Kopaonik Ski Resort is located on the territory of the largest mountain range in Serbia, next to the national park of the same name. The ski areas are located here at an altitude of about 2000 meters above sea level, which gives the ski complex even more charm and attractiveness. It is famous for its magnificent snow-white slopes, beautiful natural landscapes and excellent conditions for winter sports.

Features

Kopaonik is equally suitable for both experienced skiers and beginners who have put on ski boots for the first time. Comfortable hotels, cottages and cozy apartments, hospitably invite guests, tourists can choose depending on their financial capabilities. Free time from skiing, ski lovers spend in shops, restaurants and entertainment venues of the resort, as well as take exciting walks in the surroundings and go on excursions.

The maximum height difference on the slopes of Kopaonik is over 500 meters, with a total length of ski slopes of over 60 km. The length of the longest of them is 3.5 km.

Kopaonik, Serbia

Warm your bones and get rid of bronchitis

Kopaonik is popular with people with sore joints, sciatica, arthritis, and lung and bronchial diseases. Patients with such ailments improve their condition thanks to the hot healing mineral water springs of Kuršumlijska Banja and Jošani? Ka Banja. The water temperature, for example, in the Jošani? Ka Banja spring is up to + 78 ° C, and in the Kuršumlijska Banja spring – up to + 57 ° C!

Thermal springs, untouched nature with relict trees of Mount Kopaonik and crystal clear air give the resort a special charm and appeal.

The resort’s feature is that here tourists can combine snow activities with SPA treatments for relaxation. During the day you can ski on the mountain slopes, and in the evening you can relax in one of the thermal water pools. This is the best way to relieve muscle tension after physical exertion.

A brief excursion into history

As a ski resort, Kopaonik has been well known since the middle of the last century, when winter vacations were just gaining popularity in Europe. In a short time, it gained wide popularity and became one of the most popular ski resorts in the Balkans. In recent years, new hotels have been built here, the infrastructure has been improved, and dozens of new trails have been equipped. Now the complex is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists a year, most of whom do not regret the time spent on the local slopes.

Climate

Weather conditions in Kopaonik are quite comfortable at any time of the year. From December to February, the average air temperature here is about -8 degrees, with a large amount of snow, which ensures stable snow cover throughout the season, which lasts here from November to March. For the large number of clear sunny days, in Serbia, this resort is called the Sunny Mountain.

How to get there

The most optimal transfer option to Kopaonik is a flight to the capital Belgrade, and then a long bus trip directly to the ski center. Travel time takes about 5 hours. If desired, you can rent a car or use taxi services.

Where to stay

During the current winter season, according to the Kopaonik National Park Administration, the resort’s capacity is being used by 95%, in particular, about 3,000 tourists are simultaneously engaged in the ski center, and about 1,500 guests arrive on weekends. However, the requirements for the recreation infrastructure are increasing every year. Currently, there are several four-star hotels in Kopaonik, including the Grand, Apartments Konaci Deluxe, Gorski, Krarjevi Čardaci, as well as the three-star Putnik and Junior.

Grand Hotel & Spa 4-star hotel

The modern and comfortable Grand Hotel & Spa is located at an altitude of 1,770 metres above sea level in the centre of Kopaonik Resort, just steps away from the main ski lift. It offers magnificent views of Kopaonik National Park.

It offers elegant and spacious rooms. Each room has a private bathroom, a hairdryer and bathrobes. Amenities include an LCD TV, telephone, DVD player, minibar and safe.

The 1,800 m² Grand Oaza Spa features a sauna, Turkish bath, salt ice cave, outdoor pool and hot tub, as well as a relaxation area with mountain views. Guests can book various massage and beauty treatments.

The Grand Hotel’s restaurants and bars serve hot and cold drinks and Serbian and international cuisine.

Other facilities at the Grand Hotel & Spa include a modern business centre, a children’s corner, a gym, and a multi-purpose sports hall with basketball, volleyball and handball courts. Guests can also play table tennis, squash and bowling on site.

Gorski Hotel & Spa 4-star hotel

Offering an indoor pool and a wellness centre, Gorski Spa Hotel is located in Kopaonik, 130 metres from Kopaonik Ski Centre. The distance to Pančić Express Ski Lift is 230 metres. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout.

