Upon invitation of the National Agency for Promotion and Support of Tourism of Macedonia, tourism journalists from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro visited this country full of cultural / historical heritage, natural rarities, imaginable gastronomy and above all, kind people. With 230 sunny days, this ancient country of incredible beauty, impressive opportunities for holiday, enjoyment and adventure, the country having 38 mountains, 3 National Parks, 43 natural and artificial lakes, 346 caves, among them some are the deepest underwater caves in Europe, 1,600 picturesque villages and rural areas, the country of wine regions and gastronomy surprises by an unexpected and quite different perspective of the unity of diversity.
From Skopje, as the starting destination full of of surprises in any sense of the word, we went up the Vodno mountain and arrived at the village Nerezi, in which diversity turned into the perfect unity - on one side of the road cultural heritage in the form of Saint Pantelejmon Monastery, with the authentic frescoes from the 12th century and on the other one the hotel complex Macedonian Village, built in the traditional spirit of Macedonian architecture, with superb comfort, with the details such as extended windows and red paprikas or tobacco dried in the hot Macedonian sun. And near this all also Matka, the narrow canyon of the lower flow of the Treska river, one of the most popular adventure destinations, including the beautiful Matka Lake, sloped rocks of the nearby mountains and the exciting caves and picturesque Medieval Monasteries. In Macedonia, history and tradition are present everywhere. Whether it is the Saint Jovan Bigorski Monastery from the 11th century, the Churches of Saint Jovan Bogoslov - Kaneo or Saint Kliment in Ohrid, the Orthodox Saint Naum Monastery, built in 900, on a high rock above the coast, the Archeological locality Stobi, the old "Consular" city Bitola or the bestselling tourism product Ohrid. And when we add to the history and tradition also the nature, gastronomy and hospitality and neglect the Balkan mentality, here is the winning combination.
Tourism in Macedonia is not the primary economic branch, but the tourism journalists of the Balkans and among them also the Internet Serbia Travel News Team, were fully aware of intensive work in this country on its development. Mr.Ljupčo Janevski, CEO of the Agency for Promotion and Support of Tourism of Macedonia, who was an outstanding host for us, says "Macedonia should be visited because it is beautiful, and food and hospitality are like that, as well. Thus, our promotional slogan for this and the next year is "MACEDONIA YOUR NEXT DESTINATION", because "If Macedonia already was the UNCOVERED TOURISM WEALTH, now, after the discovery, it is time for it to become the next destination". After the visit to Macedonia, we fully agree with this slogan, as well.
  
OHRID - JERUSALEM OF THE BALKANS
|
The best known and best visited travel destination of Macedonia - Ohrid, under UNESCO protection, may freely be called Jerusalem of the Balkans with its 365 churches. It is located at the lake under the same name, the oldest and deepest natural lake in Europe, was originally, as told us by Ms.Živka Cvetkoska Andonoska, from the Agency for Promotion and Support of Tourism of Macedonia, "The ancient town Lihnid, then the shortcut from Rome to the Eastern Empire, then the seat of Samuilo's Empire, the culture capital of Slavic nations during Kliment and Naum Ohridski, at the age of the Turks an important fortress on the old road from the Adria to Constantinople". And the remnants of all this are easily available from the land, or, even more beautifully, from the water, at the nearby Saint Naum and the Drim spring for the tourists, who should, like we did, just relax to the atmosphere, sounds, aromas and tastes around them.
 |
|
|
GASTRONOMIJA IN |
Macedonia is "the promised land" for all gourmets and fans of the home made, good and healthy food. Hence, every lunch starts begins with salad, popularly called 'Appetizer'. Then follow red cream salads ajvar, pinđur, ljutenica or makalo. There are also the traditional Macedonian meals "Gravče na tavče", "Turlitava", "Ohridska pastrva", "Čomlek", "Pastrmajlija", "Musaka," "Kapama", etc. I should not miss the compulsory pies and green pastry.
  
|
početna
strana |
|
 
SKOPLJE - THE CITY OF SURPRISE |
Skopje, capital of Macedonia, is full of surprises. The ancient history left to it The Stone (Dušan's) Bridge and the Fortress (Kale) from the 6th century, The Old Town from the 12th century (the largest one in the Balkans), Saint Dimitrije Church from the 16th century and many other things. Slightly later history gave the Memorial House of Mother Teresa (born in Skopje on August 26, 1910). The new history founded many facades within the Project Skopje 2014, which, owing to the gypsum they are covered with, remind of the Roman, Greek or Austrian architecture, Triumphal Arch, countless monuments with the Ancient (some say 'kitch') look and suspicious statical calculation, such as the giant Aleksandar Makedonski on the Horse, as well as the galleons in the middle of the shallow Vardar. The latest history, distanced from the previous one, created murals on concrete walls as "The new step to the future", as mentioned by Mr. Petre Šilegov, Mayor of the City of Skopje. And all together, whatever someone saw and interpreted, is incredibly attractive bait for tourists arriving there from the whole world. They go, walk around, believe or do not believe their eyes, make photos and have no idea what kind of trouble has got the new Government to decide what to do with these remnants of the old/new age. .
 |
|
BITOLA - NOBLE AND AUTHENTIC |
|
Bitola, one of the oldest cities in the Balkans, located in the Southwestern Macedonia, belongs to the most popular destinations at the travel map. The second large city in Macedonia, famous as the 'Consular City', due to many Diplomatic representatives, is worth visiting also due to the most authentic street - Wide Alley, in which Milton Manaki had a photo shop once and in it is also the house with balcony where, according to the legend, the beautiful Eleni Karinte, looked after her love, Mustafa Kemala Ataturk, at that time the student of the Military High School in Bitola and later the founder and first President of the modern Turkey. Her love letter is in the National Museum in Bitola, one of the most interesting ones in Macedonia.
 
|
|
| THE COUNTRY OF SUN AND TASTE |
And at the end, as well known, kadaif, tulumbe and baklave. Tourism journalists traveling in Macedonia also had the extraordinary pleasure of completing all this gastronomic 'beauty' by visits to the original restaurants "Stara kuća" in Skopje, "Ostrovo" near the Saint Naum Monastery, where food is enjoyed during sailing to the Drim spring and particularly in the village Janče, Mavrovo Municipality, where Tefik Tefikoski in his facility Tutto connects his cooking skills with natural products. An unforgettable gastronomic experience. The food is followed also bt the most demanded wine types, uch as Vranac, Smederevka and Žilavka from the far famous wineries Stobi, Tikveš, Popove Kule and others.
|
|
|
