Skopje is the capital of the Republic of Macedonia. The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4,000 BC and lies in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula. Skopje appeals to visitors with its fortress, cultural and historical monuments, archaeological sites, caves in the canyon of the River Treska and Lake Matka, and a health spa.

Skopje has existed for 2,500 years and has seen a number of settlers, from Roman to Byzantine, from Ottoman to Yugoslav with each group leaving their mark on the city.  Much of the city was destroyed by an earthquake in 1963, and in an effort to rebuild, an international competition to redesign the city was held. The contract was won by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange and Skopje was reborn in a unique, futuristic style. To this day, the clock on the remaining wall of the old railway station remains stuck at 5:17, the moment the earthquake hit.

The cultural offerings of the city range from the Triumphal Gate to the giant statue of Alexander the Great, as well as numerous museums and the old stone bridge. Head to Makedonija street for bustling nightlife, restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

PLACES TO VISIT IN SKOPJE

Millenium Cross

The Millennium Cross is a 66 metre-high cross situated on top of the Vodno Mountain in Skopje. The construction of the cross began in 2002  to serve as a memorial of 2,000 years of Christianity in Macedonia and the world. In 2008, on 8 September – the independence day of the Republic of Macedonia – an elevator was installed inside the cross. The following year, a restaurant and a souvenir shop were opened by the cross, and in 2011 the Millennium Cross ropeway, stretching 3.5 kilometres was opened. At night the cross is lit up and shines down over the city. Take a trip on the Millennium Cross Cable Car which boasts 28 regular gondolas for eight persons and two VIP gondolas for four people. The ride last about 6-8 minutes.

Old Bazar

The Old Bazaar is one of the oldest and largest marketplaces in the Balkans, it has been Skopje’s centre for trade and commerce since the 12th century. The Bazaar came into prominence during the Ottoman era when it developed to become the city’s main centre of commerce. The Ottoman history of the bazaar in evident through the presence of approximately 30 mosques and a number of caravanserais among other historical indicators. The Old Bazaar is still home to several active mosques, türbes, two churches and a clock tower, that, together with the buildings of the Museum of Macedonia and the Museum of Modern Art, form the core of the modern bazaar.

Matka

Meaning ‘womb’ in Macedonian, Matka is a canyon located west of central Skopje, only a 30-minute drive from the city. A favourite weekend destination, this man-made lake is in a canyon formed by the river Treska. The natural beauty of the area is stunning and best taken in while on a boat, which can also take you to the Vrelo Cave, one of the more famous caves in the area. Perfect for hikes and picnics, there’s also a restaurant for those who just want to sit back and relax. The area is also home to several monasteries rife with history.

Kale

Often referred to as Kale or Kale Fortress, this Skopje fortress is located in the old town at the highest point in the city overlooking the Vardar River. The fortress is depicted on the coat of arms of Skopje, which in turn is incorporated in the city’s flag.

Museums

When you visit Skopje, visit at least one of the city’s museums. The city is home to a number of museums, from the National Archaeological Museum to the Museum of Macedonia and many more. For an introduction to all the museums in Skopje, visit Hello Skopje.  

Tom Allan travels to Macedonia and explores the landlocked country's spectacular lake and layered history 

The Italian media called it ‘Lucifero’. The heat has buckled train tracks in Serbia while in Macedonia wild fires rage on the hills around the capital, Skopje, filling the sky with an orange haze.

Lake Ohrid, in the south of the country, straddling the border with Albania, offers a refreshing refuge from the heatwave sweeping southeast Europe. A trip to its clear, cool waters and pebble beaches is an annual ritual for landlocked Macedonians.

"This is the closest we have to the sea," explains a woman on the winding bus journey from Skopje. "I live in Canada now, but still try to come back each summer."

The lake is busiest in July and August so if you come then, expect beach parties and jet-skis as well as Byzantine churches, Ottoman architecture, and one of the most unique ecosystems in Europe.

"The best time to visit is September, or early summer," says local guide Misho Yuzmeski the next morning, as he takes me on a walking tour of the old town of Ohrid, the largest on the lake and my base for the week. "It’s much more peaceful then".

