After Tito's death in 1980, centrifugal tendencies in Yugoslavia intensified. In Serbia, a rethinking of the role of Tito and the Communist Party, as well as Serbia’s place within Yugoslavia, began. The Kosovo issue sharply escalated: in 1981, a wave of nationalist protests swept across Kosovo under the slogan “Republic of Kosovo”, and armed clashes began between Serbs and Albanians. In response, the Serbian opposition and the Orthodox Church began to put forward demands for limiting the autonomy of the region and strengthening the position of Serbia and the Serbian people within Yugoslavia.

In 1986, Slobodan Milosevic became the head of the Union of Communists of Serbia. In April 1987, he addressed the Kosovo Serbs with a promise to fight for their rights and soon became a national leader of the movement to strengthen Serbia's position in Yugoslavia. In 1989, Milosevic and his supporters came to power in Serbia, Montenegro and Vojvodina.

In the same year, a new constitution of Serbia was approved, which effectively eliminated the autonomy of the national regions. This caused mass protests in Kosovo, as a result of which a state of emergency was introduced in the region. At the same time, Milosevic's pro-Serbian policy aroused dissatisfaction with the leaders of other union republics. In Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia, nationalist forces came to power, focused on rapprochement with the West, economic liberalization and achieving independence.

In 1990-1991, the first opposition parties emerged in Serbia, but power continued to remain in the hands of Milosevic and former communists united in the Socialist Party of Serbia. The socialists also controlled the mainstream media.

The first relatively free elections in Serbia, held in 1991, brought the socialists an unconditional victory. The fact that Serbia remained the only republic where the old apparatus retained power contributed to the formation of anti-Serbian sentiment in Europe, as well as Western support for the “democratic” regime in Croatia and the disintegration of Yugoslavia.

On June 25, 1991, Slovenia and Croatia declared their independence. Croatian Serbs in Krajina and Slavonia opposed secession from Yugoslavia, armed clashes began between Croats and Serbs, which quickly escalated into a civil war.

Then the war broke out in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where an independent Republika Srpska was proclaimed, which managed to create a strong army led by Ratko Mladic. Milosevic's government unofficially provided military support to the Croatian and Bosnian Serbs, which led to the imposition of UN economic sanctions against the country.

Serbia in the "Third Yugoslavia"

On April 27, 1992, the creation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was announced, which included only Serbia and Montenegro. The Constitution of the FRY provided for the possibility of annexing the Serbian territories of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to the state. Although union bodies were formed, real power remained in the hands of the presidents of both republics, most notably Slobodan Milosevic.

At the same time, the political and economic crisis in Serbia itself continued to deepen, and the country’s international isolation grew. The trade blockade of Yugoslavia, huge military expenditures, and the influx of about 540 thousand Serb refugees from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina into the country led to a sharp drop in industrial production (by 70%), rising unemployment (up to 25%) and hyperinflation (2000% per month).

Although Milosevic won the 1992 presidential elections again, the Socialists lost their majority in parliament and were forced to form a bloc with the nationalist Radical Party of Vojislav Seselj.

Interethnic relations also remained tense: the autonomy of Kosovo and Metohija was finally liquidated in 1991, the broadcasting of Albanian television channels and the publication of the most influential newspapers were stopped, more than a hundred thousand Albanians were dismissed from public service, and several dozen people died in clashes with the police.

At the same time, Albanian separatists in 1990 announced the creation of an independent republic of Kosovo and began to create parallel authorities and armed formations, which in 1996 were united into the Kosovo Liberation Army. Due to discrimination and the actions of paramilitary nationalist formations, mass emigration of Sandzak Muslims to Bosnia and Vojvodina Hungarians to Hungary began.

Despite the general crisis, the anti-Serb campaign of the Western media and their uncritical attitude towards the violation of the rights of the Serb minority in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo contributed to the strengthening of Milosevic’s position in Serbia.

In 1994, an economic reform was carried out that stopped hyperinflation and stabilized the situation in the country. As a result of privatization, however, a new elite was formed, closely associated with the ruling regime.

In 1995, military aid to Serbian separatists in Croatia and Bosnia was stopped.

As a result of Operation Storm, the Croatian army regained control of the Serbian Krajina, which led to the mass expulsion of the Serbs. The Dayton Accords were soon signed, ending the civil war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In 1996, the internal political struggle in Serbia intensified. For the first time, the socialists were defeated in local elections in several dozen cities across the country, losing to the Unity coalition of opposition parties. The government did not recognize the election results, which led to mass demonstrations in Belgrade and other Serbian cities against the Milosevic regime.

