Municipality of
Niška Banja

Municipality of Niška Banja

Tourism & Healtcare

Niška Banja (Нишка Бања) English (Spa of Niš) is a town, municipality, and spa - located in Serbia - 9 km eastern from the second largest city, Niš. In 2002, the population of the town was 4,437, while population of the municipality was 15,359. The municipality of Niška Banja is one of the five municipalities of the City of Niš.

Niška Banja is situated a few kilometers from main Niš-Sofia motorway. The municipality borders Palilula and Medijana municipalities in the west, Pantelej municipality in the north-west, Svrljig municipality in the north, Bela Palanka municipality in the east, and Gadžin Han municipality in the south. Niška Banja is situated at the bottom of Suva Planina Mountain. The closest airport is Niš Constantine the Great Airport, which is located in Niš.

Niška Banja spa is one of the best known centers of health tourism in Serbia and it is the third most popular spa in Serbia after Vrnjacka Banja and Soko Banja. It is well-known by its hot, radio-active water containing radon. The spa is home of Summer Cultural Festival. Niška Banja (the Spa of Niš in English) has always been one cosy, pleasant and healthy place for relaxing, Summer holidays, sightseeing, medical treatments and rehabilitation. It has healing water springs, pleasant climate and excellent medical treatments.

 

SIĆEVO GORGE. In its Serbian part, the Nišava carved a composite valley with several depressions (Dimitrovgrad, Pirot (or Basara; Cyrillic: Басара), Bela Palanka and Niš). However, the most prominent geological feature the river formed is the Sićevo gorge (Sićevačka klisura; Cyrillic: Сићевачка клисура) between Bela Palanka and Niška Banja. The river is quite powerful in the gorge, which is used for two power stations ('Sićevo' and 'Ostrovica') used for electricity production, irrigation and fishery. The gorge is 17 km long, 350-400 m deep, in some parts developing canyon like-structures (like inverse valley slopes at Gradiški kanjon; Cyrillic: Градишки кањон). The gorge itself carved through the Kunovica plateau between the southern slopes of the Mountains of Svrljig and the mountain of Suva Planina, and the surrounding areas are known for their high-quality vineyards. There is also a huge quarry in the gorge ('Ostrovica'), where six villages are located, the largest one being Sićevo that gives the name to the whole gorge.

JELAŠNICA GORGE at 15 km east from Nis with plenty of natural beauties, attractive stone shapes and waterfalls and in the same time with rare flora. It is proclaimed for Special natural reservation. Plant "Ramonda Serbica" is an endemic sample that found here ideal conditions for its life.

 

SUVA PLANINA (meaning dry mountain in Serbian) is the mountain range in Southern Serbia. It system extends along a curve from Niška Banja spa to Bela Palanka in horseshoe stile. The highest peak is Trem – 1810m. Second high is Sokolov kamen (Sokolov kamen=falcons rock in Serbian) – 1523m. Sokolov kamen is also the highest point of city of Niš .

The name Suva planina issued from the fact that there is only few springs in the whole mountain. Two biggest are Bojanine vode - 860m (under Sokolov kamen) and Rakoš česma (at the Bela Palanka side of mountain.

Suva planina is under favour of state and there are many NGOs that are trying to get National park status for it.

In the past there was a road that was passing over Suva planina, called Carski drum (Carski drum= Tsar’s road in Serbian).

In last weekend in February there is a mountaineering event called “Zimski uspon na Trem” (Winter climb on Trem), that gather over 600 mountaineers from all parts of Balkan. It is also the biggest Balkan’s mountain winter event. It started in 1997 and it is under the organization of Mountaineering club “Železničar” from city of Niš. 

BOJANINE VODE (waters) is a sightseeing area on the sides of Suva Planina mountain, on 25 km from the city, together with 900 m ski track and 320 m altitude difference and very wide stream. It is very appropriate for slalom style competitions. Here is the mountain lodge called Studenac - the area hosts a significant number of accommodation (over 50), authentic restaurant with fireplace, fishponds with trout ( house specialty is trout under Dutch Oven) 

THE CAVE OF CERJE is on 14 km from Niš, near village Cerje, altitude of 515 m. In its underground luxurious halls it hides unusual treasure: limestone ornaments stalactites, stalagmites, stone curtains, columns and other cave beauties.

KAMENIČKI VIS is a picnic place in the immediate Niš surrounding at some 14 km from the city center. It has ideal altitude from 750 - 800 meters. You can find accommodation in tourist colony "Šumski cvet" situated at the forested hill side. It offers many possibilities for winter sports, including 300m long ski track, sled track and two ski lifts.

The Skull Tower (Serbian: Ћеле Кула, or Ćele Kula) - ancient historical site on the road Niš - Niška Banja (Spa)- is a rectangular shape monument built by the Turks from 950 skulls of the Serbs killed in the battle of Cegar in May 1809. The place where Battle on Cegar Hill happened between voivoda Stevan Sindjelić and his undead heroes and the Turks is situated 6km north from Niška Banja.

Mediana is an important archeological site from the late Roman period located in the eastern suburb of the Serbian city of Niš towards the headquarter of EI Niš, (4km from Niš). Constantine the Great (280 - 337) erected a majestic residence in one of the luxurious suburbs of ancient Naissus.