Yuzmeski – writer, translator and fluent in eight languages – is an inexhaustible source of knowledge on his home town.

"However hot it gets, there is always a breeze in the old town", he says as we gaze down over the red tiled roofs and twisting cobbled streets, over the 36 kilometres of silky water and beyond, to the Albanian mountains. Right on cue, a cooling wind springs up, taking the edge off the midday glare.

Ohrid has, to borrow Homer’s phrase, a climate ‘where life is easy for men’. It is one of Europe’s oldest settlements: there are remains here from the 4th century BC. That’s modern compared to the lake itself, which at over a million years is one of Europe’s oldest.

Thanks to its age, Lake Ohrid has more endemic species per square metre than any other lake in the world, according to Unesco. The most famous of these is the Ohrid trout, said to have a taste somewhere between brown trout and Atlantic salmon. It’s now critically endangered and fishing is controlled on the Macedonian side of the lake, so the trout on Ohrid restaurant menus is mostly farmed.

The first thing you notice about the lake is the clarity of the water. This is paradise for a swimmer like me: the white pebble beaches, ochre cliffs and glass-clear water are more like the Adriatic than an inland lake.

Yulvan Sekuloski, who works in the Amfora Dive Centre, 16km south of the town of Ohrid, explains that this is one of the clearest lakes in the world. The springs feeding it filter through the limestone fissures of the Galičica mountains, giving a visibility of up to 22 metres.

"I have dived all over the world, and no fresh water systems compare to here," Sekuloski tells me. Divers shouldn’t miss the chance to explore the remains of the Neolithic stilt-house village in the Bay of the Bones.

These natural splendours are matched by Ohrid’s cultural and religious heritage. For fans of Byzantine churches, this is heaven. Even a non-aficionado can’t fail to be impressed by the frescoes in St. Sofia church, still full of expression and life after 900 years, or the magnificent paintings in the icon museum.

The sheer number of churches has given Ohrid the name ‘the Jerusalem of the Balkans’, though Yuzmeski dismisses the often-repeated theory that there are 365, one for every day of the year.

"That’s something the other guides like to tell people. I don’t know how many there are but not 365!"

One thing is clear though: things in Ohrid are changing. We walk on past the Roman amphitheatre to a hilltop with spectacular views over the lake – and of a string of hotel complexes on the far shore. Once the hill was covered in pine trees and layers of Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman ruins. Now a major construction project is underway, bearing the unwieldy title 'The Instauration of St. Clement’s University at Plaoshnik’.

St. Clement was a disciple of Cyril and Methodius, the two hoary brothers from modern-day Thessaloniki who invented the Cyrillic alphabet. Clement founded a university here in the ninth century and from this hillock above the lake spread the new script throughout the Slavic world. The church bearing his name has been faithfully rebuilt, with new visitor- and study centres also under construction. "They have built the church beautifully," says Yuzmeski. "But the rest, it’s too much," he continues, pointing at the complex of buildings that will soon dominate the skyline.

‘Too much’ could be applied to other government projects in Macedonia. The infamous ‘Skopje 2014’ initiative saw somewhere between $250 and $650 million spent on gargantuan bronze statues in the capital – money, critics argue, that a poor country like Macedonia can ill afford.

The government has other plans for Ohrid, too: a 30,000-capacity ski resort in the mountains of Galičica National Park and further hotel developments along the lake shore. Unesco has warned that it will review Ohrid’s World Heritage status unless the more contentious proposals are dropped.

Macedonia, with the fifth lowest GDP in Europe and 23 per cent unemployment, badly needs tourism. The new Social Democrat government elected in June on a pro-reform, anti-corruption agenda have pledged to review all development that threatens the integrity of the lake.

"Our goal is to develop sustainable and responsible tourism by focusing on the local, authentic experience […] and all the adventure possibilities this area has to offer," government spokesman Mile Boshnjakovski tells me via email.

The government also plan to invest in new cycling and walking trails along the lake shore, he adds, improving access with minimal damage to the environment.

