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MACEDONIA 4 DAYS 4 NIGHTS

Day 07 Sept. 28 , 2011 MACEDONIA Osogovo Monastary
O/N in Osogovo monastery –guestrooms in monastery courtyard. (MULTIPLE ROOMS – MOST OF THEM WITH SHARED TOILET FACILITIES)
Day 08 Sept. 29 ,2011 Osogovo monastery – Skopje – Mavrovo NP Departure to city of Kratovo, possibility to see some old crafts in this unique small city. Skopje, the Macedonian capital city. Skopje city tour with visit of Ethnographic museum, memorial house of Mother Teresa, Skopje fortress Kale, Museum of contemporary art in Skopje… Afternoon departure to Mavrovo NP. O/N in Mavrovo NP

Day 09 Sept, 30, 2011 Mavrovo NP– Ohrid – Prespa –Brajchino village
 

Departure to Ohrid via valley of Radika river. Ohrid sightseeing – Gallery of Ohrid icons and most important Ohrid sights. Afternoon departure to Prespa lake. O/N in village Brajchino (Prespa region) - host families, home made traditional dinner...
Day 10  October 01, 2011 Brajchino - Resen – Galichica NP - Ohrid

Morning visit of the unique FOLKLORE MUSEUM, the richest private collection of folk costumes and hand made pieces in Macedonia. Visit of Resen museum and exhibition of art pieces made during the “Resen ceramic colony”, held annually in village near the city. Drive across Galichica NP with magnificent view of both Prespa and Ohrid lakes. Dinner with folklore show in national restaurant in Ohrid O/N in Ohrid

MACEDONIA

Country Details

The historic country of Macedonia was once the Kingdom of Macedon, ruled by Alexander the Great (355-325 BC) Over many centuries it was exploited by the Romans, Byzantines, Bulgars and Serbs; finally conquered by the Ottoman Empire. Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991, but Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and its symbols delayed international recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia."

In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue, and to date, it has yet to be decided."

Quick Facts and Figures

arrow Official Name Republic of Macedonia

arrow Capital City Skopje (452,000)

arrow Population 2,114,550

arrow Flag here

arrow Latitude/Longitude 41° 50'N, 22° 00'E

arrow Languages Macedonian, Albanian, others

arrow Official Currency Macedonian Denar

arrow Religions Eastern Orthodox, Musim, others

arrow Land Area 25,715 sq km (9,929 sq miles)

arrow Landforms Macedonia is an elevated plateau of large, rolling hills and deep valleys, completely disected and surrounded by mountains. The Dinaric Alps extend down into Macedonia, and the highest point is in the Korab Mountain range, at 9,066 ft. (2,764m). Major lakes include Ohrid, Prespa (both shared with Albania) and Doiran. Lake Ohrid is the deepest lake in the Balkans (935 ft.)

The Vardar River divides the country; other rivers of note include the Bregalnica and Cma.

Macedonia - that unforgettable name evoking images of ancient, great civilizations and exotic adventure - is also a warm and welcoming modern-day republic in the very heart of southeastern Europe.

While easily accessible from all points abroad, and boasting all the amenities of the Western world, Macedonia remains one of Europe’s last great undiscovered countries: a natural paradise of mountains, lakes and rivers, where life moves to a different rhythm, amidst the sprawling grandeur of rich historical ruins and idyllic villages that have remained practically unchanged for centuries.
 
Macedonia’s geographical and cultural position as bridge between East and West, as the crossroads between Christian Europe and the mystical Orient, is attested to today in its inhabitants. The Macedonian people – a mixture of ancient Macedonians and Slavic tribes that settled here starting in the 5th century C.E. – make up the greatest part of a country where that mixed population is a vibrant reminder of Macedonia’s rich and lengthy history. Minority populations include: Albanians, arriving first from mountains of Albania and Kosovo; a Turkish population established during Ottoman times; The Roma, hailing ultimately from far-off India; Serbs, Bosniaks and Croats; and Vlachs, famous tradesmen and likely descendants of ancient Romans.
 
In essence, today’s Macedonia is a unique patchwork of cultures, where Balkan bloodlines have mixed with others more exotic still. Macedonia resonates with the names of the many peoples who have set foot on its eternal soil: from Armenians, Avars and Ashkenazi to Hellenes, Peonians and Gorani; from Kumans, Montenegrins and Jews to Dardanians, Ukrainians and Bulgars.Such a diverse range of peoples has co-existed for thousands of years in Macedonia, a place where  hospitality  always welcomes visitors and it comes from the heart. And indeed, the country’s charms have not been lost on an increasing number of Westerners today who are now choosing it as their second home!
 
In addition to its diversity,, Macedonia’s cultural richness is expressed in its archaeological legacy. Although just a little country, it holds many antique theaters, Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques, in addition to relics from the Stone Age and even earlier periods of human civilization.
 
The oldest traces of human habitation in Macedonia are the cryptic, 30,000 year-old stone engravings or “rock art” unearthed in the Kratovo area, as well as the astronomical observatory/ religious ritual site of Taticev Kamen, dating back almost 4,000 years.
 
The word Macedonia instantly conjures up memories of Philip II and his son Alexander the Great, legendary emperor of the 4
th century B.C.E. who brought great expanses of the known world under Macedonian rule. In this period, and the Hellenistic and Roman ones that followed it, Macedonia reached the apogee of its influence and power. Today, many ruins remain to attest to this ancient heritage, in the sites of cities such as Heraclea, Stobi and Skupi, strewn with amphitheaters and temples, and decorated with intricate mosaics and frescoes.
 
The missionary Apostle Paul brought Christianity to Macedonia for the first time. Nine centuries later, his Byzantine successors Cyril and Methodius created a brand new alphabet, the precursor to Cyrillic, to expedite their missionary work with the Slavic-speaking Orthodox Christians of the Balkans. Macedonia’s experience of Christianity has thus always been linked with literacy and education. In fact, the first Slavic university was established in the 10th century, in placid Ohrid - famous during Byzantine times for its 365 churches, one for each day of the year.
 
Today, Macedonia’s Christian heritage is visible everywhere, from the myriad churches that fill up the landscape throughout the country to the enormous “Millennium Cross” that lights up the Skopje night sky from high atop nearby Mt. Vodno.
 
Following the decline of the Byzantium Empire, Macedonia and the entire Balkans came under control of the Ottoman Turks. Macedonia owes its Oriental influences to five centuries of Ottoman rule, a phenomenon that affected everything from cuisine and language to architecture and religion. The mosques of Tetovo and Skopje and the latter city’s grand castle (Kale), and Stone Bridge exemplify vividly Ottoman aestheticism.
 
While firmly rooted in its traditions and nostalgia for the past, today’s Macedonia is also a forward-looking country that has embraced its diversity and is becoming integrated within European political and economic institutions, continually expanding its links to the greater global community and economy. It thus provides the curious traveler with the best of both worlds: age-old traditions, historical treasures, and a pristine natural environment, as well as all of the modern amenities, services and consumer goods that today’s sophisticated travelers need. Macedonia today is an undiscovered jewel in the heart of Europe, offering something for tourists of all ages, nations, interests and desires.

Climate data for Sofia,Bulgaria
Month Sep Oct
Average high °C (°F) 22.6
(72.7)
16.6
(61.9)
Average low °C (°F) 10.6
(51.1)
5.7
(42.3)
Rainfall mm (inches) 38
(1.5)
35
(1.38)
Avg. rainy days 4 7
Sunshine hours 216.0 170.5