Skunk Anansie – alternative attraction in Belgrade

Belgrade, June, 28. (Serbia Today) - British alternative rock band Skunk Anansie will be holding a gig at Belgrade’s Student Cultural Center on 28 June. And that’s not all! The group will also during their stay in Serbian capital to shoot the video for their song My Ugly Boy, writes daily Blic. The band will be arriving in Belgrade the day before the show in order to do some sightseeing and explore the nightlife beforehand. The organizers have confirmed Skunk Anansie have demanded quality wine, dark lager, chewing gum, vegetarian cold meals, Japanese and green teas and energy drinks in their rider.

EXIT knocking on the door

Belgrade June 26. 2010. (Serbia Today) - Two more weeks till beginning of one of the best known products from Serbia “Exit” music festival. Organizers claims that everything is ready and Novi Sad is prepared to welcome guests from all around the world. Serbia airline “Jat airways’ announced that for the passengers with the EXIT ticket there will be some discounts, with prices even 70 percents lower then usually. Just to remind you, “Exit” will be held in Novi Sad  from July 8 to  July 11. At the Petrovaradin fortress, visitors can expect  the  world  greatest music attractions such  as Faith No More and David Guetta, Cemical brothers. There is no more one day tickets to by, but for day tickets cost around 65 EUR.

Festival of street performers in Belgrade

Belgrade, June 26. (Serbia Today)- The first street festival of entertainers Belgrade Busker Fest ended on Sunday with a carnival parade. Buskerfest is a street festival of entertainers such as magicians, acrobats, and various other street performers, such as jugglers, clowns, comedians, and musicians and is being held at five different locations around the city. In addition to domestic on the festival presenters from the world including artists from  America, Canada, Argentina, Japan, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, Croatia and  Macedonia have also participated.

Serbia dropped from the World Cup

Belgrade/Johannesburg, June 25. 2010. (Serbia Today) – Serbia's football team lost 2-1 to Australia on Wednesday, and end the competition in South Africa at the bottom of Group D. In the third, decisive round of the World Cup group stage, Australia was up 2-0 with second half goals from Tim Cahill and Brett Holman. Serbia's Marko Pantelic scored Serbia’s only goal. Germany, who beat Ghana 1-0, claimed top spot in the group but both teams qualified for the last 16, with Ghana ahead of Australia on better goal difference. Elsewhere, the United States topped Group C to qualify for the next round, followed by England who finished second.

Ada ciganlija – Belgrade summer get away

Belgrade June 25. (Serbia Today) During the summer heat most popular place in Belgrade is Ada ciganlija. Outdoor paradise only 4 km from the city centre. Once and island that has been turned into a peninsula. Ada Ciganlija lies not far from the mouth of the Sava river. Ada Ciganlija is a place for all kinds of sport activities, but also serves as a cultural and entertainment center of Belgrade, especially during the summer. Numerous manifestations are organized involving famous writers, actors, singers, cultural societies, choirs, bands and amateur from different fields. The Ade Ciganlija offer is completed by dozens of rustic restaurants, floating restaurants and boat-houses, that preserve the Belgrade bohemian tradition. On the mainland side of the lake, there's a parking lot for about a thousand vehicles as well as the marina in the Čukarica channel for boats, yacht and smaller ships. Ada Ciganlija also has shops, picnic spaces, bowling alleys, mini-golf courts, horse-drawn carriages, a tourist train, "pedal boats and canoes, as well as the environment-friendly electric-powered boat. Statistic shows that during the summer more than 300.000 visitor comes to Ada, so why wouldn’t you be one of them?

Duel with Australia the biggest challenge

Belgrade/ Johannesburg ,June 24. 2010. (Serbia today) - Defensive player of Serbian football team Branislav Ivanovic said that the match with Australia, which is to play on Wednesday, will be the biggest challenge for the Serbian team in the World Cup in South Africa. "In the two games we won three points and that gives us confidence, but still we haven’t done anything great. The most important thing is to act as a team. We have noticed a phenomenal success against the Germans, but we should remain calm. Duel with Australia is perhaps the biggest challenge in representative careers of each of us, "said Ivanovic to Serbian journalists. We have to respond to those elements, which are their strongest weapon, be at least equal, and I believe that then we get to the quality of individual expression," said Ivanovic, who plays for London's Chelsea. The victory in the duel with Australia, 23rd June in Nelspruit, Serbia would guarantee a place in the eighth round of the World Cup in southern Africa.

Rebel yell in Belgrade

Belgrade, June 24. 2010. (Serbia Today)  British rock musician Billy Idol performed June 21th at Belgrade park 'Usce"  in front of around  15.000 spectators. The concert lasted an hour and a half, while nearly all the time poor rain was falling. At "Usce" park audience enjoyed  hits as "Ready, steady go", "Rebel yell", "LA woman", "Eyes without face", "White wedding", "Sweet sixteen". Audience of all ages listened Idols concert. Whole Stanic family was there, father Luka (42), mother Ljilja 4O and their sons Milos (15)  and Darko (13). "We are here with our children because we want them to hear  the music of our youth, and it looks that they like it", says Luka. Group of the seven girl-friends made a special souvenir for Idols concert,  T- shirts with the verses from his greatest hits. "I created those T-shirts i wonted us to remember this evening", said one of the friends with the T-shirt "Hot in the city". Belgrade, June 23. 2010. (Serbia today) Visitors of Belgrade from June 25. till June 27.  will be able to experience and learn about Africa. The Museum of African Art will organize the "Afro-fest", event for presentation of tradition, culture and life style in the hottest continent. Visitors will be able to enjoy in the African decorative, and clothing, also one could taste culinary specialties from different parts of Africa. During the festival audience would be able to see documentary movies about Africa, and listen all musical styles from that continent. "Afro Fest" is held in Belgrade every year from 1997.

Ludasko lake

Belgrade, June, 24. (Serbia Today) - Ludas, the second largest lake in Northern Backa, is about 6 km long and covers the surface of 387 ha. The lake is home to a great number of bird species among which outstand sorrel and yellow heron, bittern, kingfisher, blue-throat thrush... On lake you can see rabbits, does, boars and otter. Around the lake, there are objects of particular cultural, historical and archeological value. You can visit traditional houses, salas places, local manifestations, drink wine on the sandy shores and enjoy traditional specialties. The lake is surrounded by settlements such as Hajdukovo, Nosa, Ludas and Supljak. It is 12 km east from Subotica and 7 km away from the road E-75 towards Horgos.

Ana Ivanovic: I found my true friends

Belgrade, June, 23. 2010 (Serbia Today) - One of the world’s most attractive tennis players, Ana Ivanovic, has recently come out of a rough period. During the UNICEF Open at Hertogenbosch, where she failed to qualify for the quarter-finals, Ana came to find who her true friends were during a prolonged spell of poor form on the women’s tour. Speaking in an interview for Dutch TV channel NOS, Ana revealed how she has dealt with the drop in the WTA rankings and futile attempts to rediscover her form of late. “I expect a lot from myself, and I am a perfectionist in a way. If something doesn’t go the way I planned, then it’s a big problem and it affects my mood. I think it’s important not to expect too much, to try and stay in one moment and try to work hard,” said Ivanovic, who has been struggling with form for months. “You just start losing matches you should be winning and there is no hope unless you work hard. I think everyone has to go through a rough patch like this in their careers. It’s hard, but it’s positive I can see who my real friends are now. They are those who still believe in me in these hard times,” said Ana, who reflected on the fact the media see her not only as a tennis player, but an attractive magazine cover girl. “I enjoy being photographed – you have your hair done, they do the makeup for you, dress you in nice clothes, and every girl loves that. On the other hand, it’s harder than the toughest tennis practice session,” said Ana and confirmed her focus in the future would be on tennis. It was a year ago, in the first days of the Wimbledon, that Ivanovic’s relationship with Australian golfer Adam Scott was revealed. “Ana and I share a lot. For the last year, which was very hard for me, she has been there for me, just as I have been there for her in times of trouble. I am sure this has only got us closer to each other and made us stronger,” said Adam Scott.

Deronje - kingdom of Tamburiza fest

Belgrade, June 23. 2010. (Serbia Today) The third world “Tamburitza fest 2010“ will be held from 25th to 27th June in Deronje. The orchestras from the following countries will compete for the title of the best tamburitza orchestra in 2010: Austria, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia. Since it has been established, the festival in Deronje has been supported by the Government of the AP of Vojvodina and the Municipality of Odžaci, while this year’s “Tamburitza Fest“is also under the auspices of the People’s Office of the President of the Republic of Serbia. Tamburitza Fest is much more than a music festival, since it promotes, through organization of numerous accompanying events, tradition and cultural values of Odžaci, Vojvodina and Serbia, and greatly contributes to the improvement of the intercultural dialogue. Led by this, the Provincial Secretariat for Culture has included “Tamburitza Fest” in the list of events of special importance. Tamburitza Fest“ of Deronje is definitely evolving into the traditional festival, into the new brand mark on the cultural and tourist map of Serbia. Bearing in mind its great attendance rate – over 100, 000 visitors from Serbia and the surrounding countries – this Festival becomes, aside from the top entertainment event, an important place for development of tolerance, mutual trust and friendship at the multiethnic level. 

Come beck after defeat

Belgrade, June 22, 2010. (Serbia Today) Serbia won Germany football team 1:0 at the South Africa World cup. That victory in Port Elizabeth over 10-man Germany has put the squad back on track to progressing to the next stage. Coach Radomir Antić fielded this starting 11 for the Group D second round clash with Germany: Stojković, Kolarov, Ivanović, Vidić, Subotić, Krasić, Stanković Kuzmanović, Jovanović, Ninković and Žigić. German striker Miroslav Klose was sent off in the 37th minute after his tackle on Dejan Stanković earned him his second yellow card. A minute later, Krasić ran away along the right side, to pass the ball to Žigić in the box, who dropped it for Milan Jovanović. Jovanović scored from five meters to put Serbia ahead, and set the game's final result. 15 minutes into the second half, the referee awarded a penalty for Germany, but Serbian keeper Vladimir Stojković kept his country's World Cup hopes alive with a save. Serbia, Germany and Ghana now have three points each, with Ghana yet to play their second round game against Australia. Serbia will clash with Australia in the last round of the group stage, while Germany will square off with Ghana

Luc Besson to shoot in Belgrade

Belgrade, June 19. 2010. (Serbia Today) - Famous French director and producer Luc Besson is to film his next project – a science-fiction thriller named Lock Out – on location in Belgrade, writes daily Blic. Besson is pleased with the business cooperation with Serbian partners and film studios. His company, Europa Corp, has worked with Work In Progress and created movies such as District 13 Ultimatum (2008), Human Zoo (2009), and Big Picture (2009). After major success with the film Taken, Besson’s company decided to invest into a number of film projects, one of which will be Lock Out. It is yet to be disclosed what cast the film will include, but what is a fact at this stage is that the film will be directed by a duo of young Irish directors, Stephen St. Leger and James Mather. The movie is an outer space version of Prison Break with 500 of the world’s most dangerous convicts are being kept in an orbital space station 50km from Earth, named Section 8. All 500 hardened criminals are in state of deep hibernation, while sophisticated technology helps them wake up simultaneously, and there the action begins. The film will be produced in latest 3D technology, with the budget reported to be around $30 million.

