Zlatibor is a high, rounded upland in western Serbia, a plateau of meadows and pine forest that has been a holiday place for generations. The name means gold pine, and the old landscapes here were a mix of open pasture and clumps of fir and spruce, with a mild, sunny climate that made it popular with city people looking for fresh air. Today the main village has grown into a resort town, with new hotels, apartments and a long pedestrian centre, but the surrounding hills remain green and open.
The area has its own traditions. Kajmak, a clotted cream, and pršuta, dry-cured ham, are famous here, and the local roast lamb and pork are sold at roadside stalls by the side of the road. Užice ham is among the best known in the country. Zlatibor is also known for a type of woollen jersey, and for village houses with steep shingled roofs. Nearby, the old village of Sirogojno is an open-air museum of rural life, and the small farming settlements around it, Mramorje among them, sit in the same upland landscape.
The roads around are good for a relaxed ride. They roll over gentle hills, pass through forest and open meadows, and offer long views toward the Dinaric ranges, with the border of Bosnia not far to the west. Surfaces vary, and some small roads are patchy, but main routes are in decent shape. Traffic is heavy in summer and on weekends, particularly on the road from Belgrade, and lorries and slow tourist cars hold up traffic. Spring brings cool air and green slopes, autumn gold, and the winter season sees snow and some skiing.
Fuel is available in Zlatibor and at nearby Čajetina, and Užice, the largest town in the area, with a population of more than sixty thousand, lies about twenty kilometres away and offers everything. Cash is useful in smaller places, though cards work in larger shops. Serbian drivers can be impatient and overtake freely, so ride defensively.
Evenings are cool at this altitude even in summer, and the stars are bright. Pull on a jacket and sit outdoors with a plate of grilled meat and a glass of rakija, and you will understand why people keep coming back.