If you haven’t spotted the Vratna River Canyon on the tourist map of eastern Serbia, no one should blame you. After all, in the immediate neighborhood are the Đerdap National Park, the Resava Cave, and the Krupaj Spring. All of these are indeed well-known and visited natural attractions. Despite this, this hidden canyon and its arches, the likes of which you certainly won’t see anywhere else in Europe, is an adventurous destination you must not miss. And on the other hand, this is a destination you should put on your list for a day trip.
The Vratna River Canyon is located 35 km northwest of the nearest city, Negotin, famous for its numerous wine cellars. Traveling in the same direction for about 20 km, you come across the Đerdap National Park. If you head south, after an hour and a half of driving, you will encounter the mountains of Borski Stol and Veliki Krš. As you can see, this canyon has an enviable central location from where you can easily start exploring this region for several days.
The highlight of the Vratna canyon are the three imposing natural arches popularly named the Vratna Gates. The first two gates are easily accessible. You will reach them after a ten-minute walk from the Vratna monastery. The third gate is an adventure in itself as it involves walking a 3 km long marked trail through lush vegetation along the river itself. Only adventurers with sharp eyes will not miss a cave ready for you to visit and explore. And on the way back, you can climb to the top of the second gate and enjoy the view offered to you from there.
Traveling downstream, you reach the first arch called the Small Bridge (Mala prerast), located only 200 m from the Vratna monastery. This natural bridge is anything but small. It is 34 m high, 30 m long, and 15 m wide. It is followed by the Large Bridge (Velika prerast) with a height of 45 m, a length of 23 m, and a width of 30 m. The last and most beautiful is the Dry Bridge (Suva prerast) which is 34 m high, 15 m long, and 10 m wide. The way the Vratna natural bridges were formed has not been precisely determined. The famous Serbian geographer Jovan Cvijić studied this phenomenon and concluded that the natural bridges were once part of a huge cave shaped by an underground river. Parts of the ceiling collapsed over time, and its remains formed three beautiful stone arches.
Near the last gate, you will find three caves. Although speleologists have not studied them in detail, they say the one closest to the Dry Bridge is as much as 400 m long; the next one hides a small lake in its interior; and the furthest one represents a home to a complex system of tunnels and passages.
Travel tips for the Vratna River canyon:
It is best to visit the Vratna River canyon during the warmer months of the year
Bring a spare change of clothes, as well as shoes, as you will have to walk through the river if you decide to go to the Dry Bridge
Bring food and water
How to get to the Vratna River canyon:
A bus from Belgrade to Negotin runs daily. However, from there to Vratna, you would have to manage on your own. At approximately halfway from Negotin to Kladovo, turn toward the village of Slatina. When you pass Slatina, you arrive at the village of Urovica. In it, there is a signpost toward the village of Vratna and then you come to the monastery and your adventure toward this unique phenomenon in Europe and beyond can begin.
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Source: Serbian Times; Photo: Printscreen Instagram