Prolom Banja: Alkaline Springs on Mount Radan

Prolom Banja's rise is tied entirely to its water. Long valued locally on the forested slopes of Mount Radan, the mild alkaline spring was developed into an organised spa in the second half of the 20th century by the Kuršumlija company Planinka, which also bottles and sells the water nationally as Prolom Voda — one of Serbia's best-known mineral waters, and the reason many Serbs recognise the name long before they ever visit. That commercial success helped fund the modern resort you find today, with its hotels, thermal pools and medical block built up around the springs. The dual identity is unusual and rather appealing: Prolom Banja is at once a functioning health institution and a familiar household brand, its bottles stacked in supermarkets across the country while its source feeds a quiet mountain spa. It has drawn a steady, loyal clientele for decades, many returning yearly for the drinking cure, and that continuity gives the resort a settled, well-run feel.

What sets Prolom Banja apart is the chemistry of its water rather than its heat. It is a mild, strongly alkaline, low-mineral (oligomineral) water — gentle enough to bathe in for long periods and clean-tasting enough to drink in quantity as part of a cure. That unusual combination gives it a distinctive therapeutic profile: it is traditionally used for skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, for kidney and urinary complaints including the prevention of stones, and for digestive and gastrointestinal problems (prolombanja.com). A stay typically weaves together three things — bathing in the thermal pools, drinking the water fresh at the source several times a day, and physical therapy at the resort's medical centre. Because the water is so gentle, Prolom lends itself to longer, slower visits than the country's fierce sulphur spas: a week of soaking, drinking, forest walks and clean mountain air is the classic Prolom cure. As always, these are traditional balneological and preventive uses rather than guaranteed medical outcomes, but the restorative rhythm of the place is real, and its regulars swear by it.

Prolom Banja's great advantage is its setting on Mount Radan, wrapped in oak and beech forest and known for famously clean air. Its headline attraction, though, lies a short drive away: Đavolja Varoš, or Devil's Town, a natural monument of some 202 slender stone pyramids up to fifteen metres tall, each improbably capped with a dark block of rock, formed over centuries of erosion around two strange, highly acidic springs. Folklore reads the towers as a wedding party turned to stone, and the site was a finalist in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign; today it is one of the most photographed landscapes in Serbia and an unmissable half-day trip from the spa. Beyond it, the Radan and Sokolovica mountains offer quiet walking and cycling, mushroom-rich forests in autumn, and — around Kuršumlija — medieval churches and the ruins of older settlements for those who like their scenery laced with history. Few Serbian spas can point to a natural wonder quite so close to the front door.

Accommodation at Prolom Banja is well organised and centred on the Planinka-run hotels, chief among them Hotel Radan, alongside a spread of villas, apartments and private rooms — around half a dozen options in all, which keeps the resort feeling contained and easy to navigate. The hotels offer indoor and outdoor thermal pools, spa and wellness facilities and a medical block, and most guests stay on half- or full-board packages that bundle accommodation, meals and treatments; this is both the best value and the way the resort is designed to be used. Standards are comfortable and modern rather than boutique, service is friendly, and prices are low by Western measures — one reason Prolom keeps its loyal following of returning Serbian guests. The resort is busiest in summer and over domestic holiday periods, so book ahead for those; the rest of the year it is calm and uncrowded. Compare options and check current availability on Booking.com before you travel.

Prolom Banja is about 290 km from Belgrade — a drive of roughly four hours, heading south on the E75 motorway toward Niš, then west through Prokuplje and Kuršumlija before climbing into the forested Radan foothills. The final mountain stretch is scenic but slow, so allow time and enjoy it. Bus connections run via Kuršumlija, the nearest town and transport hub, from where local services continue to the spa, but they are infrequent, so a car is strongly recommended. Driving also unlocks the real advantage of this corner of Serbia: Prolom, Lukovska and Kuršumlijska spas, together with the astonishing Đavolja Varoš, sit close enough to form a natural two- or three-day touring circuit, something that is awkward to do on public transport. The nearest airport is Constantine the Great in Niš, about 90 km away, which is the most practical arrival point for international visitors.

Prolom Banja rewards a slower, health-minded visit rather than a quick stop. Make a point of drinking the water at the source — the alkaline Prolom Voda is the whole identity of the place — and consider a full-board package, which is how the resort is designed to be used. It pairs beautifully with its neighbours: with a car you can string together Prolom, Lukovska and Kuršumlijska spas and the extraordinary Đavolja Varoš in a two- or three-day loop through southern Serbia. English is spoken only partially, so bring a translation app and a few Serbian phrases, and carry some cash for smaller purchases. The resort is calm and family-friendly, at its best from late spring through autumn, when the mountain weather is mild and the forests are green.