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Macedonia or the Republic of Macedonia is a country located in the central Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe. Macedonia is a mountainous country with more than 50 lakes and sixteen mountains higher than 2,000 m (6,562 ft). There are three large lakes ( Ohrid Lake, Prespa Lake and Dorjan Lake), each divided by a frontier line, and the country bisected by the Vardar River.
Macedonia has warm, dry summers and autumns, and relatively stable winters with warm temperatures. Macedonia is blessed with outstanding natural beauty. Do not miss a trip to one of the large lakes, Pelister Mountains, Shar Planina in the West, and the fascinating rolling hills and mountains of the East with its rice fields. The Country has 3 National Parks (Mavrovo, Galicica, Pelister).
Macedonia is dotted with beautiful Orthodox churches, monasteries, and Ottoman mosques. The territory of the Republic of Macedonia has a proud history. Macedonia has been part of many countries, but until its incorporation into Yugoslavia it was never acknowledged as an administrative “state.” The country officially celebrates 8 September 1991 as Independence Day.
The national tourist attraction is Ohrid and Ohrid Lake. Ohrid is more expensive than any other destination in the Republic of Macedonia. The hotel prices are very expensive throughout the country and charge double rates to foreigners. It is therefore advisable to stay in private accommodation.
The Macedonian cuisine is particularly diverse. It is a representative of the cuisine of the Balkans—reflecting Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences. The famous salad is Shopska Salad (mixed salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, and grated cheese). Another local speciality is ajvar, a red paste made from roasted peppers and tomatoes, which is either used as an appetizer or side dish. Another typical local dish is tarator which is comparable to the Tzatziki. It is made of yogurt, cucumbers, and garlic and it is served as a cold soup. Macedonian cuisine is also noted for the diversity and quality of its dairy products, wines, and local alcoholic beverages, such as rakija. Rakija is a strong grape or plum brandy and it’s a national beverage. The national dish in Macedonia is Tavce Gravce. It basically consists of beans, peppers and other vegetables so can be eaten by vegetarians. Traditionally, it is served with cut sausage mixed and eaten with bread. It is a delicious meal that will definitely leave you feeling full!
Parts of Shar Mountain resemble scenes from a fairy tale during autumn and the season’s magical show includes views of sheep returning to their pens after grazing, sights of evergreen trees, a chilly breeze serving as a reminder that summer is gone, the sun peaking through the clouds...
A person would be doing himself a favor by visiting Shar Mountain, or by sharing the experience with family or loved ones. Unjustly abandoned when its not winter (ski) season, the location is almost visitor-free during this time of year.
Hikers, enthusiasts and lovers of nature make time to visit during the weekends occasionally. Familiar with what the mountain has to offer, they delve into hiking adventures along trails leading to the mountain range peaks.
Autumn, unlike summer, offers different activity opportunities. If you are not at work, or in school, then you should definitely embark on a mountain adventure and enjoy what autumn has to offer. Shar Mountain is definitely a great choice.
If you live in Skopje or in some other city located in the Polog Valley then Popova Shapka and the ski center Popova Shapka should be on your must see list.
Popova Shapka can be easily reached by car as the roads are free of snow at present. Parking space is available since there aren’t many visitors in fall.
Upon arrival there, you can immediately feel the fresh air energizing your body. If the weather is sunny then you can expect an invigorating weekend. If you are in shape, it is recommended that you hike along the ski trails. Exploring Shar Mountain trails gives a sense of freedom which is quite enjoyable.
Another location in the vicinity that is worth visiting is Shipkovichki Bachila. It takes 15 minutes to reach the place using a terrain vehicle from Popova Shapka. The spot’s scenery is somewhat similar to something one would see at locations in the Alps.
Braver hikers can even attempt to reach Titov Vrv, the highest peak of Sar Mountain. If you start at Popova Shapka, it would take you 4 hours to reach the apex that sits at 2,748 m above sea level.
Hiking trails leading to the highest peak reveal extraordinary sights of the Polog Valley. But without wind, the view might be blocked by an endless ‘blanket’ of polluted air. Still, avoiding pollution might be the only incentive you need to spend a weekend at Shar Mountain.
The monastery complex ‘St Naum of Ohrid’ gives an additional sense of serenity while visiting this location. Those that just want to enjoy the weekend without delving into any extreme adventures can do so at the Konak inn, which offers enjoyable accommodation at a fair price.
