Travel to Macedonia

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• published: 15 May 2015
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travel to macedonia www.kosmostrip.net ITINERARY: SKOPJE - MAVROVO - OHRID - BITOLA - KASTORIA - EDESSA - VERGINA - PELLA - THESSALONIKI - SANDANSKI - MELNIK - BLAGOEVGRAD - RILA MONASTERY - SOFIA / SKOPJE DAY 1: Skopje Arrival at Skopje Airport. Transfer to the city center. City tour in the center of Skopje: Macedonia Square with the monumental sculptures of the “Skopje 2014” project, Mother Theresa’s Memorial House, the cathedral temple of St. Clement of Ohrid, built in 1990, Skopje Old Market (“charshiya”) from the times of the Ottoman empire, Skopje Fortress. Visit to the church of St. Spas – one of the most beautiful examples of Balkan Baroque. Here you can witness the well preserved iconostasis of Filipovi brothers from the beginning of 19th century with impressive deep woodcarving. Accommodation at hotel. Optional dinner at traditional Macedonian restaurant. Overnight in Skopje. DAY 2: Skopje - Mavrovo - Ohrid Breakfast. Drive to Lake Matka – relaxed park area in the beautiful surroundings of River Treska Canyon, where the oldest artificial lake in Macedonia has been built. Visit to St. Andrew Monastery, built in 1389 by one of the famous local mediaeval rulers – Andrew. Impressive frescoes have been preserved here. At noon – photo-break at the shores of Mavrovo Lake with its famous flooded church. Drive through the mountains of Western Macedonia to the beautiful monastery of St. John Bigorski – founded in the beginning of 11th century, it has been destroyed on many occasions during its turbulent history, but has always risen like a phoenix from the ashes. Today here you can witness myriad of treasures, including one of the most famous miraculous icons of Virgin Mary (three-handed) in Macedonia, beautiful wooden chest bought by local tradesman in Jerusalem, containing the relics of different Orthodox saints, and one of the most beautiful wood-carved iconostases on the Balkans. Departure for Ohrid Riviera. Accommodation and overnight. DAY 3: Ohrid - St. Naum Monastery Breakfast. Walking tour in old Ohrid – tourist pearl of Macedonia, city of 365 churches, part of the list of world cultural heritage of UNESCO. During this tour (appr. 3 hours) you will have the chance to see some of the masterpieces of Byzantine architecture and art on the Balkans: St. Sofia Church, St. Virgin Mary Peribleptos Church, St. John Kaneo Church, St. Clement and Panteleymon Church, the Ohrid collection of icons. Old town of Ohrid hides many other treasures too: Ancient Theater, Tsar Samuel’s Mediaeval Fortress, Robevi House – local historical and ethnographic museum, craftsmen workshops for production of paper, Ohrid pearls, wooden sculptures, etc. Free time in the town center. In the afternoon – drive to St. Naum Monastery, located 27 km south of Ohrid, on the lakeshore. Founded in the beginning of 10th century by one of the patrons of this area, St. Naum, this monastery is considered to be sacred place by both local Christians and Muslims. Tour of the complex – Church of the Archangels, St. Petka Chapel. Boat trip to the 14th century church of St. Virgin Mary – Zaum, accessible only from the lake, where the oldest icon depicting St. Naum has been discovered. Return to the hotel. Overnight Ohrid. DAY 4: Ohrid - Lake Prespa - Bitola - Kastoria Breakfast. Drive along the mountain road to Lake Prespa. Visit to the village of Kurbinovo and walk to the church of St. George – one of the most beautiful mediaeval churches in Macedonia. Drive to Bitola – once most important trade center in Macedonia, for which reason even today there are honorary consular representatives of France, Great Britain and Turkey, and Bitola is known as the City of Consuls. Visit to the Revival church of St. Demetrius from 1830. Visit to the archaeological reserve Heraclea Lynkestis. Free time. Departure for Macedonian-Greek border. After crossing the border drive to the town of Kastoria. Accommodation and overnight.