All rooms and suites are decorated with modern furniture and feature air conditioning, a flat-screen TV and a desk. Each room includes a seating area. Some rooms offer views of the ski slopes. The private bathroom is fitted with a shower and a hairdryer.

A buffet breakfast is served every morning. The hotel’s à la carte restaurant serves local and international cuisine.

The Gorski Spa Hotel features a relaxation area, a sauna, a hammam and a fitness centre. The area is popular for skiing, hiking and many other outdoor activities.

The hotel is 200 metres from Krst Ski Lift and 800 metres from Mali Karaman 1 Ski Lift.

Hotel Putnik Kopaonik 3-star hotel

Hotel Putnik is located at an altitude of 1,650 metres above sea level in the Kopaonik National Park, a 15-minute walk from the town centre and various ski lifts. It features a ski school with ski rental and storage facilities.

All rooms at Hotel Putnik Kopaonik have large windows with panoramic views of the Sunny Valley resort. Guests can enjoy satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, a laptop safe and a work desk.

The hotel’s restaurant serves a wide range of Serbian dishes. Guests can relax by the huge fireplace while sampling local soft and alcoholic drinks.

Other services include ski-to-door access, ski lift passes at the hotel, and a sauna with massage facilities. A free shuttle service to the city centre is provided.

The well-maintained ski track makes it easy to reach the top of Pančić Mountain. Free private parking is available on site.

SM Apartments Kopaonik

The elegantly decorated SM Kopaonik Apartments are located 5 km from the centre of Kopaonik Resort. They come with an equipped kitchen, a flat-screen TV with cable channels and free Wi-Fi.

The hotel complex that houses SM Apartments features à la carte and buffet restaurants, a bar and a wellness centre with indoor and outdoor pools, which can be used at a surcharge. Guests of SM Kopaonik Apartments enjoy discounts on these services.

Other facilities offered at the property include a 24-hour front desk. A children’s playground is available nearby. Free parking is available on site.

A shuttle service to the centre of Kopaonik and the ski lifts is available. A ski storage room is located next to the slopes.

Hotel Kraljevi Čardaci 4-star hotel

Hotel Kraljevi Čardaci is located in the heart of nature in Kopaonik National Park, 2.5 km from the nearest ski slope. It offers a modern spa centre, a restaurant serving traditional Serbian and international cuisine, and modern rooms and suites.

The hotel is located 1.4 km above sea level. It offers modern and comfortable rooms with a seating area, a work desk, wooden floors, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, free WiFi and tea/coffee making facilities. The bathroom comes with a shower and toiletries, slippers and a hairdryer.

It features an outdoor and an indoor swimming pool, a steam bath and a sauna. The spa centre features a tepidarium, salt sauna and Kneipp baths, a bio sauna, a gym and massage treatments.

Guests can enjoy an à la carte and buffet restaurant, a lobby bar and a beer garden, a children’s playground, table tennis and a games room.

Guests can enjoy a free shuttle service to/from the centre of Kopaonik, which is 5.5 km away. There is also a daily bus service to Belgrade, Kraljevo and other Serbian cities. Guests can ski on the premises of the Krarjevi Čardaci, while cycling and hiking can be enjoyed in the surrounding area.

In order to attract tourists, hotel owners are forced to lower prices compared to last year. For example, this season the cost of accommodation on Kopaonik has decreased by 10-15%. For example, Villa Rai in the central part of the city, not far from the Grand Hotel, offered its guests accommodation for only 102 euros per week. Farther from the resort center, you can rent small apartments for only 20-30 euros per week.

In turn, large hotels in Kopaonik offer their guests various special promotions, during which they usually reduce prices by 20%. The resort administration also acts in the same way, actively implementing a system of flexible discounts. For example, from February 3 to 10, Kopaonik hosted a “Couples Week,” during which couples received a 15% discount on ski passes and other various services, including ski school, equipment rental, and accommodation for two. According to statistics, this year, students and young couples without children are the most likely to come to Kopaonik, which is why property owners and the national park administration are mainly focused on them.

A ski paradise on a budget

The resort consists of two centers separated by a mountain gorge. The first, in the village of Konaci, is located at an altitude of 1,770 meters and leads to the peak of Pacichev Vrh. There is the main center of the resort. The second is located lower – at an altitude of 1,100 meters, in the tourist center of Brzece. The total length of the slopes is 62 km – quite a distance to thoroughly run it over 10-12 days. The presence of blue, red and black slopes provides skiing opportunities for both beginners and advanced skiers. The maximum elevation difference is 512 meters, the maximum length of the slope is 3.5 km. For night skiing enthusiasts, there is a floodlit slope 450 meters long.

