One week trip to North Macedonia with a local: Visit Skopje and Ohrid, underwater cave, ancient observatory, try delicious traditional food and much more

👋Hi future Trip Mates! My name is Ivana and I am originally coming from Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. Travelling 🌍 has been my passion since my early 20s and honestly, I don't think that I'll ever get enough of it 😁. You can always find me in nature (as I am a huge nature lover), enjoying the sun, reading a good book, or simply having fun with my friends. Travelling is one of my favourite activities along with exploring different cultures and meeting interesting people and it really helped me open my mind and grow as a person. Therefore, I am enthusiastically looking forward to new adventures and the creation of worth-remembering memories together with you! 🙄 Wondering if Macedonia is the right travelling choice for you? In this small country, you will find vibrant and lively culture, as well as archaeological sites and monuments of turbulent & rich history, exceptionally good cuisine, and some of the very best wine in the Balkans (as the land and climate are ideal for producing wine - Macedonians have been producing it for more than 4,000 years now!). 👉 Although Macedonia is a relatively young independent country, its roots go back deep into history (archaeological evidence shows that old European civilization flourished in Macedonia between 7000 and 3500 BC.). As such - Macedonia is home to one of Europe’s oldest and deepest lakes, one of the world’s oldest space observatories, one of the oldest bridges in Europe, as well as to one of the world's deepest underwater caves. And of course - our trip is organized in a way that we will be able to see all of these attractions! 🌄 85% of Macedonia’s territory is covered in mountains making it the second most mountainous country in the world, so please don't get too surprised by all the incredible nature, stunning sceneries, untouched mountains, and lakes that we will undoubtedly come across! Ah, and did you know that Skopje is the birthplace of Mother Teresa? 🤔 ⛳ During our 7 days trip we will visit some of the best tourist attractions in Macedonia: ➡ The Canyon Matka, a wonderful nature sight where we will take a boat trip to the cave so-called Vrelo. Plenty of other activities are available on site: kayaking, hiking, visiting old monasteries or simply having a nice drink and enjoying the beauty of this amazing area. ➡ Trip to a Bronze Age archaeological site - the megalithic observatory "Kokino". Personally, one of my favourite places. The plan is to watch a nice sunset there - so if you are a sunset chaser - you shouldn't miss this! ➡ Sightseeing tour in Skopje, visiting the Macedonia square, Memorial House of Mother Teresa, Skopje Fortress Kale, the old Bazaar with its' mid-15th century han buildings: Suli An & Kapan Han, and much more. ➡ Our Macedonian trip wouldn't be complete without a visit to one of the most beautiful, picturesque cities in Macedonia, home of Europe's oldest lake - Ohrid, also referred to as the "Jerusalem of the Balkans". ➡ Visit one of the most beautiful vineyards with breathtaking scenery where we will also enjoy premium wine tasting & delicious lunch. ➡ You can't say that you've been to the Balkans without truly immersing yourself in the local culture - which in this case would be visiting a katana! We will visit a unique social gathering place with a live music performance and traditionally prepared food. ➡ I would like to show you as much as possible in the planned time frame, so please expect that our agenda will be pretty full of interesting activities. However, time for chill-out, proper rest, and enjoyment on your own is also planned, especially on the first and last day of our journey. 😉 ➡ We will be suited for accommodation in the center of Skopje surrounded by many restaurants, shopping stores and other facilities nearby. 💸 Included in the price 👉 Transport from / to airport & during the whole trip. We will travel as a group with a car / mini-van. 👉 Accommodation - rooms are shared (2 people per room) with single/double bed options available. If you would like to have a private room - I can also gladly arrange that, just let me know. 😊 👉 2 lunches in traditional style, as well as 1 breakfast included. All other food & drinks during the trip are not covered in the price. 👉 Activities included: vineyard visit; visit to other cities: Ohrid, Veles, Kratovo; car cable ride and visit of the Vodno mountain offering an amazing view over the capital; boat ride/kayaking at the canyon Matka; visit of the ancient observatory; admission tickets to monasteries & fortresses; a trip to Stone Dolls - natural phenomenon of stone pillars more than 10 000 years old, also known as the Macedonian “living museum”, boat lake tour and more. I am looking forward to meeting new, amazing, open-minded people and spending unforgettable moments together! Cheers to life and travelling! 🥂 ✨For more information, please feel free to contact me in the Q&A section.