Serbia by Car

1. BEOGRAD - JAGODINA - NIŠ - VRANJE - PREŠEVO - MACEDONIA AND GREECE

Beograd is situated at the joint of the river Sava and the Danube. Above confluence there are the bulwarks of the oldest part – Kalemegdan and Belgrade fortification. From Beograd to Niš the road runs across beautiful hills of the Šumadija. 87 km far from Beograd there is the road junction to Velika Plana, a town with the church Pokajnica nearby.
100 km far from Beograd near motel “Stari hrast” on the left there is a road leading towards Svilajnac and Despotovac with Monastery Manasija (beginning of 15 C) in the immediate vicinity, with frescoes of outstanding beauty, surrounded by thick walls and towers. A bit farther there is Resava cave and Monastery Ravanica (14 C) which was also built in the style of “Morava School of Architecture”.
135 km far from Beograd the road turns to Jagodina.There is a Gallery of self-taught painters and Hajduk Veljko`s lodge.65 km south west of Jagodina lies Kalenic, amonastery built at the onset of 15 C, known for Morava style of architecture, and frescoes. Near Pojate, a place 171 km far from Beograd, on the right the roads turns to Kruševac, Vrnjacka Banja and Kraljevo. From Niš to Aleksinac there are 30 km and from it another 32 km to Sokobanja , one of the best knon and most frequented spas of Serbia.There are several springs t= 40 – 45 °C in beautiful surroundings and pleasant climate.From Aleksinac along the valley of the river Južna Morava 235 km far from Beograd lies Niš, the economic and cultural center of south east part of Serbia.It developed on the remnants of Roman Naissus, the town Constantine the Great was born it. There are rich archeological sites, with Medijana – the summer residence of the Emperor Constantine, Cele-kula, a tower that Turks built out of skulls of Serbian insurgents. Niška Banja is another spa with warm curative radioactive water (39°C) good for treating heart diseases and blood vessels.

Niš – Pirot – Dimitrovgrad (Bulgarian border, 98 km)

From Niš the international road leads towards east to Bulgaria and Turkey. It passes through the picturesque Sicevacka gorge cut through by the river Nišava.
Pirot 69 km far from Niš is known for its colorful rugs with authentic ornamentation. From Pirot a local road leads to Zvonicka Banja (660 km), a spa with curative radioactive water.
22 km far from Pirot there is Dimitrovgrad, a town on Yugoslav-Bulgarian border. Along the valey of the river Južna Morava and 44 km far from Niš lies Leskovac.
29 km south west of Leskovac there is Caricin grad, remnants of early Byzantine settlement constructed during the time of Emperor Justinian.In the same direction and 52 km far away lies Sijarinska Banja, a spa with several springs of mineral curative water t = 35 – 71 °C and a geyser of hot water 8 m high. Southward from Vladicin Han and 21 km away there is Vrnjacka Banja, a spa with sulphurous mineral water of almost boiling temperature of 92 °C.
10 km southward at Davidovac the road turns towards the monastery Prohor Pcinjski (22 km). The road farther continues to Macedonia and then towards Greece.