Paracin
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Welcome to Paracin
Start a trip to Pomoravlje with Paraćin and with the help of our page. We have prepared a guide through the entire tourist offer of this city. We will suggest what time of the year is best to go to Paraćin and which roads and means of transport are the easiest to get to it. Find out which attractions hide in this city and its surroundings and which activities and restaurants you can complete your visit with. Let’s take a look at some of the events that Zaječar is famous for and the contents that the youngest will especially enjoy. We have also covered important tourist information, such as the phone numbers of emergency services, parking services, and taxi stations. Before heading to Paraćin, read a brief overview of this city's history, traditions, and culture in central Serbia, and you will be ready for an active trip!
Paracin Attractions
When to visit Paracin?
The most significant number of overnight stays in Paraćin are realized during the spring and summer seasons, although Paraćin also offers options for a winter holiday.
- During summer - Paraćin is definitely a city that should be visited in summer. Primarily because of the rich cultural offer reflected in numerous events and the tourist potential of the Paraćin area, which comes to the fore much more during the summer. First, we mean the famous Grza picnic spot, the historical sites Drenovac and Petrus, and the numerous monasteries in the area.
- In winter - Paraćin's greatest potential for winter tourism is reflected in the mountain Juhor, located not far from the city but in private accommodation in Grza, where many people decide to spend their winter holidays. Therefore, Paraćin is a place for those who plan to spend their winter vacation resting and not so much in winter activities.
How to get to Paracin?
Paraćin is a city that belongs to the region of Pomoravlje, more precisely, Central Pomoravlje. It is located 3.5 km from the right bank of Velika Morava. It is located next to the highway E-75 Belgrade - Niš, and at the beginning of the international road E-761 to Zaječar and Bulgaria. Not far from it are the cities of Jagodina and Ćuprija. As for other major cities, Paracin is 163 km from Belgrade, Niš 85 km, Kragujevac 75 km, Novi Sad 250 km.
- By car - It is straightforward to get to Paraćin by car; at the 156th kilometer of the E-76 highway from Belgrade to Niš there is a turnoff for Paraćin.
- By bus - Considering that it is on the way to Niš, the bus lines to Paraćin are frequent, and there are departures from larger cities throughout the day. The price of a one-way ticket to Paracin from Belgrade is RSD 1000-1390, while the return ticket is RSD 1600-2400, depending on the carrier. There are slightly fewer departures from Novi Sad, while the ticket price with Božur is from 1400 to 1850 RSD. For more information, you can call the bus station in Paraćin at number 035/562-555.
- By train - You can also get to Paraćin by train, since the Belgrade-Nis railway passes through the city. You can travel by passenger or high-speed train, which is still the most convenient. Thus, the price of the return ticket from Belgrade - Niš for the second class is 920 RSD, and for the first class is 1332 RSD, so the ticket cost to Paraćin would be slightly cheaper than the one mentioned.
Activities for tourists in Paracin
Paracin offers activities for tourists of all ages and with different interests.
- Excursion Grza - Excursion Grza is a definite place that you must visit. It is located not far from the city, it is an attractive and beautifully decorated place that tourists of all ages visit. Stunning viewpoints also characterize Grza. If you are used to hiking, the Grza Mountaineering Association organizes hiking along the route: PD Grza - Veliki Kozji Rog - Vis - Crni vrh - Javorak - PD Grza, 21 km long and belongs to medium demanding trails. In addition, Grza is a popular destination for May Day celebrations.
- Mountain Juhor - Mountain Juhor is an excellent place for nature lovers and safe adventures. It is not a high mountain, so even young people can visit it, given that the paths are nicely arranged and have a gentle ascent. The mountain is characterized by very beautiful viewpoints. PD Planinski duh organizes two tours of Juhor. One is the so-called "Educational trail" with a length of 9 km and can be handled by inexperienced hikers, and the other is the "Juhorska transferzala", which is 38 km long, lasts two days and is intended for experienced hikers. In addition, Juhor is home to the famous "Juhor" hunting ground, which attracts many fans of hunting tourism.
