The rich natural and cultural heritage of the Knjaževac region is the basis for the development of various types of tourism. The border between Serbia and Bulgaria extends partly along the slopes of Stara Planina, whose highest peak is Midžor, 2169 m high. A little lower, at an altitude of 1758 m, there is Babin zub with a mountain lodge and hotel, a very popular excursion and ski resort for the people of Knjaževac, but also for people from all over Serbia.
Stara planina is an extraordinary treasure, not only of natural but also of cultural treasures. In old mountain houses that are pearls of folk architecture, in villages and hamlets that are almost deserted, some people still live in a way that no one else does anywhere else, they preserve old dishes, old stories, songs and customs.
15 km from Knjaževac, on the right side of the main road leading to Kalna, at the entrance to the village of Donja Kamenica, there is a medieval church dedicated to St. Mother of God. This monument, unusual in terms of architecture and painting, dates back to the 14th century, and despite the fact that the image of the founder and his family is shown in several places in the church, it has not yet been determined who the despot Mihailo, the son of Emperor Mihailo, was, as it is written on one from the portraits of the founders.
On the road between Donja and Gornja Kamenica, on the left on the hill above the main road, 17 km from Knjaževac, there is a medieval monastery dedicated to St. Three. According to a copy of an inscription from the middle of the 15th century, it is known that the church was an endowment of the Serbian despot Lazar, the youngest son of Đurađ Branković.
In the gorge of Trgoviški Timok, near the village of Gabrovnica below Stara Planina, a group of prehistoric cave drawings dated to the Bronze Age was found. This group of drawings is the only one of its kind found in Serbia, while similar cave drawings are found in neighboring Bulgaria and Montenegro.
In the gorge of Trgoviški Timok, near the village of Gabrovnica below Stara Planina, a group of prehistoric cave drawings dated to the Bronze Age was found. This group of drawings is the only one of its kind found in Serbia, while similar cave drawings are found in neighboring Bulgaria and Montenegro.
An ancient custom, an act of votive prayer – the slaughter of a black male lamb “Đurđilčet” on the day of St. Đorđe, is still performed in the village of Vrtovac, in a cell dedicated to St. George, in a place called Kalavat. In order to properly present the wealth of this region to the general public, another story was told about this custom through the Ethno-Fest “Prayer under Midžor”, which has been organized for years on St. George’s Day in the villages of Vrtovac and Balta Berilovac under Stari Planina. Competitions in making Belmuž, cheese and old-fashioned sofra, in various shepherd’s games, best convey the diversity, richness and uniqueness of the centuries-old tradition of this region to the visitors of this tourist event.
Lush and preserved nature in the valleys of two rivers in the vicinity of Knjaževac abound in places suitable for excursions and activities in nature. The most famous picnic spots for the people of Knjaževac are certainly: Baranica on Trgoviški Timok, a few kilometers south of the city on the way to Stara planina, with a once very popular beach and motel, and Banjica-Rgoška spa on Svrljiški Timok, 5 km southwest of Knjaževac near the village of Rgošte, popular for its thermal springs . Between Knjaževac and Banjica there is also the swimming pool “Banjica” – a complex of sports and recreational facilities that make up an open Olympic pool measuring 25x50m, 1.5-2.25m deep, with thermal water at a temperature of 28 C, and a children’s pool with a depth of 10-60cm. A building with changing rooms, a wardrobe, a buffet, a garden with 120 seats, a parking area, and fields for small sports are available to visitors.