Exploring Staro Selo: The Open-Air Ethno Village in Sirogojno

Staro Selo is an open-air ethno museum located in the village of Sirogojno. Staro Selo is just 26 km from the tourist center of Zlatibor and is one of the best attractions nearby. A visit to the museum in Sirogojno is fascinating for both adults and kids alike. In this review, I’ll show you what the museum looks like in photos and explain how to get there from Zlatibor.

The Open-Air Museum in Sirogojno: What Is It and What Does It Look Like?

The Staro Selo Museum was founded in 1979. Across a 4.5-hectare site right next to the Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul, 40 traditional Dinaric-style timber houses from the late 19th and early 20th centuries were brought together from all over the Zlatibor region.

These are square log cabins built from horizontal timbers notched and interlocked at the corners. The roofs are clad in wooden shingles, stone slabs, or straw thatch. Homesteads were always built on sunny hillsides facing south. Here is what they look like:

Another distinct feature of a traditional Zlatibor homestead is the cluster of smaller auxiliary outbuildings encircling the “main house.”

All the houses in the museum retain their authentic original look and are divided into two main sections:

1. The museum exhibition consisting of two complete homesteads, featuring a dairy house (mlekar), a bakery, a granary (ambar), a fruit-drying kiln (mišána), a kačar where rakija is distilled, and a barn. Here are a few photos of the buildings I took during my visit to Sirogojno:

2. Visitor facilities:

• An exhibition hall and a summer stage – used for art exhibitions, workshops, theater performances, and concerts;
• A gift shop – featuring and selling authentic handicrafts and museum replicas made by local village artisans;
• Cooperage, blacksmith, and pottery workshops – where craft demonstrations and lectures are held during the summer;
• A traditional tavern (krčma) – serving authentic Zlatibor specialties like homemade cheese, kajmak, pršuta, heljdopita (buckwheat pie), prebranac (slow-baked beans), and sarma;
• Guest apartments.

Is Staro Selo in Sirogojno Worth Visiting? My Honest Review

I was initially quite skeptical about the open-air museum in Sirogojno, but countless glowing reviews convinced me to go and experience it for myself. In the end, I spent several wonderful hours wandering around the grounds, marveling at what daily life was like in a Serbian village just 100–120 years ago!

I loved the attention given to the smallest details—for example, this is how rainwater used to be harvested.

A typical traditional wooden cottage of Zlatibor

So my verdict is simple: it is definitely worth visiting. Here are the three main reasons why I recommend heading out to this ethno-museum in Sirogojno:

1. Rich history and cultural insight. It was genuinely fascinating to discover how ordinary Serbian rural families lived. A Serbian friend of mine mentioned that her grandmother’s village home had the exact same type of dairy outbuilding as the one preserved here. There were plenty of families with children exploring Staro Selo, and the kids were peering into every corner, asking their parents about all the curious rustic objects. It’s so refreshingly different from modern life.
2. The culinary experience. In my book, this is the ultimate place to savor authentic Zlatibor cuisine right in an atmospheric village krčma.
3. Stunning views. When the museum was created, every effort was made to preserve traditional Zlatibor landscape layouts. The homesteads are terraced along rolling sunny slopes that offer gorgeous panoramic views of the surrounding hills.

💡 By the way, right before the museum entrance on the right side, there is a charming little Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. I highly recommend stepping inside. The absolute highlight is its iconostasis, painted by the celebrated Serbian icon painter Simeon Lazović. It is believed to be his very first masterpiece. The parish priest told me that the icons on the walls date back to the 18th century, while the church itself was built in 1764.

How to Get to Sirogojno (Sirogojno)

Staro Selo Museum on Google Maps: 43.6889153,19.880083

There is a small free parking area right outside the entrance.

Options for getting to Sirogojno are fairly straightforward. Most visitors travel from Zlatibor, so here are the best transport options starting from the resort:

• Taxi from Zlatibor to Sirogojno.
• Bicycle or ATV/Quad. There are several rental shops in Zlatibor, and I’ve seen people renting bicycles or quads to cruise around the scenic Zlatibor countryside. However, during winter or the colder shoulder seasons when mountain weather is unpredictable, this won’t be the most comfortable choice.
• Rental car. If you’re planning your trip to Zlatibor and putting together an itinerary for the surrounding area, renting a car is hands-down the best move. It is by far the most convenient and cost-effective way to travel around Serbia. The road from Zlatibor to Sirogojno is a well-paved, two-lane road, so a regular compact sedan will do just fine. However, if you want to explore deeper into the Zlatibor backcountry or visit places like Uvac Canyon, I suggest booking an AWD/4WD SUV, as paved roads don’t go everywhere.

You don’t need an International Driving Permit to rent a car in Serbia; a standard national driving license is perfectly fine. You can reserve a vehicle online via Localrent (they partner with local independent car hires, accept debit cards, and allow cash deposits) or via DiscoverCars (a broader selection of international brands, though a credit card in the driver’s name is usually required). Read more about renting a car and driving rules in Serbia →

What Else to See Nearby

Sirogojno is famous for its authentic hand-knitted woolen knitwear. Back in the 1970s, Sirogojno sweaters were featured in high-fashion boutique windows across Italy, France, Japan, and the United States. The village is home to the Knitting Museum (Muzej pletilja). Here are the coordinates: 43.6860865,19.8799638

Near Sirogojno, there are three more spots that I highly recommend—honestly, insist!—you check out:

• The Spomenik on Šumatno Brdo – one of the striking Yugoslav modernist monuments dedicated to World War II heroes. The monument sits on a hilltop offering sweeping panoramic views over the valley. Check out my list of 10 Yugoslav spomeniks that will take your breath away →
• Stopića Cave (Stopića pećina) – a remarkable limestone cave famous for its stepped travertine pools carved out by water. Spring is the best time to visit, as you can witness a powerful 10-meter underground waterfall!
• Gostilje Waterfall – a dramatic cascading waterfall with multiple rocky tiers. It remains open to visitors even in winter—and yes, it freezes into spectacular ice cascades! You can reach the waterfall directly by car along a smooth paved road, or hike along a marked walking trail directly from Sirogojno. Part of the trail follows the Katušnica River (keep an eye out for snakes if you’re hiking in late spring).

Discover even more fantastic sights in my comprehensive guide “Top Things to Do in Zlatibor“.

Gostilie Waterfall in Early Spring

This is what the Gostilje Waterfall looks like in February

The underground waterfall “Source of Life” inside Stopića Cave