Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia: Unwind In Serbia's Most Visited Spa

Vrnjacka Banja overview

Vrnjacka Banja is located at the base of the Goc Mountain, which protects the spa from harsh winter winds. The expansive forested area is nicely manicured and landscaped, intersected by the Vrnjacka River (more a stream, really) along which a 2-kilometer (1.24-miles) long promenade runs. The promenade is the center of the spa town’s life, lined with boutiques, cafés, restaurants, souvenir shops and booths selling one-day excursions.

Vrnjacka Banja is a renowned rehabilitation center, with a number of mineral springs and rehab and wellness treatments available for use in its hotels and other dedicated tourist facilities. Parks for enjoying a sunny day in the shade, cycling trails, children’s playgrounds and sports facilities accompany the rich spa town’s offerings. Finally, cultural and entertaining establishments, such as a library, cinemas (including 5-D cinema), open-air theatre and various monuments, can also be enjoyed.

Vrnjacka Banja has a couple of natural springs, appropriate for a wide array of medical treatments, and Slatina, Sneznik, Topla voda (Warm Water) and Jezero (Lake) are the most famous. Roman coins found around Roman Springs indicate that the area around the spa town was known and highly regarded by the Romans.

Historical trail in Vrnjacka Banja

Vrnjacka Banja was established in 1868, a year after the Turks, the centuries-long occupiers, left Serbia. Consequently, various architectural, cultural and other influences from Europe swept across Serbia, and traces of those can be seen throughout the spa town. The endlessly charming and elegant library (refer to the previous photo) is one of preserved structures from that time. You’ll certainly find old villas featuring the Vrnjci architectural style admirable. The old-fashioned Thermo-mineral Bath is another significant structure whose origins date back to the 19th century.

Other significant town structures are the Belimarkovic Castle and the Temple of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Belimarkovic Castle, established on the hills of Mount Goc to the east of the Vrnjacka River, is a cultural monument, featuring the period North-Italian field castles style. The castle houses the Native Museum.

The Temple dedicated to the Virgin’s nativity was built in 1834, when the Principality of Serbia had already enjoyed certain autonomy from the Turks. It is situated on the hills of Mount Goc to the west of the Vrnjacka River, and boasts a marvelous mosaic above the entrance devoted to the Virgin’s nativity. An elaborate iconostasis was added in 1875.

You’ll easily recognize the Bridge of Love, which is overwhelmed with padlocks. The story of a couple that used to meet at the bridge touched the hearts of people so deeply that it influenced the creation of one of the most beautiful love poems in Serbian literature. The poem is named “Prayer for Love”, and was written by Desanka Maksimovic, the most beloved Serbian poet.

The story goes that Nada and Relja fell in love shortly before the outbreak of the First World War (1914-1918). During the withdrawal of the Serbian Army to Greece during the winter of 1915/16, Relja joined the army. In Greece, he fell in love with a beautiful Greek woman, never returning to Vrnjacka Banja. Once learning of this, Nada withered, ultimately passing away. From then on, couples “lock” their love to the bridge so it doesn’t “escape” like it did for Nada and Relja.

Nature and culture in Vrnjacka Banja

Parks and gardens in Vrnjacka Banja were landscaped over a century ago, starting from the 1890s, and are unique in Serbia. The present layout was created by Austrian architects and gardeners, and you can forget all your concerns and relax simply by walking through the town’s English and French-style gardens and parks. A pavilion in the Japanese-style garden, next to a small pond, is an exceptionally convenient place for contemplation, especially at night when soft illumination of stylish oriental lamps casts playful shadows over the place.

All over the Vrnjacki Park, you can marvel at outstanding floral and herbal arrangements. Thanks to the appropriate climate, even some rare species succeed here. Among other rare and exotic plants, you can see a few Sequoia trees. Take a look at the gorgeous Baroque floral roundel, next to the Thermo-mineral Bath, which is the symbol of Vrnjacka Banja.

Being the place inclined towards culture and art, Vrnjacka Banja has monuments honoring prominent people and art itself. The sculpture in the related photo, for instance, is named “Muse of Poetry”, and it overlooks the promenade. Between the muse and the aforementioned church, you can attend cultural performances at the open-air theatre, whose design was inspired by ancient Greek theatres.

Also, look closely at a floral arrangement on a sloping hill, behind the monument honoring the Yugoslavian King Aleksandar, south of the Thermo-mineral Bath. If you watch from the distance (next to the Vrnjacka River), a floral inscription in Serbian Cyrillic letter welcomes you to Vrnjacka Banja.