WALKING MACEDONIA AND SERBIA

Arriving at Skopje Airport. Welcome by Macedonia Travel guide and transfer to Skopje. Sightseeing tour of Skopje on foot: the memorial house of Mother Teresa, Skopje city square with the numerous monuments from project “Skopje 2014” including the Warrior on the horse fountain, the Triumph Arch, and over the Stone Bridge passing by the museum of Macedonia and the Holocaust museum into the maze of cobblestoned narrow streets of the Old Bazaar with many handcrafts shops, mosques dating back to ottoman Empire times, Turkish baths turned into galleries. Transfer to Stobi archeological site. Later, transfer to the wine region of Macedonia . Accommodation in a winery hotel. Visit of the winery cellars with introduction into Macedonian wines, their history and the wine production. Dinner with wine tasting and overnight in the winery hotel.

Breakfast in the winery hotel . Transfer to Prilep. Start hiking from the medieval towers of King Marko just above Prilep, to Treskavec monastery (1.300m).  This is certainly not the highest peak in Macedonia, but its landscapes are so amazing and almost unreal, like walking on another planet, passing by unique set of rocks and boulders painted in all colors from grey and yellow to dark green.  And, almost at the top, you arrive in a sacred, centuries old church, the medieval pilgrimage center with frescoes dating back to fourteenth century, including the first known representation of the Heavenly Court.  Short break at the monastery, with possibility for the bravest adventurers to boulder to the peak Zlatovrv, just above the monastery. Picnic lunch at the monastery. Hike down to Prilep via Varosh. Drive to Bitola. Dinner in a restaurant in the pedestrian zone of Bitola, and free evening for walk through the “city of consuls” with typical neoclassical architecture from 19th century and maybe for a drink in one of the many bars in its pedestrian area.  Overnight in hotel in Bitola.

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Pelister National Park for a serious hike to the peak Pelister (2.600m) and to the glacial lakes (so-called “the eyes of Pelister”) , or, for relaxing trekking through the dense pine forest with endemic five-needled pine “Molika”,  to Crvena voda, Jorgov Kamen and Kopanki localities.  Whatever route you take, this National Park will amaze you with its rich forest, many springs and streams, and its abundance of forest fruit. Picnic lunch on the hike. In the afternoon, optional visit (depending on available time) to archeological site Heraclea. Dinner and overnight in hotel in National park Pelister.

Breakfast in hotel. Hike down from Pelister to village Dihovo at the foothills of the mountain. Apart of its ancient cultural heritage and natural beauties, Macedonians are very proud of their traditions, the stories, the music and dances that have always been a part of the Macedonians’ everyday life. And, of the rich mix of Mediterranean-Balkan–Oriental cuisine.  It’s a cook-your-lunch day today. You will be introduced to a variety of spices and how to use them, you will pick your own veggies in the villagers’ garden, put the apron on, and cook like Macedonians.  Bonn appetite! After the lunch drive to Macedonian-Serbian border with stop on the way to visit Kokino Megalythic Observatory (the 4^th oldest observatory in the world by NASA, after the Stonehenge, Abu Simbel and Angkor). We’ll do easy 10 min trekking to the sacred thrones of the Kokino observatory to view the last sunrays of the day through the ancient rock markers in Kokino. Drive to Serbian border and further to the Vlasina Lake, at the altitude of 1250 meters. Accommodation in mountainous villa, traditional dinner, overnight.

After breakfast half-day 2 hrs hike to the Cemernik Mt peaks. Drive via Nis and Pirot along breathtaking landscape to Stara Planina Mt. Break for lunch and visit to the Ponisavlje Museum. Accommodation in leading authentic rural household providing tourist services. Dinner, overnight.

After breakfast full-day Stara Planina hiking – Midzor peak, Babin zub peak... pastures, meadows, springs.... Picnic lunch, dinner, overnight.

After breakfast drive to Knjazevac with stop over in Timacum Minus Archaeological site for sightseeing. Continue to Zajecar and tour of the Felix Romuliana Archaeological site. Break for traditional lunch. Drive to Brestovacka Banja Spa and hotel accommodation. Dinner, overnight.

After breakfast drive to nearby mystical Rtanj Mountain and climb to its peak which resembles the pyramid. Outdoor lunch. Drive along highway to Belgrade. Hotel accommodation. Belgrade introductory tour. Farewell dinner, overnight.

After breakfast time at leisure until transfer to Belgrade Airport, departure flight and end of program.

DAY 1
Skopje – Demir Kapija
Time: 1h 15min
Distance: 110 km
DAY 2
Demir Kapija – Prilep - Bitola
Time: 1h 40min
Distance: 130km
DAY 3
Bitola – Pelister
Time: 25min
Distance: 15km
DAY 4
Pelister – Kokino – Vlasina Lake
Time: 5h
Distance: 361 km
DAY 5
Vlasina Lake – Stara Planina
Time: 2h 40 min
Distance: 132km

DAY 6
Stara Planina
Time: /
Distance: /
DAY 7
Stara Planna – Brestovacka Spa
Time: 1h 40min
Distance: 101 km
DAY 8
Brestovacka Spa - Belgrade
Time: 3h 15min
Distance: 242km
DAY 9
Belgrade – Airport
Time: 10min
Distance: 17km