The town of Kikinda in Serbia is famous… Or maybe not that famous after all? Far from every traveler heading to Serbia has heard of Kikinda, the largest town in the Serbian Banat region and home to the world’s largest winter roosting site of long-eared owls. Here’s a breakdown of what makes this town special, how to get here, and my curated list of Kikinda’s top sights.
How to Get to Kikinda
Kikinda makes a fantastic weekend getaway from Belgrade or Novi Sad. Getting here is very straightforward: the town is connected to the rest of the country by regular bus and train services. That said, driving is by far the most convenient way to visit.
I drove here by car. Traffic in Serbia is calm and the roads are easy to navigate. You can rent a car via Localrent or via Discover Cars (great low-season deals; for instance, in September–October 2024 you could rent a car for 3 days for just 30 €).
The 120 km drive across the endless flat plains of Vojvodina takes just over two hours. Interesting stops along the way include Titel and Zrenjanin. In the summer, you can easily stop by both, but with short winter daylight hours, I only had enough time to explore Kikinda before dark.
📌 Parking in Kikinda’s town center is in the red zone; a day ticket costs 150 RSD (1.27 €).
Top Things to Do in Kikinda: Sights to See in One Day
If you decide to visit Kikinda in winter to see the owls, here is a list of the top attractions you can check out while you’re in town.
- The Kikinda Mammoth at the National Museum. The mammoth skeleton, affectionately nicknamed Kika, was unearthed in a local brick factory clay pit back in 1996. These remains are over 500,000 years old! They are housed in the Kikinda Museum (location), which is open from Tuesday to Saturday. It’s a small museum, but it also has a children’s room.
- The festive market in the town center (location), where you can pick up local wine, regional delicacies, and holiday decorations.
- The Monument to the Fallen Fighters (Spomenik) by the renowned Yugoslav sculptor Aleksandar Zarin (location). If you are fascinated by Yugoslav spomeniks, there is another striking monument dedicated to fallen WWII fighters just as you leave Kikinda (location).
- Admiring the Austro-Hungarian facades. Look closely and you might even spot owl motifs sculpted into the buildings.
- Suvača Dry Mill (Suvača, location). You can see part of this historic horse-powered mill from the street, but touring the interior requires booking in advance.
- Simply wandering through Kikinda and noticing how virtually every local rides a bicycle.
- Terra Museum (location) – a museum dedicated to terracotta sculptures. There are tons of them, unique and captivating. There’s a converted hangar housing smaller works, while monumental outdoor sculptures can be found at an open-air site about 3 km from the museum. In fact, you’ll also spot terracotta sculptures from Terra scattered across the town center. The clay itself is mined right here in Kikinda.
- Lunch at the ethno-restaurant “Kod Fićoka” (location). A cozy, characterful tavern serving hearty food at very reasonable prices. On weekdays, they have a “daily menu” with set lunches. Be sure to try the chicken soup with Vojvodina noodles. These noodles are distinctly different from the ones in central Serbia (Šumadija), and even locals from Šumadija honestly admit they taste better!
- Stop for coffee at Mala Radionica Kafe (location). They serve exclusively coffee, but it is truly excellent.
- Stroll down what is widely considered the most beautiful street in Serbia – General Drapšin Street (Ulica Generala Drapšina, location on the map). Locals often call it the “green tunnel.” Keep in mind, though, that you can only truly appreciate its lush canopy in late spring, summer, or early autumn.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Kikinda to See the Owls?
In Kikinda, there is a very special month known locally as Sovembar (Owl-vember). It kicks off in mid-November when wise long-eared owls flock south for the winter. Mind you, their taste in winter retreats is pretty quirky, and they spend the season in… Kikinda.
No kidding! Kikinda is home to the world’s largest winter roost of long-eared owls. In 2023, over 230 owls arrived to spend the winter here. That may sound like a modest number, but it’s quite impressive. In the record-breaking year of 2009, a staggering 743 long-eared owls wintered right in the town.
In Serbian, the long-eared owl is called utina. Utinas roost together in trees in massive clusters; seeing a lone owl is actually rare. In 2009, ornithologists counted an unbelievable 126 owls gathered on a single tree!
Guide: How to Spot Long-Eared Owls in Kikinda
- Head to Kikinda, specifically to the 📌town square – these owls know good real estate when they see it.
- Look down and scan the pavement for white spots. Yep, that’s owl droppings. At night the owls feast heartily, and during the day they sleep and poop.
- Look straight up, and voila! An entire tree filled with sleeping owls.
Why Do the Owls Choose Kikinda?
The town’s buildings shield them from biting winter winds, keeping them snug and warm throughout the season. Plus, the agricultural fields surrounding Kikinda offer an endless buffet. My most vivid memory from my first trip to Kikinda wasn’t even the massive, nearly 900 kg pumpkin, but the sheer army of field mice and critters dashing like kamikazes across the road splitting the fields. Researchers have calculated that a single owl family eats more than 1,000 rodents over the course of a winter!
People in Kikinda adore their owls. The town has enacted strict local regulations forbidding anyone from disturbing the birds (who would even think of such a thing?!) or damaging the trees they inhabit. To show you how seriously they take this: there is even an official Owl Patrol (Sova patrola)!
Dani Ludaje: The Pumpkin Festival in Kikinda 🎃
The “Dani Ludaje” Pumpkin Festival has been held every September since 1985.
At the heart of the festival is the contest for the heaviest pumpkin. In 2023, the crown went to an 865.5 kg giant grown by Hungarian farmer Tibor Kokai. He won the previous year too, with a 716.5 kg specimen. Just look at these massive gourds (click on any photo to enlarge):
The festival featured live music (which I skipped) and a bustling market with artisanal products and pumpkin treats. Highlights included:
- wine made from Chasselas grapes, more typical of Romania than Serbia;
- traditional hunter’s sauce (lovački sos);
- locally brewed Kikinda craft beer;
- pumpkins upon pumpkins of every shape, size, and hue;
- various crafts and decor carved or made from gourds.
The whole event takes place right in Kikinda’s town center.
Travel Guides to Other Towns in Vojvodina:
Novi Sad – Subotica – Zrenjanin – Bela Crkva – Pančevo – Vršac