Kopaonik is the largest ski center in Serbia and offers countless beauties worthy of only an artist such as the Mother Nature.

Ski Center 

Kopaonik ski center has over 50km of ski slopes adapted for alpine skiing and 18km for cross-country. For night skiing there is a lighted slope called "Little Lake." In addition, for the youngest skiers and other beginners, who made their first ski steps, a location "ski kindergarten" is provided with a conveyor belt that makes it easy to master basic skiing skills.

Over 70 percent of ski resort is covered by artificial snowing system. This resulted in the ski season that lasts longer, and skiers, both beginners and experts can be sure that during the season they will enjoy well-prepared tracks.

 

Marko’s rocks

This site is a collection of huge granite rocks that emerge from forest environment.
According to legend, Marko - a hero of Serbian folk songs, piled the rocks while preparing for the battle
against famous Turkish hero - Musa Kesadžija.

Red Puddles

“Red Puddles” is a large area of moorland at high altitude. Red ponds are located on flat area of Kopaonik, in wooded areas, overgrown with fir and spruce forests.

 

Mijatović Gap

On 1920s Dragan Mijatović, despite disbelief of farmers and engineers, conducted water from the top of Kopaonik on his property through an 18 km long canal, over the huge rock, precipices and so steep cliffs that some say "a bird could not stop to rest."

Jošanička Spa

Jošanicka Spa is located on the slopes of Mount Kopaonik, in the valley of the river Jošanica and its tributary Samokovka.

The spa has five springs of mineral waters, which are considered among the hottest in the country. Main spring provides 7 liters of water per second and the temperature is 78 ° C. Other springs have different capacities and temperatures (36-75 ° C).

 

Semeteško Lake

Below the mountain Kopaonik lies Semeteško Lake, eighty feet long and covered with reeds. Its water is always flashing green, the lake flows into the groundwater which is why people often describe it as mysterious and abysmal. Wonder of this lake are the floating islands moved by the wind.

Residents said that the lake in the

 

 

 

middle is of a funnel shape, and that many divers come to explore the depth, but did not dare to dive deeper than ten meters due to strong currents that pulled them in depth. The old men of the area believe that the fairies used to gather on this lake, sometimes at night to listen to the voice of the water monster. 

According to an old tale, a priest wanted to do harvesting on St. Cyril’s Day although his neighbors warned him that working on a saint day is a sacrilege. As soon as he started harvesting the water started boiling and rising and the earth opened, swallowing both him and the horses.

Apart from the adventurers, the lake also attracts fishermen because it is rich in carp.

Waterfall Jelovarnik

Jelovarnik is the highest waterfall in Serbia with 71 meters height and it consists of three cascades. It is located on Kopaonik’s area of Jelovarnik, wher it got its name from, within the national park at an altitude of about 1,500 meters. It was discovered by a team of geologists on 1998. Waterfall is located in a dense forest of beech, spruce and maple. It has been declared a natural reserve together with the surrounding flora and fauna at the area of around 57 acres.

Metođe and Geyser

The small church is nestled in a rock and was built during the Turkish reign as a refuge place from the Turks. It was dedicated to Saint Methodius, a martyr, Bishop of Patra and Lykia. The church and the area is called Metođe. The cave is situated at an altitude of 1,450 meters, and according to some traditions it was a cult place dating back to the third century. On the wall one can find a fresco of St. Methodius painted on a piece of rock and images of the Virgin with the baby Jesus. According to old people belief the water flowing out from the rocks has healing power in eye disease treatment.

Near Metođe is a cold geyser. Several meters high, beam of water under pressure rises in height. Around is a dense, deciduous forest which makes a stunning scenery.

 

Pančićev Peak and old mines

Pančićev peak is the highest peak on Mount Kopaonik, situated in central Serbia. Hight of this summit is 2017 meters above sea level. It was named after a famous Serbian botanist Joseph Pancic. Before the Second World War it was named Milan's peak, after the King Milan Obrenovic.

Ancient cities Maglic, Koznik, Brvenik, Zvecan and Ras were guarding the mines and the roads leading to them. Great wealth of Kopaonik mines, Serbian kings spent on permanent growth of the state and the construction of magnificent legacy. Kopaonik is named after the mines (mine – ser. kop). The largest open pit mine, White Hill, is located near the top. The mine and ore processing plants were closed after the ski resort was established.

Ibar river Rafting

The most exciting excursion is rafting on the Ibar River with a visit to the medieval town of Maglič.
The program is designed for all tourists because rushing water of Ibar can meet the adventurers, but it is quiet and safe enough that anyone can sail it.

 

 

 

Wine
Designed for wine lovers is another tempting tour. It is a tour of the Parish Aleksandrovac that has long been known for this divine drink. Even the ancient Romans used the benefits of this area, and later medieval Serbian rulers, and all others who later conquered the area. Tour is about wine tasting with visits to the cellars and winemaking museums.

 

 

 

 

 

Samokovska River

 

Clear water, huge beech and spruce, flowers and pale green grass make the environment of Samokovska River. The river emerges near the tourist center and flows down the falls and rapids to the foot of Jošanicka spa. Descent down the mountain by the river is an unusual event, which ends by bathing in thermal waters. Name of the river comes from hammers powered by the water that minted ore dug in Kopaonik mines.

 

 

 

Celestial chairs

Celestial chairs or Crkvina archaeological site originates from late antic (III / IV century) and
early Christian period (end of V / VI century). It is located at an altitude of 1800 meters, below
homonymous hill, under the Pančić peak on Kopaonik.

During research, started in the 1998 year, the remains of buildings and part of the basilica were discovered.
Early Christian mosaic was discovered in the basilica interior. Traces of medieval buildings and upgrades have not been found on the site, or other remains from that era, due to demolition and abandonment during the Great Migration.

According to current knowledge, life at this site had existed from the third to the sixth century, first as a small Late Antique residential complex that developed into an important center of Christianity in fifth or sixth century.

Fauna

Kopaonik fauna is quite varied and significantly changed from the time when Joseif Pančić explored Kopaonik (100 years ago). In the 19th century in Kopaonik was home of bear, lynx, chamois, capercaillie, marten, otter...

Until the present time these species no longer exists on Kopaonik. Today one can see wolves, wild boar, roe deer, fox, rabbit, weasel, skunk ... Among the natural rarities are: Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), Tawny Owl (Strih aluco), Mountain Lark (Eremophila alpestris), Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra), Edible dormouse (Dryomys nitedula ), Owl (Bubo bubo), Wildcat (Felis silvestris), Lizard (Lacerta vivipara).

The largest surviving species of the animal world in Kopaonik are birds and it is assumed that they lived because they are not strictly related to vegetation and climate zones. Today there are 148 different bird species!

Grasshoppers also inhabit cold and high mountain areas of Kopaonik as well as trouts whose nu,ber increased significantly over the last decade.

Flora

Favorable natural conditions of the mountain range enabled the development of rich and diverse plant life that is researched by many scientists around the world. Flora is represented by numerous species of trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, flowering plants, ferns, mosses, lichens, and fungi, many of it used in medicine.

High mountainous flora of Kopaonik is represented with 825 plants.
The highest forest belt above 1500 m above sea level covering the dense spruce forests while at higher altitudes (1750-1900) spruce forest thinning and joined the community of low shrubs predominantly mountain juniper and blueberry.

Special floral rarities of Kopaonik are: Leontopodium alpinum, Vaccinium uliginosum, Eriophorum latifolium, Taxus drop, Acer heldreichii, Ostya carpinifolia, globeflower europaeus etc. World of fungi is represented with 219 species, some of which are rare and were first discovered right on this mountain.