Sremski Karlovci sights
Updated: 2026-10-24
Sremski Karlovci is a small Baroque town on the Danube at the foot of Fruška Gora, 12 km from Novi Sad. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was the spiritual and cultural capital of the Serbs in the Habsburg Empire — seat of the Serbian Patriarch, home of the first Serbian grammar school and seminary — and in 1699 the Treaty of Karlowitz was signed here.
The whole historic centre fits on one square and a couple of streets — 2–3 hours is enough — so spend the rest of the day in the wine cellars: Karlovci is famous for Bermet wine and the vineyards of Fruška Gora. Below are 10 places with a map, walking times and stops.
Main square
1. Patriarchal Palace
The residence of the Serbian Patriarchs built in the 1890s, the grandest building on the square, with icons, church treasures and a library inside.
Free outside · tours on request
2 min walk from Patriarch Branković Square
Stop Sremski Karlovci - Karlovačka Gimnazija (169 m) 60 62
2. St. Nicholas Cathedral
A Baroque cathedral of 1758–1762 with twin towers; its iconostasis by 18th-century Serbian painters Teodor Kračun and Jakov Orfelin is a masterpiece of Serbian Baroque.
Free entry
1 min walk from Patriarch Branković Square
Stop Sremski Karlovci - Karlovačka Gimnazija (117 m) 60 62
3. Four Lions Fountain
A marble fountain of 1799 in the middle of the square; legend says whoever drinks from it will return to Karlovci — and find love here.
Free
1 min walk from Patriarch Branković Square
Stop Sremski Karlovci - Karlovačka Gimnazija (63 m) 60 62
4. Karlovci Grammar School
The oldest Serbian grammar school, founded in 1791; the current ornate building dates from 1891. It is still a school, and its library holds rare 18th-century books.
View from outside
2 min walk from Patriarch Branković Square
Stop Sremski Karlovci - Karlovačka Gimnazija (40 m) 60 62
5. St. Arsenije Seminary
One of the oldest Orthodox seminaries in the world (1794), still active today.
View from outside
3 min walk from Patriarch Branković Square
Stop Sremski Karlovci - Karlovačka Gimnazija (243 m) 60 62
Around the centre
6. Chapel of Peace
A round chapel on a hill by the Danube where the Treaty of Karlowitz was concluded in 1699; like the negotiators' tent, it has four doors so nobody yielded precedence.
15-minute walk from the square
26 min walk from Patriarch Branković Square
7. Beekeeping Museum and Živanović cellar
A family-run beekeeping museum with old hives and a wine cellar for tasting Bermet and local wines.
Paid · tastings
10 min walk from Patriarch Branković Square
Stop Vinogradarska - Mitropolita Stratimirovića Okretnica (153 m) 61
8. Bermet wine and cellars
Bermet is a fortified dessert wine with herbs and spices made in Karlovci since the 18th century — legend says it was served on the Titanic. Dozens of family cellars offer tastings; the Karlovci Grape Harvest festival takes place in early October.
Tastings from 500–1,000 RSD
2 min walk from Patriarch Branković Square
Stop Sremski Karlovci IV - Centar (147 m) 60 61 62
9. Stražilovo and Branko Radičević's grave
A forest glade on Fruška Gora 3–4 km from the centre with the grave of Romantic poet Branko Radičević; hiking trails start here.
Half a day · 1-hour uphill walk
4 km from the centre
10. Lower Church
One of Karlovci's old 18th-century parish churches in the quiet lanes near the centre.
View from outside
3 min walk from Patriarch Branković Square
Stop Sremski Karlovci IV - Centar (139 m) 60 61 62
Good to know
- From Novi Sad: JGSP suburban buses 61 and 62 from the MAS bus station (platform 13), about 20–25 minutes; trains also stop at Sremski Karlovci station by the Danube, a 10-minute walk from the centre.
- How long: 2–3 hours for the centre, a full day with cellars and Stražilovo.
- The tourist office on the square has maps and knows which cellars are open today.
Getting to Sremski Karlovci
- Novi Sad → Sremski Karlovci 74 departures on weekdays, from 14 min
- Beograd → Sremski Karlovci 31 departures on weekdays, from 47 min
- Inđija → Sremski Karlovci 35 departures on weekdays, from 11 min
- Ruma → Sremski Karlovci 4 departures on weekdays, from 37 min
Public transport — Sremski Karlovci
FAQ
How to get from Novi Sad to Sremski Karlovci?
Suburban bus 61 or 62 from MAS in about 20–25 minutes, or by train in 10–15 minutes, or by taxi in 15–20 minutes.
What is Bermet?
A fortified aromatised wine made from red or white wine with herbs, spices and dried fruit; recipes are family secrets.
How much time do you need in Sremski Karlovci?
2–3 hours for the centre; a full day with wine tasting, the Chapel of Peace and Stražilovo.
For your trip
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