Krupa na Vrbasu – a natural treasure close to Banja Luka

If your journey has brought you to Banja Luka and you are wondering where to spend a nice, sunny weekend, then I have a great suggestion for you! Let’s go see what natural beauty is hidden in the surroundings of the beauty of Krajina.

Only 25 kilometers from Banja Luka, Krupa na Vrbas is located – a village that was included in the list of 52 “Best Tourist Villages 2022” by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Photos certainly cannot convey all the beauty of this natural pearl, but I will try to convey at least a little of what awaits you there.

How to get to Krupa na Vrbasu?

Located in the Vrbas Valley in the Krupa basin, you can get to Krupa by car, bicycle, motorbike, or some other means of transport. On the way to Jajce and Mrkonjić Grad, there are a handful of signs for Krupa, so you don’t have to worry about getting off the road in time. If you happen to miss a sign, the friendly locals will point you in the right direction. Don’t ask how I know…

Natural Pearl – Krupa waterfalls

Arriving at your destination, you will immediately feel the freshness as a substitute for the city heat, and the view of the waterfalls and the irresistible bridge as an excellent place for taking photos will leave you speechless. The sound of bubbling water is just proof that you are in the right place. On the left and right sides of the little bridge and above it, there are log cabins that hide the most delicious meals – uštipci (fried dough balls) with buckwheat and cream. Yes! You heard right! My advice to you is to have a meal on the way back, because how will you go for a hike after a traditional high-calorie meal? Very difficult… So, uštipci on the way back, and now we continue with the tour.

Krupa na Vrbasu, Photo: Ana Timarac / Adria.fun

Upstream-downstream, left-right – beauty everywhere

If you continue upstream, along the waterfalls, locals and tourists say that you will reach the very source of the Krupa. They also add that the trail is suitable for all walkers, so there are no excuses!

I chose to continue to the left from the small bridge – the path towards the Krupa monastery. The monastery with the church of St. Ilija was built in the 13th century. Folk tradition says that the monastery is actually the endowment of Stefan Nemanja. Unreal silence and peace will await you at the exit from the forest that hides the path to the monastery.

Of course, you can enter the monastery, however, during my visit, a baptism ceremony was taking place inside, so I left the visit to the interior of the monastery for another time, which will definitely be soon. 😊 In the room next to the monastery you can light candles or buy a souvenir to remember your magical trip, while in front of the monastery, you can sit down, rest, and refresh yourself with water.

Monastery and church of St. Ilije, Krupa na Vrbasu, Photo: Ana Timarac / Adria.fun

Returning to the little bridge, I started downstream, because this time my legs were only carrying me that way. If I had planned to go for a weekend on a mountain or rafting or something like that, believe me, this article probably wouldn’t exist… Sometimes a person only needs to take a blanket, find a suitable place in a meadow next to a river, take snacks from a backpack, and rest both soul and body, as I did on Krupa. I advise you the same, you will reset yourself!

Of course, snacks can’t really fill you up, can they? That’s why, on the way back, I decided to “round off” the day at the Pastir restaurant. My choice fell on grilled trout. In addition to the restaurant Pastir and the restaurant Krupski slapovi, right next to the waterfalls, small bridges, water mills, and log cabins, it offers an incredible selection of dishes. My suggestion is to try the trout here as well. You will be delighted!

No, no… I hope you didn’t think that I’m going to “round off” this article, as well as, the day with lunch, because I won’t. I have something else very important to tell you, and that is that on your way back, in addition to the uštipci, you must buy buckwheat, wheat, rye, or other flour from the millers who are always there and who loyally preserve the tradition, and you also get involved in the preparation of the mentioned food.

Good luck in your culinary venture, and have a nice meal!

And of course, see you at Krupa.