Sustainable travel through Serbia
We asked Smiljana Popov which trip in Serbia left a special impression and which destination in Serbia she wants to visit in the future.
– Which trip or attraction in Serbia left a special impression on you?
I will never forget kayaking with colleagues through the Uvac canyon. I like active holidays, I like to experience something/everything on a trip. Memories are not created by expensive and luxurious hotels, comfortable accommodation, but by people, places, new experiences, adventures. I fell in love with kayaking on this trip. I experienced hail starting to fall on us, in the middle of the canyon on a kayak. We rowed into the caves from the water, made coffee and lunch in the caves on a gas stove. Lake Vlasina is magical from a kayak, with its floating islands, as well as the Ovčarsko-Kablar gorge, which is made for paddling.
Also, one summer I made a tour with my tango friends to Manasi, Resava Cave, Krupaj spring- where I ate the best trout in Serbia, which is grown in the spring pond. And the tavern is actually the household of a family that lives right next to the magical Krupaj spring.
I like to discover Serbia by bike, with mountaineers, on the go… I like such trips. Climbing to the top of Stara Planina or Rtanj in spring or winter, these are all moments I will never forget. The Djetinje Canyon in Užice was made for riding and walking, because the entire former railroad of the legendary Ćira was turned into a green path (which is a trend in Europe, well done Užice!). At the end of that divine green path, next to an even more divine canyon, is the open-air Staparska Banja, which is cared for by volunteers, and the archaeological Neolithic Park, which should be visited. Highly recommended for a trip. To make things more interesting, I posed for the artists for a figurine of a Neolithic woman, they cast a mold for the sculpture after me.
– What is your next destination or attraction in Serbia that you want to visit and why?
I am attracted to the Wild East of Serbia, the Wallachian regions, their villages and customs, which still exist today. In the 21st century. Vlach magic. Folklore. Music. Cuisine. I would like to rummage around there and have a special sniff.
Also, for years I have had a great desire to go to Kosovo and Metohija to visit Serbian monasteries.
And I would like to experience glamping in Serbia, which is becoming a trend in our country as well. I see that only Bezdan in Serbia has this kind of offer…
Smiljana Popov is a journalist, author and editor of the science-popular TV series “Belgrade for Beginners” and “Serbia for Beginners” (since 2014). “Belgrade for Beginners” is the first TV show in Serbia that “entered” the education system on the recommendation of the Secretariat for Education and Child Protection of the City of Belgrade, since 2016. She is the author of the educational project “Traveling cabinet of history – When history comes to life” in Belgrade schools, as well as the series of forums “Belgrade for beginners” in cultural institutions throughout Belgrade and Serbia.
Winner of a certificate of appreciation from the National Committee of ICOM SERBIA for an exceptional contribution to informing the public and affirming museum activities, developing awareness of the importance and value of cultural heritage, as well as several certificates of thanks from the European Heritage Day for the popularization and preservation of Serbia’s cultural heritage. Five shows “Belgrade for beginners” three years in a row (2018, 2019, 2020) participated in the International Archaeological Film Review of the National Museum in Belgrade.
Member of the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia and the Association of Tourism Journalists and Writers in Tourism “FIJET Serbia”. In journalism, she found the ideal portion of “applied literature” (Duško Radović). She is obsessed with the mission that even in the 21st century, journalism can and must inspire Humanity and Solidarity. She sees this as the reason for her success, because the audience recognizes it in her work.
