Things to See in Macedonia

Lake Matka is a place of calm cool nature, where the steep canyon reflects in the green mirror of the lake and boats glide on its smooth surface. There is plenty to do for those who want action, with opportunities for hiking and rock climbing, or you can go for a boat ride and take a peek at the local caves and their dark life.

This is the most magnificent, and perhaps the most remote, place in Macedonia, with a breathtaking and dramatic mountaintop setting, among huge piles of boulders. Prepare to be amazed by some of the colourful and intricate frescoes at the 14th-century church of the Holy Mother of God (Sveta Bogorodica), the monastery's spiritual heart.

This fully working monastery is one of the most popular with visitors to Macedonia. It was first established in 1020 on the spot where the icon of Sveti Jovan Bigorski (St John the Forerunner, aka St John the Baptist) miraculously appeared, and has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries.