Holiday apartment in Raška District: mountains, culture and thermal springs

Raška District combines striking mountain landscapes, winter sports, medieval heritage and thermal springs. If you are planning a holiday apartment in Raška District, you can focus on active days in the Kopaonik Mountains, cultural discoveries around Stari Ras and Gradac, or relaxing hours in the region’s spas.

Kopaonik: mountain landscapes and winter sports

Kopaonik is a mountain massif approximately 80 kilometres long and is considered the largest mountain massif in Serbia. Part of the mountain range was declared Kopaonik National Park in 1981. Also noteworthy are 90 plant species that occur exclusively in this area. Jelovarnik Waterfall consists of three cascades, while Kozje stene, as a sharp mountain ridge in the northern Jadovnik with its northeastern side descending into the Samokovska valley, presents a different landscape.

In winter, Kopaonik offers ski slopes for beginners and experienced skiers, snowboarding and a special form of skiing combined with paragliding. Visitors have access to 24 cable cars, numerous ski lifts and 12 kilometres of cross-country ski trails. There are also specific activity options outside the winter season: Kopaonik Bike Park has 5-kilometre-long mountain biking trails in three difficulty levels, including a trail for beginners and children. Kopaonik National Park also organises guided hiking tours with expert supervision, arranged according to the tourists’ wishes.

Monasteries and medieval history

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stari Ras and Sopoćani includes Sopoćani Monastery, Đurđevi Stupovi Monastery, the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and the archaeological site of the medieval city of Ras. Stari Ras became the first capital of the independent Serbian state in 1159; the archaeological site includes, among other things, the Gradina mountain fortress and the lower town of Trgovište. The frescoes in the church of Sopoćani Monastery, dating from approximately 1270 to 1276, are among the most important works of Byzantine and Serbian medieval art.

Studenica Monastery was founded in 1186 as a memorial and burial church for the Serbian Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja, the first ruler of the Nemanjić dynasty. Gradac Monastery is a foundation of Helen of Anjou and is believed to have been completed by 1276. Its interior, the Church of the Virgin Mary, is considered one of the finest examples of Serbian medieval architecture. At the same time, Gradac lies on the Transromanica cultural route, the Romanesque Route of European Heritage.

History, tradition and regional places

In Raška, the memorial room “Raška – the wartime capital of the Kingdom of Serbia in 1915” documents the stay of the Serbian government and the Crown Prince through minutes of meetings, eyewitness accounts and photographs. The memorial room for Milunka Savić displays an interactive mosaic with numerous photographs and authentic films, two improvised military trenches, as well as objects, photographs and documents from the First World War. A stone bridge over the Ibar River in the town of Raška was built from 1893 to 1895.

Mijatovićev jaz is an 18-kilometre-long irrigation canal that was used until 1949. The traditional cultural event Ilinski Dani takes place every year on Ilija’s Day at Lake Semeteško. In Jošanička Banja, the Old Bath is an 18th-century Turkish bath whose original use has been preserved to this day. In Vrnjačka Banja, the cultural offering includes a cinema and theatre hall as well as the Cultural Castle with gallery and museum spaces; programmes in literature, theatre, film, television, music, art, publishing and museology take place there throughout the year.

Thermal waters and peaceful excursions

The thermal water of Jošanička Banja reaches 77 °C and is considered to have potential for balneological tourism as well as applications for treating illnesses, preparing athletes, recuperation and leisure activities. The Rimski Izvor spa centre combines traditional mineral-water treatments with wellness, massage, medical-aesthetic, peloid and balneotherapy services. Approximately 200 Roman coins dating from the time of Augustus to Valentinian were found at the hot spring of the Roman Spring in Vrnjačka Banja.

For quieter nature experiences, Lake Urvine near Čomage is suitable. It is approximately 60 by 35 metres in size and lies at the foot of the Borjak pine forest, a reserve of Kopaonik National Park; the lake is suitable for excursions and relaxation. The Mala Greda viewpoint is located at the tenth kilometre of the regional road between Kopaonik and Jošanička Banja and offers a panoramic view of the Kozje stene nature reserve.

The different focal points can help you choose a holiday apartment or holiday house: winter sports, mountain biking trails and guided hikes favour an active travel plan, while monasteries, memorial rooms, museums, thermal waters and historic buildings make cultural and more peaceful days possible.

Other places in Raška District

Raška, Kraljevo, Vrnjačka Banja, Vrba, Novi Pazar, Kopaonik, Lopatnica, Rudno, Mataruška Banja, Rast, Tutin, Jošanička Banja, Bogutovac, Gradac, Goč, Plešin, Stanišinci, Metikoš

To the overarching travel overview: Central Serbia.