Užice: Discover the Fortress, Gorge and Serbian Culture

Užice combines an impressive history with a varied river landscape. The Užički Stari Grad is particularly distinctive: the fortress stands on a projecting rocky ridge that the Đetinja River flows around on three sides. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Užice for a family holiday will find a place where historical discoveries, riverside trails and regional cuisine can be combined into different daily itineraries.

Fortress and cultural history by the river

The first reliable historical records of the fortress of Užice date from the mid-14th century. On 7 March 1983, Užički Stari Grad was entered in Serbia’s central register of immovable cultural assets as a cultural asset of great importance. This makes the site a striking introduction to the city’s history, without requiring you to plan your trip exclusively around museum visits.

Another historical highlight is the “Pod gradom” hydroelectric power plant. It is Serbia’s first hydroelectric power plant and began operating in 1900. The building was declared a cultural asset of great importance on 14 July 1977. Jokanović House contains an ethnographic cultural monument in Užice; in 1992, the permanent exhibition “The Town House in Užice in the 19th and Early 20th Century” opened there. In the underground tunnels, you can also include the permanent exhibition “Partisan Factory of arms and ammunition 1941” in your plans. It opened in 1961 and was expanded and reconstructed in 2011.

Đetinja Gorge, promenade and Green Trail

For more active days, the Green Trail leads through the rocky Đetinja Gorge from Gradska Plaža in Užice to Staparska Banja. The trail is located in an ecologically significant area of Serbia’s Ecological Network and is suitable for hiking, cycling, mountaineering and relaxing by the river. Depending on your interests, you can therefore include either a more active excursion or a quieter time by the water in your travel plans.

Gradska Plaža is the starting point of the promenade that connects the city centre of Užice with the route of the old railway and the Đetinja Gorge. A specific distance is also helpful when planning routes: the section to Staparska Banja is paved for a length of 7 kilometres, and all tunnels along this route are illuminated. Gradska Plaža also has a lifting platform for families with children, people with reduced mobility and cyclists. This information may be relevant when choosing activities to enjoy together, without implying anything about all sections of the route.

The zip line offers another special perspective of the gorge. It runs for 375 metres over the Đetinja Gorge and the route of the old railway. This allows you to add an experience to your stay in Užice that is distinctly different from the historical exhibitions and walking trails.

Discover regional specialities

Cuisine is also part of the local identity. Komplet Lepinja, also known as Lepinja “sa sve”, is a speciality from Užice. Užička Pršuta is a traditional speciality of the region around Užice. Choosing a holiday apartment therefore allows you to combine your travel plans with visits to restaurants and culinary discoveries of your own, without limiting your stay to a single excursion programme.

Which location suits your travel plans?

When looking for accommodation in Užice, it is worth deciding on your main focus. Those interested in culture can use the fortress, hydroelectric power plant, Jokanović House and the exhibitions as a guide for planning their days. If exercise and landscapes are the priority, Gradska Plaža, Đetinja Gorge, Green Trail and the zip line are important keywords. Families and mixed travel groups can also take into account that Gradska Plaža has a lifting platform for the user groups mentioned above.

Discover more places

For your further search, you can also visit the pages for Rosići, Bajina Bašta, Zaovine, Arilje, Priboj, Sjenica, Mačkat and Sainovina.

For the higher-level travel overview: Zlatibor District.