Vlasenica: Mountain Town, Hiking Trails and Winter Sports

Vlasenica lies on the northern slopes of the Javor Mountains at an altitude of around 680 metres. To the west is the Sokolina mountain range, reaching 1,314 metres. Gently rolling uplands with deciduous and coniferous forests, pastures, arable land, rivers and streams extend to the north and east. Along the main road through the municipality of Vlasenica, the Javor and its unspoilt landscapes offer picturesque viewpoints with far-reaching panoramic views.

One of the higher-lying landscapes is Ružnavoda, a mountain plateau at around 1,130 metres, covered mainly by coniferous forests and green meadows. There is cold, clean water there. Around Vlasenica, approximately 250 kilometres of hiking trails are marked. The rivers Studeni Jadar, Zeleni Jadar, Tišča and Drinjača also contain fish stocks that attract certain groups of visitors for fishing.

The annual Pohod u Pjenovcu has been organised since 1972 by the Acer mountaineering and ecology association from Vlasenica. The 15-kilometre Pohod u Pjenovcu leads through the landscapes of the Javor Mountains near Vlasenica. Alongside the extensive network of trails, this provides a regularly held hiking event with a strong local connection.

The Igrišta Ski Centre has a 1,900-metre-long red ski run and a 2,000-metre-long blue ski run. Javorova poljana at the Igrišta Ski Centre is suitable for beginners and the youngest skiers.

Vlasenica is one of the oldest settlements in Republika Srpska, as the town was already mentioned in the 13th century under the name Birač. Important roads from Dubrovnik towards Srebrenica, Zvornik and Sirmium, now Sremska Mitrovica, already ran through this area in Roman times. Visible remains of a mining settlement have been preserved on Rudište Hill in Cikot, on the right bank of the Drinjača in the direction of Vlasenica.

The remains of the medieval town of Veledin lie around 10 kilometres southwest of the present-day centre of Vlasenica, near the villages of Grabovica, Djurici and Misari. Another historic building is the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Vlasenica, completed in 1889. It was built from reddish mountain stone from the Romanija region.

The Ruzina Voda monument features a memorial fountain made of pink limestone. The Ruzina Voda fountain commemorates two battles that took place on 23 September 1914 and 15 June 1942.

The Vlasenica Cultural Centre has a cinema auditorium with 365 seats, as well as smaller halls for cultural programmes, seminars, presentations and workshops. The Vlasenica National Library is open to readers; its reading room is suitable for literary evenings and other events. Prosvjeta also has a folklore group that takes part in folklore events in Serbia and abroad.

Vlasenica lies on the Belgrade–Sarajevo and Novi Sad–Sarajevo trunk roads, as well as at a road junction connecting it with Han Pijesak, Šekovići, Tuzla and Zvornik.

Slatina, Ljubina, Dera, Prijedor, Ugljevik, Tjentište, Banja Luka, Dvorovi

To the higher-level travel overview: Republika Srpska.