While visiting Demir Kapija, we spent two nights in Popova Kula, a small winery that also operates as a hotel. We had a chance to tour the grounds, spread across a vine-blanketed hill outside of town, and try out a few of their best wines.
Demir Kapija is a small town in the wine region of central Macedonia. The name is Turkish for "Iron Gate," referring to a natural gorge in the hills south of town. Besides a couple of great wineries, Demir Kapija is known for its hiking and rock climbing opportunities.
Just outside downtown Skopje is the municipality of Šuto Orizari, commonly known as Šutka and home to 18,000 of Macedonia's Roma population. We took a taxi to Šutka's market, to see what life is like in Europe's largest Roma settlement.
Macedonia's wine industry is on the rise. The warm Mediterranean climate of the valleys which run through the center of the country has provided perfect grape-growing conditions since the days of the Romans, but the region is only now being discovered by the world at large. In the final weeks of our stay, we set off to explore Macedonia's vineyards. First stop: Štip and the Imako Vino Winery.
Along with Titicaca in South America and Baikal in Russia, Lake Ohrid is among the oldest lakes in the world. And it's become a popular destination with scuba divers thanks to both its history, and the stunning clarity of its water. We ventured underwater with Amfora Diving Center to visit the Bay of Bones: an archaeological site from the Bronze Age.
Departing from the park which protects Vevčani's natural springs, a path of eight kilometers meanders through the hills to Gorna Belica. It's a strenuous, non-stop ascent, but reaching this remote mountain village is worth the effort.
Independence was all the rage during the swift, painful breakup of Yugoslavia. But it's hard to imagine that the citizens of the village of Vevčani weren't just having a laugh, when they held a referendum in 2002 to establish their own micro-country. The Vevčani Republic has never been recognized by anyone, but after buying passports in the gift shop, I suppose we're honorary citizens.
On the western coast of Lake Ohrid, not far from the border with Albania, is the town of Radožda. On a normal weekday, this must be a sleepy village on the shore. But when we visited on a weekend toward the end of summer, "sleep" was the last thing on Radožda's mind. Radožda was ready to party.
Frequently visible in the skies above Lake Ohrid are paragliders who have jumped from the mountains of the Galičica National Park. It's an activity we've always wanted to try... why not in Macedonia? So we gave the guys at Vertigo Paragliding Club a ring. A couple days later, were bouncing up the mountain in a jeep, nerves beginning to tickle our stomachs. This was a good idea, right?
While in Ohrid, an excursion to the southern tip of the lake and the monastery of Sveti Naum should be considered essential. This is where the natural springs which feed Lake Ohrid come bubbling up from the underground, into a lagoon of startling clarity.
