FYR of Macedonia Off The Beaten Path

Do not forget to hike on the...

by Backo

Do not forget to hike on the beautiful mountains with their unique and wonderful flora and fauna. After that, you will feel enlightened.Very often, during winter months, the mist embraces my hometown of Skopje. Near Skopje, the mountain Vodno is a nice place to go hiking, escape the mist, get some sun... There are countless paths that lead to the top of Vodno. Once you reach the top you can take a rest in the 'hikers' house' and have a tea with rum (it doesn't matter if they are out of tea, I'll have the rum). The woods is consisted of all types of descidious and evergreen trees, different types of shrubs in all different colours. There was a little bit of snow yesterday (4.Dec.00), it formed all kinds of shapes on the grass and the fallen tree leaves. (I'll show you the photos I've taken). The birds were chirping in the crisp, cool mountain air. I provoked them imitating the sounds they...

The city of Kriva Palanka was...

by kaliopA

The city of Kriva Palanka was founded in 1634, during the rule of the Turkish vizier Bajram-Pasha. In order to strengthen their rule against rebellious Macedonian population, the Turks built a fortress preserving the safety of the caravans from Skopje, Thesaloniki and Dubrovnik and other cities which used to pass through the region of Kriva Palanka. Besides this important corridor has been used by the troops of the tzar Samuil in the X century, the army of the Serbian king Stevan Dechanski, the armies of the Turkish sultan Murat I on his way to Kosovo Pole (1389) and of Mehmed II “Conqueror” on his way to Bosnia, and also by numerous cravens, merchants and travelers such as Evlija Chelebija, Hadzi Kalpha, Ami Bue, Konstantin Irechek etc.

UNDOUBTEDLY: Hiking tours...

by Malecka

UNDOUBTEDLY: Hiking tours through the beautiful mountains. Pelister, Mavrovo and in the 'GOOD, OLD DAYS' Popova Sapka, which I now have to exclude from this list because of certain events... Hopefully in near future I will add it again.ALSO: try spending a weekend in some of the monasteries in Macedonia: St. Jovan Bigorski, St Joakim Osogovski, then Treskavec... (the prices are even ridicilously low for an over-night and the country-side is a reward for itself)

STRUGA:Struga is the capital...

by macedonia

STRUGA:Struga is the capital of poetry and one of the cradles of the Macedonian spiritual revival in the 19th century, for it is the birthplace of the outstanding poets and educators, the brothers Dimitrija and Konstantin Miladinov. Here, one is charmed by the source of the river Crn Drim, which flows into Lake Ohrid and runs across it, only to emerge again with its clear and greenish water, and beautify the already delightful town of Struga. This town is a famous tourist resort, and it is an eternal inspiration for poets from all over the world. Since 1962, each year at the second half of August, the Struga Poetry Evenings held in honor of brothers Miladinov, have gathered poets from all the continents. The Struga Poetry Festival is one of the oldest, largest, and most renowned of its kind in the world. There are several cultural monuments in Struga and in its vicinity such as the...

Mount Vodno

by alectrevor

On top of mount Vodno is a huge Cross built in 2000. Vodno is 1066 metres high, there are marked hiking paths to the Cross for the fit people. Looking at it from Skopje was enough for me,

Old Stone Aqueduct, Skopje

by Pijlmans

Just outside of Skopje lie the ruins of an old aqueduct, surely worth visiting if you´re into things like this. You´ll probably have to do this by car (we did) or cab.

Old Architecture

by kaliopA

In all the towns you'll be able to visit the old parts and find very sweet old houses like this one.This one has been taken in Kriva Palanka.

Mountain landscapes

by kaliopA

Bitola

by AndreSTGT

If you're on your way from Macedonia to Greece the pleasant town of Bitola near the border is well worth a visit for its lively pedestrianised center with beautifully restored houses and cafés.