Guca is getting closer and closer

Belgrade June 17. 2010. (Serbia Today) - The 50th Guca Trumpet Festival is scheduled from the period between 13 and 22 August and will feature 2.000 orchestras from fourteen countries battling for first prize. The final event of the competition, according to organizers, will be officially opened by Serbia president Boris Tadic. Also, visitors to the jubilee event will have an opportunity to hear the performances of Goran Bregovic and the Stars of Grand. The Best Trumpet competition will take place on Thursday, 19 August at 9pm. The interest of international orchestras is running high, with most individual applications coming from France – as many as five. Four bands from Slovenia and Poland have also applied to the organizers, as well as three orchestras from Macedonia and Slovakia and one orchestra from Israel. “We have scrutinised all applications and the documents they submitted. There was not enough room for everyone, so we have decided on 16 orchestras which will represent the 14 foreign nations at the Guca Trumpet Festival,” says Adam Tadic, Guca Cultural Centre director. Serbia will be represented by last year’s winners of the festival – Ekrem Mamutovic’s orchestra from Vranje and Dejan Petrovic’s orchestra from Duboko near Uzice. “We submitted the official programme of the festival and an invitation to be the patron of this year’s event to the Government of Serbia late last year. Also, president Boris Tadic has been officially invited to open the proceedings at Guca. We expect their positive replies,” says this year’s Guca Festival host Slobodan Jolovic.

Tiganjica - place to relax

Belgrade, June 17. 2010. (Serbia Today) - The etno village of Tiganjica is situated in Banat, the eastern part of Vojvodina, about ten kilometers away from the town of Zrenjanin, and two hour drive from Belgrade. It is placed at the very entrance to the Carska bara natural reserve, and in an imaginative way paints the picture of life in Banat. This ethno complex was built in the old “Banatian” style, and contains exact replicas of traditional Banatian houses. The complex has a total of six rooms, equipped with restored antique furniture. It is known for a big Banatian windmill, a beautiful park with floral alleys, ethno sculptures, and, of course, the “Trophy”, a restaurant that served as architectural basis for Tiganjica’s placement and image. The “Trophy” is a local favorite restaurant for wild game fine dining with an authentic hunting atmosphere. At the restaurant’s entrance, there is an open and decorated fireplace, where culinary masterpieces such as barbeque meals, fish dishes, stews, wild game entrees, and even home baked bread are being prepared. Tiganjica features a mini zoo, a charming artificial habitat of roosters, peacocks, does and ducks. But the trademark of the complex is Misa the bear, who, 13 years ago, under unfortunate circumstances, lost his mother. Misa was instantly adopted and grew into the zoo’s beloved chief star. As it is a part of a natural reserve, Tiganjica makes an attractive relaxing and leisure site. Refreshment can be found within a bathing resort, near the bridge of Zabalj. Even closer to the complex, there is a renovated sandy terrain, surrounding a lake and resembling a seaside resort. For those who prefer being active, there are horses available for riding.

Boy George comes to Novi Sad

Belgrade/Novi Sad, June 16. 2010. (Serbia Today) - Boy George, the famous British musician, is to hold a show at Novi Sad’s Strand beach on 3 July, as a prelude to the big Exit Festival. The controversial singer and former member of the 1980s band Culture Club will appear before the Novi Sad fans as a DJ, which has been his form of musical expression over the past years. Boy George reached heights with Culture Club in early 1980s, when their hit songs such as Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?, Karma Chameleon and It’s a Miracle took the pop charts by storm in both the UK and the USA. He began his solo career in 1986, inspired by the likes of David Bowie and Iggy Pop, and is now both into song-writing and playing music in clubs as a DJ. Boy George has had many private and professional ups and downs, owing to his bohemian lifestyle early in the career, as well as issues with drug abuse. Away from music, he launched his own clothes line called B-Rude a few years ago, which had its promotion in London, New York and Moscow. Also, he attempted to revive his career with Culture Club in 1998, but the band’s reunion never lasted. “Just a little more time, because in 2011 it will be our birthday, so we have to mark the occasion somehow. We may go on a tour. We’ll see what we do, and I can’t say anything with certainty,” Boy George said for BBC.

Penalty gives Ghana victory over 10-man Serbia

Belgrade, June, 15. 2010 (Source: Blic) - Serbia's national football squad has started its World Cup campaign with a 0-1 defeat in the opening game against Ghanlica. After a largely uneventful first half, Serbia's Aleksandar Luković was sent off with two yellow cards in the 74th minute. Seven minutes later, Zdravko Kuzmanović was caught paying handball in the box. Ghana's Asamoah Gyan converted the penalty to a lead for his team. The game ended with the 0-1 score. Serbia boss Radomir Antić fielded the following payers for the squad's first World Cup match: Stojković, Kolarov, Vidić, Ivanović, Lukovic, Milijaš, Stanković, Jovanović, Krasić, Žigić, Pantelić. Ahead of the game, he told reporters that his team was made of champions who will know how to deal with the pressure of the first World Cup game. He added that Ghana, who's manager is another Serb, Milovan Rajevac, was not a team to be underestimated. “The fact is that Ghana was Africa's champion four times, and that they are reigning world champions in the under-21 category. They have a pronounced national motivation, they are ready, strong in one-on-one situations.” Still, Antić said his team had traveled to South Africa with “big ambition”, but added that, ahead of the game, he would “accept a draw” as a satisfactory result. Antić also noted that while around a thousand fans traveled from Belgrade, there were also between 15,000 and 20,000 Serbs who live in South Africa, and expected support from the stands. “I believe our game will make other nations support us as well,” Antić was optimistic. Serbia competes in Group D, along with Ghana, Germany and Australia.

Serbian football team arrives in South Africa

Belgrade, June 14. 2010. (Serbia Today) - Serbia's national football team arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa. This is where the team will stay during the FIFA 2010 World Cup. The top world football competition, held once in four years, will last from June 11 until July 11. The Serbian players were welcomed by a Serbian Football Association delegation headed by President Tomislav Karadžić and General Secretary Zoran Laković.  32 nations will take part in the competition and have been divided into eight groups The top two teams from each group will progress to the last 16. Serbia is in Group D, along with Germany, Ghana and Australia. The national squad will play its first World Cup match against Ghana in Pretoria, on Sunday, June 13.

Gostoljublje - a village in a village

Belgrade /Gostoljublje, June, 15. 2010 (Serbia Today) - with surrounding ethno villages, belongs to a much larger project known as the Eco village. It is situated within the village of Mionica, on the slopes of Divcibare and at the height of 550 meters. This particular ethno village occupies the area of about 11 ha, and is actually a household designed to serve the needs of countryside tourism and production of healthy food. The entire village is one fascinating highland attraction made of traditional Serbian houses, including a house that is about 200 years old. Such a house is known as Vajat. It is a wooden structure, equipped in the spirit of Serbian tradition that provides a perfect comfort, especially after numerous activities each tourist has on their disposal while staying in Gostoljublje. Visitors may immerse themselves into the unknown waters of preparing Serbian dishes, fruit collecting or doing some serious farm work. In addition to providing an active holiday and an insight into life of Serbian countrymen, this area was blessed with amazing natural features composed of enchanting woods, fields, pathways, peaks, springs and streams. On every day basis, tourists may enjoy long walks along marked paths, which all meet at one point, somewhere on the Subjel hill. According to a local legend, this hill holds a lost treasure, which makes it a special attraction and a challenge for every adventurer. During summer, visitors may find refreshment at a popular picnic site, known as the Skakavacki waterfalls, where „The Days of countryside tourism“ happen annually. Or, they can visit the mountain and spa resort of Divcibare, famous for its healing capacities.

Smederevo fortress

Belgrade/ Smederevo, June, 15. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Fortress lies on the right bank of the Danube, at the confluence of the Jezava and the Danube rivers. It was erected between 1428 and 1430 during the reign of Despot (title for Serbian rulers after the battle at Kosovo) Djuradj Brankovic. His intention was to make it the seat of the civilian and religious government.This Fortress represents the most monumental military edifice in Serbia and one of the biggest medieval fortifications. Its main purpose was the defense against Turkish attacks. When the Turks conquered it in 1459 it was the end of Serbian medieval state. Smederevo became the capital of Smederevo Sandzak, an important strategic stronghold and a trade center. The Danube, the Jezava and Petijevski brook gave the Fortress its triangular shape dividing it into two parts the Small Town and the Big Town. Most of the towers are on te wall facing the land. Small Town is a specially fortified ruler's court surrounded by water whilst in the Big Town there is a complex which consists of Archbishop's residence and residential area. Small Town is surrounded by six towers and on one of them stands an inscription about Despot Djuradj and the time when it was erected. Big Town is surrounded by nineteen towers. The towers are 11 m wide and 20 m high and once were protected by cannons. In 1480. the Turks built one tower on all three corners as well as a tower in the middle of the town wall. The Fortress of Smederevo is an interesting place and for its history and architecture definitely worth visiting.

Promotion of rural tourism

Belgrade June 14. 2010. (Serbia Today) - The "Days of rural tourism” will be held on June 19th  and  20th in the village Skakavci near Kosjeric, organizers announced. Organizers of the exhibit are Local administration and  and Tourism Organization of Kosjerić. The event will kick off with fife players competition,  children folk games and rock concert. On the second day, visitors will enjoy rural sports and children games. Also the audience will be able to taste dishes from Kosjeric region.

Serbian football team had their first training session on the pitch of a nearby university campus in Johannesburg

Belgrade, June, 12. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Serbia coach Radomir Antic said that team is entering pre-tournament preparations, and “by the time we take on Ghana in our first game, we will have reached our desired level of form.” Antic then addressed the issue of key defender Nemanja Vidic, who has not been training of late. “Ever since he got ill, he hasn’t trained, but he feels much better and I hope Vidic will be ready for the opener against Ghana”, said Antic. Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic said this squad of players was very different from the one that had a disastrous tournament four years ago in Germany. “I want to do something I will be proud of. I will give my best to make South Africa a very positive experience for the Serbia national team”, said the vice-captain. Serbia Football Association president Tomislav Karadzic says the team’s goal is to qualify for the knockout phase of the competition.

Belgrade’s Boat Carnival 20th June

 
Belgrade, June 12, 2010 (Serbia Today) – Belgrade’s Boat Carnival from 18 to 20 June will last for three days for the first time, announced Belgrade Tourist Organization (TOB). Carnival program, will be held on Sunday 20th June in the center of Belgrade and on the Sava River, on the part of local waters and the shores from Branko's Bridge to the  basin of the  Danube. The program provides the following attractions and activities: water sports, rides on decorated carnival ships, carnival and children's performances from Srbiije and abroad and dance groups. Belgrade’s Boat Carnival this year will be held as part of major European events The Danube Day, which is also celebrated in Serbia.

Niska spa – southern Serbia treasure

Belgrade, June, 12. 2010. (Serbia Today)  Niska spa is situated at the foot of Koritnik, a part of Suva Planina mountain which towers 248 m above the sea level. The tourist center is placed in the southeast of Serbia, close to the Nis-Sofija main road. It is 10 km away from Nis and 250 km away from Belgrade. Natural features of the spa are: mild continental climate, thermal and mineral water, natural and mineral mud. Mineral water from 5 springs "Glavno vrelo", "Suva Banja", "Skolska cesma", "Banjica" and "Pasjaca" are all so-called soil-alkaline homeothermes (36-38°C), mildly mineralized with 56 liters per second capacity. Nis Spa has 3 facilities "Radon", "Zelengora" and "Terme" with state-of-the-art medical equipment used for rheumatic and cardiovascular diseases diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation and for orthopedic surgery treatments. Medical and tourist facilities are situated in a 5 hectare park. Close to Nis Spa is park-forest Kosutnjak, with running tracks. Nis spa is an ideal place for training and competitions in team sports, as it has soccer, futsal, handball and tennis courts, a racecourse and a  rifle range. There are also a library, art gallery and outdoor stage, which has hosted many events within "Kulturno leto u Niškoj Banji" festival. If   you come to Niska spa you must visit the City of Nis, cultural and historical center of southern Serbia. Monuments include: Mediana, Cele-kula, 18th century Nis Fortress, Cegar, Memorial Museum and WWII camp "Crveni krst". Sicevacka Gorge - the attractive canyon of the Nisava River with its rare flora and fauna, Jelasinacka Gorge, a special nature preserve, Bojanine vode and Kamenicki vis.

