Rural life in Prespa lake region

Pick up from any hotel or address within Skopje. Morning drive to Prilep, with coffee stop on the way.

Prilep is located in the northern part of the valley and it is known as "the city beneath Marko's Towers" because of its proximity to the towers of the legendary hero, King Marko. Tobacco is one of the traditional cultures that thrives in the Macedonian climate. Many of the world's largest cigarette manufacturers use tobacco from Prilep after being processed at their local factories. When the Tobacco Institute was established for the creation of new types of tobacco. Most inhabitants live with tobacco production, which is then purchased from the Tobacco Company. In 2014, 9531 tons of tobacco were produced in the Prilep Field, which represents 34% of the total quantity of tobacco produced in Macedonia. In addition to tobacco production, among the large industrial enterprises also operate the Prilep brewery, the marble factory, as well as the famous beer festival  Pivofest.

Prespa lake is located on the south part of the country and it is one of not many lakes in the world which are divided between 3 countries. The largest part of the lake belongs to Macedonia and other two smaller parts belongs to Greece and Albania. The lake is located in a valley between two Macedonian national parks - Galichica and Pelister. It is the highest tectonic lake in the Balkans, standing at an elevation of 853 meters.

Prespa lake villages are founded on the slopes of Pelister National park and near Prespa lake coast line. 

Village Podmochani is located on the west part of Prespa lake, just 8 km from the nearest town Resen. In the village is founded an interesting museum – the richest private collection of folk costumes and items in Macedonia. Here you can see some of the oldest traditional folk costumes collected personally by the owner from all over Macedonia.
Kurbinovo is a village in the Resen Municipality, northeast of Lake Prespa. The village is located nearly 13 kilometers south of the municipal center of Resen. The village is best known for being home to the 12th century church. It is dedicated to St. George and it is located 2 km away from the village of Kurbinovo. Excavations have shown that the building has once belonged to a settlement, which was abandoned at the end of the 18th century for the present-day village of Kurbinovo. According to the research made on the church's frescoes, it is supposed that the church was built in the year 1191 by the Byzantines. The church is a "monument of culture" in the Republic of Macedonia and protected by law.
Ljubojno is a village located in the region of Prespa in Macedonian part of the lake, situated some 2 km from Prespa lake and about 5 km north of the Greek border, with elevation of about 920 m above sea level.

Dinner and overnight at local family owned guest house

Prespa lake is surrounded by two national parks - Pelister and Galichica. Drive around the lake with several photo stops and coffee stop. Passing the small city of Resen, the central town of Prespa valley and arrival to Bitola. 

Bitola is cultural, economic, industrial and educational centre for that southwest part of the country. The city is known as the "city of the consuls", because here the consular offices of the European countries were in the Ottoman Empire, where together with Thessaloniki it was the most important point in the European part of the Empire. The first consulate in Bitola was established in 1851 by the Austro-Hungarian Empire at that time, precisely at Shirok Sokak. Later it will be done by the British and the French, followed by the consuls from Russia, Italy, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. The first lamps of Shirok Sokak removed the darkness from the Clock Tower next to the Officer's House exactly at 17:00 on December 24, 1924. At that time, Shirok Sokok had offices of numerous foreign companies, prestigious restaurants, pastry shops, a branch of the Franco-Serbian Bank. That first consul period was the inspiration for numerous consuls songs, for the carriages, for the pianos, for the famous ckembe stew, for the Vlach district and the yellow houses, for love. The dream of the citizens of Bitola their city to become consul city once again, were achieved with the independence of Macedonia.

Time at leisure in the city center. You can have a lunch at some of many traditional restaurants in the city center. Afternoon visit to Krusevo. 

Kruševo with it's location on 1,350 metres above sea level is the only mountain city in Macedonia and the highest city in the Balkans. In Macedonian the name means the 'place of pear trees'. Krusevo lies on the western mountain edge of the Pelagonia Valley, in the spring valley section of the Krusevo River. This river divides the city into two parts: the larger on the left and the smaller one on the right. The houses in the city are set amphitheatrically. Because of its specific morphoplasty, Krusevo is considered to be a typical mountain town. Visit to Makedonium monument. The Ilinden uprising Memorial Complex, also known as Makedonium, is one of the most remarkable monuments in Krusevo and Macedonia. It was established on August 2, 1974, at the thirtieth anniversary of the ASNOM session and the 71st anniversary of the Ilinden Uprising and it is located immediately next to Krusevo, in the site Gumenje. It is a complex of four platforms that symbolize the invincibility, the struggle and the eternal aspiration of the Macedonian people for freedom and an independent state.

Late afternoon drive back to Skopje.