Serbia offers landscapes that change every turn—mountains, rivers, old towns, and quiet villages. For German travelers who love photography, each region brings something new to capture. Renting a car in Serbia makes it easy to travel freely and stop when the light is right. Many of the best photo spots are off the main roads, so driving gives you better access. With fewer crowds and wide-open views, you'll have space and time to focus on each shot.
Photography spots in Serbia cover everything from misty mountain views to daily rural life. In Drvengrad, you can capture traditional wooden houses with smoke rising from chimneys during early mornings.
A drive to Uvac Canyon offers perfect conditions for drone shots of winding rivers and eagle lookouts. At Golubac Fortress, golden hour lights up the stone walls as the Danube flows quietly in the background. You can often find untouched scenes, like fog rolling over the fields in Zlatibor or locals selling fruit in open-air markets in Niš.
To capture Serbia’s rich variety, plan your routes based on the kind of images you want. Some drives offer dramatic nature views, while others reveal calm villages, rivers, or historic sites. Below are themed scenic drives in Serbia for photographers looking for different shooting stles.
What to Expect on the Drive
This route takes you from Serbia’s capital into the forested heart of western Serbia. The drive includes curving mountain roads, panoramic river viewpoints, and peaceful trails through nature reserves. You’ll pass Bajina Bašta, a small town near the Drina River known for its quiet charm and riverside setting. Also, you will see parts of the Šargan Eight railway, a narrow-gauge heritage railway that loops through the mountains. Your final stop is Lake Zaovine, a clear blue lake surrounded by thick forest in Tara National Park.
What to Capture
Photography highlights include the misty forests of Tara, which are filled with Serbian spruce and home to rare wildlife. At Banjska Stena, a rocky viewpoint inside the park, you’ll get wide views of the Drina River Canyon, which is wonderful during sunrise. Near Bajina Bašta, stop to photograph the House on the Drina. It’s a small wooden house balanced on a rock in the middle of the river. It's a unique symbol of balance between nature and man-made creativity.
What to Expect on the Drive
This mountain loop begins and ends in Kopaonik, Serbia’s largest ski resort, located in the central part of the country. The route circles the Kopaonik National Park, home to alpine meadows, dense pine forests, and high-altitude viewpoints. Expect cool air, smooth winding roads, and plenty of nature stops. You’ll also pass small churches, such as the St. Peter’s Church, one of the oldest in Serbia, and the Metodje Sanctuary, a cave chapel tucked into a cliff.
What to Capture
Take wide shots of the open meadows, especially during spring and summer when wildflowers bloom. In winter, the snow-covered trees and ski slopes create striking contrasts. Capture sunset shots from Pančić's Peak, the highest point in the park. Forest trails offer moody light for nature portraits, while hidden shrines and rustic huts add cultural elements to your photos. Bring landscape and portrait lenses to make the most of this varied route.
What to Expect on the Drive
This short drive from Novi Sad takes you into Fruška Gora National Park, a low mountain range known as the “Serbian Holy Mountain.” The area is home to over a dozen Serbian Orthodox monasteries, many dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. You’ll drive through forested hills, rural villages, and vineyards that produce some of the region’s best wines. The two most visited sites are Krušedol Monastery, known for its frescoes and peaceful courtyard, and Grgeteg Monastery, perched on a quiet hilltop.
What to Capture
Photograph the domed churches and iconic monastery gates, especially in soft morning or golden hour light. The vineyard rows provide strong leading lines for landscape shots, especially in autumn when the leaves turn gold and red. Fruška Gora is also great for capturing fog drifting between hills, wooden roadside shrines, and local workers during harvest season for candid cultural shots.
What to Expect on the Drive
This route takes you from Zlatibor, a popular mountain resort known for its pine forests and open meadows, to Uvac Canyon, one of Serbia’s most striking natural landmarks. The road winds through rolling highlands, open pastures, and isolated villages. As you get closer to the canyon, the landscape shifts to limestone cliffs and deep river valleys. Uvac is also a special nature reserve and a nesting ground for the griffon vulture, one of the largest birds in Europe.
What to Capture
Photograph the Uvac River meanders, where the emerald-green water bends in perfect loops through the canyon. These can be best seen from lookouts like Molitva, which requires a short uphill hike but gives panoramic views. Use a drone or wide lens to capture the scale. Bring a zoom lens for griffon vulture in-flight shots. The combination of sky, cliffs, and curves creates some of the most dramatic landscapes in Serbia.
What to Expect on the Drive
Leaving Niš, southern Serbia’s largest city, this route takes you into rugged terrain and quiet countryside. You’ll pass remote villages, rolling farmland, and low mountain roads before reaching Đavolja Varoš, also called Devil’s Town. This natural monument is known for its over 200 stone pillars, formed by erosion over thousands of years. The site is surrounded by steep slopes and red clay soil, creating an eerie and dramatic setting.
What to Capture
Focus on the twisting stone formations under changing light. Sunrise and sunset add shadows and contrast to the pillars. The surrounding canyon walls, iron-rich soil, and bare trees enhance the moody look. Capture close-ups of textured rocks, or shoot from the viewing platforms to show the scale of the formations. The area works well for both wide-angle landscape shots and detail-focused compositions.
What to Expect on the Drive
This drive follows the Danube River east from Belgrade, tracing the scenic Danube Road, a route known for cliffside curves, waterfront views, and historic landmarks. Along the way, you’ll pass Smederevo, a town with a massive 15th-century fortress on the riverbank, and Veliko Gradište, a quiet lakeside town near Silver Lake. The final stop is Golubac Fortress, a medieval stronghold perched at the entrance of the Iron Gate Gorge, where the Danube narrows dramatically between cliffs.
What to Capture
Arrive near sunset to photograph the silhouette of Golubac Fortress against the glowing river. The soft reflections on the Danube make it ideal for long-exposure photography. Capture the Iron Gate cliffs, especially as the light shifts during golden hour. Early morning fog adds mood to shots of the fortress from across the water.
What to Expect on the Drive
This urban route guides you through some of Belgrade’s most character-rich neighborhoods. Start at Kalemegdan Fortress, a historic site overlooking the confluence of the Danube and Sava Rivers. Then head into Dorćol, known for its cobblestone streets, Ottoman-era architecture, and street art-lined walls. End in Zemun, a riverside district once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It has baroque facades, local markets, and floating cafés on the riverbank.
What to Capture
Shoot sunset views from Kalemegdan, where cannons and stone walls frame the skyline. In Dorćol, capture textured alleys, bustling café life, and locals on bicycles. Zemun offers views of the Gardoš Tower, rooftops sloping toward the Danube, and daily life by the river. This is an excellent option for travelers seeking places to take photos in Serbia without leaving the city.
No matter your route, these bonus spots add variety and depth to your photography trip. These are ideal for slow, thoughtful shooting and changing your perspective.
Serbia is best explored by car. Every stop gives you something new to shoot, from wild forests to unique rock formations. Driving lets you find the right light, skip crowded tours, and stop whenever possible. Rent a car with Finalrentals to travel at your own pace. We offer the best prices, quick booking, and pickup points in Belgrade and Niš.
