Last year I stayed in Sokobanja for 5 days. Too little time to visit all the natural beauties of the spa and the mountain Ozren.
The climate in Sokobanja is, in my opinion, ideal - the days are warm enough for swimming in the pool and sunbathing, and the nights are colder. I have never slept and eaten better 😊 In all Sokobanja restaurants, only home-made food is prepared, and the prices are extremely affordable.
I had the desire to climb the mountain Ozren on foot, although there is organized transportation to the top of the mountain. To conquer mountain Ozren, there is an asphalt road and mountain trails. All roads lead to beautiful lookouts. Restaurants and hotels can be found along the way.
As a starting point for my climbing mountain trails, I chose the Moravica River. From there, narrow paths lead to the top of the mountain.
At the beginning, it was easy, I didn't feel tired or scared, considering that I was afraid of heights . After the narrow safe paths, I came across steep goat paths, where I would feel dizzy if I looked down or turned around, but I did not give up 💪. I was fascinated by how the locals and regular visitors of Sokobanja and Ozren climb with ease. I’ve seen people wearing slippers as they walked these steep paths, while I was literally crawling 🙂
At one point I came across a signpost with the inscription "Cave". I headed in that direction and hoped to have a chance to visit and explore some terrifying cave, but when I arrived at my destination, I realized it was a restaurant located in a place reminiscent of a cave.
Since it was a few hours until dark, I followed the advice of experienced mountaineers and returned to my accommodation.
The next day I took the asphalt road to the top of the mountain. It was much easier, but also less exciting than climbing the goat trails. This is a great way to exercise while breathing clean mountain air.
At the top I came across an unexpected crowd. Many people came to relax and enjoy this beautiful nature. There are many walking and recreation trails, a restaurant and cafes nearby. There were also many organized trips with children.
Sokobanja and Mount Ozren have so much to offer, that it is impossible to put it all in one text. And another interesting thing for the end, in the center of Sokobanja there is an old, original Turkish bathroom where scenes for the movie "Zona Zamfirova" were filmed.
I rested in Sokobanja like never before, even though I only stayed for five days. I hope to go to Sokobanja again soon, to visit other places where this spa is famous. 🙂
