We visited all four sites of the Stari Ras and Sopocani cluster in October 2023, by public transport with two nights in Novi Pasar. As we had stayed in Studenica the night before we made it to Novi Pasar by the early afternoon (on three different busses) and saw St Peter’s already from the bus going into town. After checking into our accommodation there was time to walk out to St Peter’s and back (about 30 minutes each way). Later, we checked out the busses for Sopocani.

The next day we took the bus towards Bacica at 10.30 – the first one would have been around 6 am. The bus passes first Stari Ras, then Sopocani, and returns an hour later. So we got off at Sopocani, notified the driver that we would go back with him, and indeed caught the same bus going back after our Sopocani visit. Only for 10 minutes or so, when we got off at Stari Ras.

The few ruins along the road, Trgovište, didn’t require more than a quick glance. We immediately set off to find the path behind the resort hotel (near the playground inside the hotel gardens; there was also a map) and walked up. City shoes were not really appropriate for the steep gravel path to the Gradina Fortress. Going up took about 30 minutes; we walked the length of the fortress and took a second path from the far side down (the path forks somewhere on the hillside).

Back at the bus stop we hitchhiked since the next bus would have arrived perhaps 3 hours later. Hitchhiking turned out difficult, however, not only because there are not so many cars but also because they don’t stop readily. We were lucky to find someone after half an hour to take us to the outskirts of Novi Pasar. From there we took a taxi up to Ɖurđevi Stupovi. Returning from there we walked into town (about 4 km downhill).

This way transport was doable, less than 10 € for the two of us, but the hitchhiking part is difficult. Walking to the next larger crossing where you might find a taxi would be about 3 km.

About the sights:

We liked Sopocani most, the church has great frescoes and a nice mountain setting. An hour was just ok.

St Peter’s is also very photogenic with its graveyard. The church itself is nice enough, we particularly enjoyed being able to walk around the upper story.

Stari Ras and Trgovište were not worth the effort, in our opinion.

Ɖurđevi Stupovi seemed for the most part a new building. The few old parts and arches were covered in soot – we didn’t see the reportedly famous fresco of St George. There were some ok frescoes in a small separate chapel, though. But overall it wasn’t worth the walk.