WELCOME TO BAJINA BAŠTA Western Serbia’s
ten come from the pure imagination of young boys. Emerald Lake Just 15 kilometres from the cen- tre of town is Perućac, a place where the human hand halted the mighty flow of the Drina to create a monumental arti- ficial lake. Covering a surface area of ap- proximately 12 square kilometres and reaching a depth of up to 60 metres in some places, this lake, which stands at 290 metres above sea level, is a proper emerald paradise, framed by steep can- yon walls. During the summer months, its pontoon beach, complete with swim- ming pools for children, becomes the ep- icentre of watery reinvigoration. Apart from attracting bathers, Pe- rućac is a world of its own when it comes to fishing. Passionate anglers from all over the world come here to try their luck fishing for chub, catfish and carp, but first and foremost the queen of these depths: the Drina huchen. Don’t forget that a strict code of ethics applies here, whereby every fish caught – after the exciting battle and obligatory souvenir photo – is carefully and respectfully re- turned to the river alive, healthy and un- harmed. Water isn’t the only thing that at- tracts people to Perućac. On the site Mramorje, immediately beside the lake, is a fascinating medieval necropolis with stećci tombstone graveyards dat- ing back to the 14 th and 15 th centuries. These huge limestone monuments and sarcophagi, some of which are decorat- ed with carved motifs depicting swords, shields, circles and crescent moons, tes- tify to bygone times and are protected as cultural monuments of exceptional im- portance to Serbia. The 365-metre-long river and guardians of imperial treasure The Vrelo River is a real geographical wonder that awaits you in Perućac. Lo- cals proudly call it the “Year River”, as it covers a distance of precisely 365 metres from its source in the Tara Mountain massif to its confluence with the Drina. At the spot where it comes to an end is a beautiful restaurant with a terrace lo- cated directly above the clear waterfalls marking the Vrelo merging with the Dri- na. It’s all but mandatory to stop here for
magical summer capital If you’re seeking a destination that combines wilderness adventures, unique natural beauty and that specific, homely warmth, it’s time to head to Bajina Bašta
T his beautiful planet of ours has places that seem to have emerged out of na- ture’s desire to show all its talents at once. Bajina Baš- ta, nestled between the emerald waves of the River Drina and the mighty, wood- ed ridges of Tara Mountain, is one such place. This small town in Western Ser- bia is a portal into a world where legends live on, and where every observation point hides an interesting story. Secret of the river rock Every story about this area inevi- tably begins on the water. As you ap- proach this town, your attention will be drawn by the surreal sight of a wooden house perched proudly on a lonely rock in the middle of the unpredictable Dri- na. According to local legend, it is all the fault of none other than Marko Kraljević. While travelling on his legendary horse Šarac, the epic hero wanted to cross to the far bank of the river without getting his horse’s hooves wet. He broke off a huge rock from the nearby hill and cast
it into the middle of the river, enabling Šarac to leap across the Drina. Locals still claim that, if you look carefully, you can see Šarac’s hoof print on the rock. The actual history of this global at- traction is equally charming. It all start- ed in the summer of 1968, when a group of 17-year-old boys sought es- cape from the swelting sun on that same rock. They brought boards from an old shed to make a shelter. The first im- provised cabin was mercilessly washed away by the Drina that same autumn. But the boys didn’t give up. The follow- ing year, they used rowing boats and kayaks to bring fresh material, haul- ing larger beams upstream for kilo- metres, harnessing them near the rock. The Drina has to date destroyed and car- ried away the house many times. How- ever, local determination and love for the river have always proven stronger than the river’s will. The current struc- ture became a global phenomenon after a photo of it appeared in National Ge- ographic magazine. It stands as living proof that the most beautiful things of-
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