Photo tour of traditional Macedonia
April 18, 2019
Hiking tour
April 18, 2019
Macedonian Rhapsody
Day1
Skopje – Tetovo – Ohrid (180 km)
Flight to Skopje, arrival around noon. Pick up from the airport. Transfer to Ohrid with a stop for a visit of the Colorful Mosque in Tetovo. Accommodation in a hotel in Ohrid. Overnight.
Day2
Ohrid city tour (5 km) (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. We start the tour from the central square St. Clement of Ohrid. Strolling through the narrow streets of the old town, the first stop we make is at the Cathedral church St. Sophia. Then we walk to the next stop – the Ancient Theatre from the 1st century BC. Exploring other local sites on the way, we will visit the church St. Holly Mother of God, Peribleptos, with unique frescoes from the 13th century. We will also visit the complex of Panteleimon Church, the St. Clement of Ohrid, as well as the Samoil Fortress. The last site we visit today is another 13th-century church of St. John the Evangelist (Kaneo). Going back to the center by small boats. We will have free time for lunch in the restaurant in the city center. Then, we continue our stroll with a visit to the National Museum Robevci Family House, Paper museum, and a Pearl shop. Overnight.
Day3
Ohrid – Bay of bones - St. Naum Monastery- Ohrid (60 km) (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. We will take a car/bus or a large boat and sail to the monastery of St.Naum. Halfway there, we will visit the Museum on water which is a reconstruction of a pre-historic Paleolithic settlement. We will arrive at the monastery of St.Naum, go to the beautiful natural lake springs, and have a small boat ride in the crystal clear small lake that these springs are forming. After that, we will have time for lunch in one of the local restaurants. We drive back by car or we sail back to Ohrid, and in the end, we will drop you off in the center of the city. Free time in the Old Bazaar. Overnight.
Day4
Ohrid –National Park Galichica – Podmochani – homehosted lunch in Dihovo - Bitola (80 km) (B, L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Trip to Bitola via the National Park Galichica. We will drive through the park and we will frequently stop to enjoy the magnificent views. Another brief stop is at the front line called the Macedonian front line during World War One. Then we will go down the mountain to Lake Prespa. We will visit the ethnological museum in the village Podmochani and some of us could dress national Macedonian clothes from the XIX century and take pictures. Drive to the village Dihovo and we will have home-hosted lunch. After that, we will visit the ancient Macedonian city Heraclea near Bitola and the Institute and Museum of Bitola – Memorial Room dedicated to Atatürk. Visit the center of Bitola: old houses along Main Street, and the cathedral St.Demetrius. Check in to a hotel and have time to explore the central street Shirok Sokak in Bitola. Overnight.
Day5
Bitola – Wine region Tikvesh– Stobi – Skopje (140 km) (B, L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Driving to Prilep (42 km) and visit the monastery, Archangel Michael, in Prilep, stroll to the city center. After that, we are driving to the biggest wine region in Macedonia – Tikvesh. There we will visit a winery where we will have lunch and wine tasting. Then, we will visit Stobi, an ancient city, and an archaeological site. The last stop for this day will be the capital of Macedonia – Skopje. We will make a short orientation tour through the city. Check-in the hotel. Overnight.
Day6
Skopje city tour (5 km) (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. We take you on a walking tour in Skopje. We will start with the Fortress Kale, where we will see the earliest history of Skopje. After that, we will visit the Church of Holy Salvation, where we can find the tomb of the most famous Macedonian revolutionary – Goce Delchev. We will continue our stroll through the old Turkish bazaar, which is the largest and most well-preserved bazaar in south-east Europe. We will see a few hammams, inns, and mosques from the Ottoman period. Our next sightseeing will be the Archaeological Museum of Macedonia. We will take a short coffee break, in a cafe on the bank of the River Vardar. After the break, we will visit the modern center of Skopje, which includes the monument and fountain of Alexander the Great, the Emperor Justinian, Tsar Samuil… After that, we will visit the Memorial house of Mother Theresa, the most famous citizen of Skopje. The last two sightseeings are the Museum of Skopje and the National Assembly. After that free time for the shopping centers. Overnight.
Day7
Skopje – Vodno – Matka – Skopje (40 km) (B, L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer with our vehicle to the hill Vodno and driving with a Cable car to visit the Millennium Cross. We are driving 20 minutes (around 20 km) to the Matka Canyon. We will walk around 30 minutes through wonderful nature in the area of Matka Canyon and the Treska River. After that, we will have lunch in the restaurant Canyon Matka. After lunch, we will sail on small boats to the cave Vrelo, where we will see from above the incredibly deep underwater cave. After that, we will return with the boats and visit the monastery St. Andrej from 1389, built by the brother of the last medieval king, Marko. Back to Skopje. Free time to visit the Museum of the Holocaust. Overnight.
Day8
Skopje – Skopje Airport (20 km) (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today, before the flight, we may take you to the old City Bazaar for shopping, or simply for chatting with local people and find out more about their everyday life and the culture here. Afterward, we will take you from the hotel to the Skopje International Airport. We hope that you truly Experienced Macedonia!
Services for the tour
- Professional local tourist guide
- All transfers with our vehicle
- Accommodation in hotels on BB basis
- Meals in restaurants according the program
- All entrance fees for museums and churches
- Rates depend on the number of travellers