In recent years, Serbia has been actively developing as an important tourist center in the Balkans. At the same time, the country is ready to offer travelers a varied vacation, including winter sports at local ski resorts. The main factors that attract active recreation lovers to Serbia are the presence of wonderful ski resorts.
They are distinguished by a good level of service, preparation and equipment of the slopes, and at the same time affordable prices. All this makes local ski centers an excellent alternative to more famous, but also more expensive Alpine resorts.
Kopaonik
Kopaonik is a mountain range stretching for 100 km through all the central regions of the country. Its highest part is called Flat Kopaonik, where the highest peaks of this mountain system are located – Pančev Vrh (2 km) and Karaman Vucak (1.9 km). Here in 1964, on the territory of the Kopaonik National Park, a winter resort of the same name was founded.
From the first years of its existence, it gained great popularity both among local ski lovers and foreign tourists. In 1981, part of the Kopaonik slopes was certified by the international ski federation FIS, and since then slalom and downhill competitions have been regularly held here.
Today Kopaonik is the largest resort in Serbia, quite modern and in demand among fans of winter recreation. Every year, about three dozen ski slopes are equipped here, suitable for both beginner amateurs and professional athletes. The longest of them is 3.5 km long with a height difference of 960 meters. In addition, Kopaonik has several slopes for giant slalom, super-giant slalom and a “Snow Park” for snowboarding.
For night skiing there is a 450-meter descent “Small Lake”, equipped with artificial lighting.
An extensive system of mechanical lifts with a total length of over 75 km delivers athletes to the tops of the slopes. The climate in this area is quite mild, with high amounts of winter precipitation. In addition, a significant part of the local slopes are equipped with snow generators, allowing you to practice alpine skiing even in winters with little snow and during the spring thaw.
The resort offers an extensive aper-ski recreation program: for young tourists there is a kindergarten with animators and an interesting entertainment program. Adult vacationers will be able to visit one of the many bars or cafes, a spa salon, a night club, and play tennis on the indoor courts.
Nature lovers will be able to stroll through the picturesque surroundings of the resort, enjoying the beauty of the local national park. Every March, the international festival “Big Snow” is held in Kopaonik, bringing together masters of jazz and reggae.
How to get there?
Kopaonik is located 290 km from Belgrade International Airport. The easiest way to get to the ski center from here is to order a taxi transfer in advance. Many travel agencies offer a similar service; travel time is about 4 hours. You can also rent a car in the Serbian capital and get to the resort on your own. In this case, you will need to take the E-760 highway along the route Belgrade-Lig-Kraljevo-Raška-Kopaonik.
Specifications:
- Height difference – 960 meters
- Resort height – 1057 – 2017 meters
- Length of running tracks – 12 km
- The total length of the ski slopes is 55 km
- Number of tracks – 27
- “Blue” – 30 km
- “Red” – 19 km
- “Black” – 6 km
- Lifts – 23 (1 gondola, 10 chairlifts, 12 rope tows)
- Day ski pass for adults/children – 33€ / 25€
- Season duration : from November to April
Stara Planina
Stara Planina is a ski center located in the east of the country, near the town of Knjazevac. This mountainous area is considered one of the most beautiful in all of Serbia thanks to its vast virgin forests, picturesque snow-capped peaks and green valleys between them. Located in the Stara Planina mountains, the resort of the same name is at an altitude of 1.8 km, which allows for excellent conditions for winter sports.
Despite the rather mild winter, quite a lot of snow falls in this area – sometimes the thickness of the snow cover exceeds one and a half meters. Every year here, on the slopes of Mount Babin Zub, trails of varying difficulty levels are laid, equipped with different types of cable cars. There are also cabin funiculars, tugboats, and conveyor belts for children.
Of the 13 km of ski slopes, over 4 km are covered by an artificial snowmaking system, and the Markova Livada slope is designed for night skiing. The longest of the slopes has a length of 1150 meters with a height difference of 495 meters, and two slopes are certified by FIS according to international sports standards. For snowboarding and freestyle skiing, the resort has two separate slopes, a ski school with a staff of experienced instructors and equipment rental.
In addition to skiing, vacationers on Stara Planina can visit a sports complex with a fitness center, swimming pool, sauna and spa. The resort also has a restaurant, cafes, bars, and night discos are held regularly. Around the ski center, in the most picturesque places of the foothills, hiking trails are laid.
How to get there?
The easiest way for foreign tourists to get to Stara Planina is by ordering a transfer from Belgrade or Nis international airport. The capital of Serbia is separated from the ski center by 330 km, and from Nis by 110 km. There is also a regular bus between Stara Planina and these two largest Serbian cities. So, from Nis in the direction of Knjazevets past Stara Planina, a bus leaves every hour from the central bus station. In addition, it is possible to rent a car and get to the ski center on your own.
