Macedonia is a well kept travel secret, but the country is just perfect for an interesting vacation filled with gastronomic adventure and a rich history.
Join us on this fascinating journey and experience the country that has given us both Alexander the Great and Mother Teresa.

In Ohrid, we meet a rare combination of beauty and adventure. A city filled with historic churches, old stone houses and beautiful restaurants along one of Europe's most beautiful lakes. We spend time in both Skopje and Ohrid. Here the hospitality is great and Macedonians proudly present their country.

The trip program is content rich, with interesting excursions at a steady pace, where there is time to enjoy the experience and the relaxed Balkan atmosphere. We have put together a gastronomic program that ensures we offer good and cozy restaurants and make a good presentation of the Macedonian cuisine. One could get very easy accustomed to, if not fascinated, by the good ingredients and tasty dishes where everything is made from scratch. The bread, the salads, the meat and the famous Ohrid Trout. Here you also get the best Aivar and Pinjur.

All around there are many exciting things to buy at good prices. From the well known Ohrid Pearl to super wines which have not yet got their breakthrough on the international scene. You must have an afternoon cup of coffee or a pint of beer at Lake Ohrid.

Day 1: Macedonia and visit of a winery

In the morning we fly to Skopje - Macedonia's capital. We drive from the airport to Tikves Winery - the Balkans` largest wine producer. Exterior looks like a building of a factory, but the inside looks like a wine castle with cozy cellars filled with wine from the site's long history. In Yugoslavia the quantity was important. Here they were producing „wine for the people“ - 50 million liters per year. Today, we have developed, with French help, some excellent niche wines. A slightly different experience, where we taste really good wines over a light but good lunch in a cozy environment. Want to buy a few bottles, you get really good quality for discount prices in the wine shop inside the winery.

Day 2: City tour in Skopje

Via the recently built pedestrian bridge we cross the river to Skopje historical district with the historic bazaar, the many churches and mosques. The river Vardar separates the old Turkish quarter from the new center. It has recently been renovated and rebuilt, buildings along the river today house a few major museums and public institutions. All around the new center many statuies have been installed, honouring the Macedonian national heroes - most importantly of all Alexander the Great. There is also the newly built house of Mother Teresa, a character who in many ways offers an interesting insight into the role of religion in present-day Macedonia. We eat dinner at one of the cozy restaurants along the river.

Day 3: St. John Bigorski Monastery and Mavrovo National Park

A beautiful walk through the Macedonian national park Mavrovo, where we have views of the unique natural scenery. We also visit St. John Bigorski Monastery. The monastery in itself is an experience, with the beautiful wood carvings and icons, but it's the location that is the icing on the cake. Next to the monastery, we enjoy our lunch. On our trip towards Ohrid we pass rivers and canyons in one of Europe's most beautiful mountain landscapes. We stay five nights in Ohrid.

Day 4: Ohrid

Today we experience the wonderful Ohrid. Just around the corner from our hotel, we find the old town with a wealth of historical and cultural heritage of a world`s significance. It has combined with Lake Ohrid breathtaking beauty and both the lake and the city have been put on the UNESCO`s World Heritage Sites list for both their cultural and natural value. In Ohrid there was in ancient time a church for every day of the year. Many of those churches did not survive untile the present times, but we`ll take a look inside a few of the most important churches, including St. Sofia Cathedral Church and the tour guide tells a little about the Macedonian church's role here in the borderland between Islam and Christianity. Underneath the Upper Gate, lies the ancient ruins of a theater, nowadays used for concerts. They call this town the Kingdom of the archaeologists, because wherever you dig, almost certainly you will discover some artifacts. Its fortress stands tallest on the hill, overlooking the city and its lake and has become maybe the most famous landmark of Ohrid.

Day 5: Bitola and Heraklea

In the morning we drive through the lush countryside to Bitola. We make a small stop in Heraclea by the impressive ruins. It was a town which was founded by Philip II, Alexander`s father. Lunch in Bitola, which was the place where Ataturk got his education, before he was set on the path of becoming Turkey`s political father. The lively and very charming pedestrian street is worth a visit, before driving home to Ohrid.

Day 6: Around the Lake Ohrid with visit to Albania

Today we drive around Lake Ohrid. It's a distance of approx. 90 km, of which about 30 km in Albania`a rustic roads. Along the way we have three interesting stops. The first is Pogradec in Albania. The city is a chaotic jumble of colorful new construction, totally worn concrete from the country's Stalinist period (1945-1991) and a few old traditional houses. Urban planning is not much present here and there is a cut of street fish-sellers and old-fashioned butchers.

The village Vevchani, which is the second stop after we get back into Macedonia is known for his good, solid and old-fashioned brickwork. The springs, which run from the mountains, make the village really idyllic. At the local restaurant, we get a good Macedonian lunch with brandy. Last stop is Struga, where Drim River puts its cozy mark on the city.

Day 7: Cruise on Lake Ohrid

Today we sail on the beautiful Lake Ohrid. The destination is the St. Naum monastery near the border with Albania. Along the way we stop at a reconstructed Bronze Age village at the Bay of Bones. St. Naum monastery, founded in 900 AD, is one of the holiest places for Macedonians, and each year receives many pilgrims as Saint Naum was known for his healing miracles and powers. The monastery`s saint was buried inside the church. The famous legend claims that if one puts the ear on the grave, one can hear his heart beating. A group of beautiful peacocks is „guarding“ the site. Lunch is served in the local restaurant, which can hardly be more idyllic.

Day 8: Return

In the morning we drive from Ohrid to Skopje Airport. The program finishes here.