There are different types of holidays, from visiting famous destinations, amazing beaches, and natural phenomena, visiting world-famous cities and learning about their historical trends, specific architecture, and sights, to the simplest one, where all you need is forest, morning coffee at sunrise, smell and quiet of nature. Yes, just that rest when your biological internal clock is set in harmony with nature, when you wake up early, walk, watch the skillful flight of a hawk in the blue sky, try to figure out which mushroom you came across, enjoy walking on the carpet of fallen leaves of tall beeches, breathe fresh air and simply rest every part of yourself. This is the kind of vacation I desperately needed. That is why I came to Goč, the beautiful mountains of central Serbia, calm, tame, preserved.
Goč is not a high mountain, in fact, there is a small debate about which peak of Goč is the highest. It is officially Ljukten (1216m), but Krnja jela (1127m) is also mentioned as the highest peak. When the heights are compared, it is easy to conclude.
Unlike most mountains in Serbia that have ski resorts, Goč is an urbanistically preserved mountain. There are ski slopes, fantastic restaurants, there is even an outdoor swimming pool in natural surroundings, there are marked hiking trails, there are children's resorts.
Children's joy
Our only goal was to enjoy and rest. We didn't even have wifi in the mountain house we rented, which, amazingly, didn't bother the children at all. We had a TV with very few channels, so we didn’t even turn it on. In the evening we played cards, pantomimes, and Mila enjoyed being our teacher :) Life in the city is fast, time passes quickly, and somehow at the end of the day, I always have the impression that I did not spend enough time with the children. So it was wonderful for them to be alone with us all the time, without anything that would disturb our precious time.
We were kept company by tame puppies that we fed, and then two more dogs joined us. A real joy for children! The dogs that kept us company were not only in front of our cottage but followed us everywhere we walked.
They actually had a lot of fun walking through the woods, throwing leaves, and rolling on leaves. We are a family that spends a lot of time in nature and children are used to long walks. They enjoyed the autumn ambiance and the blanket of leaves.
What joy!😍
Autumn sun, warm shades that made our vacation better
We were lucky with the weather, all four days we were on Goč it was sunny. I enjoyed the magical sunrises and morning coffee on the beautiful terrace with a magical view of the neighboring mountain Željin. You can even see one of the peaks of Kopaonik.
Željin Mountain is close and higher than Goč, so the sun left us early, but in the most magical way possible.
...but if I could go back I would try to have only good moments. In case you did not know, what life is about, just moments, you do not lose today. Borges
Long, long walks and lookouts
We walked a lot, especially the roads around the cottage. There weren't many people. In fact, we chose the time when Goč is the least visited mountain, because summer has long passed, and the snow has not fallen yet. Not even the most photogenic time of year. Although it was autumn, the canopies were complete without leaves, but it was still magical and wonderful. Goč is dominated by beech and fir forests, which are somewhere independent, and somewhere together.
Over 700 species of plants grow on Goč and it is known for the fact that many medicinal species grow on it.
My greatest delight was when I saw the peaks of the mountain Rtanj, which is more than 100 kilometers away from Goč.
On the way to Lake Seliste, we came across a lookout point, from which we should see Vrnjacka Banja, but the spa was completely in the clouds, so the feeling of being above the clouds is fantastic. The valley was filled with cotton whiteness.
Lake Seliste - the pearl of Goč
Lake Seliste is not big, but it is beautiful. A footpath leads around it. Vrnjačka Banja is supplied with water from this lake, so it is forbidden to swim in the lake, ride a boat, fish, or do any activity that would endanger the quality of water.
The surroundings of the lake irresistibly remind me of the Alaska landscape :) We sat by the shore for a while and fed the ducks who were obviously used to getting food from people. Cautious, but also brave, they approached us close enough to get a tasty snack.
and another throw of leaves😊
This is just a small part of this beautiful mountain, fantastic climate, and beautiful landscapes. This little break, a short break from everyday life, reminded me of what is really important in our lives and how wonderful, slow, and long a day can be, just the way it should be. It reminded me of how much life in the city steals our precious time. I enjoyed the wonderful moments with my family in a beautiful place and I hope I managed to convey to you a part of that atmosphere.
In the end, all these magical moments, unreal landscapes, shades of autumn in the forests of beautiful Goč recorded in my photos, just remind me that I did not dream of all this.
Enjoy the moments!
Your Snežana