Specifications:
- Height difference – 694 meters
- Resort altitude – 1475 – 2169 meters
- The total length of the ski slopes is 13 km
- Number of tracks – 9
- “Blues” – 4
- “Reds” – 3
- “Black” – 2
- Lifts – 6 (1 gondola, 2 chairlifts, 2 rope tows, 1 belt lift)
- Day ski pass adults/children – 17.4€ / 13.5€
- Season duration : from December to March
Tornik (Zlatibor)
Zlatibor is a small resort town in the Dinaric Mountains, which gets its name from the special variety of pine trees with golden needles that grow in this area. This area, thanks to its amazingly beautiful landscapes and healing air, is extremely popular among both residents of Serbia and foreign tourists.
Every year Zlatibor receives up to a million vacationers who come here to improve their health and play sports. There is a ski center 10 km from the city center, at the foot of the nearby Tornik Mountain. It is located at an altitude of 1.2 km, and the highest starting point is at almost one and a half kilometers. Tornik has a wide selection of slopes – from amateur “blue” ones to professional “black” ones.
All of them are equipped with mechanical lifts with a one-time capacity of 107 people, and with a throughput capacity of more than 3 thousand people per hour. Among them there are several specialized children’s lifts “baby elevators”. Most of the slopes are covered with artificial snowmaking systems and evening lighting. At the foot of Tornik there are trails for cross-country skiing and biathlon, where national and international championships are held.
As an aper-ski holiday, tourists can go for walks on snowmobiles and motor sleighs; there are spa salons, fitness rooms, and health resorts in Zlatibor. Those who want to try their luck in gambling are invited to visit the casino operating in the city.
How to get there?
The winter resort of Tornik is located 9 km from the town of Zlatibor. From Belgrade International Airport you can order a taxi transfer directly to one of the ski center hotels. There is also a regular bus service between the Serbian capital and Zlatibor. Arriving in Zlatibor, the tourist will need to transfer to a local bus going to Tornik, or take a taxi.
Specifications:
- Height difference – 396 meters
- Resort altitude –1100 – 1496 meters
- The total length of the ski slopes is 8 km
- Number of tracks – 6
- “Blues” – 3
- “Reds” – 2
- “Black” – 1
- Lifts – 8 (6 chair lifts, 2 rope tows)
- Day ski pass for adults/children – 19€ / 15€
- Season duration : from December to March
Divchibare
Divcibare is a popular ski center located in the middle of the Malen mountain range, a couple of hours drive from Belgrade. This area has long been a place for year-round recreation due to the ecological purity of nature, mild climate and healing mountain air. The resort was opened in 1963 at an altitude of 980 meters under the patronage of the Climatic Institute of Yugoslavia.
Today in Divchibar there are two ski slopes of a fairly high difficulty category. One of them, “Centar,” is intended for amateurs with experience in downhill skiing, and the second, “Chrni Vrh,” is for professional skiers. Both of them are equipped with lifts, snow generators, and “Tsentar” has artificial lighting for skiing after sunset.
Beginners and inexperienced lovers can play sports at the nearby Zmey camp site with gentle, safe slopes. Stable snow cover in this mountainous area lasts for over 100 days, and winters are very mild, without severe frosts.
In the vicinity of Divchibar, there are several walking and cycling tourist routes, thanks to which vacationers can get acquainted with the most interesting natural attractions of this region. Among the most beautiful places in Malen, the Black River Canyon, the 30-meter Skakalo waterfall and mineral springs at the foot of the Chubritsa and Markov Chantsy mountains stand out. In the area of the mountain lake Divchibarskoe there are 3 cross-country ski tracks, each of which is 300 meters long.
How to get there?
Divcibare is 136 km from Belgrade International Airport. The most convenient way to overcome them is to pre-book a transfer directly to the resort center. Another option is to rent a car in Belgrade and drive here yourself. In both cases, the travel time will be about 2 hours. Unfortunately, there is no direct bus service between Divcibare and Belgrade.
Specifications:
- Height difference – 220 meters
- Resort height – 960 – 1180 meters
- Cross-country track length – 900 m
- The total length of the ski slopes is 1,450 m
- Number of tracks – 2
- “Reds” – 1 piece, 850 m
- “Black” – 1 piece, 600 m
- Lifts – 2
- Day ski pass for adults/children – 12€ / 9€
- Season duration : from December to March
Crni Vrh
0 km from the town of Bor, in the southwest of the country, is the ski resort Crni Vrh (“Black Top”). A winter recreation center called “Planinar House” was opened here back in 1952, and was intended for the recreation of the highest party nomenklatura of Yugoslavia. Even the country’s communist leader Joseph Tito often vacationed here.
