Discover Jablanica District: Culture, Nature and Holiday Apartments

Culture, nature and thermal waters in Jablanica District

Jablanica District combines impressive cultural sites with striking landscapes and special places such as Radan Nature Park, Caričin Grad and Sijarinska Banja. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday house in Jablanica District, you can tailor the focus of your trip to the interests of your travel group: archaeological history, experiences in nature, regional cuisine or warm thermal waters.

Early Byzantine history around Caričin Grad

In the area of Lebane, the archaeological site of Caričin Grad lies in a valley between the Jablanica and Pusta Reka rivers, 30 km southwest of Leskovac. Most present-day researchers associate the early Byzantine city with Justiniana Prima and consider it a foundation of Emperor Justinian I dating from the period between 527 and 565. The visitor centre is located at the foot of the archaeological site and offers a guided explanation of Caričin Grad as a Byzantine archbishopric. Replicas of excavated artefacts, information panels, electronic screens and a virtual-reality headset complement the presentation. In the “Theodora” building, a restaurant serves local specialities such as sprža, ajvar, fresh mixed salads and Leskovac-style grilled dishes.

In the area of Leskovac, the textile museum in Strojkovac is the only museum of its kind in Serbia. The permanent exhibition “A Journey Through the History of the Leskovac Region” presents 8,000 years of history and the lives of the region’s inhabitants from the Neolithic period to the late Ottoman era in two parts of the building. The cultural heritage of Jablanica District also includes the Roman necropolis in Mala Kopašnica, dating from the 2nd century AD. The Jašunje monasteries are dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God and Saint John the Baptist and were built in 1499 as a foundation of the nun Ksenija.

Vlasotince also offers its own insight into regional history. The local history museum has archaeological, ethnological and historical collections. The so-called “Kula”, the Old Municipality building, is an administrative building from the period of Ottoman rule that was adapted for the Vlasotince local history museum. The city tour “Stazama graditeljskog nasleđa” leads to important cultural and historical monuments and conveys the history of Vlasotince during a walk. Skobaljić Grad is located on the summit of a rocky ridge in the Kukavica Mountains, on the left bank of the Vučjanka Canyon; in 1986, the site was declared a cultural asset.

Landscapes for active and peaceful days

Radan Nature Park extends across the municipalities of Bojnik, Lebane and Medveđa in Jablanica District, as well as Kuršumlija and Prokuplje. It contains Serbia’s largest and highest volcanic complex. The Kukavica Mountains are suitable for hiking, nature walks, village tourism and collecting medicinal herbs. The Vučje hydroelectric power plant is located in the Vučjanka Canyon; it was built in 1903 and is still in operation today.

In the Vlasotince area, Zeleničje lies on the northwestern side of Ostrozub at an altitude of 1,260 m. The strict nature reserve takes its name from the Balkan-endemic plant cherry laurel, also known as Zeleniće. The Vlasina Transfer Route is another option for hiking enthusiasts: it forms part of the European long-distance hiking trail E7, is 90 km long, has eight checkpoints and passes through the mountains of Jablanica and Pčinja District. The different documented route lengths help you distinguish between day trips and longer hiking plans.

Wine, regional cuisine and special events

Along the approximately 6 km circular route “Stazama graditeljskog nasleđa” through the vineyards of the villages of Dadince and Kozare, it is possible to visit wine cellars, taste wines and purchase wine, rakija and traditional preserved foods. In Leskovac, the annual Roštiljijada combines cuisine with music and cultural programmes. In the area of Crna Trava, the event “Dani borovnice” was founded in 2014; it has taken place every year since then in the second half of July.

Thermal waters in Sijarinska Banja

A rehabilitation and leisure bathing complex is located around the geyser of Sijarinska Banja, with a pool containing thermomineral water, a large whirlpool and water-cannon pool, as well as children’s pools with slides and other amenities. The first geyser of Sijarinska Banja is a thermomineral spring with an 8 m-high column of water and a temperature of 71°C. Sijarinska Banja in the municipality of Medveđa can be reached from the E-75 via the junction near Leskovac and through the Jablanica Valley in approximately one hour by car. This approximate travel time can be taken into account when personally choosing the focus of your holiday.

Another documented insight into regional activities is the fifth Vidovdan cycling ride in Bojnik. It took place along the route from the Bojnik sports hall to the Church of the Holy Archangel Gabriel in Pridvorica. A holiday apartment in Jablanica District is therefore particularly appealing because of the many different themes that you can combine when planning your trip: archaeological sites, museums, hiking landscapes, thermal waters, wine and regional events.

For further orientation in the region, you can also discover these places: Leskovac, Brod, Belanovce, Predejane, Sijarinska Banja, Lebane and Bojnik.

For the higher-level travel overview: Central Serbia.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Mačva District.