ExploreMacedoniaGroup TourTour durationHoliday type8 daysGroup TourFully GuidedDeparture 10-17 May 201318With a history spanning the Roman, Byzantine,Ottoman and Yugoslav empires, Macedoniaoffers a f<strong>as</strong>cinating architectural heritage andmix of cultures with Slavic, Albanian, Turkishand Mediterranean influences in abundance.On this group tour, we enjoy wine t<strong>as</strong>tingin Demir Kapija and a visit to the village ofKurbinovo, where the 12th century churchof St George can be found. Whilst the churchitself is a modest building, it houses magnificentfrescoes painted in 1191. Time is given toexplore the archaeological sites of Heracleaand Stobi, <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> the main cities of Bitola,Ohrid and of course Macedonia’s capital city,Skopje. This tour is on a full-board b<strong>as</strong>is, so alsoincludes many delicious waist-expanding meals!The group size is limited to 15 participants andwill be escorted by a tour leader from RegentHolidays. Also a bonus for our single travellers,there is no single room supplement.Day 1 Fly to SkopjeFly to Skopje and transfer to hotel for twonight stay. Take a walking tour of Skopjeincluding a visit to the memorial house ofMother Teresa and the old bazaar. With itsmix of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture,and hundreds of little craft shops, the oldbazaar remains one of the biggest and themost colourful centres of its kind. (D)Day 2 SkopjeVisit the Museum of the City of Skopje,which w<strong>as</strong> formerly the most beautifulrailway station in the Balkans before beingpartly destroyed by an earthquake. Takethe cable-car to the Millennium Cross for apanoramic view of Skopje before travellingto the village of Gorno Nerezi on the slopesof Mount Vodno to visit Sveti Pantelejmon,one of the most important monuments inthe area. The mon<strong>as</strong>tery and church werebuilt in 1164 and the frescoes are among thebest Byzantine paintings in existence. We alsovisit magnificent Matka Canyon where thevertical rocks house ancient temples, medievalchurches and mon<strong>as</strong>teries. (B,L,D)Day 3 Skopje to OhridDrive to Tetovo where sightseeing includesthe Tetovo Painted (Aladza) Mosque, originallybuilt in 1459. Continue towards Ohrid via theMavrovo National Park, to stop for lunch.Visit St John Bigorski Mon<strong>as</strong>tery, built in1020 by Archbishop Jovan, where one of themost valuable tre<strong>as</strong>ures is the wood-carvediconost<strong>as</strong>is, considered to be one of the mostbeautiful and valuable in the Orthodox religion.Arrive in Ohrid for three night stay. (B,L,D)Day 4 OhridEnjoy a city tour of Ohrid including a visit tothe City Museum and St Sophia Cathedral,built in 1037 and named after the great churchof Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. One ofthe day’s highlights is a visit to 9th century StClement Mon<strong>as</strong>tery, one of the oldest Slavicmonuments of culture. After lunch, visit StJohn the Theologian, whose buildings andfrescoes date back to the 13th century. Thechurch is located on the beautiful shore ofLake Ohrid, on a high rock above the formerfishermen’s settlement of Kaneo. (B,L,D)Day 5 OhridTravel to the village of Elshani, located in theNational Park Galicica and overlooking LakeOhrid. Take a walk through the village andvisit a local house for the chance to join anordinary Macedonian family to cook a meal,before trying the traditional Macedonian foodand local rakija and wine. (B,L,D)Day 6 Ohrid to BitolaTake a sightseeing tour of Bone Bay andRoman C<strong>as</strong>trum. The ‘city on water’ inGradiste w<strong>as</strong> inhabited from 1200 until800 BC and the life of people in prehistorictimes is illustrated throughout the museum.Continue to the village of Kurbinovo to visit StGeorge church with its well preserved 12thcentury frescoes, before arriving in Bitola, oneof the most charming Macedonian cities witha rich history and diverse mixture of cultures,for an overnight stay. (B,L,D)Day 7 Bitola to SkopjeVisit 4th century Heraclea Lyncestis, animportant settlement from the Hellenisticperiod to the Middle Ages, which w<strong>as</strong> foundedby Philip II of Macedon. Several monumentsfrom Roman times remain, including