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| Large church at Studenica |
Eli and I spent the weekend in south Serbia, mostly in a town called Vrnacka Banja. The entire region of south Serbia is a popular ski destination in the winter and mountain getaway in the summer. It is home to a number of stunning mountain ranges (Zlatibor and Kapaonik being the two best known), and generally is just a beautiful region. Many towns in this part of Serbia also possess natural springs that are believed to have healing powers. The term "banja" means "spa," and so Vrnacka Banja literally means Vrnacka Spa. Folks (mostly Serbs, but I'm guessing people from other parts of the Balkans and Europe) spend time during the summer months in Vrnacka Banja and other "spa" towns (many of the towns in this region have "banja" in the name) enjoying the clean, cool air, the springs, and the beauty of the region.
As with other Serbian resort towns we've visited, we found Vrnacka Banja to be a throw-back to an earlier time. Sadly, many of the buildings in the town are old, communist-era hotels and convention-style buildings that, no doubt, were something special in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, however, they are run-down, fairly unattractive, and make the place feel dated. What the town lacks in attractive buildings, however, it makes up for with its natural beauty and a wonderfully slow-paced and laid-back atmosphere. We had a splendid time there, and would recommend a short stay to anyone traveling through the Balkans.
We spent Sunday mostly in the car traveling from Vrnacka Banja through the town of Kraljevo, and to Serbia's most well-known monastery -- Studenica. As the crow flies, the monastery was no more than 30-40 km from Vrnacka Banja, but because of the circuitous route we had to take (including one unexpected road closure on the main road to Kraljevo), it took us about 2 hours to get there. The monastery, which is one of many in this predominantly Serbian Orthodox country, is regarded by many as Serbia's most historically and religiously significant monastery. Set high up in the mountains, and off every conceivable beaten path, it truly was a serene and beautiful place.
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| Our hotel in Vrnacka Banja -- very nice |
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| Eli standing inside one of the community-style hotels in Vrnacka Banja |
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| Dated, community-era restaurant in Vrnacka Banja |
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| Wonderful outdoor cafe where we sat and had a glass of wine and watched some World Cup soccer. Note the lovers just to the right of the TV screen, as well. |
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| 800-year old frescoes inside the small church at Studenica |
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| The outside of the larger church on the Studenica monastery grounds |
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| Eli on the grounds at Studenica |
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| Medieval bell tower at Studenica |
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