Stražilovo is a wooded height of about 320 metres at the head of a valley above Sremski Karlovci. Its name is bound to Branko Radičević (1824–1853), the first great lyric poet of Serbian Romanticism, who spent his school years at the Karlovci Gymnasium and wandered these hills with his classmates. His farewell poem to them, “Đački rastanak”, made Stražilovo a household name.
Radičević died of tuberculosis in Vienna at twenty-nine. Thirty years later, in 1883, his remains were brought home in a procession that turned into a national event and buried on the hilltop he had loved. For Serbian schoolchildren a trip here is still a rite of passage.
Top things to do: Stražilovo
Climb to the poet’s grave
From the car park and the restaurant known as Brankov čardak, a broad path and steps climb through the forest to the summit in 15–20 minutes. The monument, a stone obelisk raised in 1885, is built of blocks brought from different Serbian lands.
Hike the ridge
Stražilovo is the eastern gateway to the ridge path. A popular loop continues to the mountain hut and on to the Glavica area, or west to Zmajevac and Iriški Venac — a full day’s walk.
Picnic on the lawns
The meadows at the foot of the hill fill with families at weekends. Bring food from the bakeries of Sremski Karlovci, or eat at one of the simple restaurants by the road.
Walk up from Karlovci
Instead of driving, follow the lane from the centre of Sremski Karlovci past vineyards and weekend houses — about an hour on foot, gently uphill.
How to get to Stražilovo
- By car: 4 km from the centre of Sremski Karlovci on a paved lane; parking at the foot of the hill.
- On foot: about an hour from Karlovci’s main square.
- By bus: take city bus 61 or 62 from Novi Sad to Sremski Karlovci and walk or take a taxi from there.
Insider tips
- In late March the national park’s first spring flowers carpet the forest floor here.
- The path to the grave is easy but uneven; trainers are fine in dry weather.
- Combine with a bermet tasting on the way down — the walk earns it.
- Weekends are lively; come on a weekday for birdsong and solitude.
Best tours & tickets: Stražilovo
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Stražilovo:
Day trip from €65 From Belgrade: Novi Sad & Sremski Karlovci Full-Day Tour
The most-booked trip in the region by a wide margin, with well over a thousand reviews. A comfortable day north from Belgrade: Sremski Karlovci and its bermet, the ramparts of Petrovaradin and free time in Novi Sad, with a private option if you prefer.
- Baroque Sremski Karlovci with a guide
- Bermet wine tasting in a family cellar
- Petrovaradin Fortress and Novi Sad’s old centre
Half-day tour from €69 From Novi Sad: Sremski Karlovci and Krušedol Monastery Tour
Already staying in Novi Sad? This compact private tour covers the two essentials on the eastern side of the mountain — Karlovci and Krušedol — in a morning or afternoon, with pickup from your accommodation.
- St Nicholas Cathedral and the Four Lions fountain
- Bermet tasting in Sremski Karlovci
- Krušedol Monastery in the eastern hills