But with a slim majority in parliament and the daunting task of overhauling the country’s institutions ahead, this is far from assured. Yulvan Sekuloski from the dive centre strikes a final note of caution. "If carefully planned the wildlife and the lake could be preserved. But unfortunately there is a lot of damage done already. If it continues at this pace I think the future will not be so bright."

On my last night I speak to a young German couple, who tell me about a ‘performance art’ event they saw in the St. Sofia church the night before.

Part of Ohrid’s Summer Festival, the evening featured techno, UV lights and a male stripper. The 11th century frescoes must have blushed.

This evening the Optina Pustyn monastery choir from St. Petersburg perform. The closest we get to techno is the floor-trembling voice of the basso profondo, reaching depths that only Russians can, but the heat inside St. Sofia’s thick walls wouldn’t be out of place in a rave.

Shirts stick to the backs of chairs, programs are fanned and the choir look close to heatstroke in their black robes. As we empty out into the muggy night a honey-yellow moon rises over the Galičica mountains, casting an avenue of dimpled light across the lake. The soft lights of a nearby cove beckon. It’s time for a final swim.

SOURCE: THE NATIONAL

Every tourist to the Balkans has probably heard about the dramatic remaking of Macedonia’s capital, Skopje. Twenty-five years after the country peacefully won independence from the former Yugoslavia, its capital is in the midst of a huge face-lift: the construction of some 40 monuments, sculptures, facades and buildings.

The transformation is meant to sweep away the post-Soviet pall and attract tourists. I was one of them last year. Everywhere I looked, I felt small, dwarfed by shiny, new gargantuan bronze statues of Alexander the Great and his parents, Philip II of Macedon and Olympias, that lord over the main plaza. Galloping horses here and imposing Doric columns there round out various corners; faux-Baroque facades and balconies reminded me of Josef Stalin’s wedding cake-style apartments along East Berlin’s broad boulevards, which have a certain retro appeal these days but still feel overwrought.

Despite the immense investment here — the current estimate of the project is $727 million, according to the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network — tour operators who aren’t closely linked with the country’s state-run tourism office are championing a different reason to visit the region: ecotourism.

This nascent industry is less interested in Skopje’s overhaul and more keen to spirit travelers along the country’s hiking trails to tucked-away Byzantine monasteries and caves, and arrange cycling tours and homestays with cordial Macedonians who can talk about their country’s culture and history.

My guide, Slobodan (who goes by his nickname, Danko), works for one of these operators, Macedonia Experience, run by Jane Josifovski, which organizes Jeep safaris, horseback riding, caving, diving and paragliding. My visit last year came when Macedonia had been in the headlines, as hundreds of thousands of refugees had crossed the country’s southern border en route to northern Europe. And yet, Mr. Josifovski told me, overnight stays and tourism in general in Macedonia were moving at a strong clip, helped along by cheap flights into Skopje on the budget airline Wizz Air and inexpensive travel within the country.

The morning after I arrived in the capital, Danko drove me to Matka Canyon, one of his favorite haunts. A former student of architecture and the son of engineers, he told me on the way that he had decided to be a mountaineer (and drummer). Most weekends, he heads into the mountains, less than an hour’s drive from Skopje, to hike or ski.

From the trailhead, I followed him up narrow, leafy passes and around switchbacks while he recounted the history of the pathways we’d be exploring. The Ottomans had blazed many of Matka’s trails as they sought to build a railroad from Lake Ohrid, on the Albanian border, into Macedonia’s interior. Danko occasionally turned back to point out the view. We could see the Treska River and forested, misty ravines, as well as spiked ridges, like blades of a knife.

He later led me to see the 14th-century Church of St. Nikola, which was locked, but while perched at a nearby picnic table on a ledge overhanging the summit, he pointed first to hooks driven into the sides of the steep faces, and told me which he himself had scaled. He then pointed to the canyon’s depths, to the cloistered, emerald Lake Matka and to the Monastery of St. Andrew, alongside an attractive lakeside chalet resort, making for a dramatic panorama.

