Things to See in Serbia

Dominating the town of Novi Sad is the mighty Petrovaradin Citadel, a massive piece of work built on a plug of volcanic rock and often referred to as the 'Gibraltar of the Danube'. The chief pleasure of visiting Petrovaradin, built between 1699 and 1780, is simply walking the walls and enjoying the splendid views.

From the outside this structure defies the concept of a monastery as a place of peace and spirituality. What confronts visitors is a massive block of a fortress, dating from the early 1400s when it was built by a community fleeing the Ottoman takeover of Kosovo. The surviving frescoes are patchy, but still have startling vitality and colour.

Set on a picturesque mountainside, Sirogojno is a meticulous reconstruction of a 19th-century Serbian village. The high-roofed wooden houses are furnished, and under the cooking utensils warm ashes smell as if someone has just heated a pot of stew.