At a walking pace through the Srem district - Stari Slankamen

Old Slankamen nestled on the "Sea" of Danube

Wineries, čarde- small restaurants on the river banks, the beach, hunt for Hun treasure, dark legends from the past, hammam, church more than 500 years old, remains of fortresses built by the Celts, salt water spring... Do you really need more reasons to visit Stari Slankamen? We didn't, and...

Paw traveller

Thinking that morning located in Slankamenacki Vinogradi, where we could go for having a coffee and possibly lunch, we headed towards Stari Slankamen.

The road is solid, and the landscape beside the road is beautiful. Orchards, meadows, fields on all sides, and then completely unexpectedly, the road passes through an earthen gorge and the view bursts from the top of the serpentine to Stari Slankamen.

If you didn't know you are in Serbia, you would think it was the sea!

Oh, oh, the wide Danube, the flat Srem, and the Tisa flow in nearby, so the width seems even wider. And if it happens that the Danube attracts thunder and rain from somewhere, you will think that it is Attila the Hun himself, still angry at that young Hungarian woman who came to his head.

According to the legend, Attila scourge of God lived in this area and one of the beliefs is that he died on the day of his wedding with one of his many wives. The cause of death itself has not been established, but some of the legends say that he died during the first wedding night from dizziness and bleeding from the nose, and then that he died from internal bleeding due to excessive alcohol consumption, and it is also said that his young wife killed him with poison that she dripped into his ear...

Paw traveller- Stari Slankamen

What befell this man with the reputation of a merciless barbarian - a night illuminated by fiery love, insobriety or conspiracy remains shrouded in mystery.

Either way, history officially records that Attila died in 453 in Pannonia.

It is also believed that he was buried in three coffins of gold, silver, and iron that were lowered somewhere near the confluence of the Tisa and the Danube.

Perhaps all these stories have no real basis, and there are plenty of versions about how and where the famous ruler died, but in any case, they intrigue and stimulate the imagination.

At the very entrance to the village, your attention will be drawn to a hill with the remains of the old fortress of Akuminkum. Remains have been excavated at this multi-layered site indicating that the site was used from prehistoric times to the late Middle Ages.

Paw traveller- Stari Slankamen

The fortress was built by the Celts, then the Romans arranged and added to it in their own way, and finally, a few centuries later, it was taken over by the Turks, who used it as a strategic place on the Danube.

Descending through serpentines, the road takes you to the center of the village, to the very banks of the river Danube. Here you will find several small restaurants and bars, and there is also a rehabilitation center.

The geographical position of Stari Slankamen has many favorable features, the altitude is only about 80 meters, so there are no sudden changes in temperature and air pressure in this place, and the proximity of the river Danube and mountain Fruška Gora makes the air in this place extremely clean and fresh. The mineral waters from this area are healing, and this is confirmed by the historical remains of the hammam, which testify that people were treated at these springs in past, centuries ago.

Paw traveller- Stari Slankamen

In this fishing village there is also the church of St. Nicholas, which is a cultural monument of exceptional importance. It was mentioned for the first time in records from 1501 and is one of the oldest churches in Srem, and it was precisely this one that served as a model for the construction style according to which all the other churches in the Srem district were built. According to the legend, it was built in 1468 by Zmaj Ognjeni Vuk, the grandson of the despot Djurdje Branković.

And finally, the beach on the river Danube near Stari Slankamen.

Paw traveller- Stari Slankamen

The beach can be reached by car along a path that leads past houses and cottages. The beach is long and sandy, but not for the "silky coots".

The fact is that there is sand, there are shells, there is water, but there is also mud. It is more for people who are not conformists and who like to stay in nature and camping.

If you want to take a walk around this area with us, read the post: At a walking pace through the Srem district - Slankamenački Vinogradi

Follow Paw traveller on Instagram as well!