Serbia immediately captivates the heart – like love at first sight.

With the greenery of its expanse, the sunbeams dancing on its hills, the tranquil languor of its rivers. Its cities are pearls of architecture, its villages are treasures of traditions, and its people are warm, proud, and hospitable. They preserve their history, customs, heritage, and values. Serbia is hard to describe; it simply has to be experienced.

When in 2018 we visited Zlatibor for the first time with a group of Bulgarian journalists, as we were leaving we all wished that one day we would return again among the "golden" pines of the Balkans. Back then the resort, one of the pearls of Serbian tourism, enchanted us with the pristine purity of its colorful meadows and green groves spread across its rounded hills, with the calm cheerfulness that hovered around the lake in its center, with the hospitality of its few hotels and guesthouses, and with the friendly attitude of its people, who welcomed us with the words: "Look high, breathe deep!"

And here we are now, seven years later, once again in Zlatibor, during the golden autumn of 2025. As we traveled toward the resort, memories of our first visit intertwined with our present impressions, prompting us to make comparisons. Serbia’s roads of all categories were already very good back then, but now they seem almost perfect. The highway from our border into the interior of the country is well known to many Bulgarians. We took it to the exit for Vrnjačka Banja, where we stopped for a rest and lunch.

After that, along various roads, through villages and towns: Kraljevo, Čačak, Užice, Čajetina, we slowly continued toward Zlatibor. There was a certain charm in that. We stopped here and there to talk with people about life or simply to capture moments of the day in Serbian settlements with our camera. And here, as everywhere in the world, there were people -  thoughtful people, smiling people, kind people, curious people. What strongly impressed us was that life was in full swing: trucks were transporting cut timber logs, tractors moved between farms, construction cranes and excavators loudly reminded everyone of the importance of their tasks in almost every settlement…

Since the road to Zlatibor also leads toward the borders with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, the traffic was quite heavy. Rain began to fall and the movement slowed. We reached the resort after dark. I thought I would quickly orient myself by memory to find our hotel in the center but I was mistaken. Entering Zlatibor, we found ourselves among numerous new luxury hotels, shiny shops, and the bustle of tourists strolling around despite the rain.

Everything had changed!

I thought to myself: tomorrow we will see whether this is for the better…

We Started with the Stopića Cave

In the morning, together with Tamara Rašković from the Tourist Organization of Serbia, we set out on an exploratory tour of the surrounding area.

After only 19 km we were standing at the entrance of the most visited cave in Serbia - Stopića Cave. As a natural phenomenon, it is protected by the state. It was arranged and opened to tourists relatively late - in 2009. By 2020 it had already been visited by more than 100,000 people, which is an absolute record. Similar figures have been recorded every year since then.

This is no coincidence. "This cave hides the largest underground waterfall in the Balkans, and it also has incredible cascade pools that can rarely be seen anywhere else in the world. Its very name, "Stopića", comes from the nearby village of the same name. About 1,600 meters of corridors in the cave have been explored, while the path accessible to tourists is about 330 meters long - more than enough to enchant you completely. The entrance to the cave has a monumental appearance - 18 meters high and more than 30 meters wide. These numbers say a lot about the fact that Stopića Cave was never hidden, it was always there, waiting to be discovered." (From the website of the Zlatibor Tourist Organization)

And we rediscovered it ourselves. We entered to enjoy it again after seven years, and we came out convinced that the Serbs are indeed making conscious and well-intentioned efforts to maintain this natural landmark. In fact, even on the path from the parking lot to the entrance we saw workers carrying out improvements for easier access and better safety before winter. The care was evident inside as well. We confirmed this while walking once again through the Bright Hall and the Dark Hall, past the famous cascade pools and the riverbed. And of course, past the waterfall called "The Source of Life."

In the "Old Village" of Sirogojno

When we entered this open-air museum, it felt as if we had stepped into a folk tale from the past. The small houses we passed, with their steep roofs made of stone and wood, showed us the former exterior architecture of Zlatibor homes, while their interiors and farm buildings told the story of the everyday life and organization of the local people.

The ethnographic complex, consisting of the Church of St. Apostles Peter and Paul from the 18th century and the Sirogojno "Old Village" Open-Air Museum, is spread over an area of five hectares and contains 50 buildings. "The process of transferring, installing and reconstructing Zlatibor wooden houses in "Old Village" began in 1980 according to a project by architect Ranko Findrik and the Republican Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. The initiative came from the local crafts organization in Sirogojno and was realized thanks to the persistence of Dobrila Vasilević-Smiljanić, the engagement of ethnologist Bosa Rosić, national institutions and numerous collaborators." (from the museum’s website)

Today the Sirogojno Old Village is declared a cultural institution of national importance in the Republic of Serbia. In 2014 it received special recognition from the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage for the project "The Houses of Zlatibor from the 19th Century to the Present Day" for its efforts in preserving and maintaining cultural heritage in the category "Education and Awareness Raising."

