Pearls of Our Region

A few days ago, we met with our partners from the “Connecting Pearls” project and asked them a simple question: three years after the project ended, do you see any changes? The smile on their faces gave us the answer even before the words did.

Saša Mladenović, who has worked on development projects in the City of Leskovac for over 20 years, shared his thoughts:

“The whole place has come to life! People came together, formed informal groups, and continued improving not only the excursion sites but also the town itself. We collaborated across the border with colleagues from Kriva Palanka, associations, and the regional development agency on another project, ‘Land of Legends.’ Together, we aimed to mobilize our cultural and natural resources for sustainable tourism products and destinations. And it worked! Did you know Sokolica has become one of the top Instagram spots thanks to the new viewpoint? Proposals, gender reveals, wedding photos, and first-time visitors from afar – all of this is now part of Vučje’s story.”

Locals notice the difference too: paved paths to the famous Đokini virovi, resting areas with benches, attraction maps with QR codes so visitors know exactly what to explore… These are just some of the results that remain from “Connecting Pearls.”

With smiles, we wrapped up our conversation in Leskovac.
And if you’re planning a visit to our region, don’t miss the excursion ideas here: https://connectingpearls.com/

Who knows – you might leave with the same smile and a new desire to discover the hidden gems of southern Serbia and northern North Macedonia.