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.

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.

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.

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..

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 (15^th), 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.