A country not often popping up on this blog is that of North Macedonia, as it is currently officially called. Through the years, there has been the odd reference here and there, but nothing more detailed. And that is now about to change.
Sascha has been out and about and in some coming posts he'll share his experiences.
Even though North Macedonia is not very well known for its soaking qualities, this smallish (but mountainous) country racks up 10 mentions in the Wikipedia List of Hot springs page. Unclear of course, whether or not we are talking about wild hot springs. Or just the health sanatoriums.
My own list mentions 4, while Travelmacedonia notes (Feb. 13, 2021) 5 Thermal spa centers. There's a question on Tripadvisor forums from 3 years back, specifically concerning the more wilder soaks, but answers not always clear.
There's a scholarly reference to six "geothermal zones", though by no means is it clear how this adds up to potential soaks.
The figure below is from another scientific reference; with the red squares denoting geothermal projects. Again not concluding there is anything soakable.
Finally, Fromrusttoroadtrip have blog entries on two Macedonian hot springs.
Over now to Sascha.
Cracks
Covid-19 does not stop a serious hot springer to explore the natural hot springs in Europe. In February, I traveled to North Macedonia, one of the few destinations in Europe that at that time were easy to travel. The Northern Macedonian capital's Skopje Airport has a lot of Wizz Air connections, cheap and direct flights are easy to obtain.The living costs are quite low (rental car for 1 week cost me 70€, roughly the same for a night's stay in the Hilton Hotel of Skopje).The little town of Katlanovo is not far from Skopje, just roughly 30 minutes by car. There’s even a bus that goes from Skopje.
Wikipedia notes that nearly 20 years ago Katlanovo did not even count 800 inhabitants.
In fact, it is more a kind of renovated sanatorium with some houses around.
Travel2macedonia has some more information:
'The Katlanovo thermal spa is situated 20 km to away from Skopje, on the Skopje-Veles (E-75) road, in the Katlanovo village. The favorable influence of the waters of this spa-resort was recognized for the first time by the Romans, as testified by the remainders of constructions from Roman times found in the area of the spa-resort: obviously the ancient population of this area, also used to exploit the waters. In the immediate vicinity of the spa-resort there are numerous springs with hot and cold mineral waters. Each of them is characterized by a completely different chemical composition, temperature and quantity of water. The water in the hottest spring is 500C high, and is used for therapeutic purposes.Near the spa-resort, there are long cracks which reach 350 m and from where hot steam and hot water emerge. There are sulfur, alkali-coal and cold earth-alkali acid waters....The waters of Katlanovo spa are believed to be curative of many rheumatic diseases, neurological and orthopedic diseases, chronic diseases of the digestive organs, of kidneys and of the urinary tract, diabetes in mild forms, as well as chronic gyneacological diseases'.
Sascha continues:
On the internet, it was written that also a hotel exists, but I could not find one.
But the spa resort does have a website, even though it's not too clear on what's on offer. It even has a Facebook page.
But I'm looking for the natural sources.The staff in the sanatorium were not particular friendly and told me that they honestly did not know where the natural hot springs are located.Well, nothing easier than that. Just park the car on the parking place, go to the sanatorium and take the path up the hill and follow the pipeline. After 200m the path goes further up and separates from the pipeline. Continue around 200m and you will get to the warm pool.I forgot my thermometer, but I estimate the temperature to around 36-38°C. The bottom is muddy and some algae are around. However, the view in the pool is wonderful (see photo at lead of this entry), in particular in winter when the snow covers the mountains in the surroundings. Another advantage to go there in winter, is that the snow covers all the garbage that visitors left.Fifty meters behind the pool is a cave with the hot spring inside.Here the water is warmer, I guess 39°C, perfect to stay for long time inside. In fact, it is a natural cave with a man made concrete entrance to create a kind of steam sauna.I was there on 2 different days and I was never alone. On the second day, people had to wait to get into the cave. Without masks, of course.
NtheSSIS has visited some hot springs both in Greek Macedonia as well as in North Macedonia. There's an entry on Katlanovo (Jul. 12, 2013), though it doesn't add to the above.
Thdk has an experience (2016) of the spa itself:
'Katlanovo is not so well known for tourists, but Macedonians know the place very well. When you enter the building is looks more like a hospital than a spa resort. Luckily, very quickly an English speaking girl showed us where we could take a bath in the natural spring water. We opted for the two person version. With some imagination this bath looks indeed close to the western spa'.
Rusttoroadtrip has made a youtube film from winter last year.
Finally a good pointer is to how to get to the springs by voyage.en.van:
feeling fantastic with 
Da provare 
