
Sultans Trail in Serbia
Beautiful hiking trail in Serbia. The map below
shows the route of the Sultans Trail in Serbia.
The Sultans Trail in Serbia. The trail meanders too, crossing the Danube a number of times by bridge or ferry. Beyond Mohács, where the Hungarian kingdom was crushingly defeated by the Ottoman army of Sultan Süleyman in 1526, the trail enters the Serbian region of Vojvodina.
At first, the landscape in Serbia is much like that in Hungary, albeit more wet with creeks and ditches. We also come across a number of extensive fish farms. The inhabitants of the region are of a mixed origin, Croats, Hungarians, Serbs, each preserving its culture of origin as is demonstrated by the different churches.
SERBIA
Tracks
General information
In Serbia, we first find the Danube-Drava National Park and at its edge the famous Jelen Beer factory followed by the city of Sombor, and Bač Fortress. Near the Fruska Gora, the trail briefly enters Croatia at the city of Ilok. After visiting Novi Sad and Petrovaradin Fortress, the trail passes through Sremski Karlovci and visits 3 monasteries in the Fruska Gora, Stari Slankamen at the Danube and, in the final stage of this section the city of Zemun and of course the historic city of Belgrade and its strategic important fortress Kalemegdan, at the confluence of the Sava and the Danube.
Start point
Both Belgrade and Sofia have an international airport used by a number of low-cost carriers. Niš airport is frequented far less.
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (IATA code: BEG) is located ca.12km west of downtown Belgrade. Public transportation to the city is carried out by (mini)bus.
The A1 minibus airport shuttle to Slavija Square, stops at the central station also, ticket price ca. RSD 330 (pay on the bus), approximate travel time 30 minutes.
Bus line 72 to Zeleni venac square (downtown Belgrade), ticket price RSD 89 (when bought at the kiosk) of RSD 150 (when bought on the bus), approximate travel time 30-40 minutes.
Bus line 607 to New Belgrade, ticket price RSD 89 (when bought at the kiosk) or RSD 150 (when bought on the bus), approximate travel time 30 minutes.
Taxi service is best arranged at TAXI INFO to ensure the best rate. TAXI INFO is located in the baggage claim area at the airport.
For city-transport see www.eway.rs or download the EasyWay public transport App
Niš Constantine the Great Airport (IATA code: INI) is located 4 km northwest of downtown Niš. The airport has a limited number of connections. Airliners using it are Ryanair and Wizz Air.
How to get there
Novi Sad and Belgrade are well connected by a high-frequency bus connection, operated by various carriers, leaving from bus terminals at the respective central stations. Travel time ca. 1hr 45 min, price RSD 400-750, see: www.busticket4.me
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (IATA code: BEG) is located ca.12km west of downtown Belgrade. Public transportation to the city is carried out by (mini)bus.
A1 minibus to Slavija Square also stops at the central station, ticket price ca. RSD 330 (pay on the bus), approximate travel time 30 minutes.
Bus line 72 to Zeleni venac square (downtown Belgrade), ticket price RSD 89 (when bought at the kiosk) of RSD 150 (when bought on the bus), approximate travel time 30-40 minutes.
Bus line 607 to New Belgrade, ticket price RSD 89 (when bought at the kiosk) of RSD 150 (when bought on the bus), approximate travel time 30 minutes.
Taxi service is best arranged at TAXI INFO to ensure the best rate. TAXI INFO is located in the baggage claim area at the airport.
For city transport see www.eway.rs or download the EasyWay public transport App
Belgrade has good bus connections to the Serbian hinterland, check www.checkmybus.com or www.busticket4.me
GPX/KML files
GPX/KML files are available from our webshop in the Digital Information Package. Also available in the Sultans Trail App from Google Playstore. Tracks are free for our members, who also enjoy other benefits, like the Sultans Trail passport.
Formalities
Serbia is not a EU member or part of the Schengen zone.
The currency in Serbia is dinar. Credit cards and bank cards are readily accepted.
The main language is Serbian, Russian, some German. English is well understood.
Route Updates
Connecting countries
Landscape