We made our way down the mountain toward the lake and once we reached the shore, Danko hailed a small motorboat with a thatched bamboo roof to take us across to the resort. Once there, we sipped espressos and gazed out at the striated gorge while waiting for the next boat that would take us up the Treska River to Cave Vrelo. It had turned chilly, and the thought of touring a frigid cave didn’t excite me, but Danko insisted it would be worth the effort. Our boat finally appeared, and we sped onward through the cavernous passage, where I saw Robinson Crusoe-esque bungalows and tree houses on the banks and ducks with their ducklings scurrying away from our boat.

Cave Vrelo is among 10 caves in the Matka Canyon, and it is also among Europe’s deepest. As we docked near its entrance, Danko pointed out murky gaps in the exterior where divers slip inside. We were taking the overland route, and as we descended the slippery stairs, I gradually saw that Danko had been right: Before me were jaw-dropping stalactites, smooth in contour, like otherworldly wax, and one most noticeably shaped like a pine cone. Bats swerved overhead as we approached one stunning section known as the concert hall because members of the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra once played there after the cave was opened to visitors.

We later sat at the restaurant Mechkina Dupka, or Bear’s Cave, where I ordered the so-called Village Chicken. It was baked, covered in a savory mushroom sauce, and came with fresh squash sautéed in garlic and olive oil, along with a hearty house white wine from Macedonia’s Tikves region. We had a long drive ahead of us, said Danko, via Tetovo and into the Mavrovo National Park, so we toasted our journey before hitting the road.

When we reached Tetovo, Danko navigated heavy traffic, and I wondered if a stop there was worth our time. But as we finally pulled up alongside the Sarena Dzamija mosque, my eyes took in the vibrant painting and graceful half-timbered design. This was indeed a rare find, in part because it is uncommon for a mosque’s exterior to be so adorned — Sarena Dzamija translates to “decorated mosque” — but also because two sisters, named Hurshida and Mensure, rather than sultans or pashas, had bankrolled the construction in 1438. The women are buried in the octagonal stone turbe adjacent to the mosque.

By dusk, we were at Mavrovo National Park, and had checked into the inviting home of Deni and Tina Lazareski in the village of Leunovo, located in the park itself. The pair welcome tourists year-round, and had recently built an addition to their home for guests. Tina had prepared stuffed peppers in a tomato sauce for us, and we sat around the dinner table long after the meal, talking about our families, and in particular, life under Communism, all aided by Danko’s translation.

Danko had hoped to guide me to the summit of Mount Medenica in the Bistra Massif the next day, but we woke to a heavy fog and he didn’t want to risk getting lost. So we chose a trail at a lower elevation that still afforded us pretty views of wild horses in the distance and shepherds with their flocks, as well as clusters of almost supernatural, purple-stemmed cotton thistles.

We departed the pastoral scene for Galicnik, a village renowned for its traditional folk dancing and weddings every July, where we met Marko Bekric, who runs a mountain-biking business. Over lunch at his family’s restaurant, he explained that the business had been inspired by years of cycling the Bistra mountains, scoping out new paths, and thinking that enthusiasts from abroad would thrill to the unspoiled nature, as he does.

The Macedonian government evidently thought the same, granting him a rural development loan to start the venture. After lunch, he led me across the road to show me an abandoned cheese-making factory he’d renovated where he stores the bikes. Someday, he added, he’d like to convert the building into a museum and offer instruction on making sheep and goat cheese.

The tour, though, reached a height the next day when it shifted from ecotourism to cultural immersion in gorgeous Ohrid, one of Europe’s oldest cities at a jewel of a lake bordering both Macedonia and Albania. Our guide, Nebojsa Kamilov, led us up and down the cobblestone-covered hills of the city — whose Slavic name comes from vo rid, or “city on the hill.” At just about every turn we took in sweeping views of the translucent water, none so sublime as those at the picturesque Church of St. Jovan at Kaneo, perched on a finger jutting out into the vast lake.

A student of art and history, Nebojsa gave a fascinating overview of Ohrid’s Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman roots; its scholarly legacy (the first Slavic university was established here by the ninth-century Sts. Kliment and Naum); and the hundreds of other churches that once dotted the hillsides, supposedly one for every day of the year. We visited several of these ubiquitous and elegant multidomed churches, each with a covetable collection of frescoes, icons and mosaics. My favorite was the Church of St. Kliment and St. Pantelejmon, which had a fourth-century mosaic mysteriously signed “Made by those whose names are only known to God.”

