Jastrebac Mountain

Jastrebac is the highest mountain in central Serbia, located between the towns of Kruševac, Niš and Prokuplje. Amongst all Balkan mountains Jastrebac mountain features the dense forests and abundance of waters and springs. It consists of two massifs, Great  and Small Jastrebac. It's highest peak Velika Dzulica has an elevation of 1,492 meters above sea level. It is well-forested and presents a popular hiking and mountaineering destination.

Jastrebac is bounded by the rivers of South Morava on the west, Toplica on the south and Rasina on the east. Despite relatively low height, it is prominent because of the surrounding valleys. It is located on the boundary of Dinaric, Balkan and Rhodopes mountain ranges, but cannot be clearly classified into either.

Jastrebac Mountain is specially convenient for nature-lovers, walkers, mountaineers and recreant visitors enjoying easy mountaineering and walking along vast meadows full of springs and waterfalls. The highest summits of Jastrebac mountains are "Ðulica" peak (1491 m) and "Pogled" peak (1481 m) that make the natural border between Toplica river and Pomoravlje area. Thick forests of Jastrebac mountain represent rich raw material for wood-processing industry of Kruševac.

At the southern slopes of Jastrebac mountaint here is the artificial lake with beautiful shore situated in the heart of sunny valley. Variety of trekking walkways are spread along Jastrebac mountain : "Bele Stene" (1257 m), "Stracimira" (1390 m),"Maznice" (1140 m) as well as routes up to the springs and the old St. Petka church or the medieval Gradac fortification.

Đunis monastery

Đunis monastery with the church of Holy Virgin is female monastery in village of Đunis, near Kruševac.

According to legend, back in 1898 this sacred place was found by  a little girl, Milojka Jocić, who was told by Holy Virgin that she must tell others that they must build church on this place and then she blessed the source from which water came, which would heal the sick people.

In 1960 it was decided by Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox church, that church of Holy Virgin should be a monastery. In 1977 the cornerstone for large church was set, which was consecreted in 2001. by patriarch Pavle. Painting her was attended by Greek artist Adonis, professor Dragomir Jašović and others. The iconostasis was worked by monastery schoolars from monastery Žiča.

Every 14th of october, the Shroud of the Holy Virgin in the monastery gather several thousand believers to attend all-day vigil and monring liturgy.

Monastery of St. Roman

Monastery of St. Roman is monastery of Serbian Orthodox church, located near Ražanj. It is considered to be the oldest monastery in Serbia. Monastery is located in municipality of Ražanj on the right bank of the South Morava. In addition to the monastery goes the way that connects Ražanj and Kruševac. Nearest settlement is village Đunis.

Monastery of St. Roman is one of the oldest monasteries in the Serbian territory. Monastery belongs to a small group of monasteries that were built before Nemanjić dynasty. The Saint Roman came in 888 year in this region. In hristovulji (type of decree) of Emperor Basil II in 1011, the monastery was mentioned for the first time. The first official mention is from 1498.

The monastery is famous for a monk who lived there, Roman Sinaite, who was sainted after his death and monastery got it's name after him. The tomb of St. Roman with it's relics is still at monastery. He is respected as a saint and a healer. Sinaite monks are followers of the Thessaloniki saint Gregory Palamas, who accepted his teaching and came to Serbia during prince Lazar's reign.

Today's monastery church is built by prince Lazar's manager of the stud on old foundations.  It was restored by Djordje Pile 1795 in gratidute for his own healing while he was visiting monastery. Paintings are also from 1795 and has been saved in the choir rooms. It is believed that under a layer of lime there are older frescoes. The new murals were made in 1831.

The monastery is in good conidition and living today. From 1960 till 2102 it was a female monastery but today it is a male monastery. Monastery have it's production program, which products are made for equipping orthodox churches.

Ljubostinja monastery

Ljubostinja is a Serbian Orthodox monastery near Trstenik, Serbia. Located in the small mountain valley of the Ljubostinja river. The monastery is dedicated to the Holy Virgin. The monastery was built from the 1388 to 1405. In Ljubostinja were buried Princess Milica, Lazar Hrebeljanović's wife and Nun Jefimija, which after the Battle of Kosovo here became a nun along with a number of other widows of Serbian noblemans who lost their life's in the battles on the river Maritsa and Kosovo Polje.

Ljubostinja is female monastery which preserves and maintains about fifty nuns. During the rebellion of Kočine, the people were invited on rebellion from the Ljubostinje monastery. After the collapse of rebellion Turks burned the monastery to revenge the Serbs, and most of the frescoes were destroyed. Also, when the monastery was set on fire a secret treasure was discovered that was hidden in the monastery wall behind icons in which the Princess Milica hid their treasure. Among the stolen treasure was located Crown of Prince Lazar, which is now located in Istanbul.