As a born Macedonian i know that Macedonia has plenty of caves.Many of them are discover but same number are not discover yet.Caving not just in Macedonia is not a big travel activity. But many people are fascinate with caves and what they have and all this mysticism around them. Grow up in a city with many caves around me so caving was a type of activity was doing since a young age.Macedonia by the official document has 346 caves. But among the people there is a rumor that exist more than 500. I will write about some of them where they are what you can see and how to get there.
CAVING IN PESHNA CAVE-MAKEDONSKI BROD
Located on 6km from Makedonski brod (south west Macedonia) Peshna cave is one of the biggest and most amazing caves in Macedonia.Even famous New York Post state that this cave is same as Lord of the Ring cave .On the entrance of the cave there is midevil fortress. When snow melt a strong creak is going through the north part of the cave.To get there you drive on R1303 road from Prilep to Makedonski Brod. Than you continue on R1106 in direction to village Devich.On around 2,5-3 km from the spot where you turn onto R1106 youll seefrom the right site . There is around 500m dirt road to the Peshna Cave. Enviririoment is amazing and you will love the view since the first second.As i felt in love in this place and coming every week almost there. MORE HERE
CAVING IN VRELO CAVE -SKOPJE /MATKA
Located in the canyon of Matka near Skopje the capital of Macedonia Vrelo cave is one of the most beautiful in Macedonia. Is separated in 2 caves .Underwater one is still not completely discover but is thought that is 330m deep which will made this cave deepest in the world. Italian divers come few times to explore the underwater cave but still dont have exact fact how deep is. But they are sure is very deep.
The other part of Vrelo which is on the ground has amazing scenery inside. From the entrance of the cave there is an amazing view on the canyon Matka. To get there you need to catch a bus from Skopje or by car.When you leave Skopje, head for Tetovo. Before you reach the highway, turn left (unfortunately, there wasn’t a road sign when I last visited, so it’s perhaps best to ask the locals).
When you cross the steel bridge, follow the road for another 2 km (the road is not wide and in a poor state, winding through a village). Turn left again and follow the road to a parking space (you can’t miss it, it’s the only one I think).With bus 60 .The 60 is the bus to Matka. But, as a big city bus, it only goes Train station-Holiday Inn- Partizanski Odredi- Saray-Matka.Its definitely worth to visit . MORE HERE
CAVING IN SLATINA CAVE - MAKEDONSKI BROD
Through the narrow hole at a depth of 1.5 meters, where you have to crawl in the water, it is entered into so far the largest Macedonian cave “Slatin Spring” (“Slatinski Izvor”), located in the area of Slatina village, fifteen miles away from Makedonski Brod. The entrance of the cave, which has been known to be 3,000 m long, is located on the left side of the confluence of the Slatina River in Treska, on 495 meters above the sea level.Тhe cave is consisted of a long channel, which branches out in several longer and shorter canals. So far 800 meters of length of the cave have been examined, 705 meters of which belong to the main cave channel. In separate locations of the main channel the cave pillars and stalactites dominate, and in the biggest cave hall (20×15 m) larger stalagmites have been built.
CAVING IN VELES MACEDONIA-PESHTI COMPLEX
As a person born in Veles this area i know most .On 7 km from the city there is Babuna River where is located complex of pre-christian cave churches called Peshti. Peshti caves are overlooking the small babuna river canyon and view from the top of the hill is amazing . To get there is very easy you get to the entrance of Babuna river recreational zone and from there 2 km by foot through some amazing scenery.When you get to this hidden place is just like a place from another world….There is many of this caves all around the place.
CAVING GONOVICA CAVE and UBAVICA CAVE (BEAUTY CAVE)- GOSTIVAR
The longest cave in Macedonia at 1.2km, is Gonovica south of Gostivar. Which has an underground river and the highest underground waterfall of 7 m. Near here is also Ubavica Cave, almost a kilometer in length and boasting an underground waterfall.
Those are just few of the many caves for caving in Macedonia. If i write for all of them will take me probable a week so i would like to invate you here and explore all of them. Maybe we dont have a white sandy beaches but we have a cave beauty that cant match with anything .
[h=1]Die Welt: Was Sie noch nicht über Mazedonien wussten[/h] Artikel
Mazedonien wird als Reiseziel unterschätzt. Neben kulturellen Highlights wie dem Karneval gibt es auch spezielle kulinarische Genüsse. Und eine weltberühmte Frau spielt eine ganz besondere Rolle.
