Discover Moravica District: Holiday Apartments, Nature, Culture and Music

Moravica District combines impressive gorges, clear mountain rivers, significant monasteries and vibrant Serbian traditions. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Moravica District, you can plan your trip entirely according to your interests: with nature observation, historical discoveries, music, regional specialities or a mixture of everything.

Gorges, Rivers and Protected Nature

The Ovčar-Kablar Gorge encompasses 14 kilometres of the course of the West Morava River as well as the Međuvršje and Ovčar reservoirs. Because of its ten monasteries and two holy sites, it is also known as the “Serbian Mount Athos”. At the same time, the gorge is an Important Bird Area in which 160 bird species have so far been recorded. This gives it a concrete connection with nature for everyone who wants not only to observe landscapes but also to experience their wildlife.

The Moravica, Studenica and Nošnica rivers shape the landscape around Ivanjica. They are clear, fast-flowing mountain rivers that wind through limestone beds and form narrow, steep gorges in the vicinity of Ivanjica. A prominent structure is Ivanjica’s stone bridge over the Moravica: its single arch has a span of 25 metres. Another old bridge is located on an old route that led from Ivanjica via Međurečje and Bratljevo towards Sandžak and is now passable only for pedestrians and pack horses.

Golija and Tara also represent exceptional biological diversity. Together, they form a refuge of Tertiary flora in Serbia as well as a centre of genetic, species and ecosystem diversity in the Balkans and Europe. Golija Nature Park covers 75,183 ha and is classified in protection category I as a natural asset of extraordinary importance.

Monasteries and History as Part of the Travel Experience

The monasteries of the Ovčar-Kablar Gorge give the region a distinctive historical character. Nikolje Monastery is considered the oldest church among the monasteries of the gorge and is located on the slopes of Mount Kablar. Blagoveštenje Monastery preserves the Blagoveštenje Gospel, created in 1372.

Takovo brings together several important testimonies to the history of Serbia. Takovski Grm is a cultural asset of extraordinary importance and a historical complex with buildings and monuments connected with the beginning of the Second Serbian Uprising. The wooden church in Takovo was built in 1795 on the site of an older church dating from 1724 and is considered one of the oldest structures of this type of ecclesiastical architecture in Serbia. The museum in Takovo is housed in a school building and preserves numerous exhibits relating to the Second Serbian Uprising.

The Konak of Prince Miloš Obrenović in Gornja Crnuća features a permanent exhibition with copies of photographs, documents and paintings, as well as several original exhibits relating to the Second Serbian Uprising. The National Museum in Čačak has permanent exhibition areas covering history from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages, the monasteries and churches of the Ovčar-Kablar region, and the Čačak region during the uprisings and wars from 1804 to 1941. The Roman Baths archaeological site in Čačak is protected as a cultural monument.

Music, Museums and Regional Cuisine

Moravica District expresses its cultural identity not only through buildings. The Javor Sabor of double-flute players and performers of old Serbian instruments takes place every year on the Sunday before Vidovdan and brings together musicians from all parts of Serbia. It serves to preserve tradition, original folk art and cultural identity. In Guča, the Dragačevski Sabor trubača was held for the first time in 1961 and has taken place annually ever since.

The Trumpet Museum in Guča preserves the history of trumpet playing as well as the memory of individuals and events that contributed to the development of the Dragačevski Sabor trubača. At the festival, svadbarski kupus, good roast meat and homemade rakija are recommended as food and drinks; svadbarski kupus is considered a speciality from Dragačevo. Norveška kuća combines the traditions of Norway and Serbia and is also a museum, restaurant, concert hall and screening room. Norveška kuća in Gornji Milanovac is also regarded as a lasting monument to the friendship between the peoples of Serbia and Norway.

Choose a Holiday Apartment in Moravica District According to Your Interests

When choosing your holiday apartment, you can consider nature, culture, history, music and regional cuisine as different focal points without limiting your trip to just one type of experience. Nature enthusiasts focus on the gorges, rivers, birdlife and protected areas. Those wishing to explore history in greater depth will find different periods and themes in the monasteries, museums, churches and archaeological sites. Music and food lovers turn their attention to Guča, the Javor Sabor, trumpet traditions and regional cuisine. For families with different interests, this very range can make planning easier: you can compare whether nature, culture, shared discovery or regional events should take up the greatest part of your trip.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

For further orientation, you can also choose Ivanjica, Vučkovica, Čačak, Kušići, Rudnik, Gornji Milanovac, Guča, Grab, Gornja Trepča, Lozanj, Gornji Banjani, Konjevići, Trudelj, Ozrem, Majdan, Koštunići, Riđage, Ovcar Banja, Leušići and Mrčajevci.

To the higher-level travel overview: Central Serbia.