Serbia by Car

5. BEOGRAD-POŽAREVAC-GOLUBAC-DONJI MILANOVAC-KLADOVO-NEGOTIN-ZAJECAR-NIŠ or PARACIN

The road from Beograd to Niš via Kolare, by-passes Smederevo and after 65 km turns to Požarevac with a famous stud of thoroughbred horses Ljubicevo. 11 km to the north there are the escalations of Roman town Viminatium.The road then crosses the fertile area of Stig reaching Veliko Gradište, fisherman town on the bank of the Danube. Golubac, famous for its medievel fortification lies 19 km westward.

From Golubac the road passes through Djerdap (Iron) gorge, along the bank of the Danube and the artificial lake some 130 km long emerging after the construction of Kladovo hydro-electric power plant. Djerdap gorge is the biggest river gorge of Europe and a unique tourist attraction. 47 km far from Golubac (14 km upstream from Donji Milanovac) there is a prehistoric settlement Lepenski Vir with foundations of houses, sculptures, crockey and other artifacts of the civilization in existence som 6,000 B.C. Along the bank of the Danube there are the remnants of a chain of Roman military fortifications.Upon the ruins of one such fortification (Talijat) Donji Milanovac was constructed.

Požarevac-Kucevo-Majdanpek-Donji Milanovac-Romania border (135 km)

From Požarevac to Donji Milanovac one can follow the road via Kucevo and Majdanpek, a town of miners surrounded by forests.From Majdanpek the road turns towards northeast and joins the Djerdap road with several observation points enabling good view of Veliki and Mali Kazan. At the end of Mali Kazan there is a famous “Tabula Traiana”. A dozen kilometers downstream lies Tekija. The road then continues along the bank of the Danube to Djerdap hydroelectric power plant constructed by joint efforts of Yugoslavia and Romania which is one of the world biggest. The visitors can have guided tours of the plant. Across the dam there is the road and border crossing to Romania. This road is the shortest link between Beograd and Bucharest.
Kladovo is a town 9 km away from the hydroelectric power plant with several old monuments success: the remnants of Trian bridge across the Danube, well preserved Turkish fort from 16 C Ferislam and the others. Downstream of Brza Palanka the road turns to Vratna, a village with huge stone gates, natural rarity. In the vicinity there is a medieval monastery Vratna. Negotin lies 56 km southward of Kladovo. It is a historical town and center of Negotin region, known for its vineyards and good wine. There is an old church, the grave to Hajduk Veljko, Memorial museum of composer Stevan Mokranjac, monastery Bukovo and some other monuments. On the banks of the river Timok Zajecar lies 57 km far from Negotin. 9 km away there is Gamzigrad a late Roman settlement (3 – 4 C) with preserved walls, escavanted palaces and mosaics of high artistic value.

Zajecar-Paracin (84 km)

From Zajecar the road leads to the east and 10 km far away SCG-Bulgarian border (Vrška Cuka), while to the west it turns to Paracin. Gamzigradska Banja is a spa 11 km far away and just three kilometers farther the road turns towards the archeological site Gamzigrad (3-4 C).