Kovacica Naive Art Experience
Address
Kovacica, Serbia
GPS
45.111874, 20.6201585
Experience this extraordinary world of tranquility and creativity. which is a gem of north-east Serbia.Leave the crowds of Belgrade behind on a private 4-hour tour to Kovacica. This village has a long history beginning in 1802 when it was founded by a group of Slovak immigrants who preserved the traditional way of life and gave birth to a special kind of Naive Art. Visit local art galleries and workshops for a behind-the-scenes look at these unique paintings. Later, visit the home and workshop of a distinguished violin maker and learn about his craft.
Kovacica Naive Art Experience – Private Half DayTour from Belgrade
Itinerary
Kovacica (Pass By)
This excursion takes you to the picturesque village of Kovačica /Kovachitsa/, situated in the fertile Pannonian plain only 48 km (30 miles) northeast of Belgrade, which is world famous for its school of Naive art.
More than two centuries ago, in 1802, about two hundred Slovak Protestant families started their migration to the southern parts of the then Austro-Hungarian Empire. While wandering in vast lowlands, they saw the crossroads and beside it a small blacksmith’s workshop. That is where they decided to settle and raise the village. For nearly 140 years they lived in their traditional manner, working in the fields and enjoying the right to freely practice their Lutheran faith.
Galerija Naivne Umetnosti
In the wake of World War II, a sudden explosion of creativity started happening among the villagers. It manifested mainly through visual art, communicating to you their emotions, habits, and scenes from everyday life. Their art presents itself in a pure and joyful way, to some extent like children would do in their expression. The momentum of creativity continues today and has been recognized from Tokyo to New York under the name of Naive art.
During your stay, you will visit several galleries and ateliers, among them the main Gallery of Naive Art, and enjoy over there the works of two of the most known painters: Martin Jonaš and Zuzana Chalupova.
Next, you will pay a visit to the home of the recognized violin maker who is the head of one of the most creative families in this unique place.
Return to Belgrade and your hotel. End of service.
The Kovačica Naive Art experience is one of those unexpectedly charming trips that sticks to your memory in the best way. It’s about an hour northeast of Belgrade, and the moment you roll into town you can feel you’re somewhere a bit different. Kovačica is the unofficial heart of Serbian and Slovak naive art, and the whole place feels like an open-air celebration of color, folklore, and homespun creativity.
The big draw is the Gallery of Naive Art, where you’ll find those iconic, super-detailed village scenes: winter snowscapes, farm life, traditional costumes, big skies, and stories of everyday people painted with almost childlike honesty but a surprising level of skill. This is the birthplace of Zuzana Halupová, the queen of Serbian naive painting, and her work alone is worth the trip.
What makes the experience so cool is the “living tradition” part. You’re not just staring at art behind glass. Many of the artists still live in town, and some tours include visits to their homes or studios. You get to chat, see how they work, and understand how much personal history goes into every brushstroke. It’s warm, down-to-earth, and way more personal than your average gallery visit.
The atmosphere is slow, friendly, almost nostalgic. Expect vibrant colors everywhere, stories about village life, and a sense that the town genuinely takes pride in being a cultural beacon. You’ll likely leave with a postcard or a small original painting because, well… it’s hard not to.