The resort is known for its versatility – skiers and snowboarders come here to ride, for whom there is a modern snowboard park. In Kopaonik you can see freeride enthusiasts, conquerors of black slopes and children taking their first steps on skis. The resort has conditions for cross-country skiing, as well as opportunities for sledding and skating.

International competitions and various tournaments have been held in Kopaonik on several occasions. Moreover, the resort is equipped for skiers of different levels of fitness: both beginners and experts.

There are many ski slopes of varying difficulty in this place: 11 for beginners, 6 for medium difficulty, 4 for professionals. The slopes have trails for various types of skiing, including downhill, giant slalom, snowboarding. There are also several flat slopes.

24 lifts will help you get to the mountain slopes, four of which are specially equipped for children. These places have a very strong ski school, excellent instructors, so not only beginners, but also experienced skiers and snowboarders can improve their level of training.

The ski resort in Serbia is developing rapidly. It has already caught up with Alpine resorts in terms of comfort and service, although the prices here are an order of magnitude lower.

Sights and entertainment

Among екскурсійних маршрутів, які дозволяють гостям Копаоніка урізноманітнити програму перебування, виділяються поїздки до стародавнього монастиря Жича і собору Студениця, побудований Стефаном Неманя в 1190 році, де знаходиться рака святого Стефана Первовенчаного. Собор має статус однієї з головних релігійних пам’яток Сербії і вкрай цінний для її народу, крім того на його території знаходиться Церква Успіння Богородиці, яка навіть включена в список світової культурної спадщини ЮНЕСКО.

Гірський масив Копаонік – це національний заповідник, в якому можна побачити дерева, яких немає більше ніде в світі. Наприклад, балканський бук, унікальний сорт ялиці, тиса, темно-зелені смереки, кілька видів сосен, дубів і клена.

Особлива гордість місцевих жителів – найвищий в Сербії

, вода якого падає з висоти 71 метр.

Ще, Копаонік вважається розподільчим туристичним центром, від якого починаються найпопулярніші трекингові маршрути по околицях, що ведуть до таких мальовничих гірських масивів, як Дівчібар, Тара, Златар, Брезовиця, Златібор і Гоча. На території гірськолижного комплексу, в плані відволікання від гірських спусків, виступають басейни, тренажерні зали, столи для більярду та пінг-понгу, ресторани національної та європейської кухні.

Водоспад Йеловарнік

Особливою популярністю користується у гостей Копаоніка туристичний комплекс «Конаці», розташований в декількох десятках метрів від станції канатної дороги. Бажаючим зарядитися емоціями на танцювальному майданчику, варто відвідати місцеві дискотеки і нічні клуби. Для зовсім юних шанувальників гірських лиж працюють всілякі атракціони і дитячі дискотеки, а також, періодично влаштовуються всілякі розважальні заходи. Щороку на курорті проводиться фестиваль «Коп-Фест», що представляє собою яскраве музичне торжество.

Туристичний комплекс «Конаці»

Кухня

У кулінарних закладах курорту гості можуть спробувати різні національні сербські блюда, включаючи густі супи з яловичини або домашньої птиці, з додаванням локшини, різні м’ясні страви, запечені на вугіллі, а також смачні солодкі і солоні пироги з начинкою. З напоїв варто спробувати сливовий бренді Sljivovica, виноградний алкогольний напій Lozovaсa, грушеву настойку Viljamovka / Kruskovaca, яблучну Jabukovaca і лікер з полину – Pelinkovac.

Шопінг

У місцевих магазинах і торгових лавках до послуг покупців численні товари і пам’ятні сувеніри на будь-який смак.

Копаонік має масу достоїнств і щорічно приймає тисячі любителів зимових видів спорту. Казкові краси гірських ландшафтів, розвинена інфраструктура, свіже чисте повітря, доглянуті траси і приємна атмосфера, що панує на території гірськолижного центру, є неодмінними атрибутами цього курорту і дозволяють в повній мірі насолодитися перебуванням на його мальовничих схилах.