The trail leaves Belgrade from Stamboli Gate at the Kalemegdan fortress. It runs via the mountain Avala, through the hills at the Danube shore, to Smederevo where the Danube is left behind. The trail turns south at Smederevo into the Morava valley. The direction of travel is the one that in Roman times was known as Via Militaris. In the east, the mountains of the Stara Planina (Slavic: old mountains) also known as Balkan (Turkish: a range of mountains covered with forests), are closing in. In the west low hills at first, followed by low mountains of the Johur massive near Kruševac and the Jastrebac before Niš will be passed.
At Niš, the Via Militaris branches off, one branch towards Skopje and Thessaloniki, the other one to Sofia and Istanbul. The later branch seeks its way around the Suva Planina (Dry Mountain) and so does the Sultans Trail. Two alternative roads are presented here, both with logistical issues. The first route follows the old Roman trajectory through the Sićevo gorge, the other one penetrates the Suva Planina area and passes over the ridge at the Preslap mountain pass. Both routes join again at Bela Palanka.
The old road to Sofia has disappeared, probably paved over with the concrete of the international highway E-80, which is currently being replaced by a new motorway.
Nature
Halfway Vojvodina a low mountain range, called Fruska Gora, forces the Danube to bend eastwards until, at Novi Sad, it can continue south again. Where the Danube turns east, the trail crosses over to the other side and briefly enters Croatia at the town of Ilok, and continues through the Fruska Gora towards Novi Sad, a vibrant college town.
All the way to Belgrade the altitude of the right bank of the river is substantially higher than the left bank, allowing for sometimes spectacular views into the Pannonian plain, down below. From Novi Sad, a number of routes can be chosen to get to Belgrade. The main route follows the right river bank, but an interesting alternative route visits 3 of the 16 orthodox monasteries which are hidden in the Fruska Gora.
Food
Culture
In Serbia, we first find the Danube-Drava National Park and at its edge the famous Jelen Beer factory followed by the city of Sombor, and Bač Fortress. Near the Fruska Gora, the trail briefly enters Croatia at the city of Ilok. After visiting Novi Sad and Petrovaradin Fortress, the trail passes through Sremski Karlovci and visits 3 monasteries in the Fruska Gora, Stari Slankamen at the Danube and, in the final stage of this section the city of Zemun and of course the historic city of Belgrade and its strategic important fortress Kalemegdan, at the confluence of the Sava and the Danube.
Brief History
Treaty of Karlovci

Negotiations hall of the Treaty of Karlovci
In Sremski Karlovci representatives of the Ottoman empire and Holy League negotiated a peace treaty, after the defeat of the Ottoman army at the second siege of Vienna in 1683. The negotiations were moderated by Dutch and English diplomats. More..
Monuments
Special places

The mighty Donjon of Manasija Monastery
This monastery had the largest scriptorium in medieval Serbia, which continued working in Ottoman times, thus preserving many sacred books for the Serbian orthodoxy
In Serbia, we come across remarkable places. Such as the Smederevo fortress (15th), the temporary capital of Serbia in the Middle Ages. It’s mighty walls and towers survived intact until during the second WW when a German ammunition train exploded nearby. But the remains are still very impressive.
Further on, the Trail passes through the lovely monastery of Koporin.
A few legs further, at Despotovac the majestic fortified Manasija monastery is found.
In Kruševac remains of the mediaeval city are preserved.
Tucked away in the Jastrebac mountains, the trail passes through the lovely medical spa-resort, Ribarska banja.

A meeting in the Suva Planina
Across the Jastrebac we find the city of Niš, a landmark on the trail in Serbia. The history of Niš goes far back in time. Its present-day fortress was built in Ottoman times on the foundations of an earlier Roman fortification. Memories of Roman times are also exhibited in Mediana, the birthplace of emperor Constantine the Great (272-337).
Of a different order is the testimony of the violent encounter between Serbian insurgents and Ottoman forces during the first Serbian uprising (1809), which are preserved in the Skull tower, located on the old road to Istanbul. More recent atrocities are commemorated in the SS prison camp.
Bela Palanka houses two working watermills and displays a Roman milestone and remains of Ottoman city walls.
The city of Pirot had its name written in Greek, in ancient times. Thus indicating the cultural demarcation line between the Latin and the Greek world. The small castle of Pirot is recently restored.
Here we will quote a recommendation.