Michael Powell's Blog, page 70

The Duf Waterfall Near Rostuša

After parking our car in the center of Rostuša, a small village within the bounds of the Mavrovo National Park, we set off to find the Duf Waterfall. This was an easy hike of about forty minutes, which follows a well-marked trail from the main road.

The hike begins unspectacularly, leading behind the houses of Rostuša. But after arriving at the foot of a long ravine, it improves. The trail continues through the canyon, alongside the Rostuša River, which it occasionally crosses with foot bridge...

Mavrovo Lake and the Sunken Church

Just south of Gostivar, sparkling Lake Mavrovo shares its name with Macedonia’s first national park. Whether for hiking, skiing, trout fishing, or just relaxing with a view of the Balkan peaks reflecting in the water, the lake has long been a popular vacation spot for Macedonians.

Mavrovo is the largest artificial lake in the country, with a surface area of over five square miles. It’s famous for its trout fishing, but people also visit in the winter to ski in the hills which border the lake t...

The Wines of Stobi

Just outside the town of Gradsko, we found one of Macedonia’s newest and most successful wineries: Stobi, named in honor of the nearby Roman ruins which we had recently visited. We took a tour of the winery and had a chance to sample some of their best bottles.

Although Stobi was founded just six years ago, it’s already become one of the country’s most recognized brands. And even before we visited, it was among our favorite Macedonian wines. Full-bodied, rich in color, and inexpensive, Stobi’s...

The Ruins of Stobi

A sprawling set of ruins just off the highway, near the town of Gradsko, Stobi is the largest archaeological site in Macedonia. Thanks to its strategic location at the confluence of the rivers Crna and Vardar, Stobi was an important city for both the Paeonian Kingdom and the Romans, until being abandoned following a major earthquake in 518 AD.

Stobi is literally meters away Macedonia’s main highway; you pull off the exit directly into the parking lot. Given this ease of access and the site’s (...

The Pantelejmon Monastery of Vodno

On the slopes of Mount Vodno in the village of Gorni Nezeri, is one of the most important monasteries in Macedonia. Pantelejmon was built in the twelfth century, and conserves some of the country’s oldest Byzantine frescoes.

Gorni Nezeri is just outside Skopje and we were visiting on a Sunday, so the church was quite busy. We paid the entrance fee, and crammed inside with the others. Having heard so much about the Sv Pantelejmon, we were surprised how small it was. Especially with the crowd, t...

The Vinarija Elenov – Macedonia’s Oldest Winery

We spent two great nights in Demir Kapija at the Popova Kula Winery, and though we drank more than enough, our thirst for wine had not yet slaked. On the way out of town, we stopped by the Vinarija Elenov, which is the most historic winery in Macedonia.

Although it’s right off the highway, not a single sign advertises the Vinarija Elenov’s presence. If you weren’t specifically looking for it, you’d drive right past without ever registering its existence. “Don’t they want tourists?” I wondered....

Demir Kapija’s Popova Kula Winery

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 lovely grounds, on a hill just outside of the town center, and then try out a few of their best wines.

In addition to its hotel and restaurant, the Popova Kula offers a number of hiking tours into the area surrounding the winery, complete with box lunch and wine. This is an opportunity we would normally leap at, but we had already done plenty of hiking in M...

Demir Kapija: The Iron Gate

We spent two days visiting the small town of Demir Kapija, in the wine region of south-central Macedonia. The town’s name is Turkish for “Iron Gate”, referring to a narrow gorge cut into the hills. Besides a couple great wineries, the town is known for its hiking and rock climbing opportunities.

The most impressive sight in Demir Kapija is the geological formation which provides the town its name: the Iron Gate. This canyon carved out by the Vardar River has always been an important thoroughfa...

Šuto Orizari: Europe’s Biggest Roma Settlement

Just outside downtown Skopje is the municipality of Šuto Orizari, commonly known as Šutka, home to 18,000 of Macedonia’s Roma population. We took a taxi out to check out Šutka’s market, and see what life is like in Europe’s largest Roma settlement.

Šutka isn’t exactly a tourist destination, and many Macedonians would never entertain the thought of visiting. The unfortunate truth is that the Roma lead a very visible life of misery in Skopje. These are the people picking through the city’s waste...

Imako Vino in Štip

Macedonia’s wine industry is on the rise. The warm Mediterranean climate of the valleys which run through the center of the country have 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 in Macedonia, we set off to explore the area. First stop: Štip and the Imako Vino Winery.

Established in 1989, Imako has become the third-largest producer of wine in Macedonia, cranking out t...