Vršac

Vršac (in Serbian Вршац, in Romanian Vârșeț, in Hungarian Versec or Versecz, in German Werschetz) is a town in Serbia 84 km from Belgrade and 75 km from Timișoara in Romania, in the eastern part of Vojvodina, close to the border with Romania, and has around 35,000 residents. The town is known for vineyards and premium quality wines in the larger municipality area. The wine cellars in villages around Vršac have become symbols of the Vrsac Wine Route which is held every year during the town's celebratory Grape Ball (Grođžebal).

Along with its wine offerings, Vršac is also known for the tallest mountains in the region, that provide a stark contrast to Vojvodina plains. They have a rich ecosystem, and are very specific in nature because they are island mountains which were once a part of the Pannonian Sea.

The town has a rich history of multiethnicity that spans over 200 years, and it can be seen best in today's various cultural communities and religious landmarks.

By car
The European route E-70 connects Belgrade and Timișoara via Vršac. The road is in very good condition and the trip takes less than 2 hours from Belgrade and an hour and a half from Timișoara.

By bus

 * Every day there is a bus from Timișoara, just over the border with Romania, leaving at 12:00, ~2 hours.

By train
The train to Belgrade is scheduled to depart half an hour after the train from Timișoara comes in Vršac. Tickets must be bought at the station before entering the train. The train connecting Vršac and Belgrade is a modern and fast one, the only downside being that is stops in every village en route to Belgrade. One way ticket to and from Belgrade costs less than €4.

On foot
Vršac is very small and compact, easily covered by foot, but reaching further destinations such as up on the hill can be a time-consuming experience and a good solution might be taking a taxi which is very affordable. It will take you about an hour from town center to reach Vršac Castle on foot. As of 2014, there were no bike nor motorbike rentals available.

By car
The traffic in town is usually light, except on Saturdays in the morning when it's grocery day. If you are traveling by car, be sure to pay attention to bikes as they are a very common method of transport for elderly citizens. Parking is available, but you need to buy a parking ticket the required parking zones where sign is displayed. Paper tickets are available at nearby kiosks and are valid for an hour. You need to scratch out the numbers which represent the hours you will be parked and leave them on your dash window. Otherwise, the easiest way to pay for parking is by sending an SMS to 8131 (+381 8131 if you use a foreign SIM card) with your full licence plate number (no spaces, no dashes, no dots). You can send multiple messages to extended your parking time. The cost of these messages is approximately between €0.25 and €0.4 and depend on the zone in which you parked your car. Buying a parking ticket is required M-F 07:00-21:00, and Sa 07:00-14:00. You don't need to buy a parking ticket on Sundays.

By taxi
All the taxis (including the freelance ones) have a defined fare with taxi meters exposed, so the possibility of paying a higher price than that shown is reduced to a minimum. An average trip will cost you between €1.5 and €3. There are a couple of taxi stations in the town, with the most relevant being the one in front of Hotel Srbija. Here you will find taxis at any time of day and night. Some taxis might have free Wi-Fi service available. If you want to connect all you need to do is ask the driver for network ID and password.

There are three major local taxi companies:



Events
During the third week of September each year, the town is a host to Grožđebal (Grape Ball), a three-day event which celebrates harvesting of the grapes. The town has been a wine-loving region since Roman times making this a very important event for all wine connoisseurs in Serbia. During the event itself, many public institutions are open with diverse cultural, kids and sport events being organized, as well as entertainment programs, competitions and various grape and wine exhibitions.

Mid-range
If you have a sweet tooth, you might also want to check out:

Drink
Most of the café bars and located in the town center (Trg Svetog Teodora Vršačkog) and are open 08:00-24:00. Prices are affordable and expect pay anywhere from €1-2 for two cups of coffee. Beers are priced from (domestic) to €2-3 (imported). Tips are preferred, although not required. During weekends, some cafés have music nights with a live band or a DJ.

Connect
Municipal Tourist Organization of Vrsac is the main provider of information and services to incoming tourists and they will help you with any inquiries regarding your trip to and from Vršac.

Free public wireless internet service is available in town center. The majority of cafés, restaurants and hotels also have their own Wi-Fi services, but you need to ask for the password in order to get online.

4G network coverage is also available throughout town from all the major providers (VIP, Telenor and MTS).

Stay safe
Vršac is generally a safe town and muggings are extremely rare. Downtown area is very well lit and it is are safe to walk around during the night. Outskirts of the town are also safe, but caution is advised during the night. Thefts and break-ins are somewhat of an uncommon occurrence and if you are staying in a rented house you should always make sure that the front door is locked when you leave the house. Otherwise, in hotels and motels you should be fine.

As always, take care of your belongings and pockets. If you manage to lose your wallet or belongings, visit the local police station to report them missing.

Emergency numbers
As throughout of the entire Serbia, the police can be reached at 192, fire department at 193 and ambulance at 194.

If, for any reason, you need to contact the local police, fire station or hospital directly, you can do so by calling the following numbers:
 * Local police station: +381 13 833 000
 * Local fire station: +381 13 831 745
 * Local hospital: +381 13 832 552

Consulates

 * 🇷🇴 Romania

Go next

 * Belgrade, the capital of the Republic of Serbia. Various styles of architecture dominate the city. Its resurgence as the leading hub in south-eastern Europe makes it a must-see destination.
 * Timisoara, a university city and industrial centre in western Romania. It is often described as the most cosmopolitan city in Romania.
 * Novi Sad, the capital of Vojvodina, the northern Autonomous Province of Serbia on the Danube River between Budapest and Belgrade. It is a treasured regional and cultural centre.