In the 1997 parliamentary elections, the democratic opposition significantly increased its representation in the assembly, but Milosevic became the President of Yugoslavia in 1997, and his comrade-in-arms Milan Milutinovic became the President of Serbia.

One of the most important tasks of the government remained solving the Kosovo problem. Clashes between Kosovo separatists and Serbian separatists armed forces have not stopped since the mid-1990s. In fact, a guerrilla-terrorist war was waged in the region, which claimed hundreds of lives of civilians, Serbian officials and military personnel.

In 1998, the Yugoslav army was introduced into Kosovo, which by the end of that year managed to push the Kosovo Liberation Army to the Albanian border. However, it was not possible to completely suppress the resistance. The number of refugees from the region, according to the UN, in June 1999 exceeded 850 thousand people, mainly Albanians.

Moreover, repression by the Serbian authorities and suspicions of ethnic cleansing against the Albanian population of Kosovo began to cause increasing indignation in the world community.

In NATO, meanwhile, the prevailing opinion was that military intervention in the conflict was necessary. Serbia was presented with an ultimatum to withdraw troops from Kosovo and allow NATO military units to enter Serbian territory. The ultimatum was ignored.

On March 24, 1999, NATO aircraft carried out their first bomb attacks on Belgrade and other Serbian cities. The bombing continued for almost three months, until on June 9 the Serbian authorities agreed to the deployment of international security forces in Kosovo. On June 10, a UN Security Council resolution was adopted to resolve the Kosovo problem.

Yugoslav troops left Kosovo, power in the region passed to the Albanians. As a result of the bombing, Serbian factories and communications routes were destroyed, and at least 500 people were killed. More than 350 thousand Serbs and other representatives of non-Albanian nationalities left Kosovo.

At the same time, the withdrawal of Serbian troops made it possible to begin the process of returning Albanian refugees to the region: by the beginning of 2001, about 700 thousand people had returned.

Recent history

Defeat in the war with NATO weakened the position of nationalists in Serbia. In the presidential elections of Yugoslavia in 2000, the candidate from the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS), Vojislav Kostunica, won, but he did not receive an absolute majority of votes. Milosevic demanded a second round of voting in accordance with the law.

As a result of street demonstrations with the support of Western countries and the United States, on October 5, 2000, the Milosevic regime was overthrown and a few months later Milosevic was arrested.

The subsequent elections to the Serbian Assembly also brought victory to the DOS; Zoran Djindjic, the leader of the Democratic Party, became Prime Minister. A program was adopted to revive the economy and strengthen social protection of the population. Serbia's rapprochement with European countries began.

In 2001, Slobodan Milosevic was extradited to the International Tribunal in The Hague, which caused a split in the ruling coalition. Milosevic's trial at the International War Crimes Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague was unprecedented in its length. Milosevic did not recognize the legitimacy of the Hague Tribunal and refused lawyers, declaring that he would defend himself.

In February 2002, Milosevic gave a long defense speech in The Hague, in which he gave refutations of several dozen charges. In addition, in his speech, Milosevic gave a detailed analysis of the background, origins and course of the NATO war against Serbia. Presented evidence (including photographs and video materials) of a number of NATO war crimes: the use of prohibited weapons such as cluster bombs and depleted uranium ammunition, the deliberate destruction of non-military targets, numerous attacks on civilians.

In 2002, a new agreement was concluded between Serbia and Montenegro, reducing the powers of the federal authorities, as a result of which on February 4, 2003, Yugoslavia was transformed into the confederal State Union of Serbia and Montenegro.

On May 21, 2006, a referendum was held in Montenegro, at which a decision was made to secede from the union.

On June 3, 2006, Montenegro declared independence. On June 5, Serbia declared its independence.

On February 17, 2008, Kosovo declared its independence, which was soon recognized by the United States and some European states. Serbia declared the unconstitutionality of this step and non-recognition of independent Kosovo. In this she was supported by Russia, China, India, including 5 countries from the NATO bloc Spain, Greece, Slovakia, Romania and Cyprus. Thus, out of 192 countries that are members of the UN, only 65 recognized the independence of Kosovo.

Photography is allowed only in places where there is no prohibiting sign (crossed out camera). It is prohibited to photograph transport infrastructure and energy facilities, port facilities and military facilities.