These, of course, were the soaring buildings of their day, structures that involved immense expenditures and likely cost overruns that would dwarf those in Skopje. But these churches, this landscape, had stood the test of time. As Macedonia’s capital remakes itself, their permanence is a reassuring reminder that while this country has changed hands more times than one can count, its beauty and its culture endure.

SOURCE: NY TIMES

Lake Ohrid at sunrise, Jablanica mountain at sunset. In between, one of the most beautiful places at the Struga shore - Radozda.

A fishing village from the beginning of times. Presently, a tourism oasis, a destination for those seeking peace and tranquility, a rest for the body and soul.

People here lived from fishing, but also manufactured dinghies and boats, winches and fishhooks. Radozda villagers were masters of the craft of which they are still proud.

As time went by, it became difficult to live just off fishing and people started to emigrate. Families went to America and Australia, some in Europe, others in the region, but also across Macedonia. But they never forgot whey they come from.

Radozda is known for its hospitality, seen in its motels, restaurants, bars, but also the accommodation that offers a pleasant stay on the shores of Lake Ohrid, under the shade of Jablanica.

Radozda is situated on the western shore of the Ohrid Lake. It is 10 km south of the town Struga and 2 km from the Macedonian-Albanian border. The village is situated at 725 m above sea level.

A document from the era of Tsar Stefan Dusan has the village listed under the name Radobuzda. An Ottoman document from the year 1583 also records the village but under a different name Radohozda while a hand written document from the Serbian Branislav Nusic has the village listed as Radoozdz and Austrian-Hungarian maps have the village listed as Radoliozda or Radohozda.

The village has seven churches, the main one being St.Nicholas, built in the 18. century, while cave church Saint Archangel Michael dates back from the 14. century.

Another trait of the village is the preserved section of the Via Egnatia road, constructed by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. About a hundred meters of the road has been maintained by the local population and dubbed "kaldrma" (cobblestone).

By Keti Mickovska

Ohrid is the reason to visit Macedonia.

The town is located on the shores of the aptly named Lake Ohrid and has a wonderful mix of natural beauty and historical monuments to keep you occupied for a few days.

I took the 3.5 hour bus to Ohrid after visiting Skopje of which there are several buses that run throughout the day. Upon checking in to Sunny Lake Hostel, run by the very friendly Gyoko, I instantly felt at home as the place is another reminder of the famous Balkan hospitality. In a lot of ways, you feel that he is running this place as if he was just having a constant stream of his friends over as he offers guests beers, tips on where to go and free use of the bikes despite the sign above reception suggesting they cost €5 per day.

On my first day, I followed a walking route that Gyoko recommended which took in the main sites of the town. I started by making the short but relatively steep walk to King Samoil’s Fortress which, like most fortresses, offers brilliant views of the surrounding area. The beauty here though is further exemplified due to the gorgeous lake and surrounding mountains.

The route then follows through the Old Town Park to the Early Christian Basilica and Saint Pantelejamon – the site of the oldest university in Europe and birthplace of the Cyrillic alphabet. The area has changed between having churches and mosques built depending on the ruler of the time and they are currently reconstructing a church in the area.

The highlight, however, of my walk was just around the corner as I came across the Church of Saint John the Theologian. The small church is stunningly built on a cliff overlooking the lake and is certainly one of the most scenic locations for a church that I have come across during my travels in the Balkans. It was the perfect spot to sit down and people watch as I admired the full beauty of the lake and cliffs.

The rest of my walk passed through some small sandy beaches and a couple of other significant churches – the Saint Sophia and the Saint Bogorodica Perivlepta before taking me back to the main boulevards which are lined with restaurants, boutique shops and cafes. My favourite spot was the small family run business of Dr Falafel whose menu of falafel, hummus, or falafel and hummus is simple but incredibly tasty and a rare vegetarian option.

