What should you look for if you're driving around Serbia? You can find some unexpected sights if you know where to look to make any trip more interesting.

History

Spomenik

The first unique sight to look for is spomenik, which are Yugoslav monuments made of concrete. This map reveals the locations of many (but not all) of these monuments.

Museums

A broad list of museums in Serbia helps you find history, art, and regional collections beyond the major cities. If you want performances, this list of theatres in Serbia is a quick way to see where stage productions are located. In Belgrade, the National Theatre is the flagship venue for opera, ballet, and drama if you want a classic night out.

UNESCO Heritage Sites

There are 5 UNESCO Heritage sites in Serbia, and 11 more on the tentative list. The 5 are: Stari Ras, Studenica Monastery, Gamzigrad, Medieval Monuments in Kosovo, and Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards. The list can be found in many places, including Wikipedia.

Castles and Fortresses

The Balkans are no stranger to conflict. Because of this, there are many old castles and fortresses across the country. A website dedicated to Serbian castles has a busy map while Wikipedia has a shorter list of old fortifications. The most well known ones are in the major cities (Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Nis) as well as Golubac and Smederevo. On the newer side of things are fancy castles in Vojvodina from more recent times.

Immovable Cultural Heritage of Exceptional Importance

Wikipedia's list is a catalog of nationally significant sites, useful when you want to build a route around top-tier heritage stops.

This list is not to be confused with Immovable Cultural Heritage of Great Importance

Spas

Thermals springs have created many spa towns throughout Serbia. These towns are often destinations of themselves, where locals go to take a break and relax.

Nature

Bird watching locations

Locals often aren't aware that Serbia is a good bird watching destination. One of the highlights are the owls in Kikinda, which is the largest owl roosting site in the world, with hundreds of owls. This map shows the many bird watching locations available around the country (and the entire world, for that matter) so you can detour from your standard path if you will be near one of these scenic nature spots.

National Parks

Serbia has 5 national parks in different parts of the country: Fruška Gora near Novi Sad, Tara on the border with Bosnia, Kopaonik near Kosovo, Djerdap near Romania, and Šar mountain in Kosovo. In addition to national parks, there are plentiful nature reserves and nature parks. Wikipedia has an organized list of these outdoors spots.

Hiking

Use the list of mountains in Serbia to pick regions for day hikes or multi-day routes. Pair that with the list of lakes in Serbia if you want loop hikes with a water stop or a lake-side picnic. For ready-made routes, this map of Serbia hikes is a practical way to find trail ideas near wherever you are driving.

Cycling

There are 3 Eurovelo trails that pass through Serbia (6, 11, and 13)

Scenic Roads

For a curated overview, this collection of best road trips or this list highlights classic routes and viewpoints. If you like dramatic drives, this list of trip ideas focuses on mountain passes and challenging stretches to plan around (or avoid).