Two high-speed routes are built here every year, with one starting point at an altitude of more than 1 kilometer. From here begins the red-black descent, one and a half kilometers long. Approximately halfway along its length, it splits – a more flat blue-red route departs from it.
A modern ski lift delivers athletes to the starting point at the top of the mountain, and at the foot of the slope there is a rental point for sports equipment. Up to 40 cm of snow falls here annually, and winter temperatures are quite comfortable for sports. Tourists can stay at Crni Vrhe at the Panorama Hotel, located near the ski slope.
How to get there?
The winter resort of Crni Vrh is located 244 km from Belgrade. The most convenient way to get here from the capital’s airport is to use the transfer service offered by many tour operators. Tourists will also be able to rent a car in Belgrade and drive to the ski center on their own, or hire a taxi. Another option is to get to Bor by public transport, and from this town, located 30 km from Crni Vrha, take a taxi directly to the resort.
Specifications:
- Height difference – 143 meters
- Resort height – 900 – 1043 meters
- The total length of the ski slopes is 2.4 km
- Number of tracks – 2
- “Blue-red” – 1 piece, 903 m
- “Red-black” – 1 piece, 1500 m
- Lifts – 1 rope tow
- Season duration : from December to March
Vrnjacka Banja (Goc)
Vrnjacka Banja is a balneological and climatic resort widely known outside of Serbia. It gained its popularity among vacationers thanks to the healing springs operating here. Already in the era of ancient Rome, thermal baths were equipped here, used for medicinal purposes. Later, high-ranking officials and military leaders of the Ottoman Empire rested here, and after the expulsion of the Turks from the country, representatives of the Serbian aristocracy led by Grand Duke Obrenovic. Officially, the resort center Vrnjacka Banja has been operating since 1867 as an all-season holiday destination, which is often called the “Serbian Karlovy Vary”.
Today, Vrnjacka Banja offers travelers a whole range of recreation, including winter sports. For these purposes, a ski center is equipped here with slopes laid on the slopes of the nearby Toch Mountain.
In total, every winter there are 5 trails of varying difficulty levels, mostly designed for beginners and intermediate-level enthusiasts. The slopes are equipped with two lifts, and there is a jumping area equipped with a 30-meter ski jump.
In addition, vacationers will be able to go mountaineering or rock climbing on nearby peaks, and improve their health in one of the local balneological sanatoriums.
How to get there?
The easiest way for foreign travelers to get to Vrnjacka Banja is from Niš International Airport. A little further, 200 km away, is Belgrade Airport. From both of these cities you can order a taxi transfer directly to the resort center. In addition, a regular bus leaves daily from the Belgrade central bus station, which is located near the railway station, to Vrnjacka Banja.
Specifications:
- The height of the resort is 230 meters
- The total length of the ski slopes is 1.4 km
- Number of tracks – 5
- Lifts – 2
- Season duration : from December to March
Brezovica
Brezovitsa is a resort center located on the territory of the Skorushinsky Highlands in the Shar Planina National Park. This area is de facto part of the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo, so it will be easier to get here not from Serbia, but through neighboring Albania or North Macedonia.
The entire surrounding area is occupied by picturesque mountain ranges covered with coniferous forests with a total area of 39 thousand hectares. Among travelers, Brezovica is famous for its excellent conditions for active recreation – wonderful nature, a very high level of service and reasonable prices.
The active development of the resort is facilitated by climatic conditions: there is snow in this area 130 days a year. Thanks to this, the ski season in Brezovice lasts from November to mid-May. Every year, 9 alpine skiing and 2 cross-country trails are laid here, and there are also 16 FIS-certified slalom slopes. The resort has an equipment rental office and a kindergarten where parents can leave their children in the care of animators.
There is a ski school in Brezovica, where experienced trainers can teach beginners the basics of skiing. In addition to sports, vacationers will be able to take walks through the territory of the national park, enjoy the purity of the mountain air rich in the aroma of pine needles and views of picturesque valleys with crystal-clear rivers and lakes.
How to get there?
The resort of Brezovica is located on the territory of the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo. Although formally this territory is considered part of Serbia, it will be easier to get here from Albania or North Macedonia. In the first case, you will need to fly to Tirana International Airport, and in the second, to the airport of the Macedonian capital Skopje, which is 60 km from Brezovica. From the Albanian and Macedonian capital you can order a taxi transfer or rent a taxi.
