La Tomatina (Buñol, Spain) – as you can guess from the name, this festival is dedicated to tomatoes. But it is not about eating them – it is about throwing them! This festival is held every last Wednesday of August near Valencia, in a small town named Buñol, and it is known as the world’s biggest food fight. The tickets for the event are sold online and since 2013 they have been limited to the number of 20,000, while before that it happened that the festival had between 40,000 and 50,000 visitors.

Ivrea Orange Festival (Ivrea, Italy) – while people throw tomatoes in Spain, it the town of Ivrea in Italy they fight with oranges. Carnevale di Ivrea is the largest food fight in Italy, and unlike La Tomatina, it is very structured, organized, and people fight in teams. It is held during the traditional carnival days in February – Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Batalla de Vino (Haro, La Rioja, Spain) – Batalla de Vino or Wine Fight is held every year from June 28 to June 30, and it begins with street parties on the first festival day and night. After this, locals and tourists climb a mountain 5 km away from the town, where there are water trucks, water pistols, barrels and buckets – all filled with wine! People cover each other with wine, drink some of it as well and they dance to music until wee hours.

Pumpkin Festival (Ludwigsburg, Germany) – This festival is held every year in Ludwigsburg, a town near Stuttgart, and it is home to over 400,000 pumpkins. The date varies, but it is always held in fall, and in 2016 the festival will take place from September 2 to November 6. There are all sorts of pumpkin art, pumpkin food you cannot even imagine, and various competitions for children and adults, such as pumpkin carving. For those who like eating pumpkins and carving them for Halloween, the world’s largest pumpkin festival is certainly going to be an event of interest.

Cheese Rolling (Gloucestershire, UK) – this interesting event takes place on every Spring Bank Holiday and it is held on Cooper’s Hill near the town of Gloucestershire. It is a sort of a race, where a round of Double Gloucester cheese is rolled down the hill, and the participants begin racing down the hill after it in order to catch it. Although it is a quite fun event, attracting both locals and tourists, the cheese can speed up to 112 km/h, which can cause injuries and knock the spectators over.

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Baklava – a dessert made in all parts of Balkans and the favorite of many people. It is made of phyllo dough filled with chopped walnuts, sometimes with the addition of raisins, and sweetened with thick sugar syrup.

Slatko – this is a type of fruit preserve made of pieces of fruit preserved in sugar. Slatko is traditionally used to greet the guests as soon as they arrive, and it is served together with a glass of water. It can be made from all sorts of fruit, and sometimes it is even made from rose petals.

Knedle sa šljivama (plum dumplings) – this dessert is made in all parts of Serbia, and in Vojvodina it is known as gomboce. It is made by filling potato dough with plums and cooking them in boiling water, after which they are rolled in breadcrumbs and sugar.

Lenja pita – this dessert could be translated as “lazy man’s pie”. It is made of two layers of fluffy dough, between which there is a filling most commonly made of apples, sour cherries or walnuts. It is very quick and easy to make, hence the name.

Palačinke – although this dessert is not originally from Serbia or even Balkans, it is very popular in this region. Palačinke are actually thin pancakes or crêpes, they are a favorite dessert of many, especially children. They are usually filled with chocolate spread, jam, or sugar and ground walnuts, but there are plenty of other variants and possibilities.

These five desserts represent only a small part of the choice you will have in Serbia if you have a sweet tooth. If you like sweets, you will certainly enjoy Serbian desserts.

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Nowadays, there are around 700 different types of wine produced in Serbia, and you can visit wine regions in all parts of the country, no matter if you stay in the north, south, east of west. Here are some of the most popular wine routes and regions you can visit:

Fruška gora – Fruška gora is a mountain in Vojvodina province and grapevine is grown on its fertile slopes. Some of the most popular wines from this region are Plemenka and Fruška Gora Riesling, but the most popular wine from this region is definitely Bermet. It is a sweet and aromatic dessert wine, produced by only a few families from the town of Sremski Karlovci. The secret recipe for this wine has been passed down from generation to generation, and not many people know how to make it.