Ana Ivanovic among hottest tennis players of all time

Belgrade, June, 11. 2010 (Serbia Today) – Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic was placed on the list of hottest tennis players of all time by UK magazine The Sun. She and Steffi Graf share fifth place on a list. Former tennis beauty Anna Kournikova has been named the hottest player, with second place going to Maria Sharapova. Gabriela Sabatiniis third and fourth place went to Annabel Croft. The Sun tabloid’s survey involved more than 5,000 British people. Ivanovic’s rival on court, Russia’s Maria Sharapova, is, according to the list, the hottest active tennis player. The magazine has also organized a survey picking the hottest male tennis player, with the former US legend Andre Agassi taking up spot number one. He is followed by Rafael Nadal, while third place went to Bjorn Borg, who is followed by Pat Cash and Roger Federer.
 

Sirmium – history to write about

Belgrade, June 11. 2010. (Serbia Today) -  Doctor Michael Warner, Professor at the State University of New York has been working together with our archeologists for more than a decade in researching Sirmium, a valuable archeological Roman site in Serbia. Recently Warner promoted his English-Serbian monography on Sirmium. Michael Warner is an expert on the Roman architecture and sculpture with more than three decades experience on excavations in the Balkans and the North America. In recent years he has been involved in international project of tourist promotion of the Roman archeology in the territory of Serbia. “In these group of monuments there are also: the capital of the Viminatium province (near Pozarevac), military camps Singidunum (Belgrade), Diana (near Kladovo), Romuliana (Zajecar), Naisus (Nis), the birth place of Czar Constantine and a villa in Mediana (Nis). Sirmium with the Emperor’s Palace is an entrance gate to this series of chief tourist destinations which represent Itinerarium Romanum of Serbia or ‘The Road of Culture of Roman Emperors in Serbia”, said Warner for daily Blic.

Fantast - Vojvodina’s fairy tale

Belgrade, June 11. 2010. (Serbia Today) - The  castle Fantast is placed in the northern Serbia region of Vojvodina. It is near Becej, 120 kilometers from Belgrade. When Fantast was built, it represented all the power and wealth of its owner Bogdan Dundjerski who never married but had three great loves: women, horses and wine. One of his friends was Uros Predic, a famous painter, who painted the iconostasis of the chapel dedicated to St. George that Dundjerski decided to erect on his estate. A horse farm occupied half of the total estate with around 1.400 purebred horses. Nowadays, there are about 80 horses in six stables. There is also a riding school for horse lovers. The Castle Fantast represents an important cultural monument. It has been renovated into a luxurious hotel visited by both national and international guests. The hotel rooms are in the main tower. The hotel is open to all visitors. In the vast park built in French and English style, there are many walking paths, tennis courts and a lake. The chapel of St. George has great artistic value. It is very popular for baptisms and particularly weddings for its romantic atmosphere.
 

Zimonjic takes double crown at Roland Garros

 
Belgrade/Paris June, 10, 2010 (Serbia Today) – Serbian tennis player Nenad Zimonjic won the doubles title at the French Open in both the men’s and mixed doubles tournaments. Zimonjic and his mixed doubles partner, Katarina Srebotnik from Slovenia, won the mixed doubles tournament on Thursday, which was their fourth title in a row at Roland Garros. On Saturday, Zimonjic took another title, this time with his men’s doubles partner, Canadian Daniel Nestor, by defeating India’s Laender Paes and Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Republic by a score of 7-5, 6-2 to win their third grand-slam title together.
 

The first race in wedding dress in Belgrade

 
Belgrade June, 10, 2010 (Serbia Today) – 200 girls took part in the first race in wedding dress on Sunday in Belgrade at the Trg Nikole Pasica. This race makes Belgrade unique in Europe, according to organizers. The first place took Marija Stambolic, while the second and the third were Iva Dujich and Aleksandra Pesic. “Belgrade Tourist Organization (TOB) supported the event because it is very attractive, but also promotes a healthy spirit, sports and founding a family”, said TOB's representative Dejan Veselinov.  

Bob Dylan’s spectacular concert in Belgrade

 
Belgrade June, 10, 2010 (Serbia Today) – American rock icon Bob Dylan gave a spectacular concert at the Belgrade Arena on Sunday, 19 years after his last performance in Belgrade. Several thousand fans enjoyed the Belgrade concert which were part of the Never Ending tour, started in 1988 and has staged over 2,100 concerts – unprecedent in the music industry. Dylan's last concert in Serbia was held in 1991 also within the ongoing tour.

Petrovaradin fortress, Gibraltar on the Danube

Belgrade June, 10, 2010 (Serbia Today) -  History: This beauty of the Danube was built between 1692 and 1780, based on Voban's plans, by military engineers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It occupies a space of 112 ha with a unique system of four level and 16 km long underground corridors. It is a true wonder of architecture and was considered impregnable at the time. Culture: Petrovaradin fortress has been an important cultural and art center since 1951, and the largest art colony in the world with over 88 art studios. It is part of the cultural identity of Novi Sad where visitors can buy paintings or some other art pieces, talk with the artists and experience the atmosphere of studios while works of art are created. The Clock Tower on the fortress is special. The big hand shows hours and the small one minutes so that the residents of Novi Sad, Petrovaradin and the sailors could see the time from great distances. Relaxation: To sit on a terrace of Petrovaradin Fortress is an unique experience especially while enjoying a drink or delicious meal. There are three exclusive restaurants on the terrace: one serves national cuisine dishes and the other two serve Thai and Italian specialties. Visitors are strongly encouraged to visit the museum, catacombs and walk around the complex, while enjoying great views of the Danube. Entertainment: There are clubs and cafés on the Fortress. Exit, the biggest and the best music festival in Europe, takes place at the Fortress in summer making it one more reason to visit this cultural monument. There is a horse riding club at the foot of the Fortress and behind the restaurant ‘Trag’ where game specialties are served.
 

The Serbia national football team beat Cameroon with a score of 4-3 in the last friendly game before the World Cup in South Africa.

Belgrade, June, 09. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Cameroon led Serbia 2-0 but Serbia came from behind to prevail 4-3. Goals for the Serbian team were scored by Milos Krasic, Dejan Stankovic, Nenad Milijas (penalty)  and Marko Pantelic. Cameroon's goals came from double scorer Vebo and Motinga.

Serb-Slovenian double win at French Open

 Belgrade/Paris, June, 08. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Nenad Zimonjic and Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia have triumphed in the mixed doubles competition at the French Open on Thursday. They defeated Julian Knowle of  Austria  and Yaroslava Shvedova of  Kazakhstan, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 11-9. Zimonjic will rally with Daniel Nestor of Canada for the final match in the men's doubles against  Czech  Republic's Lukas Dlohi and India's Leander Paes. Meanwhile, Serbia's highest ranked women's tennis player Jelena Jankovic failed to qualify for the final after losing to Australia's Samantha Stosur 6-1, 6-2

Guns and Roses comes to Belgrade

Belgrade, June, 08, 2010. (Serbia Today) - The legendary American hard rock band Guns and Roses will tour Europe in the fall, visiting Belgrade on September 23, announced the organizer of the event the Belgrade Arena. Tickets will be on sale from May 5 with prices ranging from 30, 35, 45, 50 and 55 EUR. “Guns" was originally supposed to play the 20th June in Zagreb and 22 June in Belgrade but the first Croatian company promoter, "Lupa" said the concert in Zagreb Arena was postponed due to "certain difficulties” in the formation of a tour; a few days later  the concert at the Belgrade Arena was also postponed.

Gostilje - Mountain surroundings

Belgrade, June, 08. 2010 (Serbia Today) -  Gostilje is one of the most interesting locations within the Zlatibor mountain. Nestled along the slopes of Cigota and Borkovac and reaching 900 meters in altitude, it is a true challenge for all admirers of untamed nature. Its name means "a hospitable place", and indeed this village was named Gostilje, for no other reason than to describe the warm nature of its people. These are the people whose traditional cuisine strictly includes healthy products. Juicy fruits and veggies, ham and bacon, dairy products, corn bread and corn meal, home-made plum brandy will make you feel right at home. Aside from its wholesome food, Gostilje is famous for its crystal clear and healthy waters. A lively stream runs through the village, and its source is used for production of the "Zlatibor" water, one of the healthiest bottled waters in Serbia. The most oustanding feature of Gostilje is its waterfall, actually a whole formation of waterfalls, elevating to the altitude of about 20 meters. As far as its cultural and natural heritage is concerned, the "must-sees" are: Birth house and memorial room of Dimitrije Tucovic, the Gostilje library, various workshops dedicated to old trade and crafting skills, trout fish ponds, numerous watermills and of course, the waterfall of Gostilje. Immersed in the silence of Zlatibor forests, the village is filled with many gems of nature. The river Katusnica is a genuine fishermen's paradise, with whirlpools that are more than suitable for bathing. The Rakovicka cave, one of many caves within the river Katusnica's canyon. In fact, the whole village of Gostilje is surrounded by mountains, pastures, pine woods and waterfalls, and as such, it has outstanding camping sites, with many rest and leisure opportunities. It is a place where many medicinal herbs can be found. Nearby, there is a big football terrain,and the old village of Sirogojno, the Stopica cave, art studios of Trnava and Borova Glava and the Zlatibor tourist center, which all together and combined with Gostilje create a remarkable travel destination.

JJ and Zimonjic in the semifinals of Roland Gaross, Djokovic out

Belgrade/Paris, June, 07. 2010 (Serbia Today) – Jelena Jankovic and Nenad Zimonjic in doubles with Daniel Nestor reached the semifinals on Wednesday at Roland Garros, while Novak Djokovic lost in the quarterfinals. The best Serbian tennis player Jelena Jankovic advanced to the semifinals at the French Open, after she beat Jaroslava Svedova from Kazakhstan in 2 sets (7:5, 6:4).Jankovic, which is the fourth seed in the tournament in Paris will play in the semifinals against Australian Samantha Stosur. Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor of Canada defeated the Polish-Austrian duo Lukasz Kubot and Oliver Marach in straight sets (7-5 6-3). Fourth seeds, South Africa's Wesley Moodie and Dick Norman of Belgium will be their opponents in the semifinals. The best Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic defeated in the quarterfinals of the Austrian Jurgen Melcer 3:2 (3:6, 2:6, 6:2, 7:6 (3) and 6-4).
 

