After arriving in Skopje, the nation’s capital, you’ll locate the mountain of Vodno just Fifteen minutes away. Follow well-marked trails underneath the cover of trees, over ridges, and after dark small houses and monasteries that dot its slopes. Your primary goal could be the peak at Krstovar, when the Millenium Cross, one of the largest Christian crosses on earth, is. From edinburgh, you\’ll be able to snap Insta-worthy panoramic shots of the city and surrounding areas before descending into Matka Canyon. Eat the historical mysteries at a wide variety of medieval monasteries, for example the St. Nikola Monastery that was built sometime until the 17th century.
From there, you can cross the gorge by bridge or by boat depending on path you ultimately choose. Matka Lake, the country’s oldest artificial lake, awaits hikers at the base within the canyon. Continue examining the 5,000-hectare canyon, go climbing, or check out other outdoor activities within the lake itself.
2. Rage the rapids or lounge and sail.
Once you’ve got down to Matka Lake, grab a paddle and brave the rapids for a whitewater kayaking or rafting trip. You can even paddle surrounding the calmer sections of the gorge and take in the towering cliff sides near you. For serious adrenaline junkies trying to venture outside Matka Canyon, the Vardar River offers whitewater rafting and kayaking tours, too.
The country’s popular Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa sit alongside each other along side borders provided Albania and Greece, and so are perfect locations for water sports to visit on the way into among those countries. Here, you’ll have a chance to sail and relax since you stare in awe for the lush mountain scenery and find more monasteries along side shores.
3. Get a bird’s-eye view of Macedonia.
If you simply paddle your path around Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa, you’re missing seeing the natural appeal of Macedonia from the different perspective. Pick the lake you intend to soar over in a guided paragliding experience and launch yourself from the 2,254-meter high mountain of Galičica, situated conveniently between both bodies of water. Around 40 minutes in mid-air gives thrill-seekers time to snap stunning photos on the lake and surrounding villages, forests, and mountains. With higher climate conditions, you’ll even get the chance to grab the reins and guide your glider to your ultimate rush.
4. Scuba dive at the Bay of Bones UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This is very little typo: you can find your scuba certification with Amfora Dive Center while in the landlocked Republic of Macedonia. It feels right a tome experience, though not for that reason you’d expect. While the Bay of Bones does host fish and flora (search for the Ohrid sponge), it’s the rich cultural history hidden beneath its depths that draw outdoor adventurers for your shores.
Finding your path beneath a reconstruction within the 8,500-square-meter, pile-dwelling settlement that after existed while in the Bronze and Iron Ages, you’ll uncover the secrets of Plocha Michov Grad. Stone and ceramic artifacts and animal bones litter the muddy lake floor on the wooden piles, giving divers an original glimpse at remnants of an prehistoric past. The museum above displays purses artifacts and educates visitors to the folks that called Lake Ohrid home.
5. Ride horses like the locals.
Get away from the clamor on the city and slip into the lake on horseback. Riding horses is a well-liked outdoor activity for tourists because it helps you to attain the more mountainous and remote corners of Macedonia and Mavrovo National Park, all the while magnificent culture of people who call these hills home. Sleep in old villages or when using the sky and stars because your ceiling inside warm months of summer. Meet locals and know about their cooking and farming techniques when you sample meals born of ancient recipes. This experience reinforces the connection between animals and individuals together with people and nature, not even close to the distractions of modern life.
6. Carve up the slopes across Macedonia in the winter months.
In winter, snow covers Macedonia’s mountains, along with the shredding commences. There are a selection of ski resorts located about the country with tracks to challenge people who find themselves beginners around alpine competitors. Visitors can enjoy Popova Sapka from the Šar Mountains above historic Tetovo, a town with ancient roots revealed in beautiful mosques, monasteries, and fortresses. One other resort is Kruševo, the biggest town in Macedonia at exceeding 1,350 meters. During the winter, locals hang yambolias (handwoven shaggy blankets) of their balconies as snow settles peacefully for the old-fashioned houses.
7. Tackle the mountainous terrain by bike.
Macedonia’s many kilometers of trails serve as your biking playground. Bikers rate several of these trails, including the Skopje-Veles route, as difficult or expert-only tracks, so ride at the own risk. But the variety of landscapes makes it possible for easier rides at the same time, plus a trip by using a tour group can help with transfers and add cultural experiences like food and wine tasting for the ride.
For a circuit of a single of the greatest mountain regions in Macedonia, cycle off-road inside Šar Mountains, through Mavrovo National Park, and round the lakes and mountains of Galičica National Park by using a tour from the Macedonian high trails. They’ll even coordinate wine tasting while in the Demir Kapija region, together with sightseeing in the UNESCO Heritage Site of Ohrid.
8. Toast to your great trip at Izlet in Skopje.
If you’re flying for your next destination from Skopje, grab a beer or maybe a coffee and kick it at Izlet. This shady, green oasis of calm sits off an abandoned street next to the center of the city. It’s the best spot for a gather with friends and recount your tales of bravado (or your wipeouts!) for your Macedonian adventure concerns a detailed.