- Monasteries of the Paraćina area - The nearby area of Paraćina preserves many important monasteries. The following stand out: Ravanica and Manasija monasteries, Svojnovo monastery, Saint Petka monastery, Sisojevac monastery, Monastery of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lesje.
Events and festivals in Paracin
The spring and summer season, ending with the beginning of autumn in Paraćin, is marked by numerous events, intended for all ages and interests. If you are interested in this kind of content, Paracin is definitely a place that should not be missed.
- Wine days - "Days of wine" is an event where people from the surrounding area participate, presenting their wine products. The wine festival is traditionally held from February 21 to March 14 in the village of Trešnjevica, near Juhor.
- Student Art Colony in Grza - From 21-27. In August, an art colony is held in Grza, which gathers talented artists, elementary school students and art teachers from Serbia and Republika Srpska, who work with lecturers from art schools and academies for seven days in Grza.
- Krstovdan festivities - Krstovdan festivities are celebrated in September and include a jazz evening, an ethno fest, a children's carnival and a concert on the occasion of the Municipal Day.
- Cultural summer - Cultural summer is a manifestation that takes place in the middle of August and during which many theater performances, concerts on the town square and other accompanying events are organized in Paraćin.
- Sisevačka Art Colony - organized from August 1-10. Founded in 1975, this colony gathers painters and sculptors from the country and abroad. Today's fund of the Siseva Art Colony consists of 220 paintings by renowned painters, which are kept in the Native Museum in Paraćin.
- Chess Tournament - The "Paraćin Open" chess tournament is held at the "Prestige" city swimming pools in mid-July and is an international tournament.
- Artfest -Artfest is an event held in mid-May under the auspices of TO Paraćin, Center, Museum and literary clubs. It brings together young artists involved in photography, painting and music.
Activities for kids in Paracin
In addition to carnivals and cultural events, Paraćin also offers other activities aimed at children, so this makes it a good place if you are planning a family trip.
- Prestige pools - Prestige pools in Paraćin are a place where you can spend the day with your children. The price of tickets is 200 dinars for adults and 100 dinars for children. In addition to being a place where you can bring the younger ones, Prestige is a complex that includes a hotel, restaurant and swimming pools, so you can spend the whole day there. Also, Prestige is often the place where the biggest local music stars perform.
- Playrooms - Playrooms are always a good option for fun and socializing for the youngest, and there are several such playrooms in Paraćin. The most popular are the children's playground Lollipop, City Kids and Slatka čarolija. These playhouses organize parties for children, an educational program, as well as babysitting.
- City park - The city park in Paraćin is a great place for a walk with children. The park is also called Crnički Park, after the river Crnica, next to which it is located. This is a favorite place for a walk among the people of Paraćinci, and not far away, on the edge of the park, there is also a "Park" cafe where you can rest after a walk.
- Aqua park in Jagodina - Although the aqua park is not located in Paraćin, Jagodina is not far from Paraćin and can be reached in 20-30 minutes, and if you don't have your own car, the bus route between Jagodina and Paraćin is quite well developed. So if you want to entertain the kids, you can take them to visit this famous aqua park. Ticket prices are affordable and amount to 600 dinars for adults and 400 dinars for children up to 12 years old. The park is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
What to see in Paracin?
The city center of Paraćin itself is deeply marked by the rich history of this region, and this is reflected both in the architecture of the city itself and in the main attractions of Paraćin.
- Local Museum Paracin - In the local museum in Paćin you can see exhibited material that represents the continuous life and stay of people in the Paraćin municipality since prehistoric times 7000 BC. through antiquity and the Middle Ages, to folk creativity in the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum is located at Toma Živanovića 17.
- Monument to Steva pisar - located on Krađorđev brdo above Paraćin. This monument preserves the legend of the battle at Ivankovac, according to which Steva pisar, one evening during a break from fighting, begged Karađorđe to let him fire a cannon. In the end, Karađorđe allowed him, which resulted in Steva hitting Hafiz Pasha's tent with one shot and thereby causing the Turkish army to retreat.
