Information
Landmark: Mokra Gora (Drvengrad)City: Cacak
Country: Serbia
Continent: Europe
Mokra Gora (Drvengrad), Cacak, Serbia, Europe
Overview
In western Serbia, Mokra Gora and Drvengrad draw visitors with misty mountain views, rich traditions, and a cinematic charm you can feel in every cobbled street.Tucked between the Tara and Zlatibor mountains, Mokra Gora draws visitors with its green hills and the winding, historic Šargan Eight Railway, while nearby Drvengrad-“Wooden Town”-offers a charming maze of timber streets built by acclaimed filmmaker Emir Kusturica.Here’s your detailed guide: Mokra Gora, or “Wet Mountain,” is a scenic valley ringed by deep green forests, soft rolling hills, and clear streams that catch the light like silver ribbons.It sits near the edges of Tara National Park and the slopes of Zlatibor Mountain, a spot where pine-scented air hangs heavy.The Šargan Eight Railway, a winding narrow-gauge track, is one of Mokra Gora’s top draws.The railway weaves a figure-eight through 22 tunnels and over 5 bridges, opening up sweeping views of rolling countryside.Built in the 1920s and restored in the early 2000s, it now carries tourists in vintage locomotives and carriages, stopping at quaint stations like Jatare and Golubići-both backdrops in Emir Kusturica’s films.Around Mokra Gora, dense forests, clear springs, and gentle hills invite hikers, cyclists, and photographers, with the Beli Rzav spring famed for its cool, mineral-rich waters.Nearby stands Drvengrad, or Küstendorf, a wooden village Kusturica built for his 2004 film *Life Is a Miracle*, blending traditional Serbian craftsmanship with a vibrant cultural scene.Inside, cobblestone streets wind past timber houses, a small church, a library, a cozy cinema, and tucked-away art galleries.Colorful wooden buildings draped with traditional carvings and paintings line the streets, many of which honor names like Nikola Tesla, Che Guevara, Diego Maradona, and Ivo Andrić, reflecting Emir Kusturica’s wide-ranging inspirations.Each year, Drvengrad buzzes with the Küstendorf Film and Music Festival, drawing filmmakers, musicians, and artists from around the world; the rest of the year, visitors wander through workshops, exhibitions, and hands-on cultural events steeped in Serbian and global traditions.The Stanley Kubrick Cinema screens films year-round, while a cozy restaurant and café serve steaming bowls of local specialties.Perched atop a hill, the village opens to sweeping views of Mokra Gora’s valleys and the surrounding mountains, their peaks fading into the horizon.Ride the winding Šargan Eight Railway, hike through forests scented with pine, or stroll along the Rzav River.Delve into Serbian crafts and music, capture the cinematic landscapes with your camera, and savor dishes like ćevapi, kajmak, and proja.Built from Kusturica’s vision to protect rural culture, Drvengrad earned a Philippe Rotthier European Architecture Award and has welcomed international stars from Johnny Depp to Monica Bellucci.Located about 210 kilometers southwest of Belgrade, it’s reachable by car or bus from cities like Užice and Zlatibor.Visit in spring or summer for lush green hills, in autumn for fiery foliage, or in winter when snow turns the village into a quiet, magical retreat.Nearby, explore Tara National Park’s Banjska Stena viewpoint, see the House on the Drina perched defiantly on a river rock, or ski and hike the slopes of Zlatibor Mountain-making Mokra Gora and Drvengrad a rare blend of nature, culture, and film history.Ride the nostalgic Šargan Eight as it winds through the hills, wander the creative streets of Drvengrad, or lose yourself in Serbia’s untouched landscapes-each offers its own mix of quiet beauty, fresh inspiration, and a spark of adventure.
