Byzantium Art in Macedonia (8 days/7 nights)
Program:
1st Day: Skopje
Arrival at Skopje airport, where the guests will meet by representative of our agency. Accommodation in hotel “Ambasador” - Skopje. Free time. Dinner. Overnight.
2nd Day: Skopje - St. Panteleimon - St. Marko - St. Andrea
Breakfast. The tour will start with sightseeing of old and new parts: Daut Pasin Hamam, old stone bridge, city fortress, the church of Holy Salvation with the marvelous wood-carved iconostasis, the Art museum - icons collection. The tour of Skopje will go on with the visit of the 12th century monastery and church of St. Panteleimon. It is located only 15 minute drive from downtown Skopje. The monastery, built in 1164, is most famous for its exceptional fresco paintings, which convey dramatic facial expression and emotions not commonly found in Byzantine art. Lunch at the monastery restaurant. The trip will continue to one of the wildest canyons in Macedonia Matka, where we will visit church of St. Andrea, built in 1389, which contains frescos of great artistic value. Then we go to village of Susica, some 20 km from Skopje, where will be visited monestry of St. Marko and the church St. Dimitirija. Return to the hotel. Overnight.
3rd Day: St. Nikita - St. George (Staro Nagoricane) - Lesnovo - Stobi
Breakfast. Our full day tour will start with visit of the church of monastery of St. Nikita near Skopje, which dates from the early 14th century, and contains many important and unique fresco paintings, and contains works of the well known Balkan zografs Mihajlo and Eftihihje. They also have painted the frescos of the church of St. George in Staro Nagoricane, which will be our next stop. It is 14th century church, which is richly decorated with frescoes, and was built on the site of a much older shrine. Our next stop will be the Lesnovo monastery which is among the highly valued literary centres in Macedonia and has active monastery life. Lunch. Trip goes on to Stobi, where his ancient civilizations which have left a rich legacy of antique theatres, palace ruins, brightly-colored mosaics and religious relics. Return to Skopje. Overnight.
4th Day: Skopje - St. Jovan Bigorski - Ohrid
Breakfast. We will go to Ohrid, with on road visit of monastery St. Jovan Bigorski, which has the miraculous icon of St. John the Baptist - more than 10 centuries old and the priceless iconostasis in wooden carving that have survived recent fire. We will arrive in Ohrid in late afternoon hours. Accommodation in hotel “Del Lago” near the lake. Free time. After that, we will visit through Ohrid old part, National museum - the house of Robevci. Dinner. Overnight.
5th Day: Ohrid - mountain Galicica- Kurbinovo - Brajcino - Ohrid
Breakfast. Full day tour. This tour will be full of impressive scenic images. We will drive our way on top of mountain Galicica, where you will have wonderful view from the mountain on Lake Ohrid and the city with its surrounding villages. Galicica has unique flora and fauna. We enter the Prespa valley and will see the second biggest Macedonian lake - Prespa Lake. Visit the monastery St. George in village of Kurbinovo. It is famous for its fresco paintings The drawing is expressive, dynamic, with accentuated slenderness, vivaciousness and movement of the painted figures. Typical is the depiction of the drapes that are vivacious in baroque style, with a great number of animated folds. Lunch at the nearby village of Brajcino - ecco village. See how people adapt themselves to the new conditions of leaving and turn their village in one of the most visited sites in Macedona. Enjoy the nature, food and wine at Milka’s restarurant. Return to Ohrid. Free time. Overnight.
6th Day: Ohrid - St. Naum - Ohrid
Breakfast. Visit of the monastery St. Naum (XVI C.) The tour will be held with boat or bus depending of the weather conditions. Panoramic viewing of Lake Ohrid, hotel complexes, Galicica National Park, fishing villages stretching along lake's coast, Pestani, Trpejca, Lubanista, seeing their typical rural architecture. Visit of monastery St. Zaum, which is only accessible by boat. The original church was built by St. Naum in the IX century and was dedicated to the Saint Archangels. One of the most beautiful iconostasis with gold plating from 1711 can be found here. Also here is the source of the river Crni Drim (Black Drim) which has protected bio reservation. Lunch at the restaurant at the monastery complex. Back to Ohrid. Free time. Overnight.
7th Day: Ohrid
Breakfast. This day is wholly dedicated to Ohrid, even though years are not enough to get all the beauty that this city has to offer. Walking city tour: The tour starts with the visit of the 2000 years old amphitheater, then the church of St. Kliment - Bogorodica Perivlepta. Visit of the early Christian basilica on the locality Plaosnik and the newly rebuilt church of St. Paneleimon - where the first European and Slavonic University was. Visit of the cathedral church of St. Sophia, where you will have the chance to see one of the most famous fresco paintings of Byzantine art from XI and XIV C. After that, visit of church St. Kaneo located on the picturesque cliff above the lake Ohrid. Stroll through Ohrid’s charsija, main city promenade. Free afternoon for leisure. Organized dinner at the national restaurant with music. Overnight.
8th Day: Ohrid - Skopje Airport
You will go to the Skopje Airport. End of the program.
PRICE OF THE EXCURSION: PLEASE CONTACT US ABOUT THE DETAILS AND PRICE FOR THIS EXCURSION
PRICE INCLUDES:
- accommodation on BB (bed & breakfast) basis
3 nights in hotel “Ambasador” - Skopje
4 nights in hotel “Del Lago” - Ohrid - 6 lunches at restaurants near the locations that we will visit
1 farewell dinner with music in national restaurant in Ohrid with aperitif and wine included - transport and all transfers to the places that will be visited
- guide on English language who will assist and show the beauties of Macedonia
- entrance fees to the all monuments that we are going to visit