Eastern Serbia Day Tour from Belgrade

Manasija Monastery and its fortress walls

Manasija Monastery, also known as Resava, was built between 1407 and 1418 near the town of Despotovac, at a time when the Ottoman armies were advancing into the Balkans. To protect it, the Serbian ruler of the time surrounded the church with thick walls and eleven towers, creating one of the most impressive fortified monasteries in Europe. The largest tower, a massive keep, still dominates the complex and the green valley around it.

Inside the walls, the church of the Holy Trinity preserves frescoes considered masterpieces of late medieval Serbian painting, with elegant warrior saints and soft, luminous colours. Manasija was also a centre of learning, where monks copied and corrected manuscripts with such care that the Resava school influenced Serbian writing for centuries. Your entry to the fortress is included, and the guide brings this chapter of history to life.

Resava Cave

Resava Cave lies in the limestone hills of the Beljanica mountain, about twenty kilometres from Manasija. It was found by chance in 1962 by a local shepherd and opened to visitors ten years later. Geologists date its formation to tens of millions of years ago, and water dripping through the rock has created halls full of stalactites, stalagmites, columns and curtain-like draperies in shades of white, orange and red.

The guided route follows a lit path of about 800 metres through several chambers, among them a hall of columns and a crystal hall, and takes around 45 minutes. The temperature stays at about 7 degrees all year, so bring a warm layer even in summer. A Resava Cave tour is a highlight for children and adults alike, and the cave is one of the best-kept natural attractions in Serbia.

Veliki Buk waterfall in the Lisine forest

In the protected Lisine area, the small river Vrelo tumbles over a limestone cliff to form Veliki Buk, the great waterfall, about 25 metres high and among the highest in Serbia. Surrounded by beech forest, mossy rocks and clear pools, the place feels completely wild, although it is only a short, easy walk from the parking area along a shaded path with wooden bridges.

Spring, when the snow melts on the mountain, is the best time to visit Veliki Buk, as the water is at its strongest; in summer the shade and the cool spray make it a welcome break from the heat, and in autumn the forest turns gold and red. Your entry is included, and there is time to take photos, walk to the viewpoint at the foot of the falls and enjoy the fresh mountain air.

Krupaj Spring

The last stop is Krupaj Spring, a karst spring in the quiet Homolje region where an underground river emerges into a deep, emerald-green pool at the foot of a cliff. Divers have explored the flooded cave below to more than a hundred metres deep, and the water is so clear that you can see the stones on the bottom. A small cascade, an old watermill and grassy banks complete one of the prettiest corners of eastern Serbia.

There is time here to walk around the pool, take photos and relax before the drive back to Belgrade. In summer some visitors dip their feet in the very cold water. Together with the waterfall and the cave, Krupaj makes this tour one of the best day trips from Belgrade for nature, and a great contrast to the city.