Mains water is usually chlorinated and is relatively safe for health, but it is recommended to always use bottled water, especially outside metropolitan areas.

Milk is pasteurized and dairy products are also safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, fish, vegetables and fruits are usually tested by sanitary and hygienic services and are considered quite safe.

You should not carry valuables, documents and large sums of money with you - just as you should not show your wallet in crowded places or leave things on the front seat of the car during stops.

Russian-Serbian phrasebook

Good afternoon - Dobar is given!

Good morning! - Good morning!

Hello! - Hello!

Sorry)! - Sorry!

Be kind! - We pray!

Can I ask you? - Can I give you some food?

Congratulations! - Chastitam!

Thank you! - Praise!

Thank you very much! - Praise lepo!

Thank you for coming. - Thank you for reaching us.

I'm really grateful to you. - I have a lot of praise for you.

My pleasure! - Nothing to do with it!

Yes, that's true. - Yes, tako je.

Certainly. - Equally.

I agree. - Let's make it work.

I have nothing against it. - Nemam nishta against.

No - Not

I invite you. - I'll pose for you.

Come in! - Tell lies!

How to get to Serbia

By plane

Regular flights Moscow - Belgrade are operated by Aeroflot and JAT Airways, the flight time is approximately 3 hours. A number of airlines also offer connecting flights to European cities.

Another option is to fly by S7 plane to Podgorica (the capital of Montenegro), and from there take a train to Belgrade, or fly by charter to Tivat, then by train to Serbia.

By train

The direct Moscow-Belgrade train travels 50 hours through the territory of Hungary. A Hungarian transit visa is required.

By bus

There are regular bus services between Belgrade and all European capitals. Especially many buses depart daily to Zagreb (Croatia), Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Skopje (Macedonia), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Budapest (Hungary), Sofia (Bulgaria) and Istanbul (Turkey).

In addition, cross-border communications are very developed. Up to seven buses a day connect Hungarian Szeged and Serbian Subbotica, Nis and Sofia, Zrejanin and Timisoara (Romania), Novi Sad and Osijek (Croatia).

By car

Distance from Belgrade by road: Moscow - 2430 km, Sofia - 395 km, Bucharest - 630 km, Budapest - 390 km, Vienna - 635 km, Zagreb - 330 km.

For those driving a car from abroad, it is mandatory to have an international driver’s civil liability insurance policy (“ green card", uniform throughout the country). If there is no such insurance, insurance is issued at the border crossing.

If entry into Serbia from neighboring states (Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro) is carried out through the territory of the Republic of Kosovo, the Serbian authorities will regard this as an illegal border crossing. As a result, deportation from the country or collection of a fine at the police station or at the immigration department (on departure/departure from Serbia) is possible.

Serbia can be considered a kind of “crossroads” of Europe. The shortest roads running through this country connect Western Europe and the Middle East. A large number of national parks, mountains, and rivers make Serbia great place For active recreation. However, Serbia also has a large number of unique attractions and several popular balneological resorts.

Geography of Serbia

Serbia is located at the junction of Central and South-Eastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. In the north, Serbia borders with Hungary, in the east with Romania and Bulgaria, in the south with Macedonia, and in the west with Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro. Total area this Balkan country – 88,361 sq. km, and the total length of the state border is 2,397 km.

The autonomous region of Vojvodina occupies the Pannonian Plain, and the rest of Serbia includes the Dinaric Alps, the East Serbian Mountains, and Carpathian Mountains and Stara Planina. The most high peak in Serbia - Mount Djeravica (2,656 m).

The Danube, the longest river in this country, flows through the entire territory of Serbia. The largest tributaries of the Danube are the Sava and Tisza.

Capital

The capital of Serbia is Belgrade, which is now home to more than 1.2 million people. Historians believe that the first settlements on the site of modern Belgrade were founded by Celtic tribes.

Official language

The official language in Serbia is Serbian, which belongs to the South Slavic subgroup of the Slavic group of Indo-European languages.

Religion

More than 82% of the population of Serbia are Orthodox Christians (Greek Catholic Church). Another 5% of Serbs consider themselves Catholics, and 2% consider themselves Muslims.

State structure of Serbia

According to the 2006 Constitution, Serbia is a parliamentary republic. The President is elected by direct universal suffrage. Legislative power belongs to the unicameral Parliament, which has 250 deputies.