Many world stars at Summertime Festival in Belgrade

Belgrade, June, 07. 2010 (Serbia Today) – This year’s ‘Belgrade Summertime Festival’ from July 3-7 shall host the biggest names of the world jazz, rock and world music. Festival guests will be American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, trombonist and composer Fred Wesley, bands ‘Tower of Power’ and Damon Harris’s ‘Temptations’ and the famous British guitarist Jeff Beck. On the first day of the festival Dee Dee Bridgewater shall present her new album ‘Eleonor Fagan: To Billie With Love From Dee Dee Bridgewater’ dedicated to famous Billy Holiday. Serbian singer Lena Kovacevic shall perform on July 4 in a promotion of her first album ‘Good Day For Singing’ in which she combines jazz, pop and traditional Serbian music. The festival shall be opened by Jeff Beck, the 14th in the list of 100 biggest guitarists of all times of the reputable ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine. Beck shall perform at the Sava Center within a tour at which he is promoting his new album ‘Emotion and Commotion’. The Sava Center with support by the USA Embassy in Belgrade and the ‘Show Master’ Agency, continues a 19-year old tradition of bringing the biggest starts of the world musical scene as a kind of setting up a bridge with Europe and the world.
 

Idol will fire Belgrade

Belgrade, June, 05. 2010 (Serbia Today) - One of the most famous rock musicians of the 80s,  Billy Idol will perform in Belgrade, on  June 21. The concert will be held at the ”Usce” park. The British singer returned to the stage in the middle of this decade after 12 years away. One of the major concerts in a career comeback of the Idol held in the 2006 at the festival EXIT in Novi Sad, where about 40,000 people came. Serbian audience will on May 21 can once again enjoy Idol’s  hits such a  Sweet Sixteen, Dancing With Myself and White Wedding.
 

Experience the Tara Mountain

Belgrade June, 05. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Mountain Tara situated in western Serbia 180 kilometers from Belgrade. 1000 – 1200 m above sea level) is one of the most beautiful mountains in Serbia with preserved fir woods and fascinating vast areas with over 1000 species of medicinal herbs. It is covered by dense woods with clearings and meadows, rocky cliffs, gorges and caves. It is home for over 153 bird species and diverse flora. Pancic's Spruce is a unique species found only on mount Tara. Varied landscape and preserved vegetation have enabled survival to many animal species such as brown bear, chamoise, grouse, golden eagle etc. Tara offers ideal conditions for an active holiday. In winter the guests can ski on its tracks at 1.000 m above sea level. There are two ski lifts, one for children and beginners (150 m long) and the other for recreation skiers (450 m long). During summer season guests have at their disposal facilities such as beaches on the lake, excursion boats, outdoor swimming pools, 10 km long walkways whilst athletes and sportsmen can make use of 1.6 km long trim track, a football pitch and outdoor courts. Some other activities can be pursued such as going for a walk along the canyon, bike riding, sailing on the lake, fishing, rafting and photo safari. One can also visit its monasteries or travelling by  «Sargan Eight» (narrow-gauge railway), visit the Tarabics' house (family of prophets known as Serbian Nostradamus family). The woods, canyons and shores keep traces of prehistoric, antic, Roman and Byzantine cultures. Parts of Serbian medieval inheritance are the Raca monastery (13th century), old tombstone necropolis in Perucac and Rastiste. Dinaric log cabins on shores of the river Drina represent a unique folk art. The river with a lake near Perucac are abundant in all sorts of fish.

Serbia best at Roland Garros

Belgrade/Paris, June, 04. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Serbia will have the largest number of players in the senior competition - in four of five categories at Roland Garros. Jelena Jankovic will play in the women's singles quarter-finals on Wednesday, who is the favorite to progress to the semifinals. Her opponent is Jaroslava Svedova, ranked 36th in the world. None of the countries in the semifinals in the women's competition will have two representatives, with the quarter-finals seeing a match between Russia's players Nadia Petrova and Elena Dementieva. Novak Djokovicis tipped to also progress to the semifinals as he is significantly better placed than Austria's Jurgen Melzcera, who is ranked 27th. None of the countries in the men's competition will have two representatives in the semifinals, since the quarterfinals will see two Spanish players Rafael Nadal and Nicolas Almagro playing against each other. It is probable that among the eight competitors in the semifinals will be competitors from seven countries of which only Serbia would have two representative in the men's and women's competition. In the category of mixed doubles Nenad Zimonjic with Catherine Srebotnik from Slovenia has already qualified for the semifinals and he also expects a place in the semifinals with Daniel Nestor. They will play against Polish Lukas Kubot and Oliver Marah from Austria in quarter-finals.
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Subotica - Hungarian taste in Serbia

Belgrade, June, 04. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Subotica is the second largest city in Serbia northern region Vojvodina placed near Hungarian border. The population includes Hungarian and Serbian citizens and offers the beauty of different cultures, religions and nationalities. Subotica is situated 178 kilometers from Belgrade on the international road E-75 and railway itinerary which connects the Balkans with east and west Europe. It will charm you with diversity of its architectural styles ranging from gothic, secession and neoclassicism. Subotica was declared the "Free Royal City" in 1779. One of the greatest buildings in he town is theatre building in the central square. Also you could  enjoy visiting  old Town Hall - a monumental building from the early XXth century with ornaments and mosaics of great artistic value, Town Museum, City library, Catholic Cathedral and Jewish Sinagogue - the biggest in Vojvodina. Subotica is the town of numerous cultural events - international Film Festival, Barbers' days on  Palic, The May Holidays, Children Theater Festival, Duzijanca - harvest festivities. In  Subotica  surrounding you can visit picnic arias Palic Lake and Ludosko lake.
 

Serbian handball team in the EP

 
Belgrade/Smederevo , June, 03. 2010 (Serbia Today) – Serbian women's handball team won a place in this year's European Championships to be held from 7 to 19 December in Norway and Denmark. They beat Turkey in Smederevo by 28:27 (14:14) in the final round of  qualifications. Serbia came in second place in the group with four wins and two defeats behind unbeaten Spain. "This was an amazing game, and we deserved to win. We played with heart. I would like to thank everyone, Smederevo, organizers, people who were around us. Everything was beautiful from the hall to the hotel. Thanks to the players on their fight and the game they showed”, said Katarina Kovacevic after the match. Serbian coach Dusko Milic praised his chosen players and pointed out that the true goal, the placement on the Championship of the 'old continent' was achieved.

New Zealand beat Serbia in a friendly match

Belgrade/Klagenfurt, June, 03, 2010 (Serbia Today) - New Zealand’s Football Team, ranked 78th in the world, stunned 15th ranked Serbia in a friendly football match in Austria on Saturday. Shane Smeltz scored the only goal of the football match. Serbian manager Radomir Antic said that the loss could be a good wake-up call and something that would help the Serbian squad as it continues preparing for the 2010 World Cup to be held in South Africa in June.
 

Hollywood Hills resident of Serbian descent sues Beyonce

 
Belgrade, June, 03. 2010 (Serbia Today) Filip Markovic, Hollywood Hills resident of Serbian descent  has filed a lawsuit against pop singer Beyonce Knowles and her music label for disturbances while shooting her video for Why Don’t You Love Me? The frustrated neighbor has sued Knowles, on the grounds of infringement of privacy and “trespassing” because he was “woken up at 7 in the morning” on 26 March this year when the shooting was going inside a house opposite Markovic’s, He also claimed the video crew’s equipment vehicles were at the time parked “all over the street”, blocking the path for his own car from the garage. Further details Markovic included in his lawsuit state that he had been woken up at 7am by the noise Beyonce’s crew had created in an otherwise peaceful neighbourhood. Markovic also states the security had forbidden him to come out in the street during the shooting of the video. When he initially asked for compensation for the trespassing incident, Markovic recently received a reply he would not be reimbursed due to a low-budget status of the video production. He is now seeking justice through court and is demanding $25,000 for damages.
 

Sirogojno - an alpine museum of Serbian ethnos

Belgrade, June, 03. 2010 (Serbia Today) – It represents a genuine architectural wonder that depicts life, culture and heritage of past generations. In 1980, it became a museum and ever since, it has been know as the Old village. Occupying an area of 5 ha, Sirogojno is located in south-western Serbia, on the slopes of the Zlatibor mountain and 20 kilometers away from the town of Uzice. The museum itself holds 47 wooden objects relocated from the surrounding villages and equipped with authentic furniture and tools. Each household has a dairy room, a barn, a bread-baking oven, wooden vessels for production of home-made brandy, a beekeeping chamber, a room for production of prunes, while stables for cattle were built outside the main area. The whole exhibition has over 2000 valuable pieces spread around the yards and under the roofs of this ethno village. A special feature of Sirogojno is a summer shepherd home. It is composed of two cottages and a small house on sleighs, which makes their “business” a lot easier during winter periods. This beautiful ground is also home to sacred spaces such churches of St. Peter and St. Paul (1821), and an old graveyard. In order to breathe life into this museum, various workshops are being organized. The workshops deal with manual production of wooden, metal and coal items. In accordance with the Orthodox Christian calendar, Christmas Eve, Christmas, Easter and other traditional holidays are celebrated. It is through revival of old customs that Sirogojno demonstrates the spiritual, Christian yet pagan, heritage of its people. Every year the village hosts many exhibitions and educational programs. Still, Sirogojno remains famous for its manually knitted sweaters and the “Sirogojno fashion”, is today very present in Paris, Rome, London and even Japan. Be it Museum days or Museum nights, the village celebrates all manifestations dedicated to museums, while summer time is reserved for the festival of eco and environmental film. Sirogojno is surrounded by dazzling alpine scenery, ideal for both, winter and summer vacations. Nearby, there is the village of Gostilje, the Stopica cave, the Vapa spa resort and the Zlatibor tourist center. Around 100.000 people visit Sirgojno annually.
 

Serbia climbed up on the 15th place FIFA ranking list

Belgrade, June, 01. 2010 (Serbia Today) – The Serbian national football team is ranked 15th on the updated FIFA ranking list, which was published on Wednesday. "The Eagles" have 947 points, ten less than the U.S. team, at 14th place and 48 more than the national team of Uruguay, which occupies the 16th position. When it comes to Serbian opponents at the World Championships, the best ranked is Germany, which is ranked sixth with 1082 points. Australia is ranked at 20 with 886 points, while Ghana is in 32nd place on the list with 800 points. Brazil is still in first place with 1611 points in front of Spain (1565), Portugal (1249) and Holland (1231). The best performance, from teams from the former Yugoslavia, has Croatia on the tenth position with 1041 points.

Serbia 13th in Eurovision contest

Belgrade, June, 01. 2010 (Serbia Today) – Serbia’s representative on Eurovision Song Contest 2010.  Milan Stankovic came in 13th place. Milan performed Goran Bregovic’s song "This is the Balkans", and accumulated 72 points. That was enough for 13th place from a total number of 25 participants in the final competition. The representative of Germany, Lena was the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, which was held at the Telenor Arena Oslo, Norway. It was a convincing 76 points ahead of second-placed Turkey, which was the group of "manga".

