Kokino (Macedonian: Кокино) is a Bronze Age archaeological site in the Republic of Macedonia, approximately 30 km from the town of Kumanovo, and about 6 km from the Serbian border, in the Staro Nagoričane municipality. It is situated between about 1010 and 1030 m above sea level on the Tatićev Kamen summit and covers an area of about 90 by 50 meters, overlooking the eponymous hamlet of Kokino.

It was discovered by archeologist Jovica Stankovski, director of the national museum in Kumanovo, in 2001. In 2002, Stankovski together with Gorje Cenev (who is the head of a planetarium at a Youth Cultural Center in Skopje) published the claim that the site contains a "megalithic observatory and sacred site".

The oldest archaeological finds date from about the 19th century BC, corresponding to the early European Bronze Age. It shows signs of occupation for the period from the 19th to the 7th centuries BC. Finds from the Middle Bronze Age (c. 16th to 14th centuries BC) are the most numerous (mainly ceramic vessels, stone-mills and a few molds). An agglomeration from the Iron Age was discovered in 2009.

The Kokino "megalithic observatory" should be distinguished from the wider Kokino archaeological site. While the observatory consists of two platforms of a combined area of about 5000 square meters, the site covers about 30 hectares. From this area, an abundant amount of fragments of ceramic vessels, dated to between the 19th and the 11th centuries BC. Also found was a mould for casting bronze axes, and a pendant. The remains of vessels filled with offerings were found deposited in cracks in the rocks, which gave rise to the interpretation of the site as a "holy mountain".

The claimed archaeo-astronomical site itself consists of two platforms with an elevation difference of 19 m. The claim of the site representing an astronomical observatory was made by Stankovski and by Gjore Cenev in 2002. According to this interpretation, the site includes special stone markers used to track the movement of the Sun and Moon on the eastern horizon. The observatory used the method of stationary observation, marking positions of the Sun at the winter and summer solstice, as well as the equinox. Four stone seats or "thrones" are placed in a row on the lower platform. According to Cenev, A stone block with a marking on the upper platform marks the direction of sunrise on summer solstice when viewed from one of the seats.

Kokino was mentioned in a poster made by NASA's "Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum" in 2005.

The Cultural Heritage Protection Office of Macedonia's Ministry of Culture declared the site a "property under temporary protection" on 13 November 2008 (Decision nr. 08-1935/6). In 2009, Minister of Culture Elizabeta Kancheska-Milevska declared Kokino "one of the priorities of the Ministry of Culture’s 2009 programme".In 2009, the Republic of Macedonia also suggested the site be inscribed on the World Heritage Site.

Ohrid is Macedonia's most attractive destination, with an atmospheric old quarter cascading down a hill, full of beautiful churches and topped by the ruins of a medieval castle. 

The town is notable for once having had 365 churches, one for each day of the year, and has been referred to as a "Jerusalem of the Balkans". The city is rich in picturesque houses and monuments, and tourism is predominant. In 1980, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. 

Samuel's Fortress is one of the main touristic places. The fortress is situated in the old town center. It was the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire during the rule of Tsar Samuel at the turn of the 10th century. Today, this historical monument is a major tourist attraction and was renovated in 2003.

According to recent excavations by Macedonian archaeologists, it was contended that this fortress was built on the place of an earlier fortification, dated to the 4th century BCE, which was probably built by King Philip II of Macedon. 

Antique Theater is the only visible monument from ancient times. It is also the only Hellenistic theater in Macedonia, the other three are from Roman times. Only the lower section of the theater is preserved.

Though Ohrid never was an important trade center, it also has a small bazaar consisting of just one street. It starts with the food market. After the market the bazaar begins with a small square. On the square there is a 1000 year old tree and a nice fountain. Above the square the clock tower of Ohrid stands. 

As you walk down the bazaar on your left there are couple of stone stores, which is the only section of original stores in the bazaar. In the past, the bazaar was covered with grape vines, protecting shoppers from the sun and the rain. The bazaar ends with the main square that used to be the food market in the past.

Lesnovo monastery, officially called Monastery of St Archangel Michael and St Hermit Gabriel of Lesnovo, is one of the most important medieval monuments of Macedonia.

The monastery is located on the south-west slopes of Mt Osogovo, in the middle of a volcanic crater. It lies at the beginning of Lesnovo village, at the height of 870 meters. The closest townlet is Zletovo which together with Lesnovo belongs to the municipality of Probištip.

The monastery is located in a secluded region which was popular with hermits of the 11th century. One of them, St Gabriel of Lesnovo, lived in the local caves and died there as well.

It remains still unsolved whether Gabriel founded a monastery or was it founded on the spot close to his hermitage. Very little is known of this original monastery since Gabriel’s relics were taken away and the first and only mention of the old monastery comes only from 1330 in a chronicle by its monk Stanislav, a famous writer.

Nice video coverage of a air ride over lake Ohrid and mount Galichica. 