a portico,thermae (baths), an amphitheatre and anumber of b<strong>as</strong>ilic<strong>as</strong>. Continue to the wineregion and visit the Demir Kapija winery tot<strong>as</strong>te five types of local wine. In the afternoon,visit the Roman city of Stobi, one of the largestarchaeological sites in Macedonia. Overnightin Skopje. (B,L,D)Day 8 Skopje to UKTransfer to the airport for flight back to theUK. (B)Prices fromPer person twin-share £1250Prices include• Return flights in economy cl<strong>as</strong>s withCroatian Airlines (via Zagreb) fromGatwick• All airport taxes and surcharges• Accommodation in 3 & 4-star hotels• Meals <strong>as</strong> specified• Transfers and transportationthroughout• Sightseeing with English-speakingguides• Entrance fees on sightseeing toursCall 020 7666 1244 | www.regentholidays.co.uk | visit your local travel agent
Skopje &Lake OhridTour durationHoliday typeSe<strong>as</strong>onality8 daysIndividual TourExplore at LeisureYear-roundThis twin-centre individual itinerary ideallycombines the historic and cultural attractionsof the capital city with charming Lake Ohrid,one of the world’s oldest lakes. Macedonia’scapital Skopje is a ple<strong>as</strong>ant city in which tospend a few days and explore its famousbazaar and see intricate wooden carvediconost<strong>as</strong>is in the Church of the Holy Saviour.For us, the real highlight of Macedonia isits beautiful countryside and stunningmon<strong>as</strong>teries; an ideal b<strong>as</strong>e to explore theseis picturesque Ohrid. The town of Ohrid, inthe southernmost part of Macedonia, w<strong>as</strong>the cradle of Slavonic literacy, which brothersCyril and Methodius, and later their disciples- St. Clement and St. Naum - spread to otherSlav peoples from the Ohrid Literary Schoolwhich w<strong>as</strong> the first Slavonic University inthe Balkans, long before Bologna. Ohrid is acity-museum with numerous archaeologicaltre<strong>as</strong>ures such <strong>as</strong> early Christian b<strong>as</strong>ilic<strong>as</strong> andan abundance of churches.This itinerary is b<strong>as</strong>ed on good 3-starand boutique hotels in Skopje and Ohrid.Transfers are all by private car, although forthose on a budget we can arrange travelbetween the two cities by public buses.Day 1 Fly to SkopjeFly to Skopje and transfer to Hotel Duvet for3 night stay.Day 2-3 SkopjeFree time in Skopje to explore the splendoursof this historic crossroads – wander aroundthe old bazaar, see the Church of the HolySalvation and the famous Stone Bridgewhich, with its elegant thirteen arches, joinsthe Old Turkish and Muslim quarter to thenorth and the Orthodox Macedonians tothe south. (B)Day 4 Skopje to OhridTransfer to Ohrid by car and check in to HotelVila Sveta Sofija for 4 night stay. (B)Day 5-7 OhridFree days in Ohrid to explore at leisurethe picturesque town and the lake or bookoptional excursions to Kalishta Village orBitola, where you can see old mosques andchurches of Kalishta village. Relax and samplethe local wines and freshly caught Ohrid trout.The lake is the deepest in the Balkans and isunder the protection of UNESCO. (B)Day 8 Skopje to UKMorning transfer to Skopje Airport for flightback to the UK. (B)Prices fromPer person twin-share £675Single room supplement £95Prices include• Return flights in economy cl<strong>as</strong>swith Wizz Air direct from Luton• All airport taxes and security charges• Accommodation in 3 & 4-star hotelswith breakf<strong>as</strong>t• All transfers by private carHotel Duvet Center / SkopjeA cosy hotel <strong>as</strong> the name suggests, with 23t<strong>as</strong>tefully decorated rooms and friendly staff,who ensure your stay is enjoyable. It openedin October 2012 and the location couldn’t bebetter, just a short walk from the Old Townand the main city square.Hotel Vila Sveta Sofija / OhridThis is a wonderful boutique hotel locatedin the centre of Ohrid, near the lake and St.Sofija Church. There are only 6 rooms, all ofwhich are beautifully decorated. The hotelh<strong>as</strong> two dining rooms and a bar with a spaciousterrace, ideal for relaxing in the sun.19Call 020 7666 1244 | www.regentholidays.co.uk | visit your local travel agent
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