Day 01
Skopje Highlights and Canyon Matka
- Our tour starts at Fortress Kale, from where we will have a fantastic view of the new part of the city, which was mostly built after the big earthquake in 1963, the USA Embassy, and Mountain Vodno. You will also hear a short story about this region's long and rich history, followed by free time for taking photos and exploring the fortress.
- Later, we continue to the Old Bazaar, home to Mustapha Pasha Mosque (1492) and the Church of the Holy Saviour, the only Orthodox Christian object constructed in the Old Bazaar during the Ottoman period (14th-20th centuries). The Turkish baths - Chifte Hammam and Daut Pasha Hammam, dating back to the 15th century - will also be on our agenda before we come near the modern part of the city on the right bank of the River Vardar.
- Before we cross the Stone Bridge, one of the oldest landmarks of Skopje, we can see the Holocaust Memorial Centre.
- Our walk will continue across the Stone Bridge to the central square, where many new monuments connected with Macedonian history are situated.
- Before leaving the centre of the Macedonian metropolis, we will visit the Memorial House of Mother Teresa, the most famous humanist born in this part of the world. There will then be free time for coffee, a snack, or lunch.
- Around 15:00, the tour continues with a visit to Canyon Matka, about 15 km southwest of Skopje, which covers an area of around 5,000 ha.
- Once there, we continue with a walk along the bank of the River Treska, famous for the kayaking competitions that take place on it.
- We follow the path that goes by the dam and the artificial Lake Matka, and we reach the Monastery of St. Andrew.
- After this, we go on a boat ride on Canyon Matka, which is 8 km long, and enjoy the magnificent surroundings, the scents of the flora, and the songs of the numerous birds that live here.
- See Cave Vrelo, one of the deepest underwater caves in Europe. If we are lucky, we will also see wild animals such as ducklings swimming in the lake or some of the 77 different species of Balkan endemic small butterflies flying around us.