Enjoy the Zemun

Belgrade, May 31. 2010. (Serbia Today) - If you come to Belgrade you have to visit a very special part of the Serbian capital- Zemun. Situated on the bank of river Danube Zemun offers peaceful ambient. Rafts, fisherman taverns, restaurants are just some of attractions of Zemun  quay. This once independent settlement, whose name was derived from the word “zemlja” meaning “earth”, is conveniently positioned on the right bank of the river Danube, and on the very border with the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina. The story of Zemun starts in the “copper age”, and throughout history Zemun has been under Byzantine, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and finally Serbian rule. Since 1934, it has been regarded as an integral part of Belgrade. Nowadays, numerous historical monuments stand as proof of its attractive position, while this “town in the city” continues its development into a modern settlement. Indeed, Zemun has all the right reasons for showing-off and you will immediately fall in love with it.  It has numerous cultural and historical sites, such as the Millennium Tower, fantastic fishing areas, rafts, floating or non-floating restaurants. It is also home to the "Madlenijanum" theatre and opera house, famous cafés with even more famous gastronomic wonders, galleries, and finally, shops where long-forgotten, decorative or usable objects are being manufactured. If you visit Zemun don’t forget the museum in Spirta’s house (18th century), the solar clock house(1823), Jovo Karamat’s printerhouse  (19th century), Icko’s house (18th century), remains of a medieval fortress (11th century), The Millennium Tower on Gardos(1896), the Old Magistracy building (1832). The International festival of monodrama and pantomimes, The International festival of caricature, “Zilik“ painting colony, “Summer on the quay“, etc. Once home to an internationally famous European port Zemun has maintained the old tradition of hospitality; Zemun quay is an ideal place for a city escape or a side stop to all those cruising the Danube on their way to the Black sea. Also, Zemun can be proud of its almost untouched oasis, a local beach called Lido, situated on the Big war island.
 

Red Star win the cup in Chicago

 
Belgrade/ Chicago, May, 26. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Red Star won first place at the Twin Cities Tournament in Chicago after a dramatic victory over  FC Paris Saint-Germain. The match finished with a score of 1-1 and the winner was decided on penalties, which Red Star won 7-6. Red Star led 1-0 in the 73rd minute when the goal hit Kadu. Then French player Marcos Ceara equalized in the 91st minute of the match. Jean-Eudes Maurice was the only penalty taker to miss and Milan Jeremic scored the winning goal for Red Star. Successful penalties for Red Star were taken by Nemanja Nikolic, Branimir Subotic, Milos Trifunovic, Milan Vilotic, Vladimir Bogdanovic, Slavko Perovic and Milan Jeremic.
 

Dane Komljen awarded in Cannes

Belgrade, May, 26. 2010 (Serbia Today) – A short film of the young director and writer Dane Komljen, is one of the winners of the competition at the Cannes Film Festival, Cinefondation. Film "I'm already everything that I have," in production of Faculty of Drama Arts shares equal third place with the Lebanese-American film “Fifth column” of Vatce Bulgurjian. The first prize in the program Cinefondation, which is devoted to discovering new talents, was assigned to the Finnish film, “Sellers of picture ", while the French film “Anywhere in the world” won the second prize. Komljen’s film is a test movie on the third year in s class of director Slobodan Sijan. The story is about Daniel, and how he is dealing with what he is involved in, when he suddenly appears in front of his older sister who lives in Belgrade and pray to be at her place for several days. In the 34-minute film there are appearances by Ivan Djordjevic, Bojan Zeevic, Pedja Damnjanovic and Dragan Milosevic.

Lake Palic – Vojvodina’s beauty

 
Belgrade, 25. 2010 (Serbia Today) Lake Palic,  placed 8 kilometers from Subotica (town near Hungarian border)  and 180 kilometers from Belgrade. The complex has arranged walkways, a zoo, nice hotels and restaurants where visitors can taste traditional dishes from Vojvodina with a strong Hungarian influence. Visitors are also welcome to enjoy horse back riding, sailing, biking and coach rides through the old wood. The Palic lake offers other forms of entertainment, sports, and touring nature reserves, bird watching, walking tours and photo safari. The coast is very attractive because of its sand Reef, bicycle paths, and polygons for the learner. The lake is rich in fish, and this provides an opportunity for fishing enthusiasts in an active holiday. Center provides options for treatment and recovery. Lake mud is rich in important minerals with medicinal properties, and sources of mineral water with temperature of 25 ° C. The coast of the lake is about 17 km long and the whole of its length is regulated. During the summer Palic film festival will be held. The Manifestation offers you  the chance to meet Serbian film industry production.  

Banja Kovilajca known since the Romanian times

Belgrade May 25. 2010. (Serbia Today) - Archaeological researches showed that Banja Koviljaca was Inhabited even in Roma times. Just like people in the middle ages, under the walls of “Koviljkin grad”, you can visit the springs of remedial water. Banja Koviljaca is a spa center placed in the western part of Serbia, in Podrinje region. Koviljaca is located on the right bank of river Drina, in the foothills of the mountain Gucevo, at a height above sea level of 125m. Sulphurous mineral waters (of 15-28 degrees of C) and the remedial mud represent natural remedial factors of Banja Koviljaca. Remedy is carried out in the Special rehab hospital “Banja Koviljaca”, along with the application of hydrotherapy, peloidotherapy, magnetic therapy, manual therapy, underwater and vibrating massage.  Banja is surrounded with one of the biggest and the most beautiful parks in Serbia, suitable for walks and recreation. The spa ballroom “Kur-salon” attracts visitors with its beauty, and luxurious interior reminds of the past times and luxurious balls. On the mountain Cer there are remains of the old towns and establishments (Kosanin and Trojanov grad), as well as the memory mausoleum, and in the spa itself are “Koviljkin grad” and Gradac. Close by Banja Koviljaca is Trsic, birth town of Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic Serbian language reformer, with ethno village under protection of the state, which evokes the way of life in Vuk`s time (XIX century). There is also a monastery Tronosa, in which the “Museum of early education of Vuk” is located, where Vuk learned to write. On Drina there are arranged places for recreational fishing, and on Gucevo there is a large number of popular resorts. Banja Koviljaca also have very good travel connections - from Belgrade, it is three hours drive by high way Beograd-Ruma, and then regional road Ruma-Sabac-Loznica-Banja Koviljaca (145km), from Novi Sad by regional road Novi Sad-Ruma-Sabac-Loznica-Banja Koviljaca (143km).  The nearest airport is in Belgrade (135km). The border crossing toward Bosna and Hercegovina is 5km far. Banja Koviljaca has a good road network system with Banja Luka and Sarajevo.

Roland Garros begins, Serbian tennis players receive heavy opposition

Belgrade, May 24. 2010 (Serbia Today) – French Open, the second Grand Slam of the year - Roland Garros, starts on Sunday 23rd May. It will last 15 days. The defending champions are Roger Federer from Switzerland and Svetlana Kuznetsova from Russia. Tournament prize is 16.8 million euros, with the winners in men's and women's singles each expected to earn 1.12 million euros. Serbian tennis players Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic could meet at the French Open in the quarter finals. Ivanovic’s first opponent will be 19-year Chiang Kai Cen from Taiwan, ranked 89 in the world. In the second round, Ivanovic could meet with Alisa Kleybanova from Russia, ranked the 29th tennis player on WTA list. In the same part of the draw as Jankovic and Ivanovic is also the first holder Serena Williams. Jelena Jankovic the 4th seed is expected to play with Astralian Alicia Molik, 95 in the fourth round. Serbian tennis players Viktor Troicki, and Janko Tipsarevic have a difficult path. Tipsarevic, 41st in the rankings, is expected to meet Alejandro Falla in the first round The winner of the match can expect to meet Roger Federer in the second round. Troicki, 40th on the list, will play against Tommy Robredo from Spain in the first round. In the following round, Troicki could meet with Philip Pecner and Michael Juzni who is 13th in the world. Currently the top-ranked Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovich, the third holder and the third in the rankings, will play against Evgeny Korolev from Kazakhstan in the first round.

Stankovic stays in Inter

Belgrade, May, 22.  2010 (Serbia Today)  Officials of Inter football club have offered a new contract to Serbian national football team captain Dejan Stankovic (31), reported Italian media. Stankovic has played 38 matches for Inter and has scored five goals with the same number of assists. Inter has won the Serie A title for the fifth time and with the Italian Cup, reached the double crown. Stankovic arrived in Milan in 2004 has played 192 Serie A matches for Inter. As of the 2009/10 season, he has played more than 400 matches in his career, and scored 95 goals.

Eric Clapton – fascinating guitar show comes to Belgrade

Belgrade, May, 24. 2010. (Serbia Today) - The legendary British guitarist Eric Clapton will perform with Steve Winwood on June 9. at the Belgrade Arena. Ticket prices are 30, 35, 40, 50 and 60 EUR and can be purchased at the ticket office of the Belgrade Arena, SKC - Delphi bookstore, Youth Center, Event, Ticket Service, as well as the site www.arenabeograd.com. Clapton's career began as a 17-year-old part of the Roosters, then played in The Yard birds, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Cream and Blind Faith. The first solo album released in 1970, and the last studio release was an album with JJ Cale, The Road to Escondido. Concert in the Arena will be Clapton’s third in Belgrade – in 1979. He played in Hall Pioneer, and 1984.

Elton John comes to Belgrade

Belgrade, May, 22.  2010 (Serbia Today)  One of the most famous pop musicians of today Elton John will perform on June 3 at the "Belgrade Arena". Tickets for Elton John concert are priced at 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90 EUR and can be purchased in the Ticket Service," Eventim, the Youth Center, a bookstore "Delphi" in the Student culture center and at the box office of "Arena.” Elton has more than 50 hits that were on the list of 40 most popular, including seven number one songs. He has won Oscars, Grammys, Tonys and Golden Globes. Elton John has been a Knight of the British kingdom since 1997. That same year, the magazine "Billboard" announced that he is the third most successful artists of all time.

Greaters for Belgrade tourists

 
Belgrade May 24. 2010. (Serbia Today) - Belgrade foreign visitors should be prepared for the “Greeters”,  new service of The Belgrade Tourism Organization. As tourist organization of Serbian capital announced the service will be provided by volunteers acting as informal hosts to foreign visitors. They are not tour guides, but their goal is to present their favorite places in the city and the best image of Belgrade to visitors. Of the 500 applicants, 50 underwent training and 20 are ready to start work. The project is modeled after similar services in New York, Paris, Amsterdam and other cities. Belgrade is the first city in southeastern Europe to become a part of the Global Greeter Network. Fifty other cities have applied to become members of the network, said reports.

Nis - european crossroads

 
Belgrade, May, 22. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Nis lies on the crossroads of some of the major Balkan and European roads that connect Europe to Near East, and therefore has, for centuries now, considered to be the gates between the East and the West. Nis was for the first time mentioned in documents under the name of "Via Militaris" in Roman and Byzantine period, while in the Middle Ages it was known as "the Road to Constantinople.” Nis is well-known for its hospitality and delicious food. Mediana  - a royal estate in the outskirts of the antic Nis dating from Roman period (4th century), Fortress  - the best preserved Turkish fortress in central Balkan erected in 1723. on the remains of Roman Naissus, Cele kula (The Skull Tower) - a unique monument with skulls of Serbian rebels built in its walls by the Turks as a reprisal after the battle on Cegar, The monument dedicated to the liberators of Nis  - 1937. Traditional Film Encounters, "Nisvil" Jazz Festival, "Nismonia" Music Festival, 
"The Days of Burek" (burek - national cheese pie made from thin layers of dough and a cheese filling). Nis Spa Center - it is situated only 10 km from Nis at the foot of mountain Suva. Suitable for rest, holidays and excursions. It is very much visited because of its mineral water springs and healing climate. Sicevo Gorge - a protected natural phenomenon, an attractive 17 km long canyon of the river Nisava. Jelasnik Gorge - a special 2 km long natural reserve with waterfalls. Cerjanska cave - 14 km from Nis, near Cerje village, at 515 m above sea level, with karst gems in its underground halls such as stalaktites, stalagmites, stone curtains, pillars. Bajanine waters and Kamenicki peak - places for skiing and sleighing.

