Kopaonik

Some say it is the most beautiful mountain in Serbia. This can be discussed at length. Probably a more appropriate word that stands before the synonym Kopaonik is that it is the most famous, most popular and largest in the southern part of the Republic of Serbia, with a length of over 70 km.
Transfer Nis Kopaonik
This mountain massif got its name in ancient times from the numerous mines that filled this mountain. In the Middle Ages, they dug all over the mountain, looking for silver, iron, lead, copper, gold. Some of the active mines on this Serbian mountain are the lead-zinc ore mine – Belo Brdo, Trpča, Novo Brdo Kišnica, Stari Trg.

Geography

The highest peak of Kopaonik is Pančićev peak, which is located at 2,017 meters above sea level. It was named after the most famous Serbian biologist, botanist and naturalist Josif Pančić, whose mausoleum is located at the very top of this mountain massif that bears his name. The Kopaonik National Park, which was declared a nature reserve in 1981, is located on the mountain itself. It is the habitat of many and diverse species of plants and animals. It is characterized by conifers and deciduous trees, huge pastures in the lower parts.

How to get to Kopaonik

The places that gravitate towards Kopaonik (and not the other way around) mainly due to tourism are Raška and Brus, and there are also Jošanička Banja, Brzeće. The nearest airport to this ski center are the airports in Nis, Kraljevo and Pristina, which are 115, 130 and 155 km away. From Serbia’s largest airport in Belgrade, Nikola Tesla Airport, to Kopaonik is 270 km and approximately 4 hours of driving along the Miloš Veliki highway. From the western side, the approach to Kopaonik for those coming from the direction of Kraljevo and Raška is through Jošanička Banja, while for those coming from the east, from Niš, Kruševac and other places in southeastern Serbia, it is through Brus and Brzeće.

Tourism

Although Kopaonik has over 200 sunny days a year, it is an absolute ski center with a diameter of over 500 km. The snow remains on the ski slopes for the whole 6 months, which can extend the ski season until the very end of April.
Although it is mostly recognized as a winter tourist center, nature lovers will enjoy long walks in the spring and summer months and witness the colorful flora and fauna of this beautiful mountain. A large number of geothermal waters is the reason for the existence of spas and health resorts in the Kopaonic basin. The most famous are . It is also full of water sources such as Vrelo živok, Geysir Gvozdac, Marina Voda, etc., the river Barska reka, Gobeljska reka, Duboka reka, etc. There are also famous rocks in this area – Pajin Grob, Jenkov Breg, Lisičja Stena, Vučak – Karaman, Suvi Vrh, Babin Grob…

Skiing

Absolutely, dominantly the most visited ski center in Serbia. The first records of sports skiing date back to before World War II, in 1935. During the war, the mountain lodge built at that time was completely destroyed, so a new one was built in the 1950s.
The total length of the ski slopes on Kopaonik is 62 kilometers. There are Alpine, Nordic and slalom ones. Three slopes, namely Karaman Greben, Malo jezero and Pančićev Vrh, have the possibility of night skiing because they are covered with floodlights. Most of the trails on Kopaonik are equipped with a system for the production of artificial snow, so that even on cold and snowless days you will be able to enjoy this great sport undisturbed.
The cable car system is impeccably organized, it can take you to all important points in the entire ski complex. Since 2021, a cable car has been put into operation that takes you from Brzeć to the very peaks. The only objection could be the price of ski passes, which is more expensive than some much more serious ski centers in Europe.
Of course, there are also a large number of ski schools where the youngest and those who did not learn to ski at a young age can show their first ski „steps“. There are even ski kindergartens for the youngest, while individual ski lessons are over 50eur per hour. For those who don’t enjoy the absolute adrenaline that skiing provides, there are also a couple of sledding trails.

Accommodation

For all those with not very shallow pockets, accommodation is offered from the lower middle to the highest price category. A huge complex of smaller and larger hotels has been built on the very peaks, so the offer of accommodation is more than excellent. Some of the more famous hotels:
• Hotel Grand Kopaonik
• Hotel Putnik Kopaonik
• Gorski Hotel & Spa
• King’s cards
• Milmari Hotel

We also offer a huge number of villas and smaller accommodation units:
• Kostovac Boutique Homes
• Villa Despotovic
• Villa Dizdarević

Other activities

For those who are not used to skiing and winter magic and visited Kopaonik during the summer months, they will be lucky if the blueberry days happen during their stay on this mountain. They will have the opportunity to taste the freshly picked fruits of Shima and to be a member of the jury even though they have never been involved in it. Kopaonik is also the venue for the Three Sides of Kopaonik cycling race, where only the most prepared manage to overcome the demanding trails.
During the summer months, the Adventure Park is also very popular, with sections intended for both children and adults. It is also an interest aerial and panoramic sightseeing of the mountain by ski lift.

Many students of the University of Nis use the proximity of this mountain and go skiing.