Very early in the morning (so early that it must be
indecent to mention the time), I left my hotel in the center of Belgrade and was
ready to explore another part of Serbia: a little town Vrnjačka Banja, which is
famous only for its hot springs. However, this little fact makes it a point of
attraction for endless crowds of elderly European tourists. But, please, don’t make
hasty decisions towards this article. If there wasn’t anything interesting
there, I wouldn’t write this article. So, let’s try to explore this pleasant
town.
Vrnjačka Banja is about 200 kilometers from Belgrade and
you can get there by bus. I am not going to focus on Vrnjačka Banja as a spa
resort – you can perfectly find many other articles about hot springs,
therapies, spa and swimming pools. I will just tell you a few historical facts
that seemed quite fascinating for me. First to enjoy therapeutic effects of
this place were Roman troops in the second century AD. In 1835 it was upgraded
by Czech Baron Herder after Price Miloš Obrenović wanted it to be like Karlovy
Vary. Since those times people all around southern Europe have come here to
rest or for treatment.
Vrnjačka Banja itself is a very calm and slow town. It’s
a perfect place for jogging as there is a huge park right in the center. Don’t forget to rent a bike and get around
the city. After that you may choose one of endless restaurants and try some amazing
local wine and Pljeskavica – a Serbian patty. Otherwise you may visit a central
market and buy a lot of fresh fruits or vegetables. If you rent an apartment
with a kitchen, you may also buy there some meat or fish.
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| "Like honey" |
If you try to hide away from touristic attractions and see a little bit more of the real town – go into the mountains. Little narrow streets are rising up, sometimes so sharply that it was surprising for me how cars managed to go. Here we saw Serbs calmly talking with their families and drinking wine. No one was in a hurry, everyone looked very relaxed and it seemed that they had never had any stresses or wars. While passing by, one very old woman asked where we were from. “Moscow, Russia”. “Oooo, Slava Rossia! Serbs and Russians are brothers for ages”. It was very nice of her. She studied Russian at school and managed to talk with us even though some words were said in Serbian. Here, on the top, you can see a wonderful view on the town. So, don’t forget to take a camera with you. It’s especially wonderful during the sunsets.
My advice to you: try to climb into mountains everywhere
in the town. Here you can find a lot of unusual things you probably won’t be
able to find in the center: lovely churches, statues, fountains and even a
small palace.
All in all, Vrnjačka Banja is a wonderful place for a
family rest, leisurely walks, spa relaxation and communication with Serbs. I
don’t think I will come here again (at least at the nearest time), but I have
pretty much of outstanding memories about this small town. And now it’s a high
time to leave the hot springs and leisure. Serbian monasteries
and temples, endless rows of vineyards and wine, lakes and foggy
roads as well as Serbian history are waiting for us. See you in my next and
final article about Serbia!
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