Macedonia abounds in natural beauties and rarities. Many have named it "the pearl of the Balkans." Its numerous mountains, forests, rivers, and lakes represent a great tourist attraction.

The country is rich in water resources. It is often called "the land of lakes" because of its numerous tectonic, glacial, and man-made lakes. There are about 50 large and small lakes, the most significant ones being the lakes of Ohrid, Prespa, and Dojran. 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 Galicica.

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 center of the country is Skopje , with a population of 467,257 inhabitants. It's a place where many roads and civilizations have met and mingled. Other major towns are: Bitola , Prilep, Kumanovo, Tetovo, 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 campsites.

The basin of Lake Prespa is another popular tourist destination with its wild beauty. The lake offers peace in several various accommodation facilities on Otesevo and Pretor tourist centers.

Lake Dojran, 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 campsites on the shore of this lake, too.

The position of the country and its configuration, climate, and hydrograph provide favourable conditions for the development of tourism. For the accommodation of tourists Macedonia has at its disposal 90 hotels, 10 camps, two tourist settlements, and some 27,000 beds in private sector. The total number of beds in all accommodation facilities amounts to about 80,000. The most popular tourist destinations are Lake Ohrid, Lake Prespa, and Lake Dojran, where 80 percent of total accommodation capacities are located and the biggest part of the tourism turnover and revenues derive from.

For winter tourism are several well-known winter sports centers: Popova Sapka at Mt. Sar, Mavrovo, Krusevo, 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, Kezovica Spa. They offer facilities for treatment, rehabilitation, and recreation.

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 artefacts. The first Slavic alphabet and literature also have their roots here.

Many internationally recognized events are held in the country: Ohrid Summer Festival, Struga Poetry Evenings, Ohrid Balkan Festival, Galicnik 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.