Der Harnisch golden, das Haar lockig, der Blick heroisch: Es ist unverkennbar Alexander der Große, der durch Mazedoniens Hauptstadt Skopje reitet. Offiziell heißt das 2011 eingeweihte Monument „Krieger zu Pferd“ – aus Rücksicht auf Griechenland. Athen spricht der seit 1991 unabhängigen früheren jugoslawischen Republik das Recht ab, als Nachfolger der alten Makedonier aufzutreten und torpediert deshalb die EU-Aufnahme Mazedoniens.
Die Perlen
Sogar in Londons Schatzkammer liegen sie – mazedonische Ohrid-Perlen. Ihren Namen haben sie vom Ohridsee, wo vor 90 Jahren ein Sudverfahren entwickelt wurde, um Rohperlen in schimmernde Preziosen zu verwandeln. Zwei Familien hüten die Geheimrezeptur, bei der Schuppen des im See lebenden Plasica-Fisches eine Rolle spielen. 2001 erhielt Queen Elizabeth II. eine Ohrid-Kette zum Geschenk; seither verkaufen sich die Perlen noch besser.
Der Wallfahrtsort
Nach der Heiligsprechung Mutter Teresas Anfang September reiste Papst Franziskus zwar nicht selbst nach Skopje, in die Geburtsstadt der Nonne, sondern schickte den Erzbischof von Sarajevo, Kardinal Puljic. Die Mazedonier waren dennoch glücklich. Denn der Geistliche segnete die Kapelle des Mutter-Teresa-Hauses. Womit die 2009 eröffnete Gedenkstätte zu einem Wallfahrtsort avancieren dürfte. Schon jetzt kommen jährlich 100.000 Besucher.
Der Karneval
Deutsche Narren, die vor den großen Umzügen an Rhein und Ruhr schon mal vorheizen wollen, sollten am 12. Januar ins mazedonische Vevchani fahren, ein schon zu römischen Zeiten für seine Feste berüchtigtes Bergdorf. Da hier noch der alte julianische Kalender gilt, fällt der Karneval in den Januar. Die Kostüme sind teils archaisch – und die Gelage dionysisch.
Der Wein
Gerade mal rund 100 Kilometer Luftlinie liegen zwischen der mazedonischen Weinregion Tikveš und Pella in Griechenland, wo Alexander der Große zur Welt kam. Eine Distanz, die schon vor 2400 Jahren als Katzensprung galt, weshalb die mazedonischen Winzer auch gern betonen, dass schon der trinkfeste Eroberer die kräftigen roten Stanusina-Weine im Keller hatte.
Die autochthone Rebsorte wird seit Urzeiten auf dem Gebiet des heutigen Mazedoniens angebaut. Dass sich mit Alexander gute Geschäfte machen lassen, wissen die Mazedonier, die bereits einige Weine unter dem Label „Alexandria“ vermarkten. Nun wollen sie offenbar mithilfe des Hellenen ein Stück mehr der (Wein)-Welt erobern. Die Stanusina-Crna-Lagen in Tikveš jedenfalls werden immer größer.
Das Gedenkzentrum
7144 Menschen wurden 1943 nach Treblinka verschleppt und ermordet, nahezu die gesamte jüdische Gemeinde Mazedoniens. Ein 2011 eröffnetes Holocaust-Gedenkzentrum erzählt die Geschichte der Juden auf dem Balkan und ihrer Deportation in die Vernichtungslager. Es ist nach Israel, New York und Berlin das viertgrößte jüdische Museum weltweit und steht dort, wo sich einst das jüdische Viertel von Skopje befand. Der moderne Bau wurde unter anderem aus einem Regierungsfonds finanziert. Er soll die Enteignungen mazedonischer Juden in den 1940er-Jahren kompensieren helfen.
Das Zitat
„Komm herüber nach Mazedonien und hilf uns.“ Aus der Apostelgeschichte des Lukas: Paulus soll nächtens eine Vision gehabt haben, in der ihn ein Mann aus Mazedonien um Hilfe bat. Daraufhin missionierte Paulus auf der südlichen Balkanhalbinsel, in der historischen Region Makedonien. Dessen nördlicher Teil gehört heute zur Republik Mazedonien, der Süden des historischen Gebiets bildet die Region Makedonien in Nordgriechenland.
Der Nachrichtensender Euronews mit einer weiteren Folge über Makedonien in Zusammenarbeit mit Macedonia Timeless:
Das Echo der Jahrhunderte: Die Klöster von Vodocha und Veljusa Das Kloster St. Leonthius von Vodocha stammt aus den frühen Jahrhunderten des Christentums. Seine aktuelle Gestalt bekam es im Mittelalter. Bis heute praktizieren hier Nonnen ihren Glauben.