Monastery Ljubostinja have one dome and narthex. It was built with trimmed stones, while the facade are re-plastered and painted to imitate masonry of stone and bricks. The monastery was built in the Morava Style. The builder is master Rade Borović, whose name is on the threshold of the passage from the narthex to nave. Paintings is only partially preserved, and it was built on two occasions. In the narthex are portraits of Prince Lazar and Princess Milica made by Hieromonk Makarije. From the painting works are still preserved: "Great Holidays," "Passion," "Miracles" ... The church also have very valuable iconostasis, which was painted by Nikola Marković in 1822.

Ljubostinja was declared a Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.

Vrnjačka spa

In the rolling hills of Central Serbia sits the idyllic spa town of Vrnjčka spa, harmoniousliy balanced in it's beatiful natural surrounding. Vrnjačka spa is located 200km south of Belgrade, set amongst the foothills of Goč mountain to the south, east and west, and the Gledićke mountain range to the north. Besides Goč (1147m) and Kopaonik (2017m), there are also the mountains of Željin (1785m), Jastrebac (1492m) and Stolovi (1375m). The mountain area of Vrnjačka spa is interlaced with green meadows and mountain streams that lead into the Zapadna Morava river. The rivers of  Ibar on the west and Rasina to the east surround the spa's idyllic setting.

First established as a tourist spa in 1868, Vrnjačka spa has long been known as one of Serbia's most popular European-styled spa's, complete with curative mineral water springs, clean air and natural beauty. It's stunning location provides a unique microclimate, which las led to development of lush landscaped grounds that provide an oasis of tranquility and beauty for guests to enjoy and relax.

It owes it's reputation to therapeutic effects known already to the Roman troops in the 2nd century AD. It was upgraded by the Czech Baron Herder in 1835 after prince Miloš Obrenović  wanted to be like Karlovy Vary, it has since received people from all of Southern Europe, who came to rest or for treatment. Summers are pleasant, and the winter is mild. With organized walks along the tree bordered paths, Vrnjačka spa is an ideal place to come to for one's own salvation. Natural springs can be found  on five mineral water sources well positioned in the park. The warm water (36 degrees Celsius) is ideal for massage, and cool (17 degrees Celsius) sufficiently reviving.

There are seven mineral springs in Vrnjačka spa, from which first four are used for medical treatment:

• Topla voda (36.5 degrees Celsius)
• Snežnik (17 degrees Celsius)
• Slatina (24 degrees Celsius)
• Jezero (27 degrees Celsius)
• Beli izvor
• Borjak
• Vrnjačko vrelo

The hotels are numerous and have swimming pools and halls for games. In winter, it is convenient for skiing on the Goč, just a few kilometers away. In the summer, Vrnjačka spa is transformed into one of greatest cultural centres in Serbia: literary soirees in a very nice library of the moders style, classical concerts under the column capitals and the festival of cinema scenario. The restauranst are often on the border of a water current and offer terraces under the trees of the park.

The largest opanak in the world, in the Guinness World Records since 2006, is the 3.2m shoe, size 450, weighing 222kg (489lb), made by opančar Slavko Strugarević, is on the next picture.

One of the famous landmarks of Vrnjačka spa is the Bridge of love.

" At the dawn of the First World War, while the war was not even suspected yet, a schoolmistress Nada and a Serbian officer Relja started having deep feelings for each other. They fell in love and made a commitment to each other. It was a love widely talked about, attracting the attention of all the people living at Vrnjačka spa. But the war did break out with all the horrors it entails. Relja went off to war fought in Greece. He left never to return on account of a beautiful Greek woman he had fallen in love with, and therefore broke up the engagement to Nada. The legend does not say anything about his further fate, whereas, on the other hand, every inhabitant of Vrnjačka spa is familiar with Nada's destiny. Owing to overwhelming sorrow she faded away day after day and finally died, young and miserable. Upset by Nada's destiny, girls, wishing to keep their own romances, started writing down their names along with the names of their lovers on padlocks that they bound to the railing of the bridge which used to be the favorite meeting place of Nada and Relja. Afterward the keys were symbolically thrown into the river. New wars and sufferings came up. The story fell into oblivion, and the girl's custom to "bind" their love became uncustomary. It had been case until Desanka Maksimović,according to the stories of old residents of Vrnjacka Banja spa, became acquainted with this tragic story. Inspired by it she wrote down one of her most beautiful love poems "A Prayer for Love", (Molitva za ljubav). Although we tend to forget things, this story remains to be unforgotten, and in order to prolong its existence the young couples kept on with the tradition of "binding" their love and it bridge itself got the name "THE BRIDGE OF LOVE". "