As we walked through the complex, besides the fairy-tale feeling of being in another century, we were impressed by the large number of students, both younger and older, who arrived in organized groups to learn about the natural and cultural heritage of their country.

Of course, for the many tourists visiting Sirogojno Old Village there is also a traditional tavern serving Zlatibor dishes. There are also seven small Zlatibor wooden houses where both participants in the museum’s programs and tourists can stay. Each has a different capacity (from two to five beds), with a total of 29 beds.

Our eyes were drawn to a poster advertising the upcoming Christmas celebration, which in Serbia is celebrated on January 6. Visitors are invited to take part in authentic rituals such as cutting and placing the Christmas oak branch, bringing straw into the house and preparing the traditional Christmas Eve fasting dinner, so that the traditions will be remembered.

Entering a House as a Stranger and Leaving as an Old Friend

From Sirogojno Old Village we headed toward a restaurant famous for its organic food, where we had booked lunch. We drove through the mountains along a route that allowed us to enjoy their golden splendor. The best Serbian music through the years was playing on Lola Radio and together with the warm autumn sun it made us forget all the worries of the day.

We spotted a beautiful view and stopped to take photos. Nearby, in the yard of a lonely house, a woman was working on something. As soon as she noticed us, she greeted us and after only a couple of exchanged sentences invited us inside. We sat at a table under a grapevine. She offered coffee and tea, but we preferred to try the natural juices she proudly made herself - quince and blackberry. She told us that she and her husband had worked in Belgrade, but after retirement they came to live here in the fresh air in the house they had built years ago. Now they rent some rooms to tourists. We talked about professions, children and life - in Serbia and in Bulgaria. Strangely, we had met only minutes before, yet we were already talking like old friends. We said to ourselves: nowhere else in the world exists such warm Balkan and Slavic hospitality. And we did not even know exactly where on the map of Serbia we were. We were simply somewhere in the mountains…

We turned on the GPS and continued climbing. The road narrowed to a single lane, where two cars could barely pass each other, yet even here there wasn’t a single pothole. It was almost deserted: we crossed paths with only two or three cars and a stopped truck that men were loading with timber logs. We were traveling as if through a picturesque tunnel, formed by the yellowing crowns of the trees, which seemed to sprinkle the car with golden dust. We reached a peak, from which we began descending toward a hollow where the restaurant was located.

Unforgettable views. But also unforgettable cuisine. As soon as we entered, the owners warned us that the dishes were prepared on the spot and that we would need to wait patiently. We were no longer in a hurry and the wait was absolutely worth it. Everything on our plates came from the nearby farms. It’s hard to imagine tasting anything more delicious: roasted veal, banitsa, pavlak, ajvar, and so much more...

We left feeling full - of both food and beauty. What more could one ask for?

But the next day awaited us with

the Mokra Gora mountain and the Šargan Eight railway

The history and technical characteristics of the Šargan Eight heritage railway were already described in our previous article about Zlatibor. But if someone is in the region, they cannot resist riding the "Nostalgia" train once again. To feel the spirit of the old days and immerse themselves once more in the atmosphere of Emir Kusturica’s film "Life Is a Miracle."

There we were, standing on the platform of Mokra Gora railway station. Once this railway line was the main connection between Belgrade, Sarajevo and Dubrovnik. Today it is one of the main attractions in the Mokra Gora mountain region. Seen from above, its route resembles the number eight. It connects the village of Mokra Gora, declared one of the best tourist villages in the world by the UN World Tourism Organization in 2021, with the station Šargan Vitasi.

The ticket costs about 20 leva for adults and 10 leva for children.The train runs twice a day: at 10:30 and 13:30 (in summer also at 16:10). On each trip it passes 22 tunnels, five bridges, a 300-meter elevation difference and a total distance of 15,440 meters.

It is believed that three decades before the railway was built, the famous prophet Mitar Tarabić of Kremna predicted that "an iron road will cross the Gypsy slope with an iron fire carriage." And so it happened. The line operated until 1974, when the last passenger train passed through it. But Tarabić also predicted something else: that one day people would remember the railway and restore it - not for work, but for pleasure. And that also came true. In 1999 the Belgrade railway company decided to restore the line for tourism.

Seven years ago, the train ride truly was "pleasure, rest, and delight." This time, however, the carriage was packed like city transport even though it wasn’t peak tourist season. The people inside - Chinese, Russians, Hungarians, and Serbs, were so many that even the conductor, who is one of the attractions during the journey, couldn’t make his way through to "check" the tickets or share stories as he had done the previous time.