Ein Erdbeben brachte 1931 das Gewölbe der Kirche zum Einsturz. Ein halbes Jahrhundert später wurde sie historisch akkurat wiederhergestellt, erklärt der Priester Grigorij: “Bei der Restaurierung ist man in derselben Weise vorgegangen wie beim Bau der Kirche, man hat nur Steine und Ziegel verwendet, im byzantinischen Stil, der typisch für ältere Kirchen ist.”
Die Klöster von Vodocha und Veljusa, beide in der Nähe der ostmazedonischen Stadt Strumica, sind Anziehungspunkt für Pilger ebenso wie für Bewunderer von religiöser Kunst und Geschichte.
Wenn man die Brücke in Zovikj in der malerischen Mariovo Region so ansieht würde man denken die Brücke stehe hier schon Jahrhunderte. Im Grunde ja, denn die damaligen osmanischen Besatzer bauten dort vor langer Zeit eine Brücke - eine Holzbrücke.
Tatsächlich aber wurde die Steinbrücke erst 1955-56 über den Fluss Gradeshka Reka errichtet. Der Grund war ein ein überladener Ochsenkarren. Als der Kutscher den Karren über die Brücke rangierte brach die Brücke in sich ein. Laut dem Tenor der lokalen Bevölkerung passierte das Unglück just als der Karren genau die Mitte erlangte und die Brücke sich halbiert hätte. Die Ochsen wurden nach dem Unfall notgeschlachtet, der Kutscher wurde nach Bitola ins Krankenhaus eingeliefert. Er trug schwere Verletzungen davon aber lebte noch Jahre lang, wenn doch gekennzeichnet vom Unglück. Als einzige unbeschadet überstand seine Tochter das Unglück, sie stieg vor der Brücke ab und wollte im Fluss Wasser holen.
Nach dem Einsturz entschieden sich die Bewohner dafür die Brücke wieder aufzubauen. Unter der Aufsicht von Meister Dzuladin aus Lubanishta wurde die Brücke neu errichtet. Der Meister und seine Arbeiter lebten auch im Dorf solange die Bauarbeiten andauerten, jeder Haushalt hatte zudem bestimmte Aufgaben für den Bau zugeteilt bekommen. Unterhalb der Brücke auf einem hohen Felsen ist eine Ikone des Hl. Gjrogjia (Georg) zu sehen, diese Ikone ist so zu sagen das letzte was an eine Kirche erinnert die einst dort stand. Die Ikone datiert aus dem Jahr 1925, ihre Gönner ließen sich neben der Ikone verewigen.
Das Dorf Zovikj liegt in der Region Mariovo genauer gesagt im Bereich von Bitola der Mariovo Region, in der Gemeinde Novaci unweit der Grenze zu Griechenland. Im Jahr 2014 wurde die Brücke instand gehalten, davor schon gab es Renovierungsarbeiten an der alten Mühle die unterhalb der Brücke steht.
Seit geraumer Zeit sagen die Anlieger auch "Film Brücke" da die Brücke den mazedonischen Regisseur Milcho Manchevski für seinen Film Staub (Dust) inspirierte.
[h=1]The Vogue: Jedes Gericht wird in Makedonien mit Liebe zubereitet[/h] Artikel, Essen
Das renommierte Magazin Vogue mit einem Artikel über die makedonische Küche, unter dem Titel "Why Macedonia Is Becoming a Foodie Destination". Folgend der Artikel in Englisch:
Macedonia’s a country you’ve probably heard of in passing—one of those places in the Balkans that was once a part of Yugoslavia. A country that’s often overlooked and passed over for the more alluring countries on the sparkling coast—like Croatia and Montenegro. It’s a place that’s spent most of its life stuck between war-torn countries (Serbia and Kosovo), making it hard for Western visitors to give it a chance. Which is heartbreaking, considering the landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful, the people are some of the world’s most welcoming, and the food is some of Europe’s most comforting. No matter where you go, every meal is made with passion and love—whether it’s at a hole-in-the-wall in the middle of Skopje or the living room of a farmer in a local village. Not only that, the focus is entirely on quality—which means everything is made from scratch without the additives and preservatives we’re so accustomed to in Western food.
