macedonia at glance

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Upon arrival we will have a sightseeing tour of Skopje (the Old Rail Station - built in 1938, which at a time it was the most beautiful train station on the Balkans but demolished by the terrible earthquake in 1963. Today is the home of the city museum of Skopje with a permanent exhibition representing the history of Skopje, from the first recorded settlements around 3000 BC to the present; Memorial House of Mother Theresa - opened on 30th of January 2009. The location of the Memorial House is not randomly chosen but is on the exact place where the old Catholic Church “Sacred heart of Jesus” used to stand. It is where Mother Theresa, then Gonxa Bojaxhiu was baptized just one day after her birth, on the 27th of August 1910, place where she received her first communion and where she finds her inner peace after her father’s death; pedestrian street “Makedonija” - which is full of coffee bars and restaurants, very lively during the whole day and especially in the warm summer nights. A few steps and we are on the main square now with a lot of monuments representing the old and rich Macedonian history with a central 30 meters high Statue of Alexander the Great; Stone Bridge - which is the symbol of the city is connecting the main square and the Old bazaar. It is built of solid stone blocks and is supported by firm columns that are connected with 12 semicircular arches. According to certain data the Stone Bridge was built in the 6th century, whereas in its present form it was raised upon the old foundation in the time of the Sultan Murat 2nd in the first half of the 15th century. This monumental building has undergone larger repairs through the centuries, but today the bridge has kept the primary shape and form; Kale Fortress; the Church of St. Spas with its intricately carved walnut iconostasis; Museum of Ilinden Uprising (1903); At the Old Turkish Bazaar we will explore the Ottoman monumental architecture of the beautiful Mustafa Pasha Mosque). Transfer back to the hotel. Overnight Skopje.

 
After breakfast check out from the hotel and visit the Matka canyon, located near Skopje (The vast canyon is a protected natural reserve and home to several medieval monasteries, amazing caves, and a wide variety of wildlife. We will have a boat trip and visit of the Vrelo cave. The cave was listed as one of the top 77 natural sites in the world in the “New 7 Wonders of Nature” project. Though the exact depth of the cave is unknown, and the international team is still exploring the cave. According to the speleologists assessments, Vrelo‘s depth is 330 m, which makes it deepest underwater cave in the world). We continue to Ohrid. On our way through the Mavrovo National Park we will visit the Monastery of St. Jovan Bigorski or St. John the Baptist, founded in 1020 (Inside the church we'll find unique works such as The Miraculous Icon of St. John the Baptist, more than 12 centuries old. The main attraction is the priceless awe-inspiring wood carved iconostasis depicting biblical scenes. The monastery is rich in icons painted from the 16th to 20th centuries and is a synthesis of Byzantine, Renaissance, and Baroque influences). Arrival and overnight in Ohrid

After breakfast we start the drive to visit the Bay of Bones Museum (On the southern coast of Gradiste Peninsula in the Bay of Bones, a pile-dwelling settlement has been erected, which in the past was spreading at a total surface of 8.500 m2. Bay of the Bones is an authentic reconstruction of a part of the pile-dwelling settlement, dating back between 1200 and 700 BC. A Roman military fortification (Gradiste) has been reconstructed on the hill above the Bay of Bones simultaneously with constructing the pile-dwelling settlement and the Water Museum. The walls of the fortification that once had protected the Roman Empire from its enemies are once again lifted on the hill near Gradiste. The Roman fortress relates to the settlement in order for tourists and visitors to be given an extraordinary opportunity to experience time travel, from prehistoric to ancient times and vice versa). We continue to the Monastery of St. Naum (Its founder Naum was one of the disciples of Cyril and Methodius – the founders of the Cyrillic alphabet, who died in 910 A.D. and was buried in the monastery. It is most famous for the impressive wood-carved iconostasis from 1711, the despotic icons by painter Constantine, the royal doors by painter Michael, and the frescoes showing St. Naum's miracles in the funeral chapel, painted by artist Trpo in 1799-1806). Overnight Ohrid.

Start the day with a sightseeing tour of the most famous Ohrid amenities (Church of St. Sofia - one of the most impressive medieval buildings in Ohrid; the Plaoshnik archaeological site - an utterly unique phenomenon of Byzantine architecture; King Samuel’s fortress; the Ancient Theater - it was built on the hills of the old town of Ohrid in the 3rd century B.C; church of St. Jovan Kaneo - located on one of the most beautiful spots in Ohrid, this church was built in the 13th century, successfully combining the Byzantine and Armenian styles; the old Ohrid bazaar - one of the liveliest parts of Ohrid, especially on the so called market days, where numerous customers, as well as food products, may also buy various handmade items. Especially interesting are the clay products, the old Macedonian musical instruments, and the famous Macedonian embroidery). Overnight Ohrid.