Spas of Serbia: Vrnjačka Banja, Sokobanja and Banja Vrujci — which to choose
Published: 19/07/2026
Serbia has more than forty spa towns with thermal or mineral water, and in about ten of them treatment and holidays have continued without a break for over a century. Three remain the most sought after — Vrnjačka Banja, Sokobanja and Banja Vrujci — and each answers a different need.
Vrnjačka Banja — the largest and best kept
Vrnjačka Banja has seven mineral springs, the best known being Topla Voda at 36.5 °C, exactly human body temperature. That is not a marketing line: it is why the water is drunk in measured quantities, on medical advice, for stomach, liver, pancreas and diabetes conditions.
What sets it apart is that it is a proper little town: a park of over a hundred hectares, the Japanese Garden, the Bridge of Love, a riverside promenade, dozens of restaurants and a summer stage with something on almost every evening from June to September.
If you are coming for a holiday rather than therapy, an apartment costs far less than board — see apartments in Vrnjačka Banja. Mount Goč is fifteen kilometres away, Žiča monastery twenty.
Sokobanja — air, Ozren and Rtanj
Sokobanja was known in Ottoman times, and the 18th-century hamam still operates as part of the spa complex. The indications differ from Vrnjačka: the water and climate help most with respiratory problems, asthma, chronic bronchitis and recovery after pneumonia, as well as nervous exhaustion.
The town sits in a basin between Mount Ozren and Rtanj at 400 m, so the air stays fresh when the valleys are unbearable. It is also the best of the three for people who cannot sit still: the Ripaljka waterfall, Sokograd fortress, Lepterija, trails on Ozren and the climb up Rtanj, the pyramid mountain that attracts more conspiracy theories than any other peak in Serbia. See apartments in Sokobanja.
Banja Vrujci — closest to Belgrade, warmest for children
Banja Vrujci lies at the foot of Suvobor, ninety minutes from Belgrade. The water emerges at 28 °C and, unlike most thermal springs, is used in the pools without heating — which is why families with small children choose it over bigger spas.
The indications are rheumatic conditions, recovery after injury and surgery, skin complaints and general convalescence. It is smaller and quieter than Vrnjačka, with no crowds and no nightlife — a drawback for some, the whole point for others. Nearby: Bogovađa monastery, the Ribnica canyon and Divčibare, forty minutes away. See apartments in Banja Vrujci.
Which one to choose
For stomach, liver or diabetes — Vrnjačka Banja. For airways, asthma and respiratory recovery — Sokobanja. For rheumatism, post-injury recovery and a warm-water holiday with small children — Banja Vrujci.
If it is purely a holiday: Vrnjačka has the most to do and the highest prices, Sokobanja the best value, and Vrujci the shortest drive from Belgrade and the quietest stay.
Costs
A private apartment runs from fifteen to thirty euros a night for two, depending on season and location. Hotel board costs two to three times more but includes meals and, in spa hotels, some therapies.
When to go
Spas run all year. July, August and public holidays are busiest; mid-September to late October offers the best balance of price and quiet while it is still warm. Winter is cheapest, and the thermal pools stay open. Check the forecast for the spa towns before you set off.