Classical Tour of North Macedonia
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Classical Tour of North Macedonia
From
345 €
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Day 1: Skopje Airport – Matka Canyon - Skopje ( 1h driving)
We welcome you at Skopje Airport and we drive to Matka Canyon, which is situated close to the capital Skopje, in one of the oldest artificial lakes in Macedonia and spreads over 5000 hectares making it one of the most popular natural destinations for nature lovers. In the canyon, there are 10 caves. It is also referred to as the Butterfly Canyon. There are 119 species of diurnal and 140 species of nocturnal butterflies, 77 species of Balkan endemic small butterflies and 23 other species which are new to the science. You will visit also the Monastery of St. Andrea. It is located near the canyon of the river Treska. Vrelo Cave Located on the right bank of the Treska River, Vrelo Cave was listed as one of the top 77 natural sites in the world in the New7Wonders of Nature project and made it to the semi-finals. Vrelo Cave has many stalactites and two lakes within it making this a very interesting site. Though the exact depth of the cave is unknown, some speculate that it could be one of the deepest underwater caves in the world. Drive to Skopje which is a modern, political, economic and cultural center. Skopje, and especially the downtown, hides interesting sites that need careful attention: the old station, (a reminder of the earthquake of 1963) the archaeological museum, the memorial house of Mother Teresa (Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, winner of the Nobel peace in 1979, born in Skopje in 1910), Macedonia Square with numerous monuments like the monumental statue of Alexander The Great, the Stone Bridge, the Museum of Holocaust, the old bazaar, the church of St. Spas with the beautiful wood-carved iconostasis (19th century), the Daut Pasha Hammam, now an art gallery, one of the largest and finest examples of Ottoman architecture in the Balkans urban, Kapan an, (15th century), the Mustafa Pasha Mosque (15th century) Hotel Sulltan or Similar 4*
Day 2: Skopje – Popova Kula Winery – Stobi – Ohrid ( 4 h driving)
After breakfast we transfer to the famous Popova Kula Winery located just west of the town of Demir Kapija on the slopes of Veliko Brdo, (the Grand Hill). Popova Kula Winery is certainly one of the success stories of Macedonian viticulture and here it is sometimes possible to taste from the fermentation tanks wine varieties such as; Stanushina a local grape variety found only in the Tikves region as well as Temjanika, Zilavka and Vranac grown in the ex-Yugoslavia territories. Also more international varieties such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are also produced. Tikves wine region is the biggest and the most important wine region of Macedonia spread over 13.000 hectares, along the same latitude as Rioja and Ribera del Duero. As the Mediterranean climate from the south collides with the continental climate from the north, it creates an area most remarkable for grape growing and wine production on the entire Balkan Peninsula. We will enjoy traditional dinner and wine at Popova Kula restaurant. We visit Stobi archaeological site, thought to be the most important excavation in Macedonia. This crossroad of ancient civilizations has left a rich legacy of antique theatres, palace ruins, brightly-coloured mosaics and religious relics for visitors to enjoy today. The city of Stobi is first mentioned in documents from the 2nd century B.C. However, archaeologists believe that the town had been inhabited at least 400 years earlier. Stobi became a rich and prosperous city due to its location on the crossroads of important trade routes. Drive to Ohrid for overnight. At Hotel Sky Corner, Or Similar.
Day 3: Ohrid – Mavrovo – St. Jovan Bigorski Monastery – Tetovo – Skopje (approx. 4 hours drive)
Ohrid (the City of Light) with 365 churches in XIX Century, and with more than 50 active churches today, and certainly, a city built on the shores of one of the most phenomenal natural beauties – Lake Ohrid, is a central Macedonian tourist destination where we visit: Church “St. Sofia”, built between the 11th and 14th century, was the seat of the Archbishop. “St. Clement”, a classic Orthodox Byzantine church, dominating the Old Town, demonstrates the link between Byzantine and Italian Renaissance art. At “Plaoshnik”, in the 9 the century, St. Clement of Ohrid founded the first University of Europe and educated 3.500 students, St. John at Kaneo, stands alone on a small promontory which juts out into the Lake at the western end of the Old Town, and provides spectacular panoramic views of the Lake and surrounding mountains, Samuil fortress, etc. Other visits include Saint Painteleimon Church, The Holy Virgin of Peribleptos Church, Icon Gallery, and old Bazaar. After this visits we will drive through the valleys of the rivers Crn Drim and Radika with views of the picturesque scenery of the canyons of the River Radika in the mavrovo National Park. We will continue to the astonishing St. Jovan Bigorski Monastery with a unique architecture deeply embedded in the rocks. Of special note is its vast carved iconostasis or altar screen carved by well-known Macedonian wood-carvers. Within the monastery there is a gallery of icons and liturgical objects. Continue on to Tetovo one of the largest cities in Macedonia home to a majority ethnic Albanian population, to visit one of its most important monuments known as the Painted Mosque. The colourful mosque was originally built in 1438 and later rebuilt in 1833 by Abdurrahman Pasha. Most mosques of the time had sultans, pashas or other aristocrats financing their constructions, but the Painted Mosque, however, was financed by two sisters from Tetovo. More than 30,000 eggs were used to prepare the paint and glaze that went into the elaborate decorations. After visiting this exquisite example of Islamic art we continue on to Skopje for overnight at: Hotel Sulltan 4*or Similar
Day 4: Skopje – Skopje Airport ( 0.30minuts drive)
After breakfast or according to your flight, we will send you to Skopje Airport. End of our services.
