If you are into skiing or snowboarding my guess is you wouldn’t consider Serbia as a place for your next winter holiday in Europe. That’s where you would be very wrong. Kopaonik is Serbian premier ski resort and a great place for a ski weekend or a winter holiday. With its highest point at 2000 m and around 55 km of pistes it’s perfect for novices an intermediate skiers. Ski tracks zigzagging through the pine forest are well managed and groomed. Most importantly this charming place won’t break your budget.
Kopaonik ski resort is pretty small but very convenient. Sure its not big Alp resort but everything you need is right there. Restaurants and cafes are all minutes away. Note about the food…vegans and vegetarians may have some hard time finding the right place. Also a lot of places allow smoking so non smokers will be spending more time outside on fresh and crisp forest air.
As for places to stay there is something available for every budget. There are a few premium hotels with spas with a great location next to ski lifts. More budget options are available outside of the ski center itself and places there are a bargain. Most offer free shuttle vans to get you to the center and ski lifts. Ski lift tickets start around 30 EUR (3.900 RSD) for a single day / 7 day pass will cost about 150 EUR (18.000 RSD).
If you come on a weekend or a national holiday it maybe be crowded, and you should definitely avoid February 15th. On any other occasion you will enjoy it without too much crowd on the slopes. You can get to Kopaonik by car or a bus. Its about 4 hour drive from Belgrade. With new places and tracks being made every year its definitely a regional ski resort with a lot of potential and it’s easy on the budget.
Tips: Stay during workdays if you can. Try some hot rakia or mulled wine after a long day at snow. Blueberry pie in Skituljko ski hut is a must. Enjoy the view at Vucja staza.