- Monument to Branko Krsmanović - Passing through the center of Paraćin, you will see the monument to Branko Krsmanović, a national hero from 1945. The monument is the work of the famous sculptor from Belgrade, Ota Log.
- Monastery of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary - This monastery is located in the village of Lešje, a dozen kilometers southeast of Paraćin. The architecture of the monastery is very specific because it represents a combination of different styles: Moravian, Byzantine and Greek. So if you find yourself in Paraćin, this is an unmissable destination and a place that will not leave you indifferent.
- Monument to the insurgent fighter - Is another monument that you will notice while walking through the city center, more precisely near the city municipality. The monument is the work of the academic sculptor Petar Pavlačani and is dedicated to the National Liberation Struggle and the victims of fascism.
- Petrus Fortress - Although today mostly in ruins, Petrus Fortress, which is located 11 kilometers from the center of Paraćin, is a place that should be visited. It is a place where the existence of a Byzantine fortress from the 6th century was confirmed, then a fortress from the time of Stefan Nemanja from the 12th century, and today's remains are connected to the fortress built by the prefect of Vukoslav in the 14th century.
Accommodation in Paracin
The accommodation facilities of Paraćin are divided into hotel accommodation, which occupies the city center and wider center, apartment accommodation, which is distributed throughout the municipality, as well as accommodation in the surrounding area, mainly Grza.
- Hotel accommodation - Hotel Petrus and Vila Modex stand out among the hotels in Paraćin. The price of a night for two people at Hotel Petrus is up to RSD 6,200. While in the Modex hotel, the price is RSD 5,800 for the same type of accommodation. Both hotels are located in the city center. In hotels a little further from the center, such as Vurk INN, you can find accommodation at a price of RSD 2,699.
- Apartments - When it comes to apartment accommodation, the Dream house apartment with one bedroom costs 3,500 dinars per night, while the Kutak apartment costs 3,140 dinars per day, and the accommodation is located not far from the city center. In addition to these, T&A apartments, Apartment Djurić, and Eksluziv apartments stand out as more affordable accommodations.
- Accommodation in surrounding places - In the vicinity of Paraćin, more precisely near the Grza picnic area, you can find a large number of cottages and private accommodation units, and the price ranges from 20-30 euros per night.
Numbers of important services
Here are some of the important services that may be of help when you're visiting Paracin:
- Bus station - 035/562-555
- Railway station - 035/561-008
- Paracin Police - 035/563-115, 561-105
- Paracin Fire Department - 035/561-111, 193
- Emergency Assistance - 194; 035/563-517; 573-186; 573-187
- Pharmacy Paracin - 035/573-860
- Health center pharmacy - 035/563-750
- Paracin Hospital - 035/815-51-00
- Paracin Health Center - 035/563-517, 573-186
Where to eat in Paracin?
Paraćin is a place that will satisfy the most demanding gastronomic desires thanks to its high-quality and varied offers and cuisine.
- Restaurants - Paraćin, with its international gastronomic offer, even though it is a small town, can compete with much more prominent cities in Serbia. The following stand out as restaurants with the best gastronomic offer: Vidik, Tu nejde, Apis, Revolucija, Schweizcaria, Panorama
- Pizzerias - When it comes to pizzerias, the most famous are Canzzona, Bravo and Freska, with the fact that you can also order other Italian specialties at the Bravo pizzeria.
- Fast food restaurants - Places with good fast food offered in Paraćin are Happy, Ukus, Maestro, Mil Food, and Cezas Burgers.
Where to go out in Paracin?
During the summer, Paraćin is a city that comes alive thanks to the return of a large number of students as well as people who work abroad.
- Cafes - Famous city cafes that are visited during summer and winter are: Caffe Plato, Central caffe, Galerija, Caffe Vagon, and the place that deserves your attention is Mr. Hill, a combination of a spa, a coffee shop and a night bar and a gym.
- Clubs - Paraćin, although it belongs to the smaller cities of Serbia, can boast of excellent nightlife. Although it cannot boast of a large number of pubs, there are night clubs: Ex-Fontana, Klub Kec, Pub as a place with a more alternative music offer.