Djokovic again behind Nadal, new chance for attack after Paris

Belgrade, May, 21, 2010 (Serbia Today) – Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic dropped by a place in the ATP world rankings, published on Monday, and is now officially the third ranked player of the world. Djokovic has relinquished the second place to Rafael Nadal, who won the Masters Series tournament in Madrid, when he beat Roger Federer. Previously, Nadal won titles in Rome and Monte Carlo, and proved that
he has regained his form, which should make him a big favorite
in upcoming Roland Garros where he has already been champion four times. Viktor Troicki has remained on the 40th place, and in front of Janko Tipsarevic. Ilija Bozoljac drops by five places and he is now 134th in the world, while Philip Krajinovich maintained 209th position.

Jazz and Blues Festival in Kosovska Mitrovica

Belgrade/Kosovska Mitrovica, May, 21. 2010 (Serbia Today) – Eighth International Jazz and Blues Festival North City 2010 will be held in the House of Culture in Zvecan from 20. to 22 May, announced organizers: association "Union - M" from Kosovska Mitrovica. As they announced, this year's festival will open band of the guitarist Peter Rakic, and first night concert will perform the U.S. trombone player Frank Lacy and the Austrian Dusan Novak’s Quartet, as well as alternative rock band “Naked” from Belgrade. On the second night one of the best European saxophonist Tony Lacatos will perform with fellow Roberto Magris. They will present music from different meridians, which is well packed in jaz and fusion composition. That same night to the audience will present pop  singer  Ognjan Radivojevic with his band. Final night will play an American bassist Garry  Willis and his orchestra Triphasic, Festival will close band from Greece Nick & the Backbone. General sponsors of the "North City" Festival are the municipality of Kosovo Mitrovica and the Ministry of Culture of Serbia.

Studenica - History lesson

Belgrade, May, 21. 2010  (Serbia Today)  Monasteries are Orthodox,  cultural and historical heritage of Serbia. Since the 12th century they have been the cultural and spiritual center of Serbia. There is no single state ruler who has not left behind a temple – reminder of his name and importance. Studenica is  one of the largest and richest Serb Orthodox monasteries,  founded by  great ruler Stefan Nemanja (1171-1196), the founder of  independent state Raška and the founder of powerful Nemanjić dynasty (1169-1196), built the Church of the Mother of God, his foundation.  There he rests, not as a ruler, but as a modest monk Simeon, with his wife, nun Anastasia, and their sons, Vukman and Stefan (the First-Crowned). The monastery was founded around 1190 and placed near Kraljevo town 2000 kilometers from Belgrade. Way to Studenica Monastery goes through the Ibar’s “Valley of Centuries” where once was the heart of Serbian medieval state Raška. Studenica was declared  Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 19179 and protected by Republic of Serbia. In 1986 UNESCO included  included  Studenica  monastery on the list of  World heritage Sites. The crucifix and the portraits of the saints at the altar make Studenica a unique monastery. The legend says that, while he was hunting along the Studenica River close to the place where it empties into the Ibar River, the grand county ruler Stefan Nemanja and his escort stopped to rest. Delighted by the nature and guided by the Providence, he decided to build a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The Holy Virgin’s Church in Studenica was built in the last two decades of the 12th century. It is one of the most beautiful monuments of Raška architectural style and the most respectable among Serbian monasteries. Its rich sculptural plastics in white Radočelo’s marble has Romanesque-Byzantium forms, and gorgeous wall-paintings personified in The Crucifixion attracts tourists, and modern pilgrims, to gather around it and to admire it. In the year 1986, when it celebrated eight centuries of its existence, Studenica was enrolled in the list of UNESCO world heritage, as a monument of a universal value.  Today, the architecture of Studenica is made of the main monastery church dedicated to the Mother of God, King’s Church (dedicated to SS Joachim and Anna) and St. Nicola’s Church – Nikoljača, and in the scope of the monastery complex there are also the remains of the foundation of St. John’s Church, Sava’s Dining-Room, Tower, Treasury and Dormitories. The Church of the Mother of God, the greatest building of Serbian Middle Age, was built between 1183 and 1196. Its founder and patron was the great ruler Stefan Nemanja. It is one of the most valuable monuments of so called Raška architectural style. The church has the nave, altar room and interior narthex, while exterior narthex was built some later by king Radoslav.  From outside, the Holy Virgin’s Church in Romanesque style, decorated with rich marble plastics of high stylish values. Beside the main portal, the most valuable detail on the fascade of Studenica is three-parted window of the middle apse.  Walking from the Virgin’s Church to the northwest, there is the Church of SS Joachim and Ann, also named, after its founder King Milutin, King,s Church. The inscription on the facade below the roof cornice says: In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, I, servant to God, Stefan Uros, great-grandson to Lord Simeon and grandson to the First-Crowned King Stefan, son to the great King Uros and (myself) King of all Serbian and coastal lands, have built this temple to (celebrate) the name of the sainted righteous antecedents of Christ Joachim and Ann, in the year 1314, indictum 12, and I have contributed a  Chrisovoulia  to the holy church. May God Himself and my sinful self anathemize  whoever changes that. Amen. The church has been built under the auspices of Archimandrite  Protosinkellos  Jovan. King’s Church is constructed in the form of a compressed cross and with a dome octogonal without. It is built of stone and tufa and the facades are plastered. Of particular value are the frescoes inside this little church which date from the second half of the 14th century; they were painted by King Milutin’s favorite artists. Close to Studenica, going upstream the Ibar River towards Raska, there is Gradac monastery, situated at the foot of Golija Mountain. Gradac was a memorial built by French princess and Serbian queen Helen of Anjou. She entered a monastic order and died there. In her honor, as the legend says, king Milutin had lilacs planted along the whole Ibar Valley. Maglic Fortress, the best preserved medieval fortress, is situated on a hill above the valley. Close to Gradac Monastery there is Zica Monastery and its Church of Holy Assumption which was built by Stefan I, the first Serbian king.

Without Serbia in the Board of FIBA Europe

Belgrade, May, 19. 2010 (Serbia today) – Serbia lost its first representative in the Board of FIBA, while the Icelander Olafur Rafnson has been elected for President on Sunday. In addition to the surprise also Predrag Danilovic, president of the basketball club Partizan, did not get a third mandate to the Board. The Secretary General of the Basketball Association of Serbia Zoran Gavrilovic was shocked by the news from FIBA. Predrag Danilovic has not passed the Board which is shocking. But not only that. The highest authority is not operating any place or the representatives of Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Izreala, and even some basketball respective countries. It is simply shocking”, said Gavrilovic for Sportski zurnal. President of the association Dragan Kapicic, was also surprised of the results of the vote. "That leaves plenty of room for doubt, which certainly is not good for basketball," said Kapicic

Partizan the football champion

Belgrade, May, 20. 2010 (Serbia Today) Partizan Football Club celebrated winning the Serbian football championship title with a last round 6:0 (3:0) win over Mladi Radnik from Požarevac. Partizan won its 22nd national championship with a total of 78 points and a record of 24 wins, six draws and zero losses. The club will compete in the qualifying round of next season's Champions League, while Red Star, OFK Belgrade Spartak from Subotica will play qualifying matches for the Europa League. Mladi Radnik and Kruševac-based club Napredak were relegated from the Serbian Superliga.

A diverse music program at the fest “Mixer”

 
Belgrade, May, 20. 2010 (Serbia Today) - At the regional festival of creativity and innovation from 25. to 29. May in Belgrade, the organizers offered a rich selection of music and DJs programs. The entire music program of the festival, whose coach was selector Gordan Paunovic, will be divided into three parts. In the central part of the music program on the Live Stage, live will perform: “Mistakemistake”, whith ‘sound sculptures’, then, “Horkestar'', ,,Svi na pod!’’, ,,Repetitor’’, ,,Ola Horhe’’, ,,Petrol’’, ,,Zerkman Big Bang’’, ,,Lira Vega’’, ,,SevdahBABY’’, ,,Laura 2000’’, ,,Zemlja Gruva’’ and others. At the Sunset Session DJ performances will have brothers Burazeri, Zeljko Kerleta, Dimitrije Stojanović, Schwab, and a concert will be held by ,,Izgubljeni Vikend & Jesenji Orkestar’’. In the program Party Zone will perform DJ Ichisan & Nakova, Marko Nastic & Kay Kay, T. Raumschmiere, Krishna T, DJ Brka and Maurice Fulton. In addition to the music part of the program, as part of this year's festival will present dozens of participants divided into several parts. Authors will present themselves throughout, literature, paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, video works and performances in design, architecture, fashion and technology. Regional Mixer Festival of creativity and innovation, will be held from 25 to 29 May in Zitomlin silos, in Dorcol in Belgrade

Drvengrad - Directed by Emir Kusturica

Belgrade, May, 20. 2010 (Serbia Today) Drvengrad is a ethno-village in Mokra Gora,  situated between Zlatibor and Tara mountains . It became popular for its natural and rustic beauty,  but also by the film director Emir Kusturica and his Hollywood friends  Jim Jarmusch and Johnny Depp. Two years ago, Kusturica organized  the first festival of young film directors in Drvengrad. It gave one beginner the opportunity to learn from the workshops of movie veterans as Jarmusch and Depp. Drvengrad  is Kusturica’s  art-architectural  work on Mecavnik hill.  Mecavnik rises above the village of Mokra Gora and is on the same altitude as the old railway station Jatare of the old narrow-gauge railway “Sargan Eight.” Drvengrad is an ethno village built in urban style. There is the entrance gate on one of its ends and on the other a small wooden church built in Russian style and dedicated to St. Sava. In the center there is a square with the ground made of wood and surrounded by authentic log cabins transported from regions in Serbia and Bosnia. Drvengrad has a picture gallery, a library, the cinema “Underground”, a pastry and sweets shop where home-made cakes and natural juices are served, a national restaurant and a souvenir shop. The expert jury of Brussels Foundation for Architecture “Philip Rotie”  proclaimed Drvengrad the best European architectonic achievement in the last three years.

Royksopp: “Fortress show will be special”

Belgrade, May, 19. 2010 (Serbia Today) - One of the most influential world groups, Norwegian electronic music band Royksopp are to appear for the first time in Serbia on 10 July at the Exit Festival in Novi Sad. The duo, comprising Svein Berge and Torbjorn Brundtland, will play on the third festival night on the Fortress. Before coming to Novi Sad they said that they are happy about coming to Serbia. “We are thrilled about coming to the festival – somewhere we’ve never played before. We have always wanted to try new things, explore and meet new people,” said Svein for Blic. He said that the band is full of enthusiasm and that they have heard Exit is an excellent festival. “We are eager to come to new places and that’s why we’ll be playing at the Exit festival. Life is too short to be missing out on any chances. We are full”, said Svein. For the upcoming gig the Royksopp announces show full of energy. “Every moment has to be special. We want to have great fun and create a great party. We want energy, chemistry with the crowd”, says Svein and added that they will be playing songs from the latest album “Senior.” “There will be some remixes of songs from Senior we’ve got prepared for Exit. It’s going to be a great party”, promises Svein.

