Đerdap National Park

At the Iron Gates the Danube squeezes between the Carpathian and Balkan ranges into a gorge over a hundred kilometres long, narrowing at points to a few hundred metres with cliffs rising directly from the water. It is the largest gorge in Europe by several measures. Carved into the rock on the Serbian bank is Decebalus, an enormous modern face of the Dacian king cut in the 1990s and 2000s, facing the Roman Tabula Traiana across the water. Golubac fortress guards the western entrance with towers stepping up a spur, restored and open to climb. At Lepenski Vir, an archaeological shelter holds a Mesolithic settlement whose sandstone sculptures of fish-like faces are among the oldest monumental art in Europe.

What you actually see

• Golubac Fortress - restored medieval towers at the gorge's western gate.
• Lepenski Vir - a Mesolithic settlement with fish-faced sandstone sculptures, under cover.
• Decebalus rock face - the giant carved head above the water, seen from a boat.
• Boat trips through the narrows - the gorge from the water, where the cliffs are highest.

When to go

May to October. Autumn colour on the gorge slopes is excellent and the light is best in the morning on the Serbian side. Boat trips depend on weather and demand, and run less often outside summer.

Honest expectations

The Decebalus carving is on the Romanian bank and is best seen from a boat, which needs arranging; from the Serbian road it is distant. Lepenski Vir is a shelter over an excavated site rather than a large museum, and the sculptures are small. Distances along the gorge road are long and there are few places to stop for food.

Nearby

Felix Romuliana lies south; Belgrade is around three hours west.