Transportation and taxi in Paracin
For transportation around Paraćin itself, if you don't have your own car, the only option is a taxi.
- Public transport - It does not run around the city, but only to the surrounding villages and towns. If you want to visit nearby Jagodina and Ćuprija, you have a well-developed bus line.
- Taxi - Taxi transportation to Paraćin is simple and easy to get, so if you didn't come by car, this is the simplest and cheapest form of transportation. The best rated taxi services from Paraćin are: Taxi Sima - 060 3536900 and Pink taxi - 063 568666.
Parking and public garages in Paracin
Parking lots for which parking is paid by SMS are located in three city zones, namely:
- In the first/red zone, the price per starting hour of parking with VAT included and without restrictions is 40 din/hour, paid by sending an SMS to the number 9351 and 150 din/day by sending an SMS to 9350
- In the second/yellow zone, the price per starting hour of parking with VAT included and without restrictions is 30 din/hour, paid by sending an SMS to the number 9352 and 100 din/day by sending an SMS to 9354
- In the third/green zone, there is no starting hour, but only a daily ticket, which costs 40 dinars with VAT, paid by sending an SMS to the number 9353
Surroundings of Paracin
The surroundings of Paraćin hide a truly rich and beautiful tourist offer, so it would be a shame not to visit the following places if you find yourself in Paraćin.
- Grza - Grza is definitely the most important and most beautiful place around Paraćin. Suppose you consider the natural beauty, waterfalls, springs, geological, hydrological, and forest climates that have preserved their authenticity. In that case, it is unsurprising that this place is increasingly visited and considered a paradise on earth. Grza is located only 18 km from Paraćin and at the foot of the South Kučaj mountain. Walking through Grza, you will come across Gornje jezero, Donje jezero, and at the very end the spring of the Grza river. Not far from Grze is the Monastery of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lesje.
- Juhor - About 35 km from Paraćin and less than an hour's drive is the mountain Juhor. The paths of the Juhor mountain are beautifully arranged, the nature and surroundings are beautiful, so this will be a real pleasure for every nature lover. The mountain itself has its own attractions, among which are: the village of Izbenica, Maiden's Rock, the remains of a Celtic city, as well as the Druid Cave, the only one in this part of Europe. All these attractions are not far from each other and can be visited in one day, so Juhor is a great place for an excursion.
- Archaeological site Drenovac - Only ten kilometers from Paraćin, you can visit the archaeological site Drenovac. It is a settlement, one of which was founded during the early Neolithic around 6300 BC, and the other part is a new younger Neolithic - Vinča settlement founded between 5400 and 5300 BC. The site covers 50 ha, and by visiting this place, you will have the opportunity to see artifacts older than the pyramids in Egypt.
- Manasija and Ravanica monasteries - Manasija monastery is an endowment of Despot Stefan Lazarevic, it was built from 1407 to 1418, it stands out for its architecture, frescoes, and the famous Resava school of copyists. Manasija is located 24 km from Paraćin at the foot of the Kučaj Mountains, next to the village of Senje near Ćuprije. With its numerous decorations, it is a typical representative of the Moravian style. Ravanica is the endowment of Prince Lazar, who united the Serbian nobility after the death of Emperor Dušan and removed the anathema from the Serbian church. Ravanica Monastery is located 35 km from Paraćin.
- Other monasteries - Paraćin and surrounding towns are areas of a rich culture dominated by monasteries. That is why we recommend, in addition to the above, visiting the Svojnovo Monastery, 16 km from Paraćin, the Svete Petka Monastery, 15 km south of Paraćin, not far from the Grza River, as well as the Sisojevac Monastery, about 30 km from Paraćin.