Well, if Mitar Tarabić were alive, he would probably predict: "Years will pass, and the museum railway "Šargan Eight" will take measures against overtourism, so that the charm of the nostalgic journey for pleasure, rest, and enjoyment is not lost."

Kusturica’s Wooden Town, also known as Küstendorf or Mećavnik

Locals say that when Emir Kusturica first saw the hill while filming the movie Life Is a Miracle, there was nothing on it, just a single building. But the great director couldn’t take his eyes off it. He himself recalls those days:  "I watched Mećavnik for hours, waiting for the sun to rise so we could continue filming on the hills of Mokra Gora, opposite Mećavnik. I looked with envy at the hill where there was nothing, but there was always sunshine!"

And as he contemplated it, Kusturica saw there the future Drvengrad. And a miracle happened. He bought the place and created a town like something out of a film but also a town for films.

From the very moment we entered, we saw that, just as its name suggests, wood reigns here - on the squares and streets, in and around the church, but most of all in the houses. Built in the traditional Dinaric style, inside they are equipped with all the achievements of modern civilization. We were amazed. Just a few hundred meters from the habitats of bears, wild boars, deer, and wolves, the "old" wooden houses of Mećavnik offer wireless internet, optical communication, and all the comforts of contemporary life. Here, old and new pulse in harmony.

And what happens in Küstendorf?

People create.Three feature films and two full-length documentaries by Emir Kusturica have been made here. Two already well-established festivals are organized: the international film and music festival Küstendorf Film and Music Festival and the music festival Bolshoi Festival. Two books have been written, and music is constantly heard… Little by little, Kusturica has turned the place into one of the centers of art and culture in Serbia.

Tourism is also thriving here. Mećavnik and the nearby mountain lodge "Mladost" in the Iver ski resort are managed by the company Lotika in Mokra Gora, owned by Kusturica. Together, they offer 115 accommodation rooms, 500 seats in restaurants and 350 on terraces, three cinemas or conference halls, children’s play areas, and an open-air amphitheater named after Gavrilo Princip. Mećavnik also features swimming pools, sports facilities, and various venues. It even has its own helipad, which can be used both for quick arrivals for those short on time and for emergency transport.

The director’s own house is also located here in a discreet spot, hidden from the gaze of tourists, whose curiosity for photos, as we know, is endless. And yet, almost no one can boast of having photographed it. Locals who have seen it say it is beautiful, built in the style of Drvengrad, but with pools and modern technical solutions.

It is clear: Drvengrad remains the director’s inspiration to this day, where he continues to work on new projects, both in cinema and in music.

The Zlatibor Gold Gondola – Fly High, Breathe Deep!

The longest panoramic cable car in the world stretches nine kilometers and connects Zlatibor with Tornik (1496 m). The Serbs call it the "Gold Gondola." One morning, we found ourselves at its starting station among the first tourists. We boarded one of the cabins, sent off by the smiles of the staff and a wooden figurine of a typical Zlatibor local holding the "gold gondola" in his hands.

The autumn sun gently warmed the rounded mountain peaks, while the panoramic views in all four directions filled our souls with beauty and bliss for about 30 minutes.

We passed above Ribnica Lake, then over the Tornik resort at the foot of the peak - the largest ski center in Western Serbia for alpine and cross-country skiing. Its diverse slopes have a total length of over 10 km. Destroyed during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, everything has now been restored and is developing dynamically.

We reached the summit. Everything here is clean, organized, and beautifully maintained. There is a place for photos with Zlatibor as a backdrop, a place for panoramic enjoyment where you can see everything around you, a place for romance - the nearby swing for two, a place for children to play, and a place for hungry tourists to grab a bite after breathing in the mountain air.

On the way back, we got off at the intermediate station near Ribnica Lake for a short walk. We watched the cabins of the "Gold Gondola" pass by one after another. Currently, the lift carries up to 800 passengers per hour with its 72 cabins (each with 10 seats), but its maximum capacity is 90 cabins and 1,000 passengers per hour. A ticket costs about 33 leva (round trip), with various discounts available for groups, local residents, children, pensioners, and more. Opened in 2021, the Zlatibor Gold Gondola welcomed its one-millionth visitor in 2025!

But beyond being a tourist attraction, the "Gold Gondola" is also a venue for culture and events. Its program is truly impressive: there is something for everyone: children, young people, adults… and even couples. Yes, couples too because the lift offers a special experience: enjoying the mountain scenery in a specially decorated cabin with champagne and sweet treats, along with a souvenir - champagne glasses bearing the symbol of the "Gold Gondola."

