GASTRONOMY TOUR OF MACEDONIA AND SERBIA

Welcome to the bohemian district of Skopje, where you can have the first lesson in Macedonian cuisine: eat slow! Enjoy your fresh meze, grilled cheese, peppers and courgettes as you sip rakiya and discuss the logistic and Macedonian customs with your guide. Overnight in hotel in Skopje. (D)

Rise early so you can buy the best ingredients on the green market! Your chef will guide you through the colorful booths with fruits and spices, and he will teach you how to find the most aromatic and best tasting tomato, zucchini or garlic... Later you will use them in your make-your-Balkan-style-lunch classes and enjoy your meal with premium Vranec wine. Afternoon walks and boat ride along the river in Canyon Matka, a nature reserve - home to the Bald Eagle and to over 200 species of butterflies. Overnight in hotel in Skopje. (B, L)

Explore Skopje on foot. Start from the memorial house of Mother Teresa, and over the recently reconstructed city square with many monuments, baroque museums and bridges enter the maze of narrow cobblestoned streets of the Old Bazaar, lined with jewelry and art-craft shops, and with turkish teashops. Try lahmacun – oriental style pizza, light and tasty, made by the recipe brought in Macedonia during the Ottoman role. Afternoon visit of the Painted mosque and the Dervish convent in Tetovo. Dinner and overnight in hotel lodge in Mavrovo National Park. (B, L, D)

Early visit to a sheep farm on Bistra Mountain where we will have shepherds’' style breakfast and learn how they produce their sharp sheep cheese. Optional: roll up your sleeves and try to milk a sheep. It's fun! In Galicnik we'll meet Mrs. Elena, we'll try her delicious natural homemade jams and we'll learn how to make the original kachamak and homemade yoghurt. Afternoon walk (2 hours descend) through the woods to the picturesque village Jance for dinner on the balcony with best view over river Radika valley. Overnight in hotel in Jance. (B, L, D)

We'll start the day with a morning coffee with the local Turkish women at their home, where we'll learn about their traditional lifestyle and the colorful handmade accessories they make. On our way to Ohrid, we'll make a stop to visit the cave churches and the monk cells carved in the rocks above Ohrid Lake. After our village lunch in Vevcani we will continue to Ohrid for a guided tour of the old town, the cultural capital of Macedonia protected by UNESCO and the birthplace of the Cyrillic script. Dinner in a restaurant on the beach. Overnight in Ohrid. (B, L, D)

We'll take a boat along the lake shore, with few stops to visit the prehistoric settlement on water, the monastery complex St Naum and to take a quick dip in the lake on a hidden beach by St Zaum. Lunch will be in a fishermen village by the lake. Afternoon drive to Dihovo, for relaxing evening with our lovely hosts over a delicious dinner paired with their homemade beer and wine. Overnight in Dihovo or Bitola.  (B, L, D)

Morning coffee in one of the cafes on the main pedestrian street of Bitola – the “city of consuls” with typical neoclassical style buildings. Continue to visit the lively old town and bazaar in Prilep to taste the best “bieno” (beaten) cheese made by Mariovo farmers. After the lunch in the wine area (Kavadarci) we’ll drive to a small winery, located in a communist style building, with only 2 kinds of wine: male and female! Why visit it? Because it was the main supplier to the great Marshall Tito in Yugoslavia with their full-bodied, late harvest wine. Continue to the Royal winery Vila Maria and to Popova Kula winery for a guided visit of its cellars and dinner with wine tasting. Overnight in the winery hotel. (B, L, D)

Meet the rural side of Macedonia and the genuine hospitality of the people who live far from the busy Capital. Breath the fresh air coming from the surrounding mountains in the little river valley; You can pick up some eggs from the roost next-door for your breakfast, or, you can mess with our LaSoy expert in your "make-100%-natural cosmetics" course. 

Wake up with the smell of freshly baked breakfast and coffee, and join the breakfast table in the beautiful garden of your household. Learn and taste the nature: what is lemon balm, mint, rosemary, chamomile, St Johns wort, marigold, thyme and basil, and how to use it in your kitchen, what are their medical benefits, how to make aromatic wines and liqueurs. Make-your-own-lunch with the locals: the tasty Balkan “Gibanitza”, but in the original way: with hand-made dough layers. And enjoy it with pure homemade yoghurt. 

Drive direction Serbia along the intact natural setting of Surdulica to the beautiful Vlasina Lake situated at the elevation of 1200 meters. Welcome by local producers and accommodation in private rooms/apartments. Outdoor lunch – roasted lamb. Hike along the Vlasina lake and through thick beech forest with introduction of the rare herbs used in medicine. Big traditional dinner – famous rostilj /grilled minced meat specialties/ with brass orchestra music. Overnight.

After breakfast drive to Pirot, town located at the foot of the Stara Planina Nature Park, on the road to Bulgaria. Pleasant walk through the intact scenery of the Temstica River Canyon whose steep sides and strange rocky forms take your breath. Visit to the St George Monastery in Temska village or the Sukovo in Jerma River Gorge with introduction on the Stara Planina Mountain medicinal herbal substances and herbal preparation products performed by nuns/monks. Tasting of natural honey and rakiya with herbs.

Drive back to Pirot and 2/3 stars hotel accommodation. Visit to the small dairy in the remote village of Stara Planina Mountain which produces famous sheep kachkaval cheese that once was served at the Ottoman Sultan table. The tasty Stara Planina kachkaval usually comes from milk of the two indigenous Stara Planina sheep breeds – pirotska pramenka and pirotska pramenka oplemenena /Pirot sheep improved/ selected by local breeders over the centuries. Presentation of production followed by tasting of delicious products.

Visit to the producer of the renown pressed Pirot sausage, which is the delicacy with geographic origin, produced along the traditional recipes that combines finest goat, sheep and beef meat and special spices. Tasting. Return to Pirot and visit to the Ponisavlje Museum which exhibits numerous items and artifacts of the south-east Serbia and Pirot area. Preparation of the well-known belmuz, which is original dish in East Serbia and contains the rich flavors and smells of the finest produce – milk, corn flour....Big traditional diner, overnight.

After breakfast full day excursion to Stara Planina Mountain with lunch. Hike along the vast meadows and thick forests of Stara Planina Mountain. Visit to the organic farm and rural household which produces homemade slatko and pickled salad and provides tourist services. Return to Pirot and visit to the famous Pirot rug and the Pirot pottery manufacture workshops. Big traditional dinner based on efforts. Overnight.

After breakfast drive to Nis along the Sicevo Gorge with break for tour of the Sicevo hydroelectric power station, built a century ago according to Nikola Tesla principles and refreshment at the Saint Petka church – famous Sicevo wine (instead optional visit to the Bela Palanka workshop of the banitza-cheese pie). Walk along the Nis Fortress and tour of the Cele kula – Scull Tower. Traditional lunch. Continue to Leskovac with break in the tiny village world-known for production and export of the highest quality paprika and related products – tasty ayvar /relish/ and its variations. Tasting of the homemade products. Hotel accommodation. Farewell dinner – delicious Leskovacki voz rostilj (grilled meat). Overnight.

After breakfast transfer to Skopje airport for your flight home.