On my second day, I made use of Gyoko’s generosity and took a bike out to ride around the lake. Not having much of an itinerary in mind, I rode west along the lake’s banks and within a kilometre, I was outside the built-up areas of the town and could enjoy the peaceful scenery. There wasn’t much in the way of sites or churches to see, however, I found an abandoned beach and enjoyed a couple of peaceful hours reading a book while staring out onto Lake Ohrid.

As I checked out the next day, Gyoko’s hospitality didn’t end as he walked me to the shared taxi stand, 15 minutes away from the hostel and negotiated a fair price for me to get to Struga, where I was catching my bus to Tirana.

Most of my time in Ohrid was unfortunately met with rain and chilly weather, however, despite this, the beauty of the town was undeniable and I can’t wait to visit again so I can experience it in all its glory on a warm sunny day.

Article By Michael Rozenblit

On the shores of one of Europe’s oldest and deepest lakes, you will find a confluence that defines the Republic of Macedonia: cobblestoned paths lined with ornate churches lead to lakeside beaches and cafes that fill with sunbathers each summer. Legend has it that at one point, Ohrid, the largest town on the eponymous lake that forms Macedonia’s southwest border with Albania, was home to 365 churches: one for every day of the year.

While the many churches and monasteries that dot the lakeshore boast some of the best examples of Macedonian Orthodox iconography—and the seat of the religion has rested here since 2005—Ohrid and the surrounding region have plenty to offer believers and non-believers alike. For adventure enthusiasts, the town sits between three of Macedonia’s national parks where one can find great hiking, biking, rock climbing and paragliding. For the oenophiles, Ohrid is an easy day trip to many of the 84 wineries that make up Macedonia’s up-and-coming wine industry. To discover these wineries, and get an insider’s take on any activity, look up local tour operator Time for Macedonia can help organize activities to suit anyone’s interests around Ohrid and beyond.

For those looking to party as the locals do, visit during the annual Ohrid Summer Festival, which takes place from July 12 to August 20 this summer and will be capped off with a Prodigy concert that is expected to draw 15,000 visitors to the region. One can happily spend a weekend at the summer beach parties on Gradiste Beach or Plaza Orevce, but check out our other recommendations for a two-day stop in Macedonia’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site that are good for spring and fall as well.

Day One

Morning 

The morning light makes for some of the best views over the lake, so head over to the family-owned Gladiator Restaurant to sip a macchiato or cafe frappé from the balcony, which sits just above the western side of the Ancient Theatre. The theatre, originally built in 200 BC, has hosted everything from gladiator fights during the Roman times to high-profile classical music concerts during recent summer festivals. The restaurant manager will be glad to share local advice for your stay in Ohrid. His wife’s family has lived in the building that houses the restaurant for generations.

After coffee, make your way over to one of Ohrid’s most iconic landmarks: the medieval Church of St. John at Kaneo. You will likely be approached by a local guide offering a half-day tour of the church, as well as the archeological site of Plaošnik, the rebuilt Church of Saints Kliment and Panteleimon, the 10th century Samuil Fortress, and any other sites you care to squeeze in. You’ll be expected to negotiate the price, but plan to settle somewhere around 3,000 MKD ($55) for your group—the unofficial price agreed by the local guides.

Afternoon 

No doubt famished from your morning of climbing from church to fortress, make your way down the winding stairs to Kaneo Beach, the site of one of Ohrid’s original fishing villages and the modern location of one of its best fish restaurants. Take a dip in the lake directly from the restaurant’s “summer terrace” as you await your meal of fried lake fish—plasica (eaten whole like sardines)—or the famous Ohrid brown trout.

After lunch, take time to get lost in the city’s old town. If you haven’t yet, make sure to visit St. Sofia Cathedral and its beautifully preserved frescoes from the 11th to 13th centuries. From there, take Tsar Samuil Street to the National Workshop for Handmade Paper to buy a leather-bound book or simply to see a copy of the Gutenberg Printing Press in action. Continue on to the left for a wander through the Old Bazaar until you get to one of Ohrid’s quirkier sites: a 900-year-old cinar, or plane tree, which is held up by a combination of padded boards and a soda stand.