Events are plentiful as well. We read that just before our visit, between October 16 and 18, the First Cable Car Forum was held here, organized by the Zlatibor Gold Gondola. It brought together partners and experts in ropeway systems and sustainable tourism to exchange experience, knowledge, and ideas. Participants discussed the challenges and future of the lift industry, the development of mountain destinations, and their connectivity through cooperation and innovation.

The director of JP Gold Gondola Zlatibor, Bojana Božanić, hopes that Expo 2027 Belgrade will provide an opportunity for Zlatibor and the municipality of Čajetina to showcase what they have to offer, with a special focus on women’s entrepreneurship and locally produced goods.

The Multimedia Fountain of Zlatibor

Seven years ago, it didn’t exist - the multimedia fountain in the lake on King's Square Zlatibor! Back then, there were only peacefully strolling tourists around the water, following the locals’ advice: "Look high, breathe deep!" There was the laughter of young people, the whispers of lovers, and older visitors sitting on benches enjoying golden moments beneath the golden pines.

Now, one evening, we went for a walk in the center of the resort but everything felt shockingly different. It was as if all of Zlatibor had been drawn like a magnet to the lake. Amid the noise and the crowd, we witnessed an impressive water, light, and sound spectacle. This is created by the Multimedia Fountain of Zlatibor - the newest tourist attraction in the resort. Its show programs are a combination of water jets, laser lighting effects, and music. Video projections are displayed on a 30-meter-long and 10-meter-high water screen. Of its 23 water jets, 12 rise up to 18 meters, while 11 are dancing jets. Each jet operates independently and is programmed within the system. Meanwhile, the lakebed resembles a starry sky with its 200 points of light.

Clearly, the Multimedia Fountain is among the most modern in the world today but its impact on tourism is even more important. And that impact was evident that evening. With it, the municipality of Čajetina aims to create another attractive focal point for tourists in Zlatibor. The fountain was opened on June 30, 2022, marking Municipal Day, and is part of a larger project to fully renovate King’s Square, including the lake and surrounding park alleys, as well as a new open-air stage.

The Upcoming New Year 2026 and the Winter Tourist Season

In fact, it is right here, on King’s Square, that Zlatibor traditionally celebrates the New Year, each time attracting more than 20,000 people! The celebration always includes spectacular fireworks accompanied by a trumpet orchestra. Before the concert, children’s performances are organized, along with gift packages and sweets for the youngest visitors, and much more. It’s worth mentioning that Zlatibor takes care of children not only on New Year’s Eve. The resort is full of attractions year-round: Dino Park, Adventure Park, El Paso City…

According to the already announced program for welcoming 2026, three open-air concerts with free entry are planned, along with a Christmas fairytale and a gondola adventure. The festive program will be complemented by the "Zlatibor Christmas Fairytale" festival, running until January 31, 2026. Everything has been thought of and for everyone.

Before leaving the Serbian resort, we visited the souvenir market. If in the past it mainly offered items made from the "golden pine," now there was an incredible variety. We chose a few traditional souvenirs and of course some famous local specialties: Zlatibor prosciutto, cheeses, kajmak… all from small family farms in the area.

The truth is, Zlatibor, the pearl of Serbian tourism, has little in common with what it was seven years ago. Many new hotels operating or under construction, many old and new services, many old and new attractions…Where is it heading?

The statistics are clear. With the development of health, sports, congress, rural, youth, and culinary tourism, in 2025 Zlatibor remains the most visited mountain destination in Serbia. From January to September, a total of 341,966 tourists visited the "golden mountain" - an increase of 8.3% compared to the same period the previous year, according to the Zlatibor Tourist Organization. A total of 1,014,078 overnight stays were recorded - 5% more than the year before. With such results, it is only natural for Zlatibor to look optimistically toward the upcoming winter season.

The number of overnight stays by foreign tourists has also increased by 26% compared to January–September 2024. Most visitors come from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, China, Russia, Israel, Malta, followed by Croatia, Romania, Slovenia, Germany, and the United States…

And why not from Bulgaria as well?

After all, the distance between Zlatibor and Sofia is only about 450 km.

The team of “Diplomatic Spectrum” expresses its gratitude to the Tourist Organization of Serbia for their support in organizing this trip.

Photos: "Diplomatic Spectrum"

First row: Photos 1 and 2 – Stopića Cave; 3 and 4 – "Old Village" Sirogojno
Second row: "Old Village" Sirogojno
Third row: the mountain and the restaurant
Fourth, fifth, and sixth rows – Drvengrad
Seventh and eighth rows: Zlatibor Gold Gondola