That’s why the cuisine of Macedonia fits so perfectly with Slow Food, an organization that was founded in the 1980s by Carlo Petrini. The nonprofit was created to preserve and highlight regional and local cuisine all around the world. The objectives are simple, to encourage sustainability and farming, promote local businesses, celebrate heritage, and educate consumers on the harms of pesticides and fast food. The organization may be relatively new, but the concept certainly isn’t—especially in a country like Macedonia.
“When you talk about Slow Food, you talk about the normal life of a common person in Macedonia. It doesn’t represent just the food, but also the lives of the people who live here and their passion for tradition,” said Tefik Tefikoski, the founder of the Macedonian chapter of Slow Food and owner of Hotel Tutto in Janche.
Tefik, or Tutto as most call him, grew up in the Mavrovo region of Macedonia, one that’s known for its cheese and vegetable production. At home, he learned to cook the same recipes his mother and his grandmother grew up on. Dishes like ajvar—a slow-roasted red pepper dip, which is stirred and simmered for eight hours—were a common staple at home. For him, slow food was nothing more than just his life and his childhood, not a mission. It wasn’t until he left to work in Italy at 21, something many young people do in a place of such staggering unemployment, that he realized how special the cuisine of home was.
“Twenty years of work experience in Italy was huge for me. In 2006, I returned to my birthplace and truly felt and appreciated its untouched beauty and the special cuisine. Thankfully, the time abroad gave me the experience I needed to open a hotel, get into alternative tourism, and found a Slow Food chapter in my village of Janche,” Tutto said.
Luckily for him, it was easy to convince the Italians he worked with that the cuisine of his homeland was special. He simply cooked the dishes he grew up on, like pindjur (a relish made from tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, salt, and pepper) and kifli (flaky pastries) and served them to his friends. When he came back, he brought many of his Italian comrades to visit so they could see where the food they loved so much came from. It was the bond he made with one Italian that really gave him the push to open a Slow Food chapter in Janche. The first product he took to Italy during the annual meeting was his family’s sheep cheese, which is semi-hard and just slightly salty. The overwhelmingly positive feedback he received helped further tailor his passion for promoting the country, his village, and the fresh bounty of the area. Soon, he was convincing other local farmers and food producers in the country, like Naco Jovcevski—an organic beekeeper and honey producer in the village of Dihovo—to join the movement.
“It was an easy sell for me. I’ve always found it important to showcase the biodiversity of our honeybees (Apis mellifera macedonica) and preserve the traditional ways of beekeeping (in traditional old-style beehives made from trees, which is called Trmka). As part of the movement, we’re able to organize workshops, local honey tastings, and honey sales both nationally and internationally,” Naco said. Jane Josifovski, founder of Macedonia Experience (a Balkan-based land tour operator) and freelance guide for Intrepid Travel, is appreciative to the Slow Food movement for bringing more awareness to Macedonia cuisine, but also wants people to know that it’s really just a label—this type of lifestyle has been prevalent in the republic for as long as its been around.
“This style and concept of organic farming and small-scale food production has always been here. We’ve been doing it for years, far beyond the 10 years that the movement has been recognized for here. I think Slow Food is more about emphasizing the local impact, keeping the money here in Macedonia,” Josifovski said. To understand the cuisine of Macedonia, you need to understand its heritage, which is almost wholeheartedly influenced by Turkey. For centuries during the Turkish occupation, the Macedonians and Turks remained separate—with the locals in the mountains and the Turks in the cities. However, as the climate shifted and more jobs became available in the urban areas, the mountain people (or Macedonians) made their way to the cities—which led to a shift in cultural identity and, inevitably, the cuisine.
“Both cultures, their food especially, started to adapt and influence each other. Macedonians, who are predominately Christian, started adding pork to the traditional Turkish dishes since pigs were plentiful. The influence may be heavily Turkish, but our cuisine has evolved into something special on its own,” Josifovski said.
European and Turkish influence aside, what makes the tomatoes so juicy, the lamb so tender, and the peppers so crisp is entirely due to the republic’s climate and diverse geography. Macedonia is a mostly mountainous country influenced by different climates, from the valleys of the south to the peaks of the southwest region, or the lakeside area of Ohrid and Prespa. This alone is one of the main reasons why the country can produce such a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and grains. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle. The other comes from the fact that farmers here rarely use pesticides or additives. In fact, their farms have always been organic, mainly due to the lack of understanding of modern farming.
