The Wonders of Macedonia

Day 1 . Skopje, Macedonia

After the arrival at Skopje international airport, meet your english speaking guide and then head to the Northern Macedonia Capital – Skopje. Accommodation in hotel. Dinner and overnight in Skopje.

Day 2. Skopje - Matka Canyon - Skopje, Macedonia

Breakfast.We start the day with a visit to a city destroyed by an earthquake in 1963 that has completely rebuilt itself and offer a unique experience. You will enjoy a separate city between two cultures and two different lifestyles – the old part of the city including the Ottoman bazaar “Čaršija” and the “new city” mostly built after the earthquake. Stroll through its new city center to discover its famous fortress “Tvrdina Kale” and its stone bridge “Kameni Most” that divides the city into two parts. Lunch in Skopje. You will then arrive at Matka Canyon, a must-see place in Macedonia. Embark on a boat through the canyon to discover the Vrelo Caves, which are considered among the deepest underwater caves in the world. Return to Skopje at the end of the day. Dinner and overnight in Skopje.

Day 3. Skopje - Mavroro - Ohrid, Macedonia

Breakfast. After breakfast leave for the Mavrovo National Park. On the way to Ohrid you will make a stop at Tetovo to discover its 15th century painted Mosque of Sarena Dzamija. Painted both indoors and outdoors, it is one of the most beautiful mosques in Macedonia. Arrival in the Mavrovo National Park and enjoy sumptuous landscapes through, the Mavroro Lake and the Radika Canyon. You will stop at the Monastery of Saint Jovan Bigorski, located on the heights of the canyon, which represents one of the most beautiful monasteries in Macedonia.

Two possibilities for lunch (depending on the size of the group) Option 1: You will make a stop in the small village of Janche, in which a resident of the village has invested in the construction of houses using the materials of the time, you will have lunch in his restaurant. Option 2: Lunch at Saint Jovan Bigorski’s restaurant. After lunch, you will head to the waterfall of Duf for a small hike of about twenty minutes. Then take the road towards Ohrid, the Cradle of Orthodoxy. A UNESCO World Heritage City and a sublime lakeside city, which for many represents the culmination of the Macedonian experience, a Kingdom of light and water and a reference to the ancient ruins of traditional kingdom of Macedonia. Discover its historical heritage, well preserved as the church of St Jovan or the ancient theater dating from the Roman Empire. Dinner and overnight in Ohrid.

Day 4. Ohrid, Macedonia

Breakfast. After breakfast, embark on a boat to discover the wonders of Lake Ohrid. Visit the Bay of Bones Museum, an authentic reconstruction of part of a colony, dating from 1200 to 700 BC. Visit the Saint Naum Monastery. In the middle of lush greenery, the monastery of St. Naum. Built in the tenth century is a refuge of tranquility on the border between Albania and Macedonia. Lunch at Saint Naum. You will also visit the church of St. Mary in Zaum only accessible by boat. Return to Ohrid and free afternoon to enjoy the beaches of Ohrid or stroll through the old town. Dinner at a restaurant on Lake Ohrid with the possibility of being accompanied by Macedonian folk musicians. Overnight in Ohrid.

Day 5. Ohrid - Vevcani - Kalishta - Ohrid, Macedonia

Breakfast. After breakfast, you will reach the village of Vevcani at the foot of Jablanica Mountain. Village famous for its costume festival celebrating the new year according to the ancient Orthodox calendar which is one of the oldest of all the Balkans, having its origins more than 1400 years ago. Travel through this small village and walk along a wooden pontoon to enjoy the magnificent Vevcani water source. Continue your journey and join the village of Kalishta located at the edge of Lake Ohrid to visit its complex of monasteries of Saint Bogorodica. Visit first the monastery of the nativity-of-the-mother-of-god of Kalista founded in the 14th century. You will then follow the shore of Lake Ohrid to reach the St. Athansa Rock Church located on the cliff facing the lake. Lunch in Kalichta. Return to Ohrid in the afternoon and according to the schedule, guided tour of the city of Ohrid with the possibility to go to the fortress of Ohrid offering a magnificent view of the city. Dinner and overnight in Ohrid.

Day 6. Ohrid - Bitola - Popova Kula, Macedonia

After breakfast, take the road to Bitola, the second largest city in northern Macedonia. Guided tour of the city of consuls. You discover a Mediterranean-style city with its churches, mosques, old Ottoman bazaar and beautiful neoclassical houses. Before joining Bitola visit the archaeological site of “Heraclea Lyncestis” and discover the remains of this ancient city of the Kingdom of Macedonia whose foundations go back to the 4th century BC. Lunch in Bitola. Then you will visit the French military cemetery of Bitola where more than 13,000 French soldiers fallen during the First World War are buried. Continue to reach the Popova Kula vineyard. You will discover the wine culture of a small Macedonian vineyard located on the heights of a hill and offering a magnificent panoramic view of the region. Drop your bags in the hotel. Visit the vineyard and discover the traditional Macedonian wine production. Dinner in the vineyard with tasting of several local wines during the meal. Overnight at Popova Kula.

OPTION: Gala dinner accompanied by traditional Macedonian dances and music

Day 7. Popova Kula - Stobi - Skopje, Macedonia

Breakfast. After breakfast, head towards Stobi, the largest archaeological site in Macedonia. Discover the ruins of an ancient city established in the 4th century BC. J.-C and learn more about the history of the Romans present in the ancient territory of Macedonia. Arrival in Skopje in the afrenoon and drop your bags in your hotel. Afternoon free time in Skopje with the possibility of going to the funicular of the city. Join Mount Vodno and take the cable car to reach the 66-meter-high Millennium Cross atop Mount Vodno commemorating 2000 years of Christianity in Macedonia and around the world. Enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of the city (subject to availability). Dinner and overnight in Skopje.

Day 8. Skopje

After breakfast, free time until your transfer to Skopje airport for your return flight.