Struga, Macedonia

The beauty and the blue colors of the Lake and the River Black Drim are surrounded by high mountains, a lot of cool springs, mountain lakes and small rivers, endemic flora and fauna, picturesque villages and a considerable number of cultural and historic monuments of the rich past.
Struga is situated in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia, on the shoreline of Lake Ohrid and alongside the banks of the River Black Drim that divides the city into two.
Lake Ohrid lies at an altitude of 695 meters above sea level and occupies an area of 348, 2 square km. The coast line of the lake is 87, 5 km long. The maximum depth of the lake is 289 meters, with a high transparency that reaches up to 24 meters.
The climate in the Struga region, geographically speaking, is continental, but through out the year one can fell warm air streaming because of the Adriatic Sea. Maximum average temperatures reach 27 degrees centigrade in July and August. The average temperature of the water of the Lake Ohrid is summer is 26 degrees centigrade, while the temperature throughout the year reaches up to around 12 degrees centigrade.
The Black Drim River is the only exit of the Lake Ohrid’s water. The river’s flow to Adriatic Sea forms the artificial lakes of Globochitza and Shpile.
On the shores of Lake Ohrid, since the Neolithic era, there were numerous ancient settlements. Struga and its surroundings have been continuously populated and featured as a cradle of ancient civilization.
During the findings at the mouth of the river Black Drim there was discovered archaeological evidence of an ancient palophyte settlement. The archaeological diggings discovered a fortune of ancient working tools made of stones and bones, as well as ceramics. Archaeological findings bear witness that near the mouth of the river Black Drim (ancient Drilon) was established the ancient city of Enchalon, by the Illyrian tribe of Encheleians. The “Via Egnatia” penetrated in the region of Struga, more precisely, passed through the village of Radozda, Struga. Inside the church of St George in Struga was found a millennium stone “Egnatia” on which is written the name of the Roman emperor Karakalius and the distance of 12 km dividing Struga from Ohrid.
The construction of Christian temples in the region of Struga started alongside with official acceptance of the Christian religion. The most indisputable facts are:
The Basilica of Ladorishta from the 4th century AD
The Basilica of Oktisi, known as the basilica of St Nicola of the village of Oktisi, from the 5th century AD

The church of St George is the most renowned one in the city of Struga, where one can find the icon of St George, which dates from 1267 and shows the patron painted frontally.
The church complex near the village of Kalishta, only 3 km away from Struga, is a monastery church dedicated to St Mary. It is accompanied by other sacral buildings and small cave churches inside the mountain in the western part of the coast of Lake Ohrid, which date from the 15th century and are decorated with a rich assembly of medieval frescoes and icons.
The church of St Spas is situated inside a cave in the village of Visni just bellow the village of Upper Belitza, dating from the 15th century. High above the mountains near the village of Radozda, inside a cave one can find a small church dedicated to St Archangel Michael, one of the oldest cave churches on the shores of Lake Ohrid with paintings dating from the 11th century.
The Mosque of Suleiman Arapi in Struga was built by the pasha of the sultan of the time in 1583, and is located on the right bank of the river Black Drim.
The Natural Scientific Museum of “Dr Nikola Nezlobinski” in Struga is one of the oldest institutions in Macedonia. The Museum began to work in the year 1928. There is an exhibition in the museum.
The citizens of Struga can be very proud of the many old crafts. Accordingly, they can point out the manufacturers of silver jewelry, hand made filigree, old style loom weaving, decorative wood carving, pottery and many other handicraft shops that are located mainly in the old city bazaar.
The traditional cuisine cherished for centuries in Struga and its surroundings invites you to taste the delicious meals.

The Republic of Macedonia

The Republic of Macedonia is a small country situated in the southern part of Balkan Peninsula. It is a natural bridge between East and West, North and South. The populations of the Republic of Macedonia are the citizens: Macedonians, Albanians, Serbs, Turks, Vlachs, Bosnians, Romanians and others.
The Republic of Macedonia abounds in natural beauties and rarities. Many have named it “The Pearl of the Balkans”. The numerous mountains, forests, rivers, and lakes present a great tourist attraction. The country is rich in water resources. That is why it is often called “The Land of Lakes” because of the many tectonic, glacial and man-made lakes. There are about fifty large and small lakes, the most significant ones: the lakes of Ohrid, Prespa and Doyran. The rivers form three basins, the largest one – the Vardar River.
The high mountains present its impressive, spectacular landscapes. Because of the great variety of plant, and animal species, some areas in the mountains have been proclaimed national parks: Mavrovo, Pelister and Galitchica.
There are various climatic zones in the country. Temperately Mediterranean in the south (with warm summers and mild winters), and moderately continental in the north with more marked seasonal extremes.
The main administrative centre of the country is Skopje, with a population of more than 550.000 inhabitants. It is a place where many roads and civilizations have met and mingled. Other larger towns are: Bitola, Prilep, Kumanovo, Tetovo, and Ohrid.
The town of Ohrid, situated on the shore of Lake Ohrid with its natural beauties, historical and cultural heritage enjoys the protection of UNESCO. Ohrid abounds with a large number of historical and cultural monuments, lovely beaches, and accommodation facilities.
The second “pearl” of Lake Ohrid, the town of Struga is renowned for its old architecture, the river Black Drim, its fine beaches, excellent hotels and camp sites.
The basin of Lake Prespa is another popular tourist destination with its wild beauty. The lake offers peace in several various accommodation facilities in Oteshevo and Pretor tourist centers.
Lake Doyran, the smallest of the tectonic lakes, due to its mild climate and warm water is considered to have medicinal qualities. There are several hotels and camp sites on the shore of this lake, too.
The position of the country and its configuration, climate and hydrograph provide favorable conditions for the development of tourism. For accommodation of tourist the Republic of Macedonia has at its disposal 90 hotels, 10 camps, 2 tourist settlements and some 27.000 beds in private sector. The total number of beds in all accommodation facilities amounts to about 80.000.
Te most popular tourist destinations are Lake Ohrid, Lake Prespa and Lake Doyran where 80% of total accommodation capacities are located, and the biggest part of the tourism turnover and revenues derived.
For winter tourism there are several well known winter sports centers: Popova Shapka, Mavrovo, Krushevo, and Pelister. They provide all the necessary facilities for sports and recreation, such as comfortable resorts and hotels, cable cars and ski lifts.
There are more than 60 thermal springs tapped at several spas: Katlanovo Spa, Kosovrasti Spa, Bansko, Negorci, and Kezovica Spa. They offer facilities for treatment, rehabilitation and recreation.
Nowadays, the Republic of Macedonia is a veritable treasury of cultural heritage. The country treasures a large number of cultural and historical monuments: churches, monasteries, icons, archaeological sites, mosques, old books and other artifacts.
Many internationally recognized events are held in the country: Ohrid Summer Festival, Struga Poetry Evenings, Balkan Festival of Folk Songs and Dances, Galitchnik Wedding.
National folklore and traditional arts and crafts are still cherished. The finely embroidered national costumes, the numerous old crafts shops have played an important part in preserving the tradition.