Stad (peninsula)

Travel to Macedonia

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• published: 15 May 2015
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Travel to Macedonia www.kosmostrip.net DAY 1: Skopje Arrival at Skopje Airport. Transfer to the city center. Accommodation. Overnight in Skopje. DAY 2: Skopje - Skopje surroundings Breakfast. 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. Free time in the town center. In the afternoon – visit to St. Panteleymon Monastery in the slopes of Mount Vodno: built and decorated with magnificent frescoes in 12th century, it is considered to be one of the predecessors of European Renaissance art. From here we continue by the ski lift to the top of Mount Vodno to enjoy the panorama form the Millenium Cross on its highest peak. Return to Skopje. Overnight in Skopje. DAY 3: Lake Matka - Tetovo - Mavrovo - Debar area 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. We continue to Tetovo, one of the largest cities in Macedonia, for a visit to the famous Colored Mosque – one of the emblems of Ottoman architecture in Macedonia. 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. Drive to Kosovrasti Baths. Accommodation and overnight. DAY 4: Struga - Kalishta - Ohrid Breakfast. Visit to the located near Kosovrasti village St. George Monastery – once nunnery of Hilendar Monastery, today it is one of the best representatives of monastic life in Macedonia. Drive to Struga. City tour in the center – Struga old market, the house of Miladinovi with the town museum, dedicated to the most famous poetic festival on the Balkan Peninsula. Visit to the church of St. George from 1863. Drive to Kalishta Monastery, located on the shores of the deepest lake on the Balkan Peninsula – Ohrid Lake, not far from Struga. Tour of the complex, consisting of 5 churches, of which the oldest is the rock church of “Sveta Bogoroditsa” (Virgin Mary) from 15th century – one of the typical representatives of Ohrid late mediaeval painting school. Drive to Ohrid Riviera. On the way – visit to the rock church of St. Erasmus, dedicated to the first Christian missionary in this region who baptized thousands of people in the waters of Ohrid lake back in 3rd century. Accommodation. Overnight in Ohrid. DAY 5: 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.