Evening 

Many of your queries about the town are likely being answered at this point, but if you have a question about Ohrid, head back down to Tsar Samuil Street to Cultura 365, which hosts regular photo exhibitions and offers books and information on the region. Culturally overloaded? Opt instead for a nice glass of Macedonia’s staple red wine, Vranec, as you watch the sunset from the lakeside terrace at Liquid Cafe.

For dinner, there is no better choice for traditional food than Restaurant Antiko, an old mansion on Tsar Samuil Street that serves some of the city’s tastiest ajvar (a roasted pepper spread) and sarma, cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat. If you’ve somehow managed to avoid a taste of rakija, the local fruit-based liquor, head over to NOA Lounge Bar for a dram or a cocktail from their extensive list. Wind up the night with a rakija or two more at Jazz Inn, a cool live music venue with a hip crowd.

Day Two

Morning 

Start the morning off with a leisurely coffee on the terrace at Kadmo Bar before making your way to the port for the 10 a.m. boat to St. Naum. The boats run regularly June to August, but check with locals for availability outside the peak summer months. The 90-minute journey is the best way to get across the lake while viewing some striking waterfront homes and the splendor of Galicica mountain and national park. You will dock just in front of St. Naum Monastery, a Byzantine-era church complex known for its world-class examples of iconography and the peacocks that strut across its grounds.

For lunch, walk the short distance to Restaurant Ostrovo for a meal of prolonged meze Macedonian-style. Set to the backdrop of a quartet playing traditional music, you will be served plate after plate of fresh local cheese, flaky spinach pie, and bowls of Shopska salad while you look out on the small boats paddling in the spring that connects Lake Ohrid with nearby Lake Prespa. Make sure to leave room for tavce gravce, a white bean stew flavored with fresh paprika.

Afternoon 

After your meal, Restaurant Ostrovo is also one of the many places around the lake where you will find Ohrid Pearls for sale. Risteski, one of the original pearl-making families, offers some of the finest quality. Feel free to do a bit of shopping after lunch. Unlike traditional oyster pearls, the Ohrid Pearl is actually made from the scales of the tiny plasica fish, which is only found in Lake Ohrid. Make sure to also peruse the other stalls along the port selling local handicrafts while you await your tour operator for the afternoon’s activity: paragliding.

If arranged in advance, Paragliding Ohrid can pick you up from St. Naum and take you up the winding path to one of their jump points: a ledge off of Galicica Park overlooking the lake and nearby village of Trpejca. With prices ranging from 3600-4600 MKD ($65-$85) for two to four hour experiences, the company offers tandem paragliding (as well as individual lessons) and boasts a record of 6,000 accident-free jumps to date.

Evening 

Ask the tour operator to drop you at the quiet, but lovely Trpejca Beach for a quick dip in the water and a lounge on the sand. Grab a table at Kaj Ribarot, one of the best restaurants on the lake. Make sure to save room for a dessert of gooey baklava or honey-soaked tulumbi. For 120 MKD (about $2 per person), you can catch a bus from the village back to Ohrid (last one departs around 7:30pm) or you can taxi back for around $20. On your way back into town, consider a night of dancing or a quick night cap at Cuba Libre Beach Bar.

Getting Here 

While Ohrid has an international airport, it is often cheaper to fly into Skopje and take a bus or rental car to make the scenic 200 km trip. Low-cost carrier Wizz Air makes direct flights into Skopje from around the Balkans and Western Europe.

Where to Stay 

The 20-room City Palace Hotel boasts a central location with restaurant and spa starting at $190 in the peak summer season. For the slightly more budget-conscious, Villa Mal Sveti Kliment is a cozy guesthouse with great lake views and a delicious breakfast. There is also camping available near Gradiste Beach, where you can rent a trailer or cabin.

By Bridget Nurre Jennions for Breathtaking Balkans - Paste Magazine

Deep in the Balkans, this grandiosely named nature reserve might just be the best-kept secret among Europe’s national parks. Home to the rare Balkan chamois (wild goat) and endangered Eurasian lynx, Macedonia’s Jasen is one of the region’s most ecologically significant areas. While there are no deluxe hotels or ski resorts, outdoors activities range from hiking, mountain biking and kayaking to spelunking, hunting and helicopter skiing.

