Seasonal
Hot springs in the Balkans: where to soak on a winter trip
Where to soak in the Balkans in winter: wild pools in Albania, hot springs below Kopaonik and Slovenia's spas by the slopes, with honest water temperatures.
Founder, from Ruma, Serbia
The short answer
For a hot soak after skiing, stay at Lukovska Banja below Kopaonik in Serbia, where the springs reach 65°C at the source, or at one of Slovenia’s spas near the slopes. For an outdoor soak in the snow, Terme 3000 in northeast Slovenia keeps its black-water pools open outside all year.
For wild pools in nature, Bënja in southern Albania has stone-rimmed pools beside an old bridge, but the water is only about 29 to 30°C: lovely in spring and autumn, lukewarm in January. Most of the region’s hot water runs through spa resorts, and many of their outdoor pools close outside summer, so check before you go.
Bënja, Albania: wild pools by an Ottoman bridge
About 13 km from Përmet in southern Albania, warm springs rise where the Lengarica canyon meets the river and fill stone-rimmed pools beside the old Kadiu Bridge. The water stays at about 29 to 30°C all year, so it feels warm in spring and autumn but only lukewarm on a cold winter day.
Locals use the pools for skin and joint complaints and suggest no more than 20 minutes in the strongest one. There are no changing rooms or toilets, so arrive in swimwear and bring a big towel; snack stalls sit by the entrance, and a local bus runs from Përmet. In the warmer months, combine it with rafting or kayaking on the Vjosa River.
Lukovska Banja, Serbia: hot springs below Kopaonik
Lukovska Banja sits at 681 metres on the southeastern slopes of Kopaonik and has 37 thermal springs, some reaching 65°C at the source. The hotels pipe the water into pools: Hotel Bela Jela has indoor and outdoor pools and a 35°C therapy pool, and Hotel Jelak’s indoor–outdoor pool runs at 33 to 35°C, though Jelak has announced a closure for reconstruction, so check before you book.
Hotel guests swim free and day visits are possible. It pairs well with a ski trip to Kopaonik: ski the big resort, then spend a night or two soaking. In freezing weather, keep outdoor sessions to 15 to 20 minutes.
Slovenia: spas next to the ski slopes
Slovenia has 15 natural spas, and several sit close to ski resorts. Terme Snovik near Kamnik is the nearest to Krvavec, with indoor thermal pools at about 32°C and a 36°C whirlpool, open daily from 9:00 to 20:00 and later on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Its outdoor pools open only in summer.
Terme Zreče sits below Rogla and Thermana Laško near Golte. In the Julian Alps, Aquapark Bohinj below Vogel and HIT Alpinea in Kranjska Gora are pools and wellness centres rather than hot springs, but they do the job after the last run.
Terme 3000: black thermal water in Prekmurje
In Moravske Toplice, about 7 km from Murska Sobota in Slovenia’s far northeast, Terme 3000 draws mineral water from about 3,000 metres down. It comes out at 72°C and is cooled to 38°C for bathing, and its dark colour has earned it the local name black gold.
The black-water pools, indoors and outdoors, stay open all year, which makes this the best place in the region for a proper outdoor soak in the snow. It is far from the ski areas, about two hours’ drive from Ljubljana, so treat it as a trip of its own.
Istarske Toplice, Croatia: sulphur water in a canyon
In the Mirna river canyon, about 10 km southwest of Buzet in inland Istria, Istarske Toplice feeds a sulphurous, mineral-rich thermal spring straight into an indoor healing pool, with a 30-minute limit per session. The smell is strong at first, but most people stop noticing it within minutes.
The 25-metre outdoor pool opens only from spring to autumn, so in winter this is an indoor soak. In the warmer months, pair it with the hill towns and cycling routes of the Istrian Peninsula.
Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia: the classic spa town
Vrnjačka Banja is Serbia’s best-known spa town, with seven springs used for drinking and therapy, one of them close to body temperature. Most of the bathing happens in hotel pools and wellness centres rather than outdoors. In winter, nearby Goč mountain has small ski slopes, and Kopaonik is the big resort further south.
Tips for a winter soak
Check which pools are open: many outdoor pools close from autumn to spring, even when the indoor pools run all year.
Keep outdoor soaks to 15 to 20 minutes in freezing weather, then rest and drink water.
Pack flip-flops, a warm hat and a robe for the walk between pools.
Wild pools like Bënja have no changing rooms, so arrive in swimwear.
Sulphur water can tarnish silver jewellery, so leave it in your room.
Hot spring questions
Are there natural hot springs in the Balkans?
Yes. The best-known wild pools are at Bënja near Përmet in Albania, at about 29 to 30°C. Most other hot springs, like Lukovska Banja in Serbia (up to 65°C at the source) and Terme 3000 in Slovenia (72°C), are piped into spa pools.
Can you swim in hot springs in the Balkans in winter?
Yes, but check which pools are open. Indoor thermal pools run all year, while many outdoor pools close outside summer. Terme 3000’s black-water pools in Slovenia stay open outdoors all year.
Is Bënja worth visiting in winter?
Only if you are already in southern Albania. The water is about 29 to 30°C all year, which feels lukewarm on a cold day, and there are no changing rooms.
Which hot springs are near Balkan ski resorts?
Lukovska Banja sits on the slopes of Kopaonik in Serbia. In Slovenia, Terme Snovik is the nearest spa to Krvavec, Terme Zreče sits below Rogla and Thermana Laško is near Golte.
How long should you stay in a hot spring?
About 15 to 20 minutes at a time, especially in strong mineral water or outdoors in freezing weather. Rest and drink water before the next soak.
Ski, then soak
Pick a ski resort close to the hot water, from Kopaonik above Lukovska Banja to Slovenia's spa-side slopes.
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