Welcome to the romantic city – Sombor
When the conversation turns to the prettiest towns in Serbia, Sombor absolutely must be a part of it. The famous city in Vojvodina is home to some of the most impressive architecture in the country, along with truly tangible culture.
Sombor is located in the northwest of Serbia’s province of Vojvodina. It is bordering Hungary to the North and Croatia to the West, across the Danube River. It is a town of true historical importance in the region. In 1786. it was declared the administrative center of the Bačka-Bodrog district and a free imperial city of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.
It is a city of wine, carriages, endless plains and excellently prepared fish. You can visit Sombor all year round, and the smartest thing is to come during the Ravangrad festival. Then you can feel city in the best way.
The most charming city in Serbia?
Other towns and cities in Vojvodina get more attention, but few come close to Sombor in the beauty stakes. There is a forgotten charm here, as Sombor offers a window to a past that focused on aesthetics above all else. The town center is painstakingly maintained and could well take home the award for ‘Best Town Centre’ in the entire country.
The city is known for having the most shade in the country, maybe even in the region, and not a road or street seems to pass without a mass of overhanging trees. Some of these are in the process of being replanted, but Sombor remains the best place to cool off in Serbia, which is why it got another name – Greencity (Zelengrad).
Sombor keeps its carriages and beautiful horses. Such a tourist attraction, with carefully groomed and harnessed horses can be found every day near the City Museum. Back in 1885, Sombor received the first rulebook on carriages and carriage service, and at one point, with about 20 carriages, it was the leading city in this type of traffic in Europe.
Banks of Danube river in Sombor
The Upper Danube Special Nature Reserve covers about 20,000 hectares. It includes the Apatin and Monostorski marshes, as well as the meanders of the Danube. This area is one of the last wetlands in Europe. It is one of the few destinations where you can still enjoy the ride on the Danube and endless backwaters and canals. You can see and feel unrestrained roar of deer, peaceful nights in rural households, authentic fish specialties, the last Danube alas…
Chardas are, in a way, a specialty of the people of Sombor, and fish stew is something they are proud of. There is a plenty of chardas and salas around the city where you can taste these specialties. The farms are almost 100 years old. They have been catching everyone’s eye since they have a perfect Vojvodina menu.
The battle of Senta
And last, but not the least, the former County, today the Municipal Assembly of the city of Sombor, is home to a painting that occupies an incredible 28 square meters of space. The Battle of Senta is the biggest picture not only in Serbia, but in the whole of Southeast Europe. That battle was one of the most decisive defeats inflicted upon the Ottoman Empire, putting a stop to its European advances. If the painting itself doesn’t impress you, the magnificent gold-plated frame surely will. Suffice it to say that the canvas, after being framed in Munich in an imposing gold frame, had to be delivered to Sombor by a special barge.