A Snowy Family Adventure in Zlatibor: Our First Trip as a Family of Four ❄️

When Mateo was just a year old and had just started walking, we decided to take a family trip to Zlatibor. I was in that optimistic phase where I still believed I could balance everything—two kids, work, and travel. I pictured us having the perfect mountain getaway, enjoying the snow and fresh air together.

We were so excited, especially Artur, who couldn’t wait to ride the gondola lift up the mountain (or žičara, as we say in Serbian). The thrill of the snowy hills and the view from the lift were all we needed to start the day. Getting everyone ready, though, was quite the task! Between the winter clothes and the endless layers, getting two young kids prepped took ages—something no one ever warns you about before you have kids. But once they were bundled up - probably after 2-3 hours, we were finally ready to step out into the winter wonderland.

And then came our first “adventure moment.” As soon as Mateo touched the ground, he took a little tumble. We didn’t think much of it at first, but then we noticed he had somehow cut his lip and was bleeding. Cue parental panic mode! We started talking about taking him to emergency care, but after a few deep breaths and a good look, we realized it was just a small cut. (Baby mouths tend to bleed a lot—no one warned us about that either!)

Once things calmed down, we strolled by the lake in the center of Zlatibor. There, we met a friendly Russian couple whose little one hit it off with Artur while I carried Mateo in my arms, just to be safe. The kids laughed and played in the snow, and we took some lovely family photos with the lake as our backdrop. Artur was overjoyed to see the big, playful mascots wandering around, and we all enjoyed a hearty meal at a cozy kafana. We stocked up on food to enjoy back at our Airbnb, which the kids adored because it had TVs in every room. We even promised ourselves that we’d set up the same when we got home—so each family member could enjoy their own Netflix show without any debates!

The next day, we took the kids to Dino Park, where they had the time of their lives exploring and spotting the massive dinosaur figures. We also found a great little slope for sledding, so we bundled up Artur and Mateo and let them zoom down the hill, capturing videos and sharing lots of laughter. The pure joy on their faces made all the chaos worth it.

Looking back, this trip was our first real snowy escape with both boys, filled with moments of laughter, small scares, and memories that deserve to be preserved. It was a trip that taught us so much about the joys and surprises of traveling with young kids—a little family adventure that we’ll never forget.