Novi Sad - The town of culture

Belgrade, May, 19.  2010 (Serbia Today)  - Novi Sad  is the capital of Serbian northern region Vojvodina, most famous for it’s music festival EXIT.  Located only 75 kilometers from Belgrade, Novi Sad is a peaceful  place.  Even though it's relatively small, Novi Sad is tremendously charming, perhaps much because of this blend of traditional and modern ways that have coexisted in this city for a long time. It is also one of the reasons why many visitors come to get to know it better  and  have  some  fun.  Special beauty of Novi Sad is the Danube coast and the beach “Strand”. Novi Sad is also the city of theaters, museums, galleries, interesting cafés, unusual restaurants, little parks, business centers and the Fair which annually holds around 30 international exhibitions.
The most famous locations in Novi Sad are  Dunavska,  Zmaj  Jovina  and Laze Teleckog  Street, the Petrovaradin Fortress, Strand - the most beautiful beach on the Danube, and the famous quay, favorite walking and running path of local residents. Cultural and historic sights you shouldn’t miss are the City Hall, the Bishop's Palace, monument to poet Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj, the Orthodox Cathedral dedicated to St. George, Catholic churchyard, the Petrovaradin fortress, monument to Svetozar Miletic (former Mayor of Novi Sad, writer and politician), the Banovina white house, the Square of newlyweds and the Endowment of Orthodox Bishop  Platon.
The are also numerous cultural and entertainment events you must see. EXIT - International Music Festival, NOMUS - Music Festival, Sterijino pozorje — Theater Festival,  Novosadski  Jazz festival - Novi Sad Jazz Festival,  Zmajeve  decje  igre - Children's Theater Festival,  Medjunarodni  festival  ulicnih  sviraca - International Street Musicians' Festival, Cinema City - International film and new media festival. Very close to Novi Sad you can visit some nearby nature and historical monuments as Fruska Gora - National park with 16 Orthodox monasteries and 14 lakes ore Sremski Karlovci  - a town in the close proximity to Novi Sad and former capital of Serbia, a religious center with churches, castles and wine cellars.

Jelena wins against Ana in Madrid

 
Belgrade/Madrid, May 18. 2010 (Serbia Today) - The world’s number four player in the women’s tennis tour, Jelena Jankovic, beat Ana Ivanovic 4-6 6-4 6-1 in the second round of the tournament in Madrid on Tuesday night. Jelena now takes on home player Anabel Medina Garrigues. Jankovic and Ivanovic played out a match which lasted 110 minutes. Although her serve game is still plaguing her, Ivanovic was much quicker than at some recent matches. Jelena was lackluster in the opening set and Ana took the set 6-4 after some nervous shots from Jankovic went astray. The second set was much closer and both Serbian players took turns in the lead and domination on court. At 3-3 in the second set, Jelena changed her strategy and forced Ana into errors, as Jelena went on a string of four games to take the second set. Ana was visibly disrupted by the loss of the second set and was considerably below her best in the decider.  Jankovic now takes on Anabel Medina Garrigues, who beat France’s Marion Bartoli in the second round 6-2 6-0. The final at the Mutua Madrileña tournament is on 16 May and total prize money is $4.5 million.

Festival EXIT launched Internet TV with videos of concerts

Belgrade, May, 18. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Musical festival "Exit" has got its own Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) whose users will be able to watch free clips from concerts on several biggest stage in the framework of this event. According to a statement "Exit" IPTV channel is located on the site www.exitfest.org section VoD (video on demand). There have already been placed concerts Lilly Allen, bands "Korn", "Buzzcocks”, “Carl Cox”, "Jarboli" and performs a dozen others and the new concerts would be placed every months. "Every month on the 'EXIT' new channel will be placed concerts, and users will be able to exclusively view the most interesting performances, as it was the last year's performance of Moby on the main stage "the statement said.
 

Silver lake – Fishermen paradise

Belgrade, May, 18. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Srebrno jezero (meaning Silver lake) placed in the eastern Serbia, two hours drive from Belgrade. It is called Serbian sea because of its characteristics and beauty and for being one of the clearest and the cleanest lakes in the country. It would not take much to develop the sea into nice beaches suitable for many sports on water.  The lake is 14 km long and 300 m wide. National championship in water skiing takes place on this lake since 2001.  Rowers and windsurfers have been coming here regularly for years. Fortunately, boats with engine  are banned so the lake has been preserved from contamination. The lake is a paradise for fishermen and is rich in perch, carp, robin, bream. Wild bird hunting is possible. Camping on the lake is a tradition. The shades of the black locust wood and mild climate make the stay unforgettable. It is possible to go on excursions to the town of Golubac and se the unforgettable fortress , also  in the category “must see” are the  Nimnik and Tumane monasteries as well as to the  neighboring Romania by boat.  Famous events on Srebrno lake are a competition in preparing fish stew «Alka Nights», Days of Flowers or Pasuljijada (a competition in preparing bean stew).

Stankovic: I’m not preparing any PR tricks for Norway

Belgrade, May, 17. 2010 (Serbia Today) – Serbia’s representative at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, Milan Stankovic, travelled to Oslo, on Thursday. He will appear on 25 May in the semi-finals. “It’s really hard work. Expectations are running high and it increases the responsibility. That’s why I’m trying my best to see this through as best as I can,” said Stankovic for Blic. Before departure Stankovic said that he is not preparing any PR tricks for the competition. “I will try to be normal and my usual, natural self and try to represent Serbia in the finest light possible,” he said. Regarding his cooperation with composer Goran Bregovic, he said that it has been an honour for him to work with him even if he hadn’t won the Serbian trials. He is a great artist and a lot of singers would love to have this opportunity to work with Bregovic, said Stankovic and added there are a few people in the business in Serbia that he can rely on and Bregovic is one of them. Stankovic coldn’t single out any of the songs. “This year pop ballads are predominant, but there is also some Euro-dance sound. We are totally different and that’s a bonus”, concluded Stankovic. The Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Oslo’s Telenor Arena and lasts from 25 to 29 May.

Minister for Sports: The law soon in parliament

Belgrade/ Kraljevo, May, 15. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Minister for Sports and Youth Snezana Samardzic Markovic said in Kraljevo that the Law on Sport will soon be on the agenda of the Assembly, and that the problems in the privatisation of clubs will be solved. During the opening of sports field in the elementary school "Braca Vilotijevic" she said that the state is on track to overcome problems about privatisation of clubs. She stressed that the new Law through a series of paragraphs will contribute that stadiums in Serbia would no longer be arenas of violence. The Minister pointed out that it is unacceptable that school and other sports objects in the country had not been restored more than 30 years, and announced that the ministry will take care of sports infrastructure.

Second Belgrade Foam fest - kingdom of DJs

 
Belgrade, May, 15. 2010 (Serbia Today)  The second, "Belgrade Foam Fest" will take place on 28 August in the "Belgrade Arena", with some of the names that appear on most foam parties in this part of Europe, DJs Axvel, Sebastian Ingroso and Stereo Palma.  Tickets to the event cost 20 EUR and are already are on sale. All detailed information about the festival can be found on the site www.belgradefoamfest.com.

If you need some rest, come to Salas

Belgrade, May, 15. 2010(Serbia Today) “Salas”, Vojvodina’s traditional  landscapes in are  places where  urban dwellers can enjoy some peace of mind.  In northern Serbia you can easily find much-needed rest while enjoying traditional food and drink. Salas is a farm estate, away from urban areas, with a house to live in, accompanying buildings and land. They were built to allow onee to be close to the land. Salas is a  true jewel of the Pannonian plain and a lighthouse of the vast "Pannonian sea", is a genuine monument of Vojvodina's culture. The word salas is of Turkish and Hungarian origin, and means "a protected place" or "asylum.” Nomadic Hungarian people used to have their own "salas", a place of temporary settlement. The most popular Vojvodina  salas are “Majkin salas”, “Salas 84” and “Salas 137”. 
 

GOOOAL official ice of the "Eagles"

 
Belgarde, May, 14. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Company Frikom and Football Association of Serbia signed on Monday, 10 May, a sponsorship contract for the new ice cream to become the official ice cream of serbian team. Sponsorship Agreement was signed by the CEO Frikom Gojko Djosic and Serbian Football Association president Tomislav Karadzic. On each stick of ice cream GOOOAL is a code that allows consumers to enter the Frikom’s world football, play games and win valuable gifts. The daily prize for the best players on the Frikom site is the official jersey of Serbian national football team.

Ralph fiennes finished shooting in Belgrade

Belgrade, May, 14. 2010 (Serbia Today) - British actor Ralph Fiennes finished shooting in Belgrade. This was his directorial debut of the movie, “Coriolanus”. This Shakespearean drama stars Gerard Butle. Vanessa Redgrave, Slavko Stimac,  Dragan Micanovic and  Svetislav Goncic.  After the wrap, they celebrated the occasion in a local club, Oh Cinema.  Hollywood stars Ralph Fiennes and Gerard Butler departed Belgrade on Tuesday May 11. Coriolanus had its first take back in mid March in Pancevo, after which on-set shooting moved to Belgrade. In April, British actress Vanessa Redgrave joined the crew, while Gerard Butler followed a wek later. During their stay in Belgrade,
Fiennes was fully dedicated to the direction process of the film, and only occasionally relaxed in Belgrade’s bohemian quarter  Skadarlija. As Serbia media reported, unlike Fiennes, Butler has partied throughout his stay in Belgrade. One night he was caught by paparazzi kissing Serbian model Martina Rajic.

5th International honey and wine fair in Negotin

 
Belgrade, May, 13. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Tourist Organization of Negotin organize 5th International fair of honey and wine, 12th May. Fair “Negotin 2010” is held within the events the May Festival and Day of the Municipality. Event begins at 5:00 pm in the central square of the town in eastern Serbia. This year the fair will bring together a large number of participants from Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania, the producers of honey, wine, souvenirs, medicinal plants, related equipment manufacturers, restaurants and all those involved in the sale, distribution and consumption of honey and wine. In addition to the official program there will be a tasting and lectures on wine and beekeeping. Part of the program also includes the evaluation and declaration of the best wines at the fair. The whole festival will be accompanied by a rich cultural - entertaining program

Querry secures victory at Serbia open

Belgrade, May, 13. 2010 (Serbia today) - A US player Sam Querrey triumphed at the second ATP tournament Serbia Open beating John Isner 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 in Belgrade on Sunday to win the Serbia Open final. A favorite of local audiences Novak Djokovic had dropped out in the quarter-finals. The 22nd-seeded Querrey won his fourth title. With victory in Belgrade, he won 250 points and EUR 67,430, while Isner gained 150 points and EUR 35,400. In an all-unseeded doubles final Sunday at the Serbia Open 2010 , Santiago Gonzalez and Travis Rettenmaier won their first ATP World Tour doubles title with a 7-6(8-6), 6-1 victory over Polish duo Tomasz Bednarek and Mateusz Kowalczyk.  Top-ranked Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic said that he to default the match in the quarter-finals to Philip Krajinovic. Due to allergies, he won't play at a tournament in Madrid. The total prize fund of the Serbia Open was EUR 425,000, and tournament was attended by tens of thousands of people.

Devil ‘s Town - Serbian wonder

Belgrade, May, 13. 2010 (Serbia Today)  Đavolja Varoš (meaning "Devil's Town") becomes very popular after last year’s nomination for the New Seven wonders of nature campaign. Djavolja varos is a peculiar rock formation located in south Serbia on the Radan Mountain near Kursumlija. It features 202 exotic formations described as ear pyramids or "towers", as the locals refer to them. They are 2-15 m tall and 4-6 m wide at the base. These formations were created by strong erosion of the soil that was scene of intense volcanic activity millions of years ago. Most of the towers have "caps" or "heads" of  andesite, which protect them from further erosion. Since 1959, Đavolja Varoš has been protected by the state and in 1995, the Serbian Government declared it a major natural monument, subject to Category One protection. A natural spring is located beneath the formations and has a high mineral concentration. There are two springs: Đavolja voda (Devil’s Water), with extremely acidic water (1,5) and high mineral concentration (15 g/l of water), and Crveno vrelo (Red Well).

