"Serbian Alps" are paradise for skiers and treasure island for explorers: Stara Mountain's secrets

Photo: Ivan Strahinic

Steep cliffs, waterfalls, rivers, ski slopes, ski lifts, more than 1,000 species of plants, many of which are medicinal, 200 species of birds, as many as 116 species of butterflies... This is, in short, the description of Stara Planina, a mountain beauty in eastern Serbia, that has experienced a tourist boom in recent years.

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It belongs to the territories of four municipalities in - Dimitrovgrad, Knjazevac, Zajecar and Pirot, and geographically represents a continuation of a mountain range that is mostly located in Bulgaria.

However, visitors and lovers of Stara Planina say that the most beautiful things that nature can offer are in Serbia, especially for mountaineers and skiers, and it is not surprising that they call it the "Serbian Alps."

In Roman times, this massif was called Hemus, which means "mountain range " The Turks called it "Kodza Balkan" or just "Balkan", which means "hilly region."

Midzor, the highest peak on Stara Planina in Serbia, is located at 2,169 meters above sea level, and Babin Zub, which is also a protected nature reserve, is especially popular among tourists, lying at 1,758 meters.

The first gondola in Serbia was built in Jabucko Ravniste. Winter sports enthusiasts can enjoy the 13-kilometer-long trails and ski lifts with a capacity of about 1,300 skiers per hour.

Photo: Ivan Strahinic

(Telegraf.rs)