Specifications:
- Height difference – 783 meters
- Resort altitude – 1717 – 2500 meters
- Length of running tracks – 9 km
- The total length of the ski slopes is 15 km
- Number of tracks – 9
- “Blues” – 2
- “Reds” – 4
- “Black” – 1
- Lifts – 10 (5 chairlifts, 5 rope tows)
- Season duration : from November to May
Raikovo-Maidanpek
Raikovo is a small ski resort four kilometers from the town of Maidanpek. It is located at the foot of Mount Staritsa, in an area famous for its natural beauty. This winter recreation center is more popular not among foreign travelers, but among residents of Serbia. However, all lovers of a cozy, quiet holiday in the lap of nature will be able to appreciate Raikovo. Picturesque landscapes, peace and quiet of this area, healing mountain air – all this is the best way to restore peace of mind.
There are two amateur-level trails with a total elevation difference of 200 meters and a length of 1 and 1.2 km. The athletes are delivered to the starting point, to the top of Staritsa, by an anchor conveyor with a capacity of 1,100 people every hour.
Vacationers will be able to stay in one of the hotels operating in Maidanpek, or rent housing in the private sector. The city has all the necessary infrastructure – shops, cafes, restaurants, bars.
Among the main attractions of the resort is Raykova Cave, the largest in the whole country. It has a total length of 2 km, of which 600 meters are accessible to visitors.
How to get there?
To Majdanpek from Belgrade International Airport, located 177 km away, tourists can order a transfer by contacting representatives of “their” travel agency. You can also get to this resort town from the Serbian capital by hiring a taxi or using a regular bus. Travel time by car will be about 2.5 hours, the cost of a taxi trip will be 15.2 thousand dinars, and by intercity bus – 1.2 thousand dinars.
Specifications:
- Height difference – 200 meters
- The total length of the ski slopes is 2.2 km
- Number of tracks – 2
- Lifts – 1
- Season duration : from December to March
Zlatar
Zlatar is a year-round resort located near the town of Nova Varos, 140 km south of the Serbian capital. This area is distinguished by the purity of its air, which has healing properties thanks to the vast coniferous forests. In winter, two ski slopes are equipped here, one of which is 955 meters long and the other 800 meters. One of them, the longer one, is equipped with artificial lighting and is suitable for night skiing. A modern lift takes athletes to the starting point; travel time does not exceed 5 minutes.
The slopes are equipped with snow generators and are constantly compacted with snowcats, which makes skiing as comfortable as possible in any weather. The Zlatar slopes meet international standards, which is why they are periodically used for ski competitions at various levels. The Night Slalom competition, held here annually under torchlight, looks especially colorful.
In the vicinity of Nova Varosha, through the most picturesque areas, there are numerous walking routes. Nearby there is a balneological sanatorium “Priboysky”, where you can undergo health treatments, visit the SPA center, and swim in pools with geothermal water. Tourists can stay at the Panorama Hotel right at the foot of the ski slope, or in one of the Nova Varosha hotels.
How to get there?
The resort center of Zlatar is 140 km away from the capital of Serbia, and the easiest way to get here from the international airport is if you book a transfer in advance. Also, regular buses run daily between Belgrade and the town of Nova Varos, closest to the resort center.
Other options for getting to Zlatar are to hire a taxi at the capital’s airport, or rent a car and drive to the resort center along the Adriatic Highway. If you prefer to travel by rail, then you should take the Belgrade-Bar train and get off at Priboj station. From here the distance to Zlatar is 35 km, and there is a regular bus to the ski center.
Specifications:
- Height difference – 214 meters
- Resort height – 1327 – 1541 meters
- The total length of the ski slopes is 1,755 m
- Number of tracks – 2 (800 and 955 m)
- Lifts – 2 (1 chairlift, 1 rope tow)
- Season duration : from December to March
Besna Kobila
Besna Kobila (“Mad Mare”) is the youngest of the Serbian ski resorts, opened near the town of Vranje at the foot of the mountain of the same name. This winter recreation center is currently under active development, so something new appears here every year: slopes and infrastructure facilities are opened, technical equipment systems are installed.
Currently, fans of alpine skiing have three slopes of varying difficulty levels with a total length of one and a half kilometers. There is a comfortable hotel nearby, and there are individual comfortable chalets. The height of Mount Besna Kobila is almost 2 km, and it offers amazingly beautiful views of the surrounding areas. Due to the high altitude, snow cover lasts most of the year, and the ski season lasts from October to May.
How to get there?
Besna Kobila is located 367 km from the Serbian capital and 35 km from the city of Vranje. The easiest way to get here for a foreign traveler is to book a transfer from Belgrade airport. You can also take a regular bus or train from Belgrade to the town of Vranje. The travel time will take 3.5 hours, the cost of travel by bus will be 1.9 thousand dinars, and by train – 1.6 thousand. From Vranje to Besna Kobila you can take a taxi or take a local shuttle bus.
Specifications:
- The height of the resort is 1923 meters
- The total length of the ski slopes is 1.5 km
- Number of tracks – 3
- Season duration : from October to May