Partizan without enough power for the third place

 
Belgrade/Paris, May. 12. 2010 (Serbia today) -Partizan basketball team have secured fourth place at the Euroleague Final Four in Paris, having been defeated by CSKA Moscow 90-88 in the third-place match. The game was decided after overtime, just as in the semi-final against Olympiacos. After an unconvincing first half and facing a 33-22 deficit, Partizan came out strong in the second half, with Jan Vesely going on a run of points and Lawrence Roberts's three-pointer and dunk. On 18 minutes, Partizan had closed the gap to only four points and completely caught up with CSKA Moscow after Aleksandar Rasic;s three-pointer. Before long, Partizan were in the lead, which they managed to maintain. However, a debatable refereeing decision, when Alex Maric was penalised with an offensive foul and Vesely complained to a referee and earned himself a technical foul. CSKA were once again in the lead for a brief moment, as youngster Djekic made sure Partizan were in the slenderest of leads going into the final period. Dusan Kecman provided a mini run at the start of the fourth period to counter points from CSKA's Holden and Siskauskas. CSKA increased the lead to three points. In Partizan's subsequent attack, the Russians did not allow any three-points from Partizan and quickly fouled Maric, who responded by netting both points from the free-throw line. In the dying moments of the overtime, laden with fouls from both ends, CSKA held to their slender lead. Partizan had a chance to clinch the game with the final attack 2.6 seconds from the buzzer, however Bo McCalebb missed a three-pointer for the win and CSKA Moscow claimed the third spot at the Euroleague Final Four with a 90-88 win.

Lord of the dance in Belgrade

Belgrade, May, 12. 2010  (Serbia today) - The famous Irish dance group Lord of the Dance will perform on May 17. and May 18.  in Belgrade's  Center “Sava” , during  their  great world tour. The Irish band is well known for a dance that most resembles the “step dance”.  On the music scene, they presented a combination of traditional Irish dance with attractive costumes and stage effects. The Lord of the Dance  is the only one of  that type,  and their “front man” is also  the founder and leader of the movement Michael Flatley. Before coming to Belgrade and their performance in Sava Center, the management of this popular group did not have any special requirements, except for a special diet. Specifically, they insist on setting the menu weeks before the show. Lord of the dance also insisted on certain kinds of meat, vegetarian alternatives in the menu and healthy meals . During their visit to Belgrade, members of the popular group insist on having large quantities of water, juices, teas and coffee. In their official statement Lord of the dance also announced that they do not intend to try the local specialties, but have heard of the traditional Serbian cuisine, especially the kebab and they are willing to try that after the performance. Tickets for the Lord of the dance performance are on sail at the Center “Sava”  ticket office and cost from 20 to 3

Tourist forum on Kopaonik

Belgrade, May, 12. 2010  (Serbia today) - Mountain Kopaonik , one of the largest tourist centers in Serbia, will host the first "Tourist forum"  from May 13 to May 16.  The aim of the conference is better promotion of Serbia's tourist industry. Ministry of Economy and Tourist Organization of Serbia organized the meeting. The objectives of the forum is to develop untapped tourist resources,  as well to create guidelines for Serbia's tourism development. The conference will gather local tourist organizations, hoteliers and tourist agencies.

EXIT Music festival from July 8.till July 11.

Belgrade, May, 10. 2010 (Serbia today) - The most popular music festival in the Balkans, and one of the most popular in Europe, “Exit” will be held in Novi Sad  from July 8 to  July 11. At the Petrovaradin fortress, visitors can expect  the  world  greatest music attractions such  as Faith No More and David Guetta. One-day tickets for this year's "Exit" will be on sale from May. 14. VIP tickets are currently on sale. These will allow visitors special privileges (costs 250 EUR), and a four-day ticket  (costs 65 EUR).  One-day tickets on the first day of the festival, Thursday  July 8. will cost 30 EUR. Performers that night are  Mika, LCD Soundsystem, Bad Brains, DJ Sedo, Chrome Live, Crookers, and Boys Noize.Price of the tickets for Friday, July 9.  will  be 35 EUR  and will feature Placebo, The Horrors, Does It Offend You, Yeah? For July 10,  tickets will cost  35 EUR, and the audience will be entertained by Klaxons, Röyksopp, Missy Elliott, David Guetta, Dirty South and The exploited. Tickets for Sunday  July 11. will cost 40 EUR and will feature Faith No More, Pendulum, The Chemical Brothers, Castles Crystal, DJ Mehdi, Cathedral, Atenat, Bambi Molesters and many others. 
 

Vrnjacka Banja-Place for healt recreation and fun

Belgrade, May, 10. 2010  (Serbia today) - Vrnjacka banja is the largest and most famous spa resort in Serbia and traditionally a very attractive tourist destination for holiday recreation and  health treatment. The spa is located in central Serbia, about 200 kilometers south of Belgrade. Placed under the  mountains  Kopaonik and Goc,  Vrnjacka  allows you to enjoy the snow in winter,  and avoid high summer heat. Vrnajcka banja  is considered a medical center. Studies have confirmed that seven  springs, possess many medicinal properties and may be especially suitable for diabetics. A large number of hotels (Zvezda, Breza, Fontana, Merkur) and numerous placed for private accommodation in the spa villas make Vrnjacka banja real tourist place. It has hosted numerous cultural events including the famous festival of  film scenarios, and the summer music festival. 

Topola - A field trip into hystory

Belgrade, May, 10. 2010 (Serbia today) To experience Serbia’s struggle against Turkish rule that lasted nearly 500 years and the tradition of the royal family Karadjordjevic, you do not need a time machine. All you have to do is travel 80 kilometers from the Serbian capital Belgrade to Topola, the town of uprising leader Karadjordje.It was during the leadership of Djordje aka Karadjordje Petrovic, between 1804 and 1813, that Serbia started offering serious resistance to the Turkish Empire and restoring its statehood. Karadjordje is known in Serbian history as the leader of the First Serbian Uprising (1804) and is the ancestor of the Karadjordjevic royal line.Today, one can visit Karadjordje’s stronghold, his house and church. A destination that should not be missed is the Legacy House of King Petar I Karadjordjevic on Oplenac hill, which includes a majestic Karadjordjevic family crypt, Petar’s House, the Wine Maker’s House. To view historical monuments, walk through  the pleasant environment of Oplenac hill, and after that great wine from the  Royal Wine Cellar. Royals vineyards used to span about 50 hectares. The entire legacy house used to live off the production of wine from the Royal cellar, built by King Petar’s heir Aleksandar in 1931. Today it is a museum exhibiting old equipment, wine presses and barrels dating back to the 1930s. One can also see the oldest Serbian winery, with bottles from the period between 1931 and 1957. After World War Two, the winery fell into neglect. Production gradually slowed down and finally came to a halt in the 1970s, but was restarted in 2004. Of the planned 50 hectares in the king’s vineyards, 11 have been planted. The wine Sauvignon Blanc is, for the time being, the first and only wine made from grapes from the restored royal vineyards in the total quantity of 20,000 bottles. Representatives of the Legacy House say they will restore the old glory of the Royal Cellar and will produce the best wine in increasing quantities, but according to traditional, natural procedure with no chemical processes.

Arsen Dedic in Belgrade

Belgrade, May 08. 2010 (Serbia today) - Legendary Croatian songwriter and singer Arsen Dedic, will perform a concert on 9 May in Belgrade's Sava Center. Dedic first played in Serbia, after a break of 16 years in 2005. The, he sold out two concerts in Belgrade and one in Novi Sad. His last released album is Rebus from 2008. Dedic is the author of classics such as: “Kuća pored mora", Čovjek kao ja", “Moderato Cantabile" and “Balada o prolaznosti". Croatia Records discography last year published luxury anthology commemorating the half-century career of Dedic, “Dobrotvorov home" with 93 songs. The CD contained “Ljubavni komadi", “Narodne" and “Budnice."

Serbian “Eagles” in new outfits for South Africa

Belgrade, May, 07. 2010 (Serbia today) – The Serbian national football team unveiled the new uniform, which they will use in the World Cup in South Africa. Coach Radomir Antic said that the players will do everything at the upcoming World Cup to represent the country in the best way.The new red uniform was presented in the Belgrade City Assembly. Organizers called it historic; in this uniform the national football team will play as a sovereign nation in the World Cup for the first time .Antic opined that the uniform is nice, and that its quality lies in emblem of Serbia.I promised that it will be soaked with sweat and we will do everything to represent the country in the best way," said coach. He said that it is good that players have had success in foreign clubs, and praised Ivan Obradovic from Zaragoza who returned to the field after injury. “We are aware that we have little time for preparation, but the World Cup is every four years and each player will have to make the effort”, concluded Antic. Besides the uniform presentation, the team displayed other equipment which team and coaching staff will be wearing on the trip, in the hotel and in training in southern Africa.

Ralph Fiennes shooting in Belgrade

Belgrade. May, 07. 2010 (Serbia today) - British actor Ralph Fiennes is directing his debut movie in Belgrade. The filming of  Shakespeare’s classic Coriolanus attracted major attention from the local public. Even Serbian Minister of Internal Affairs, Ivica Dacic, recently visited the cast and crew on set. Dacic said that he wanted to ensure that Fiennes and the crew enjoyed adequate conditions for shooting. On-set assistance during the shooting of Coriolanus is being provided by Serbian As media reported Speaking with Ralph Fiennes, Serbian Minister of Defence, Ivica Dacic, was primarily interested whether the director and leading actor was pleased with the overall treatment the cast and crew have received in Belgrade. Dacic also used the opportunity to meet Gerard Butler, one of the stars of the film. During the visit Dacic witnessed the shooting of scenes of street fighting. During Fiennes’ last year’s visit to Belgrade, Minister Dacic emphasised that the Serbian Police would provide logistics for the film project, not only for the financial reasons, but also as this would be a perfect opportunity for Serbia’s promotion,” “The special police personnel have been coaching me how to move the best possible way, how to assume a position, move alongside corridors and handle weapon. Everything revolves around spontaneous efficiency and plenty of practice. As for me, I’m trying to comprehend the mental process going on in their heads while they are in the middle of a battle and in life-threatening danger,”  Fiennes earlier said about his special training for this movie. .

Fruska Gora– Nature culture and history in one

Belgrade. May, 07. 2010 (Serbia today) Fruska Gora is a National Park in Vojvodina, 16 kilometers from Novi Sad. It attracts nature, culture and history lovers. The main attractions are the numerous numerous protected, rare and endangered species, and 16 orthodox monasteries. The monasteries are famous for their architecture, treasuries, libraries and frescoes and there are various archeological sites from prehistoric and historic times. In particular, tourists should visit the monasteries Hopovo and Krusedol. Fruska Gora is an isolated and narrow island mountain in Pannonia plain. It is flanked by river courses extending to the south and north, with some side ranges with steep slopes, spreading from the main narrow range. Fruska Gora was proclaimed a National Park in 1960 in order to provide it permanent protection and to improve its natural resources and beauty. The area of active protection covers 25.525 ha. Park Fruska Gora is a member of EUROPARC - Federation of Nature and National Parks of Europe. Fruska gora, with a variety of good restaurants, is also place to sample tasty Serbia national food. The most popular restaurants are “Brankov cardak”, “Nasa kuca” i “ Koruska”. Fruska gora is also an excellent place for biking, hiking, hunting and fishing.