South of Skopje, on the outskirts of an unassuming village called Markova Sučica, is the Markov Monastir. Built in 1346 by King Marko of Serbia, this medieval monastery has remained remarkably unaffected by the passage of time.
For four days in July, the central Macedonian town of Prilep is taken over by Pivofest: an annual celebration of beer which has become the nation's biggest festival. It's not exactly the most traditional event on the calendar, but that wasn't going to deter us from attending. We're talking about a giant beer party, after all. Tradition can wait.
Found a couple hours to the south of Skopje, Kruševo was the destination of our first extended road trip in Macedonia. The highest town in the Balkans, Kruševo boasts an impressive natural setting, and was the scene of one of Macedonia's most fascinating historical moments.
On August 2nd, 1903, a small band of revolutionaries succeeded in freeing the Macedonian mountain town of Kruševo from the Ottoman Empire. Immediately, the Republic of Kruševo declared itself an independent state, with Nikola Karev as its president. But the dream of freedom was fleeting. After ten days, the Ottomans sent an overwhelming force into the hills and crushed the uprising.