“While the world is still intensely seeking to bring back organic food in gastronomy, the rural areas of Macedonia and the households here have been doing this for decades. This ‘old school’ concept gives our agricultural products the full flavor. It makes every vegetable and fruit juicier, the meat fresher and more tender. Some of our dishes may not be pretty—but they’re tasty and healthy,” Goran Mickoski, owner of the homestay and restaurant Plevna in Kuratica, said with a laugh.
For visitors looking to experience this gastronomic scene firsthand, Intrepid’s food tour is a great place to start. Launched in June of this year, the tour takes people to these off-the-beaten-path villages, into locals’ homes and family-run restaurants, and gives them a chance to authentically enjoy the food that makes the area so special. Josifovski, who pioneered the partnership and created the entire program, can already see the impact the tour is having on the locals, like Goran, Tutto, and Naco. Not only that, he can see a shift in the people who join the tours, most who come from Western countries (like Australia, the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.). For him, most people come with no expectations, but leave completely and utterly changed.
“The obsession with the fast taste of life and the obsession with work is one priority in the Western world. On the other side, in our world, it’s not the main thing. People have more time to spend on the simple pleasures of life here. That’s one big difference with our cultures and our mind-sets. People don’t work all the time, so they have time to prepare the slow food dishes—like ajvar,” Josifovski said. However, there’s a shift happening with the mind-set of the locals in the urban areas of Macedonia, which is both a blessing and a curse for the economically challenged country. The unemployment rate, which sits at 25 percent now, is steadily decreasing as new companies make their way to the republic. More jobs mean more money, which is imperative for many locals, but it also means less time will be spent on preserving traditions, and ultimately, preparing the food that’s made the country so special. Josifovski, who lives in the capital city of Skopje, can already see the change.
“Downtown, for example, you can buy already prepared food and it’s a new wave of fast food. It’s practically garbage,” he said with a smirk. “But people are eating it because the lifestyle is quickly changing.” Luckily, though, this Western notion of fast food and TV dinners hasn’t spread past the urban areas—leaving the small villages still relatively untouched by the change, at least for now.
“The love and passion for preparing our ancestors’ dishes, like roasted pork with Macedonian paprika, makalo [creamy garlic dip], or spinach börek, probably won’t change—at least for a while. There will always be someone at home to produce food and bring the family together over cooking—whether it’s the grandmother, mother, wife, or daughter,” Josifovski said.
Das bekannte Reisemagazin Lonely Planet veröffentlichte seine Top Reiseziele für die nächste Saison 2017. In der Kategorie "Lonely Planets Best in Travel 2017 - Top 10 Städte" ist Ohrid in Makedonien auf Platz 5. Die ersten drei Plätze dieser Kategorie: 1. Bordeaux in Frankreich, 2.Kapstadt in Südafrika und dritter Los Angeles in den USA.
Ohrid liegt traumhaft am Ufer des gleichnamigen Sees, dessen Wasser von einem erstaunlichen Blau ist. Am schönsten wirken die Terrakottadächer der Stadt und die dazwischen hervorblitzenden jahrhundertealten Kirchtürme (angeblich gab es einmal 365 davon) von Bord eines Schiffes. Oberhalb der Stadt thront die Festung des Zaren Samuil mit ihren Türmen. Ohrid hat sich vom einst religiösen Zentrum zum größten Tourismusmagneten des Landes entwickelt. Die Strände gelten als die mit Abstand schönsten des Landes. Die geplante Umgestaltung des Seeufers wird die verschlafene Stadt wohl für immer verändern. Daher fahren Sie jetzt noch schnell hin!
Warum hinfahren?
Außerhalb der Sommermonate wirkt Ohrid wie ein verschlafenes Nest, aber gerade das macht seinen Charme aus: Die gepflasterten Straßen der Altstadt führen in einem verwirrenden Labyrinth den Hügel hinauf zur Gorna Porta, wo die Altstadt in die Festung übergeht. Hier können Sie noch erleben, wie alte, schwarz gekleidete Frauen ihr Gemüse über gepflasterte Straßen vom Markt nach Hause tragen oder zum Klang der Kirchenglocken ihre Wäsche aufhängen. Das Überleben der vielen berühmten Kirchen in der Altstadt und deren Umkreis grenzt an ein Wunder: Die Sophienkirche etwa stammt ursprünglich aus dem 11. Jahrhundert und beherbergt byzantinische Fresken, die in der Apsis nach wie vor bewundert werden können. Und die Kirche des hl. Johannes von Kaneo gilt mit ihrer herrlichen Kulisse am Ohrid-See als eines der beliebtesten Fotomotive auf dem Balkan.
