Kopaonik

Serbia / Kopaonik

Kopaonik is the biggest mountain range in Serbia and one of the most beautiful ski resorts in this part of Europe, situated 290 km from Belgrade. Kopaonik ski resort covers an area of approximately 62 km of roads and ski trails adapted for cross-country and alpine skiing. Within the center there are 24 cable cars and ski lifts with a total capacity of 32,000 skiers per hour. With system of artificial snow it is covered 97% of the ski area that extends ski season until May. Kopaonik has three paths to FIS standards for slalom and giant slalom and 20 km (routes of 3 km, 5 km and 10 km) of trails for cross country skiing. In the ski center there are a snowboard park, lighted trails for night skiing, ski and snowboard school for children and adults, but also a number of other facilities such as a children's playroom, ski kindergarten with the conveyor belt, snow park, in which many events of national and international character are being organized. With nearly 200 days of sunny days a year this "Sunny Mountain" made up of woodland pasture area has an average annual temperature of 3.7°C. Snow starts in late November and lasts until May, keeping the average 160 days a year. The highest peak of the mountain range is „Pancic’s Peak“ of 2017m above sea level, and the mountain range is named after the great mineral wealth that is in it exploited. On Kopaonik pedestrian and bicycle trips, school basketball and volleyball, tennis and horseback riding schools, English language courses, numerous camps are being organized as well as health and sports programs. If you had the opportunity to stay on Kopaonik, and the ability to compare it to other ski resorts where you have stayed, you cannot deny the fact that this is the ski center with a unique nightlife. Kopaonik area is abound in cultural and historical monuments (Studenica, Zica, Sopocani, Djurdjevi Stupovi, Ras), endemic species of flora (houseleek, Kopaonik violet, Pancic’s watercress, Serbian lan, Pancic’s fescue, edelweiss, etc...), and a rich fauna (golden eagle, peregrine falcon, wild cat). In the mountain region there are quite a lot of hot springs which favored the development of spa tourism. The most famous spas in this region are: Vrnjacka, Mataruska, Sijarinska, Josanicka, Lukovska and Kursumlijska. The historical importance of the area of Kopaonik as a center of Serbian medieval state, are the remains of the fortified city on the heights of mining settlements of Stari trg and Novo Brdo and endowments of Serbian rulers, located in the foothills of massif of Kopaonik.