Palić – this is a region in the north of Serbia, around the city of Subotica. This region covered with fertile sandy soil, so the wines from this region are known as “sand wines”. The most popular types of wines from Palić are Italian Riesling, Cabernet and Sauvignon.

Župa – this is the most popular marked wine route in central Serbia, situated in the basin of the West Morava River and surrounded by mountains Kopaonik, Željina, Goč and Jastrebac. Some of the most popular wines from this region are Tamjanika, Chardonnay, Italian Riesling and Rose.

Negotin – this region is located in the eastern part of Serbia and it is the center of wine tourism in this part of the country. It is famous for old wine cellars in Rajac known as “Rajačke pimnice” which date back to the 18^th century. Some of the old cellars have been remodeled and nowadays some wineries use them to organize wine degustation. The most popular wines from this region are Vranac, Sauvignon, Začinak and Bagrina.

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Serbian traditional dishes are often based on meat; they are rich in taste and ingredients and very filling. If you plan a trip to Serbia, here are some of the traditional dishes and you shouldn’t miss:

Sarma – sarma is prepared in several countries in Balkans, and each country has their own style of preparation. In Serbia, it is made with ground beef, rice and spices rolled in leaves of sour cabbage. There are variants with the filling rolled in greens or grapevine leaves as well, but the variant with sour cabbage is the most common one.

Karađorđeva šnicla (Karadjordje’s steak) – the dish is named by Serbian Prince Karađorđe is made of veal or pork steak filled with kajmak, rolled, breaded and fried or baked. Sometimes it is filled with other ingredients as well, such as ham and cheese, and it is served with tartar sauce.

Pljeskavica –  this is a patty usually made of ground beef or pork, and grilled. It is usually served with flatbread or inside of it (which resembles a hamburger), with onions, kajmak and/or other ingredients of your choice.

Gibanica – this is a cheese pie very typical for Serbia. It is made of thin dough sheets, which are sometimes lined in layers and sometimes just crumpled and mixed with cheese and eggs.

Proja – this is a thick cornbread, often made during the age of poverty after WWII. Today it has several variants, and the most popular one is proja with white cheese.

Ajvar – ajvar is, so to say, something between dip and salad. It is made mainly from red peppers, with some eggplants and garlic, and it is usually made in the fall and stored for the winter.

Kajmak – this is a dairy product similar to clotted cream, very creamy and rich in taste. It is a popular side dish and it is often eaten with pljeskavica.

This is only a small preview of all the tasty dishes you can try in Serbia. If you are a hedonist and enjoy food, then Serbia simply has to be a stop on your culinary journey.

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Rakija (rakia) – Serbs are known for making excellent brandies of all kinds of fruits, and one of the most popular types of rakia is called šljivovica. This is a strong alcoholic beverage you may know by the name Slivovitz, and it is rakia made of plums. It is considered to be Serbian national drink, so if you want to try something really local and specific for this country, do not miss to have a shot of šljivovica. Other types of rakia are also popular, and I suggest you try those made of quince, pear or apricot, which are strong, but very aromatic.

Bermet – if you prefer wine over strong brandies, make sure to try Bermet. It is a dessert wine produced in Serbian wine region of Fruška gora, in the province of Vojvodina, and only several families from the region keep the secret of the original recipe. This wine is very sweet and aromatic, and it is served either as a dessert wine or as aperitif. It is assumed that this wine was supposed to be included in the Titanic’s wine list, since the bottles of Bermet were found in the wreck of this ship.

Beers – if you are a beer lover, good news is that Serbia has a large choice of domestic beers. There are several large breweries making popular types of beer such as Lav, Jelen or Zaječarsko, but the number of micro-breweries is on the rise, so it is possible to try all sorts of great craft beers as well.

Domestic coffee – domestic coffee (domaća kafa) is sometimes also called Turkish coffee. It is strong and made in all parts of Balkans, but each country has their own version of making it and serving it. In Serbia, it is usually served in a medium-sized cup, with a sugar cube or a small bag of sugar, with or without milk (as you prefer). After trying all those alcoholic beverages, you may need a cup of strong coffee to help you cure the hangover.

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