ISTN - Banje

THE OASIS OF THE HEALTH CARE, WELLNESS AND CONGRESS TOURISM

The Internet Serbia Travel News in Vrnjačka Spa points out in the offer the accommodation in the oasis of the health, relaxation, health care and congress tourism - Merkur. Within the Merkur, there is a thermal mineral bathroom with mineral wells, an ambulance/polyclinic department with specialized sections, the Wellness Center Fons Romanus and the Aqua Center Waterfall. The Merkur is also a modern medical service source of prevention, diagnostics, curing and rehabilitation of the digestive organ deseases and the diabetes (about 50 medical doctors, specialists and sub-specialists provide their services). The Merkur facilities are the new and old Merkur, Mirko Tomić and Šumadija, having the capacity of about 750 beds.

Vrnjačka Spa is the most visited and popular spa in Serbia, rightfully called The Spa Tourism Queen. With 140 years long tradition of a resort, it created its image also as an attractive tourist center for the rest, entertainment and recreation. The statistics show an annual increase of the young tourists number and permanent return of its guests, especially at the time of the Vrnjački Carnival, taking place this year on July 12 - 19.

Vrnjačka Spa is located in the Central Serbia. It is 200 km far away from Belgrade, well connected by roads and railroads to all regions of Serbia and the nearby mountains Kopaonik, Stolovi and Goč complete its expansive offer. It has a very long curing tradition. It has got seven mineral wells, where the Roman Legion soldiers were 'bathing' as long ago as in the 2nd century. The hot mineral water is unique in the world for its human body temperature of 36.5°C and there are also cold mineral water wells Snežnik (17° C), Jezero (27° C) and Slatina (14° C), Beli Izvor, Borjak and Vrnjačko Vrelo.

The wider region of Vrnjačka Spa is the richest and most interesting tourist region of Serbia. The Middle Ages meet here the modern trends at every step. From Vrnjačka Spa, tourists may visit in an organized manner the nearby Monasteries Studenica, Žiča, Gradac, Sopoćani, Đurđevi Stupovi and the fortress remnants of Ras, Maglič, Brvenik and Koznik. They may also visit the Župa Wine Cellars within the organized excursions 'The Wine Tour'.

The nature fans choose numerous trekking tours (one of the most beautiful ones is the tour to the artificial lake on Goč) and the bicycle riding fans use a few arranged lines. In the spring/summer season, tourists have got at their disposal also a carriage and small trains, taking them to various directions.

Vrnjačka Spa has got a network of the accommodation facilities with more than 15,000 beds. 5,000 of these are in the hotels (with three and four stars), mansions and apartment settlements, about 1,000 of them are in the health centers and about 10,000 of them in private houses. There are a few congress halls in the Spa, the largest of which has got 1,200 seats, and a modern Sports Center has been opened, as well.