Perched on the south bank of the Danube River, Veliko Gradište is a peaceful town near Serbia’s border with Romania. It’s surrounded by waterways that provide a setting for recreational pursuits during the summer months and have long lured gold miners hoping to strike it rich.
Things to do in Veliko Gradište
In the heart of Veliko Gradište is the Narodni Muzej Veliko Gradište, which is largely based on the collection of two former residents, the Đorđević brothers. There are exhibits dedicated to archaeology, numismatics and the sculptor Milan Besarabic, as well as curiosities that include part of a zeppelin and a music box that plays traditional Serbian tunes.
On the western edge of Veliko Gradište is Srebrno Lake, an oxbow lake that arches along the Danube River. It’s renowned for its crystal clear waters, which result from the natural filtering provided by the surrounding sand dunes. In addition to fishing for carp, catfish and perch, Srebrno Lake is a popular setting for boating and swimming in the summer months.
On the other side of Veliko Gradište is the Pek, a meandering river that has long been famed for its gold deposits. It’s believed that Romans discovered gold here in the 2nd century AD and excavations continued up until the Ottoman period. It’s for this reason that the river has been nicknamed the “Golden Pek” and it hosts an annual festival where you can test your skills at gold panning using traditional “ispitak” wooden dishes.
Getting around Veliko Gradište
Veliko Gradište is around 1.5 hours’ drive from the centre of Belgrade and just under two hours from Nikola Tesla Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe. Buses connect Veliko Gradište to towns and villages across the region while the town centre is small enough to explore on foot.