The combination of cultural treasures blended with untouched natural beauties, make the surroundings of Valjevo an extremely attractive tourist destination. We single out a few interesting places that are worth taking the time to organize and a special trip.
About 40 kilometers from Valjevo, there is one of the favorite tourist centers in Serbia, Divcibare. This plateau, located in the central part of the Maljen mountain, has a long tourist tradition, so it offers opportunities for health, sports and recreation, excursions, as well as hunting and fishing tourism. Pleća, Crni vrh, Paljba, Golubac and Ljuti krš), but also by riding a bicycle on one of the three bicycle paths. During the winter, the ski center Divčibare offers two trails, equipped with a cable car and a ski lift.
12 kilometers north of Valjevo, is Brankovina, a settlement nicknamed "a village full of history". This small place contains a disproportionately rich cultural and historical content, which makes it an interesting place for a trip. There is the Church of the Holy Archangels, the endowment of Proteus Mateja Nenadović, which includes an invaluable church treasury. Near the church there are five original sobrasica, old forms of folk architecture. The other part of the complex consists of several other authentic buildings: the sculpture where Ljubomir Nenadović was born, the old school where today there is a museum dedicated to the development of education and the school office. The grave of the poet Desanka Maksimović is also located in Brankovina.
The village of Petnica, only 5 kilometers from Valjevo, offers tourists excellent activities and attractions. If you decide to make this trip, be sure to visit Petnička Cave. It is not only a unique pearl of natural beauty, but also has an important archaeological significance. Namely, the oldest testimonies about the life of people in western Serbia were found in it. Sports enthusiasts can stop by the nearby Petnica sports and recreation center and try out its four swimming pools and sports fields for beach volleyball, five-a-side football, basketball and mini golf. Petnica is best known for the eponymous research center located in it. It offers a variety of programs for elementary, high school, and college students.
The surroundings of Valjevo abound in monasteries, which makes this area an excellent example of a place suitable for religious tourism. The Pustinja Monastery, hidden in the woods 20 kilometers from the city, is a cultural monument of great importance. At 11 kilometers from Valjevo, there is the Lelic Monastery, which houses the relics of Bishop Nikolaj and beautifully painted iconography. It is also worth visiting the Jovanj Monastery, which was originally built in the 15th century. In it you can see preserved fragments of old biographies. Even older is the monastery of Celija, which dates from the 13th century, and is located only 11 kilometers from the city.
Gradac, the divine jewel of nature, is considered one of the cleanest rivers in Serbia. Only 5 kilometers away from the city, it has rightly become one of the favorite picnic spots for the people of Valjevo and tourists who want to feel the charms of untouched nature. There are over seventy caves on it that are reliably known, and one of the most impressive of them is the Degurić Cave, which you can visit. There is a dam nearby, which is also a swimming pool.
Not far from the road to Makovište there is another pearl of nature: Taorska vrela. Here you can see numerous waterfalls and small waterfalls that flow into the river Skrapež. Several old mills have been preserved in the area, the most attractive of which is Pepina Mill, which has been transformed into a small restaurant serving local cuisine.