Vrnjačka Banja is the most famous spa in Serbia
Vrnjačka Banja is located in central Serbia, about 200 km south of Belgrade. Vrnjačka Banja is very well connected with all parts of Serbia by a road and railway that connects the main Balkan roads, Belgrade-Sofia and Belgrade-Athens, with the West Morava valley, and by good local roads with its forest-mountain hinterland making up a wide area of preserved natural environment.
In the north, it is bounded by tame fertile arable land of western Pomoravlje. In the south, by over 100 km long gorge of the Ibar River that soughs its way through the mountain gorges of ancient Dardania, today’s Raška, where the Serbian state was formed. There are also high mountains with famous winter sports centers, Kopaonik being the most popular of them. Finally, this is a region with the most significant monuments of Serbian medieval culture, especially monasteries with monumental fresco paintings, some of which have been protected by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage
Vrnjačka Banja has a very long healing tradition. In the period from the 2nd to the 4th century, the Romans built their health resort and recovery center AQUAE ORCINAE on the Vrnjačka Banja hot mineral spring. This is evidenced by the archeological findings in the narrower core of the Roman spa, i.e. the swimming pool, the Roman hot mineral water spring (Fons Romanus) and the multitude of coins left in the healing spring for cult motives.
The development of health care in Vrnjačka Banja has a tradition of over 150 years. The first spa doctor who recommended treatment in Vrnjačka Banja to his patients was Josif Pančić, and the first patient who was treated here in 1860 on his recommendation was Pavle Mutavdžić, head of the Kruševac District. Since then, the natural and balneoclimatological factor Vrnjačka Banja abounds in has been used to treat diabetes, digestive diseases, liver diseases, urinary tract diseases, skin diseases, eye diseases, nervous system diseases, as well as for improving general health.
