EASTER IN SERBIA – MONASTERIES AND FORTRESSES ON THE DANUBE

2013 marks the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan that granted religious freedom for Christianity in the Roman Empire and was proclaimed by one of 17 Serbian-born Roman Emperors, Constantine the Great. In this jubilee year we therefore offer the opportunity to celebrate an Orthodox Easter in Serbia at the breathtaking Jazak Monastery in the stunning Fruska Gora of Vojvodina. Some of Central Europe’s greatest unsung treasures can be found in Serbia – immense fortresses on the Danube River that bravely challenged the invading Turks, and splendid Orthodox monasteries in remote forests that symbolised Serbia’s spiritual and cultural identity throughout the dark centuries of Ottoman occupation. This intriguing and carefully-crafted 7-day small-group tour explores Serbia’s rich and turbulent past whilst offering visitors the opportunity to savour her landscapes, villages and vineyards, staying in comfortable guesthouse accommodation with all meals included. The highlight may well be Midnight Mass at one of the region’s finest Orthodox monasteries on Easter Sunday.

Thursday 2 May 2013 Belgrade On arrival at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport you will be met and transferred to your guesthouse for an overnight stay.

Friday 3 May Silver Lake Depart from Belgrade and drive along the course of the Danube to Viminacium,a Roman city where you can see the largestamphitheatre in the Balkans, seating 12,000. Continue to Golubac, and tour the dramatic 14th century fortress constructed on a rocky outcrop over the Danube River at the border between Hungary and the Ottoman Empire, nowadays the border between Romania and Serbia. Cruise on the Danubeas it narrows between 1000ft-high limestone cliffs that form the stunning ‘Iron Gate’ Gorge before continuing by road to the enchanting Silver Lake nearby for an overnight stay in guesthouse accommodation.

Saturday 4 May Vrdnik Head to the city of Smederevo and visit the impressive medieval fortress – when it was conquered by the Turks the entire region capitulated and 350 years of Ottoman occupation began. Drive on to Vrsac, a small town in Vojvodina, famous for its fine churches and civic buildings as well as its vineyards. A short distance away is the village of Kovacica well-known for its ‘naive’ art – local farms, families, houses, harvests, weddings and wheatfields – that represent the traditional values and culture of which the local population is fiercely proud. After visiting the art gallery continue to Vrdnik in the heart of the Fruska Gora National Park, to stay 3 nights in a local bed and breakfast. Tonight attend midnight mass at the magnificent Jazak Monastery.

Sunday 5 May Vrdnik This morning walk to one of the most significant Serbian Orthodox churches of the region, Vrdnik-Ravanica, with its ornately carved and gilded iconostasis featuring the Serbian saints, one of 16 in Fruska Gora founded by monks who fled the Turkish invasion in the middle ages and found refuge in the densely wooded hills of the region. These monasteries became beacons of spiritual hope and nationalism during the long centuries of Ottoman occupation. The afternoon is free to relax in Vrdnik, perhaps to enjoy its famous thermal waters at the spa, or to trek up to the medieval tower.

Monday 6 May Vrdnik Today’s tour uncovers two more beautiful 16th century monasteries, Novo Hopovo and Velika Remeta, both with fine frescoes, and enjoy the delightful landscapes of the ‘holy mountain’.

Tuesday 7 May Belgrade Depart Vrdnik for Sremski Karlovci, a handsome town, to visit the seminary, the Residence of the Patriarch where there is a breathtaking array of icons in the chapel, and the rich interior of the Orthodox Cathedral with its magnificent iconostasis. Visit a local winery for awine tasting then continue to Novi Sad. This is Serbia’s second largest city and is overlooked by the impressive Petrovaradin fortress with panoramic views of the town and Danube River. Stroll through the charming old quarter, Stari Grad, and see some of its numerous churches and its grand architecture, reminiscent of many more famous central European cities, before returning to Belgrade for a final night. Extra nights in Belgrade with sightseeing are available.

Wednesday 8 May Depart Transfer from the city to the airport for your flight.

Easter in Serbia

Price per person in twin room £650 Single supplement on request

Price includes 6 nights in comfortable guesthouse accommodation with ensuite bathroom, all meals (continental breakfast, two course lunch and two course dinner) from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 7, transport and all excursions and relevant entrance fees as described, English-speaking local guide, all local taxes and tolls. Please note that your guesthouse may be self-catering accommodation, in which case a fresh breakfast will be delivered to you in the mornings, or the kitchen stocked for you to prepare your own.

