TRAVELSPECIAL...... Saunter in Serbia

Saunter in Serbia

From the St Sava church with its breathtaking frescoes to the picture-postcard Sremski Karlovci, here’s the best of the Balkan country

Serbia, a small country on the Balkan Peninsula, punches far above its weight in terms of tourist attractions: from lyrical landscape to cultural heritage. But what lends this nation of seven million people gravitas is its past. Invaded by the Huns and the Ottomans and wracked by World Wars I and II and the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s, this was the land of tumult and tragedy.

In modern Serbia, there’s much to see, both the scars and splendours of the past — from the atmospheric capital city of Belgrade and 15 towering peaks that are a patchwork of excellent ski routes to five national parks and curvaceous wine trails. The ruins of imperial Roman palaces, a tower made of human skulls, chandeliers crafted from weapons in Ruzica Church and historic sites linked to 17 Roman Emperors — the list goes on. Here are six Serbian attractions:

Church of St Sava

If there is one place you must visit in Belgrade, this is it. Smiling down on the city like a benevolent deity, the Church of St Sava is the second largest Orthodox church in the world. Located on the Vracar plateau, it has granite- and marble-clad walls, emerald domes anointed with golden crosses and gilded interiors with breathtaking frescoes. Built on the site where the Ottoman Grand Vizier Sinan Pasha burned St Sava’s relics, the church’s construction (1935-89) involved hoisting the 4,000-ton central dome to its current height. Its beauty and challenging construction inevitably invite comparisons with that other stony masterpiece, Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona.

Sremski Karlovci

Just an hour’s drive from Belgrade lies one of the handsomest towns in Vojvodina region — Sremski Karlovci. As soon as you enter it, you feel you have ambled into a picture postcard. Baroque and neo-classicist buildings, lush parks and alfresco art mimic the elegant neighbourhoods of Prague and Budapest. Every building, house and street in Sremski Karlovic whispers of history. As Serbia’s culture crucible in the medieval times, it attracted Europe’s wealthy. The St Nicholas Church, with its poetic frescoes, and the Holy Trinity Cathedral next-door are a must-visit. Dating back to 1768, the cathedral’s baroque doors shield one of the oldest organs in the world.

Wine Route

Serbia is full of wine trails that allow you to stop, eat and drink en route, with friendly locals for company. Learning about the country’s wine-production techniques and terroir that breeds velvety merlots, sauvignons and chardonnays comes as a bonus. Fruska Gora is a popular wine region where riesling is produced. The Smederevo Wine Route, with the glistening Danube gurgling past, is attracting oenophiles from across Europe. Morava is known for its sauvignon production. At Tarpos, a sun-dappled, family-run winery at Vrbica village, we do a three-course tasting session of house wines paired with scented mushrooms, dry plums stuffed with pumpkin, pickled peppers and a crunchy salad.

Bite into Cevapi

Serbia’s food reflects Turkish, oriental and European influences. Tables groan with steaming platters of grills, kebabs and barbeques of fish and game meat. Cvapcici or cevapi — juicy sausages made of minced/grilled pork, beef, or lamb — are flavour bombs. Gooey cheeses abound — from the nutty cer (made from goat’s milk) to zlatar (white brine cheese) to pule (produced from Balkan donkey’s milk).

Museum Hopping

Serbia packs in over 100 state and private museums, one more delightful than the other — the elegant National Museum, the Museum of African Art and the Railway Museum in Belgrade; the old Foundry Museum in Kragujevac; and a Match Museum in Novi Sad that houses hundreds of match boxes from over 50 countries. The Museum of Yugoslavia in Belgrade has over 200,000 artefacts showing the fascinating history of Yugoslavia.

Slatko to Rakija

From multi-tiered shopping malls to quaint artisanal shops selling handcrafted wares, there’s much to blow up your Serbian dinars on. Specialty meats, alcohol, honey and jams sold in attractive vintage bottles make for good buys. As are vibrant woollens with Serbian folk motifs and traditional delicacies like ajvar (red-pepper spread) or slatko (fruit preserve). Vintage perfumeries sell homemade scents akin to ittar with delicate floral and herbal notes. If you want to carry back home the true spirit of Serbia, look no further than a bottle of Rakija. The taste of this robust fruit brandy —crafted from grapes, plums, apricots, peaches or figs — will linger on your taste buds long after your Serbian sojourn is over.

Neeta Lal ETM 5AUG18