Western Serbia Day Tour from Belgrade

The Šargan Eight heritage railway

The Šargan Eight is one of the most remarkable mountain railways in Europe. It was built in the 1920s as part of a narrow-gauge line linking Belgrade with the Adriatic coast, and to climb the steep slopes of the Šargan pass the engineers laid the tracks in the shape of the number eight, looping around the mountain to gain height. The line closed in 1974, but the section between Mokra Gora and Šargan Vitasi was restored and reopened as a heritage railway in 2003.

The ride lasts about two and a half hours, through 22 tunnels and over several stone bridges and viaducts, with stops at viewpoints and small stations where you can step out for photos. The carriages are restored wooden coaches, and the views over forests, meadows and scattered farms change at every bend. For many travellers this Šargan Eight train ride is the best part of a western Serbia trip; the timetable is seasonal, so we confirm the departure time when you book.

Drvengrad, the wooden village on Mećavnik hill

Drvengrad, which means wooden town, sits on Mećavnik hill above Mokra Gora, a short drive from the railway station. It was built in the early 2000s as a small ethno village, using traditional log houses brought from the surrounding region and rebuilt along cobbled lanes. There is a wooden church, a small cinema, a gallery, a library, craft shops and restaurants serving dishes of the region, all in the warm colours of timber and stone.

The village was created to preserve the building style of the Serbian countryside, and it has become one of the most visited places in western Serbia. Your entry is included, and you have time to walk around, enjoy the views over the Mokra Gora valley and the railway loops, and have lunch at your own expense. Children love the playful details hidden in the streets and the open space of the hilltop.

The House on the Drina

Near the town of Bajina Bašta, the Drina river flows in a wide, emerald channel between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1968 a group of local young men built a small wooden cabin on a bare rock in the middle of the current, as a place to rest while swimming. Floods have swept the house away several times, and each time the people of the town have rebuilt it, so it has become a symbol of their stubborn spirit.

A photo of the little house balanced on its rock travelled around the world and made it one of the most photographed places in Serbia. The tour stops on the riverbank for photos and a short walk. The best time to visit the House on the Drina is late spring to early autumn, when the water is calm and the green of the river is most intense; in the morning mist it looks especially magical.

Mokra Gora and the Tara mountains

The route crosses some of the most beautiful countryside in Serbia. After the plains around Belgrade, the road climbs into the green hills of the Zlatibor region and reaches Mokra Gora, a nature park of pine and spruce forests, alpine meadows and wooden farmhouses scattered across the slopes. The valley is protected for its clean air, rare plants and traditional landscape, and in winter it is covered with snow.

From Mokra Gora the road follows the edge of Tara National Park towards the Drina valley, with views of forested ridges and deep canyons. Tara is one of the wildest national parks in the Balkans, known for its brown bears and dense forests. Even without stopping, the drive is part of the pleasure of this day trip from Belgrade, and the guide shares stories about village life, local food and the history of the region.