For more stories and beauties from Ohrid, use our tag Ohrid - Click Here

Time Lapse Clip from Ohrid Lake Macedonia. Monastery "Kaneo".

German Arte channel broadcast a documentary on the popular crushed pepper from the Bitola village of Bukovo. The short film about the famous Bukovka spice is focused on Ilinka Glavevska and her family, who explains the procedure on preparing the spice, and the main dishes it is used in.

Bosnian born German movie maker Mirjana Momirovic produced and directed the film that is presented Bukovka as a slow food specialty on Arte. Momirovic already worked on projects aimed to present the Macedonian ruby stone and on wines from the Vardar region. The Bukovka short film is part of a series of 200 episodes produced for Arte.

Full text on our German Tourism Blog

Free from the tourist hordes, ex-footballer Pece Cvetkovski’s Villa Dihovo offers a sweet retreat where you pay ‘what you like’ for his home-grown organic cuisine.

Macedonia? Why not? There’s something glorious about being a tourist in a place that attracts so few. The country’s abundant viti­culture and vast national parks have some­how been overlooked by tourists in favour of more glamorous Balkan countries such as Croatia, but slowly the nation is edging away from the shadow of Yugoslav rule. One of Macedonia’s main propo­nents of tourism is ex-footballer Pece Cvetkovski. Having played for the local team – as well as FK Skopje, in the capital, and in Denmark – Cvetkovski is something of a celebrity in these parts, and he invites guests to stay where he grew up, at Villa Dihovo, near the city of Bitola, in the southwest­ern reaches of the landlocked country.

Sounds remote. Yep. Don’t bother with trains, either; Balkan buses are more comfortable, and they run frequently from Skopje. Care hire is also a doddle (about €120/HK$1,000 for three days) and petrol is dirt cheap. About 7km from the unremar­k­able city of Bitola, you’re likely to be bowl­ed over as soon as you reach Villa Dihovo – literally – as Cvetkovski’s snow-white sled dog will no doubt jump up in excitement as you step out of the car, perhaps causing you to stumble into the meti­culously planted organic vegetable garden. Eek.

Organic vegetable garden? Cvetkovski is a certified producer for the Slow Food organisa­tion, which promotes clean eating, using only organic vegetables and very little meat. Macedonia, by the way, is still one of the biggest producers of organic food, so it’s common for residents to have kitchen gardens. Home-cooked food served in Villa Dihovo’s comfy dining room makes for a wonderful return after a long day’s hiking in the nearby Pelister National Park. Favourites include stuffed, dried and spiced rezha peppers, foraged mushrooms and the tavce gravce, a Macedonian dish of high quality beans baked in tomato sauce. Burrow underground, into Cvetkovski’s natural wine cave, to choose a bottle for dinner, at the suggested price – or “donation” – of US$10.

Can we take a bottle up to our room? Absolutely. Cvetkovski also brews his own (surprisingly, very good) beer and he’ll no doubt give you a few of those to see off upstairs, too. There are only a couple of rooms at present, and they’re decorated like a folklorean dream: wooden ornaments and rickety bedsteads forged from tree trunks stand opposite a window framing views of the national park. There’s blissfully little else to do other than eat, sleep and wander the grounds, performing a vege­table roll-call from one plant bed to another.

Wait, what’s that about a national park? Well, other than the Slow Food and the general feeling of abandon that comes with being in a Macedonian country house in the middle of nowhere, Pelister National Park is the main reason people stay with Cvetkovski. After a short but dramatic drive up the foothills of the Baba Mountain, the host (who offers lifts every­where) will leave hiking guests by the unashamedly 1970s Hotel Molica. Be sure to stop in for a drink and a gawp at the fabulous throwback block-green interiors and mini indoor lake. Park hikes last anything from an hour or so to a long, full day, and take in lofty panoramic views of Christmas tree firs on mountain sides that fold like layers of icing off into the distance. The ultimate hike leads you to natural lakes atop the mountain.

What are we looking at, price wise? One night at Villa Dihovo is €40, and for dinner and drinks, Cvetkovski asks that you “pay what you like”. A cookery school is scheduled to open at Villa Dihovo in time for the summer, as will additional rooms. Guests are encouraged to stay for two or three nights, and take part in foraging and fishing trips.

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New promotion video for tourism in Macedonia of the the Agency for Promotion and Support of Tourism. Macedonia - The Pearl of the Balkans is a undiscovered tourism treasure.

The 16­minute film tickles the curiosity of every tourist, presenting the country’s tourism destinations, mountains, lakes, rivers, attractions, history, culture and archaeology, accompanied by music produced by traditional Macedonian instruments.

You never thought about a monster in Macedonia?
Here you, go the tale about the monster in lake Prespa.
Enjoy watching!

Video of the Canyon Matka.
The canyon is located near Skopje.
There you can take boat tours, also there is a nice restaurant and a very old church.
The cave "Vrelo" can be reached by boat, travel time some 20 minutes.

Nice video of the main square of Skopje, the capitol of Macedonia.
Alexander the Great fountain.