Prices
345 Euro Per Person in double/twin for minimum 9-10 pax
355 Euro Per Person in double/twin for minimum 7- 8 pax
375 Euro Per Person in double/twin for minimum 5- 6 pax
455 Euro Per Person in double/twin for minimum 3- 4 pax
645 Euro Per Person in double/twin for minimum 2 pax
999 Euro PP in double/twin for minimum 1 pax
Single supplement = 60 Euro.
Please note: Single rooms will always be double or twin for single use.
Included:
- Transportation with good condition a/c vehicle according to the program from arrival to departure
- Toll road payments
- Boat trip ticket for the clients at Matka
- English speaking tour guide for the whole tour from arrival to departure
- Accommodation in very good standard hotels with breakfast 3+*
- 1 lunch with wine tasting at Popova Kula
- Bottle of water per person per day
- All taxes
Not Included:
- Flight Tickets
- Entrance fees approx. 20-30 € P/P
- Lunches and dinners apart from those mentioned in included
- Gratuities/Tip to Driver, Guide, hotel and restaurant staff.
- Everything not mentioned in the “Includes” section
Best months for tours
We recommend you booking this tour for one of the months: March, April, May, September, October or November. However, this tour can be booked also in other months as per your request, we arrange the tour during the 12 months of the year.
This tour is private. For group tours of more than 10 people in a group, please contact us for lower prices.
Cancellation Policy
Payment Conditions for Group Departure dates, for clients that book directly at our website.
1.1. THE CLIENT is required to pay Balkan Destination a deposit of 30% of the total amount at the moment he/she book the tour as per departure dates or Private tour (FIT) at our website.
1.2. The remaining 70% of the total amount must be paid to Balkan Destination LTD, no later than 30 days prior to start date of services of this tour group departure or Private (FIT) tour.
1.3. If you book this tour within 30 days before the tour starts according to the group departure dates or as per your departure date as a private (FIT) tour, we will require from you to pay 100% whole amount before the tour starts.
Cancellation Policy for Group Departure dates and Private Tours
For group tours of 6 people or more, the following cancellation policy will apply:
a. If the reservation is cancelled/amended 45 days or more, prior to the arrival date, then a full refund will be given, minus a bank transaction charges.
b. If the reservation is cancelled/amended 44 to 30 days, prior to the arrival date, a 10 % penalty of the total amount will apply.
c. If the reservation is cancelled/amended 29 to 21 days, prior to the arrival date, a 30 % penalty of the total amount will apply.
d. If the reservation is cancelled/amended 20 to 15 days, prior to the arrival date, a 50 % penalty of the total amount will apply.
e. If the reservation is cancelled/amended 14 to 7 days, prior to the arrival date, a 70 % penalty of the total amount will apply.
f. If the reservation is cancelled/amended less than 7 days prior to the arrival date a non-refund will apply.
g. In case of no shows or early interruption of services a strict non-refund rule will apply.
Cancellation for FIT/Individuals private bookings. FIT tours of 5 participants or less which have been confirmed paid and Invoice settled, can be cancelled without penalty up to 10 days prior to arrival date. Cancellations after this deadline will be charged 100% in full. Bank transfer for refunds will be the recipients’ responsibility.
Balkan Destination reserve the right to cancel any of the published tours on our site only according to fixed dates that are published for groups. When there are not enough participants on the relevant dates, in such cases, we may cancel the departure date by notifying the clients that already booked in a written notice, no later than 30 days prior to the start of the tour departure date. In such cases when we cancel a departure due to insufficient participants on the due date, the clients will be refunded all the money 100 % they have paid to us in total.
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