The main political parties in Serbia are the Serbian Progressive Party, the Democratic Party of Serbia, and the Socialist Party.

Climate and weather in Serbia

The climate of Serbia is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, Adriatic Sea, and various mountain systems. In the north of the country the climate is continental with hot, humid summers and cold winters, and in the south it is temperate continental, with elements Mediterranean climate. Average temperature air temperature in July is +22C, and in January – about 0C. The average monthly precipitation is about 55 mm.

Average air temperature in Belgrade:

• January – -3C
• February - -2C
• March - +2C
• April - +7C
• May - +12C
• June - +15C
• July - +17C
• August - +17C
• September - +13C
• October - +8C
• November - +4C
• December – 0C

Rivers and lakes

The Danube, the longest river in this country, flows through the entire territory of Serbia. It has tributaries Sava, Tisa, and Begey. In addition, there are other rivers in Serbia - the Great Morava, Tamis, Western Morava, Drina, Ibar, South Morava, Timok and Radik.

There are several large natural and artificial lakes in Serbia - Lake Djerdap, White Lake, Palic, Borsko, Srebrno, Zlatarsko, etc.

History of Serbia

The Slavs settled on the territory of modern Serbia in the 17th century AD. After some time, Serbia came under the rule of the Byzantine Empire. In the middle of the 10th century, an independent Slavic principality was formed in western Serbia.

In 1170, the Nemanjić dynasty began to rule in western Serbia. In 1217, the Pope presented the crown to King Stefan Nemanjic. The heyday of the Kingdom of Serbia occurred in the 14th century, when the country was ruled by Stefan Dusan.

However, in 1389, the Serbian army was defeated by the Turks in the Battle of Kosovo, and gradually the Ottoman Empire began to conquer the lands of Serbia. Since 1459, Serbia has become a province of the Ottoman Empire.

It was not until 1878 that Serbia became independent, and in 1882 the Kingdom of Serbia was proclaimed.

The First World War began in 1914 after the invasion of Serbian territory by Austrian troops. In December 1918, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was formed, which then became known as Yugoslavia.

After the end of World War II, socialist Yugoslavia was formed in 1945, led by Josip Broz Tito. The 1974 Constitution was one of the reasons for the expansion of Croatian, Slovenian and Albanian nationalism.

In 1991-92, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina separated from Yugoslavia. For almost the entire 1990s, Yugoslavia (i.e. Serbia) was at war with its former republics. The Serbs had a particularly difficult time in the Kosovo war after NATO intervention. As a result, Kosovo separated from Serbia.

In 2003, the state of Serbia and Montenegro was formed, which existed until 2006. Now the Republic of Serbia occupies an area of ​​88,361 square meters. km, and has no access to the sea.

Culture

For many centuries, Serbs treated their culture with care, because... thus they maintained their identity under Ottoman rule. Until now, Serbs annually celebrate various holidays, the history of which dates back to the early Middle Ages. The most popular Serbian holiday is “Vidov Dan” (the local version of St. Vitus Day).

Cuisine of Serbia

The formation of Serbian cuisine was greatly influenced by the countries neighboring Serbia. The Turkish influence is especially noticeable, because Serbia was a province of the Ottoman Empire for a long time.

We definitely recommend that tourists in Serbia try “ćevapčići” (small minced meat rolls), “Pljeskavica” (cutlets), “musaka”, “podvarak” (fried meat with sauerkraut), “proja” (corn bread), “gibanica” "(cheese pie), etc.

Traditional strong Serbian alcoholic drinks are šljivovica (plum brandy) and Lozovača (grape brandy, rakia).

Sights of Serbia

Serbs have always been careful about their history, and therefore there are many interesting sights in this country. The top ten best attractions in Serbia, in our opinion, include the following:

Cities and resorts

The most big cities Serbia - Novi Sad, Nis, and, of course, Belgrade.

Serbia is landlocked, but this country has a lot of balneological resorts. The most popular of them are Soko Banja, Bujanovacka Banja, Vrnjacka Banja, Banja Koviljaca, and Niska Banja.

Souvenirs/shopping

We advise tourists from Serbia to bring heart-shaped gingerbread, folk crafts, Serbian folk hats, embroidered shirts, traditional folk trousers, traditional folk shoes, Serbian folk jewelry (bracelets, beads, necklaces), wine, slivovitz, as well as Serbian folk musical instruments (frula, gusle and dvojnice).

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