Not included international flights, travel insurance, drinks with meals, hotel services such as laundry or telephone, expenses of a personal nature.

For enquiries and bookings please ring Tara on 01494 461234 or email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com

The King and I

I wanted to tell him all about my grandfather, his Military life during WWII as a Royalist in Serbia,
his arrest by the communists and journey to the UK as a prisoner of war but the distance between
the waiting lounge and the plane was just too short. We managed to exchange pleasantries about
Kate and William’s wedding which he attended as a guest of Queen Elizabeth.  Only when we
entered the plane and he sat down in his business class seat I realised I had missed another
chance again. The commotion on the flight was overwhelming when the whisper went around that
The King was on board.

Alexander II Karadjordjevic was born 1945 in London after the
Royal Family was expelled from Kingdom of Yugoslavia. He was
born in suite 212 at Claridges Hotel which Churchill famously
declared to be a temporary Yugoslavian territory in order for
the future King to be born in his own country. The newly-born
Crown Prince was baptized in Westminster Abbey with
Godparents King George VII and HRH Princess Elizabeth.
He wasn’t allowed to visit his Kingdom until 1990, only after the
country started disintegrating into small independent states. The
return of the King wasn’t smooth as he didn’t have any rights until
his Serbian passport was returned to him ten years later in 2001. Since then he has managed
to “rent” his own Royal Palace from the present government where he lives now.

My grandfather was born in the Kingdom of Serbia, Croat and Slovenes and he attended the Royal
Military Academy for four years between 1937 -1941. Upon graduation he was posted to a small place
south of Belgrade where he served as Commandant until 1943 when he was arrested by the partisans,
 held prisoner until 1945 and then through the efforts of the Royal Family and the Red Cross transferred
to the UK.

In a similar fate to his King my grandfather wasn’t allowed to get
back to Yugoslavia until well after his retirement and he waited a
long time to get his documents too. After years of hardship he
managed to buy an estate in the village in Serbia where he was
posted after graduating from the Royal Military Academy just before
 WWII broke out.

My upbringing, noted for numerous declarations to the SFRY (The
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) and Tito, brotherhood and
unity, would be interrupted by long summer holidays spent with my grandfather and his recital of poems which never meant anything to me. They were too passionate
about King and Country, something we didn’t learn about at school, didn’t talk about and as such it
didn’t exist.  Not until 1993, when during our Christmas on the 7^th January I, the King and my
grandfather gathered at St Sava Church in London.  King Alexandar II Karadjordjevic was present with
his family sitting on the right side of the Church where we all could see him. I was a new arrival from the
country which was decaying at the speed of light and my grandfather was there even though he died
decades ago.  After the liturgy the anthem broke out strongly and the whole church seemed on fire.
Through the thick smouldering candlelight I could see my grandfather standing proudly and shouting the
anthem at the top of his voice. He would have called it singing.

After the service I aimlessly searched around the church for some comfort, looking for anything which
could bring me a part of the country which I was missing badly. In one of the corners, almost hidden,
was a glass bookshelf and it looked left, forgotten and in need of dusting.  Uncertain, making sure no
one was watching I opened the glass window and took a small book printed on rough paper which
smelled very rustic. The book opened itself somewhere in the middle and I began to read.  It was
collection of the poems which I recognised not from my school days but from my grandfather and the
summer holidays we spent together. The coincidence was great. Puzzled I went to the priest with so
many questions.

“Darling, the book is a collection of poems the prisoners of war recited during their journey from Serbia
to the UK after WWII. As you know after WWII finished a lot of Royalist were imprisoned by partisans
and thanks to the Royal Family and their connections the prisoners were transferred by ships firstly to
Italy and then to the UK and some onwards to the USA.  The crossing was very long, dark and there
was not much food around so the prisoners recited poems to each other to forget about the state of
affairs they were in. In order to remember them we published the book. ”

I bought three. And I learned every single poem from it. Next time, I am going to recite them to my King,
Alexander II Kardjordjevic.

www.ReadyClickAndGo.com can organise a private day visit to the Royal Palace complex in Belgrade, 
Serbia with a fully licensed English speaking history guide. For more information please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com

There is a good possibility that you may even meet the King!