Cyclists will adore Serbia. Not only is the main cities open to cyclists on the road, but amenities for mountain bikers is on the up as the sport grows in popularity. There are marked cycle routes on most of Serbia’s well known mountain areas like Kopaonik, Zlatibor and Stara Planina, along with cable lifts for transporting cycles.
Meanwhile Western Serbia has 400 km of marked paths crossing breathtaking areas such as Tara National Park, which itself has 27 bike path routes. However, these routes are only recommended for experienced mountain bikers.
The Beast From The East, or to give it its formal name, EuroVelo 11, runs through Serbia from the Hungarian border at Djala, travelling south to the Macedonian border at Jablanica. This route features flatlands, rivers, dense forests and countless villages. From Belgrade, the route crosses the Danube heading south past historic churches and breathtaking scenery before eventually crossing into Macedonia.
The Danube Bike Trail stretches for 2,857 km, following Europe’s second longest river through nine countries. It also forms part of the even longer EuroVelo 6, the epic “Rivers Route” which stretches from the Atlantic to the Black Sea.
Serbia’s section of the Danube Bike Trail is over 660 km in length beginning at Backi Breg on the Hungarian border and running through to Negotin on the Bulgarian border. Highlights include the Upper Danube Nature Reserve, Fruška Gora National Park and the Djerdap ‘Iron Gate’ Gorge – the longest in Europe, and one of the most beautiful stretches of the entire Danube.
Man-made splendours include the majestic 14th century Golubac Fortress, countless monasteries and Belgrade itself. The route also affords many alternative stretches and detours, allowing cyclists to further explore Serbia.
The Iron Curtain Trail is extraordinarily tough. This EuroVelo 13 route from the Arctic Circle to Turkey traces the Cold War Iron Curtain divide between East and West Europe. The more moderate Serbia stretch skirts the borders with Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria and runs through the flat plains of the north to the mountains of the East. Its undoubted highlight is Djerdap Gorge and the passage between the Iron Gates.
The Circular Day Tour on Mount Bobija is located in Azbukovica, near the town of Ljubovija, only two hours’ drive from Belgrade. This mountain is rarely included on tourist maps – and indeed has little web precense – but it exists and is a paradise for nature lovers. The circular route takes you through the canyon of Tribuće with its deciduous forest and rocky outcrops where you can spot the griffon vulture.