fresh Drina trout and a glass of home- made raspberry juice, which this region is known for throughout Europe. For those seeking spiritual serenity and contact with history on their travels, the mystical Rača Monastery is an un- missable stop. Situated in a dense forest in the foothills of Tara Mountain, this 13 th century monastery is the endow- ment of King Dragutin Nemanjić. Rača Monastery has for centuries served as a beacon of literacy thanks to the famous Rača manuscript copying school, where monks transcribed and preserved ho- ly books, hidden deep in the forest. This monastery played a key role in preserv- ing Serbian culture during World War II. Abbot Platon Milojević risked his life to hide under the stone slabs of the al- tar the most valuable relic of the Serbian people: Miroslav‘s Gospel, the oldest pre- served Cyrillic manuscript. Thanks to his courage, this priceless book survived the ravages of war. View from the Banjska Rock Tara, which rises above Bajina Bašta, is a mountain that’s said to possess the most beautiful observation points in the Balkans. The most famous of them is the Banjska Rock. Stepping onto the wooden platform reveals the entirety of the Dri- na Canyon in all its monumental beauty, while expanding deep below is the tur- quoise surface of Lake Perućac. At the heart of the mountain is Zaovine Lake. Created through the dam- ming of rivers, this artificial lake holds a botanical secret. It was right here, in 1875, that famous botanist Josif Pančić discovered the “living fossil” of world flo- ra that is the Serbian Spruce, a species of conifer that survived the last ice age and today grows exclusively in this narrow stretch around the middle course of the Drina. The lake is surrounded by pine woods and has water that’s so clean it is home to noble species of fish. In summer it becomes the perfect haven for bathers wanting to escape the heat of the city. Flavours and aromas of the Drina basin After a day spent hiking or kayak- ing past the famous house on the rock, it’s time for a dose of hedonism. Apart from the Drina trout, here you must al- so try the famous “complete bread bun”,
Manastir Rača
stuffed with local clotted cream curd and meat dripping, as well as authentic lamb cooked under an earthen bell. However, the symbolic spirit of this region is “Kle- kovača” rakia. A traditional plum brandy to which juniper berries (kleka) are add- ed during fermentation, giving it a spe- cific woody aroma and medicinal prop- erties. From the Šargan Eight to Andrić‘s Višegrad Bajina Bašta provides excellent op- portunities for local day trips. The near- by Mokra Gora is home to Drvengrad, a unique ethno-village that was designed by film director Emir Kusturica. Walking through its wood-paved streets bearing the names of greats like Tesla, Maradona or Fellini, leaves the impression of being in a kind of refuse of culture and film. Lo- cated close by is a railway station where you can ride on Ćiro, an old steam train that runs on the narrow-gauge heritage railway known as the Šargan Eight. Its tracks conquer great heights by making a unique loop in the shape of the figure eight. The sound of the locomotive as you pass through old tunnels transports you back to the golden age of rail travel.
Continue upstream for approximate- ly 25 kilometres to cross the border in- to Bosnia and Herzegovina and arrive in the town of Višegrad. Standing there is the famous stone bridge that was com- missioned by Ottoman Grand Vizier Me- hmed Pasha Sokolović. Constructed in the 16 th century according to the design of architect Mimar Sinan, this UNES- CO-protected historical monument pro- vided the inspiration for the only Serbi- an Nobel laureate, Ivo Andrić, to write the novel The Bridge on the Drina. Waterborne carnival: the Drina Regatta July is a month when there sim- ply aren’t enough beds in Bajina Bašta. That’s because it’s then that Lake Perućac hosts the start of the Drina regatta, the most massive waterborne event in this part of Europe. The most varied ves- sels – from professionally constructed rubber dinghies to improvised wooden rafts – embark on a 25-kilometre de- scent through the Drina Canyon. With over 100,000 participants, this river car- nival offers a unique atmosphere and an opportunity to make countless new ac- quaintances.
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