The ‘Public Enterprise for Managing and Protection of the Multipurpose Area Jasen’ (better known as just Jasen; jasen.com.mk) sprawls across rugged, mountainous terrain in still little-visited Macedonia. It became a protected nature reserve in 2010 and has not yet made it onto many tour operators’ itineraries, despite being only 15km from Skopje, the Macedonian capital.

An unusual history

Comprising some 24,000 hectares of forested mountains, deep caves, lakes and underground rivers, this protected area takes up a large chunk of Macedonia’s central mountain massif. The reserve reaches a height of almost 2500m at Mt Karadzica, while the canyon lake at Matka (meaning ‘womb’ in Macedonian) is so deep it is still uncharted, resulting in a nomination to become one of the new Natural Wonders of the World.

Matka, at the park’s northern tip, is popular with weekenders due to its proximity to the capital, its natural beauty and its hiking opportunities. The Matka area is known for its frescoed Byzantine woodland churches, with some 15 Orthodox Christian churches or monasteries contained within the parks’ grounds, dating between the 13th and 15th centuries.

The park also contains more than 30 important historical or archaeological sites, ranging from Stone Age cave art to Hellenistic and late Roman settlements where valuable decorative pieces such as coins, ceramics and statues have been discovered. Of particular note is the 6000-year-old ‘Adam of Govrlevo’ statue, an anatomically precise Neolithic sculpture considered to be one of the oldest and most important discoveries in the world.

Still more eclectic is Jasen’s recent past, which remains cloaked in Cold War ambiguity. In Macedonian popular imagination, this mysterious area – once partly off-limits during communist Yugoslavia – has long been associated with rumours of secret underground military bunkers and tunnels allegedly built by former Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito.

A haven for wildlife

Wildlife lovers will be well rewarded in Jasen’s oak, beech and black pine forests, filled with a wide variety of flora and fauna. The mountain rivers are home to freshwater crabs and river trout, while more than 160 bird species, including golden eagles and peregrine falcons, have been spotted overhead. Jasen’s 47 mammal species – almost one-third the total number found in Europe – include wild boar, deer, brown bears, hares, wolves and a unique subspecies of the European Souslik (ground squirrel). Cameras set up around the reserve caught glimpses of 11 Eurasian lynx (up from six in 2009), indicating that the park’s conservation efforts are also working.

Hunting is highly controlled and limited to specially arranged groups who pay a premium for the chance to bag a deer, wild boar, the rare Balkan chamois or mouflon (wild sheep).

Park activities

Along with recreational fishing, paragliding and kayaking on Lake Kozjak, caving is available through the Macedonian Speleological Federation (speleo-mkd.com). While some caverns can be tackled by neophytes, the majority are for serious spelunkers only. The caves can reach depths of 500m, stretch for 1500m and often get flooded by underground rivers.

Jasen’s winding mountain trails and access roads are also perfect for mountain biking, which allows you to explore much more of the park’s terrain than simply hiking; park managers can advise on the best routes.

Finally, if you are up for some unforgettable skiing on unroped, virgin terrain, a helicopter fitting eight skiers can be rented for €4000 per day. The helicopter drops you at the peak of Mt Karadzica (2470m), where you ski (accompanied by a local guide) down to Kula at 500m, the park entrance. Depending on speed and skill (this course is for experts only), it is possible to make four to six runs a day on innumerable routes.

Make it happen

To visit the park, email or phone the English-speaking park management at least one week in advance; check the park’s website for details. There is no entrance fee to the park, but a guided day hike costs €20 per person (groups of 8 to 15 people are preferred). This includes a home-cooked lunch made from the park’s organic produce and local game, as well as transport to and from Skopje. The park management can also help you arrange any activities you wish to undertake.

There is no camping, but accommodation is available in a rustic hunting lodge at Kula for €50 per person, including breakfast. Bookings should be made through the park management.

This article was first published in April 2012 and last updated in April 2015 by Lonely Planet - LINK.