Zlatibor

Zlatibor is a rolling mountain plateau in southwestern Serbia which lies between 700 and 1500 m above sea-level. It is 238 km from Belgrade and is not far from the town of Cajetina. There are three legends about the origin of today's name Zlatibor ( ZLATIBOR: zlato=gold, bor=pine tree): By the first one Zlatibor is supposed to get its name by white pine trees with yellow conifer (the colour of old gold), which used to cover the rolling slopes of Zlatibor. There has only one such tree remained (in the village of Negbina) and it was given the scientific name Pinus silvestris variegata Zlatiborica, by eng. Omanović, who studied those conifer trees. In the second it is said that Zlatibor got its name because it was so rich with pine tree forests, that the immigrants from Monte Negro and Hercegovina boasted: "It is really a pine tree made of gold!" The third legend says that it got its name by the mountain pastures, that get a yellow, a golden colour in autumn. Which of these legends is the right one make a decision by yourselves! Or, better come to Zlatibor, maybe you'll hear a new version in the song of Zlatibor pine trees!
Continental and Mediterranean air masses meet in Zlatibor, giving the mountain a gentle climate and making it an ideal place for recuperation and treatment. The natural therapeutic factors are considered to be the very clean and dry air, the low air pressure and the rich ultraviolent spectrum of sunlight. Treatment is performed under the supervision of specialists while patients reside in the unique climatic conditions of Zlatibor, using the latest diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation equipment of the Zlatibor Specialised Hospital for Thyroid Diseases and Metabolic Diseases. The climate of Zlatibor lends itself to the treatment of: thyroid disorders, metabolic disorders, in particular obesity, injuries to the muscles and bones, cardiovascular disorders, digestive tract disorders, exhaustion and nervous tension, anaemia, asthma. In the Specialised Hospital the special Cigota diet programme is offered, involving a programme of activities, the creation of a positive group atmosphere and the provision of basic information on the importance of proper diet and recreation. Besides health tourism, training sessions for athletes, sport camps and sports schools are also held throughout the year in Zlatibor. There is also well-developed leisure tourism with many hiking trails leading through the glades and woodlands of Zlatibor and a large number of conferences and seminars are held here all year round. On top of all this, Zlatibor is also one of Serbia’s best-known skiing centres, suitable both for beginners and more experienced skiers. Of the multitude of interesting places to visit near Zlatibor, those that deserve a special mention are the Museum of Folk Architecture in Sirogojno, Mokra Gora and its Shargan Eight railway (Sarganska Osmica), Stopica Pecina cave and Uvac Monastery.