History of Paracin
- Name of the town - Paraćin settlement was mentioned for the first time in the charter of Prince Lazar in the 14th century, by which he donated to the Monastery Lavra St. Atanasia lived in the Petrushka region and the "Parakin's Ship" square, so according to these sources, Paraćin was named after Parakin's Ship. Another version is that Paraćin got its name from a lord whose name was Parakin
- Early history - Archaeological traces of the settlement of the Paraćin part of Serbia indicate that different nationalities settled in these areas. The settlement and the archaeological site of Drenovac (6,200 to 5,900 BC) confirm this. In the 3rd century, the Roman settlement of Sarmates, i.e. a station on the Military Road (Via militaris), was created for changing horses and resting. There are also the remains of the medieval city of Petrus, which is believed to have been built as far back as the 6th century.
- Recent history - With the arrival of the Turks in the 15th century, there were gradual struggles for liberation, and after the defeat at Ivankovac in 1805, the Turks retreated to the south. In 1861, Paraćin received the status of a town, and at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the first factories were opened. Thus the town became a modern commercial and later industrial center not only of Pomerania but also beyond.
Geography and climate of Paracin
- Geographical features - Paraćin is located in the very center of Serbia, along one of the most important roads in Europe - Corridor 10. The town developed along the edge of the Kučaj Mountains, in the valley of the Crnica River, which flows into Velika Morava only 3.5 km from the town. The municipality of Paraćin covers part of the rich central Pomeranian Voivodeship, whose borders are not strictly defined. The territory of the municipality covers 542 square kilometers. It is surrounded by the mountains Juhor and Kučaj, of the total area, about 64% is arable land, and about 36% is under forest.
- Climate - Paraćin has the characteristics of a moderately continental climate with cold winters and hot summers, between which are the transitional seasons of fresher autumn and wetter spring, with minor deviations, while in spring, warmer currents from the south are felt more strongly, affecting the faster melting of snow, the rise of water levels and faster growth of vegetation.
Demographics of Paracin
- According to the latest available data from the census, about 25,000 inhabitants live in Paraćin.
- The average age of men is 41.9 years, and for women, it is 44.4 years.
- About 96% of the inhabitants of Paraćin are Serbs, followed by Roma with 1.35%, and in small numbers, there are also Montenegrins and Macedonians, as well as other nations.
Tradition and culture of Paracin
- Paracin brands - Today, Paracin is an industrial center with a long tradition of cement, glass and fabric production, and the Paracin Confectionery Industry and the Bacchus juice factory are also widely known. It is also interesting that the legend claims that the famous Vasa's cake was created in Paracin at the end of the 20th century.
- Culture - Numerous cultural manifestations such as: Student Art Colony, Days of Wine, Artfest, Eighth of March Gift to Women, Svetosava Poetry Marathon, Responses to Juhor and Morava show that the city of Parać is a city of living, active and diverse culture. In addition, numerous monasteries in the area testify to the durability of the cultural heritage in these areas.
- Anecdotes from history - Paracin is a city rich in stories, legends and anecdotes, which you will often hear from local residents. This is how the anecdote related to Prince Miloš and Paracin stands out, which justifies their nickname. Namely, during the visit of Knez Miloš, the people of Paracin wanted to serve the Knez with liver as a specialty, to which the Knez insultedly said "liver, have you become meat, residents of Paracin have you become people", so the nickname of Dzigerani remained for the people of Paracin.
Frequently asked questions about Paracin
Why visit Paracin?
Paracin is a city famous for its cheerful spirit, the rich cultural and historical offer of the city itself, but also its immediate surroundings blessed with beautiful natural resources.
When is the best time to visit Paracin?
Due to the large number of events held during the spring and summer and the tourist potential, Paracin is best visited during the spring and summer.
What are the most famous festivals and events in Paracin?
The most famous festivals in Paraćin are Student Art Colony, Days of Wine, Artfest, The chess tournament "Paraćin Open," Children's Carnival, and Krstovdan festivities.
How to find accommodation in Paracin?
You can find the best and most affordable accommodation in Paracin on the page Apartments Paracin.
What is the average price of accommodation in Paracin?
The average price of hotel accommodation in the city center is around 50 euros, while the prices of private accommodation range from 20-30 euros.
What is the most famous tourist attraction in Paracin?
The most famous tourist attraction is the picnic area Grza near Paracin.
How long do tourists stay in Paracin on average?
On average, tourists stay in Paracin for 3-4 days.