When you visit new places, you come across things you expected, some things that raise your eyebrow a bit, and some things that you genuinely did not have on the radar. In the case of North Macedonia, I would enter for these categories the grilled meat everywhere, which I kind of expected in the Balkans, and for the second category the wild architecture and myriads of statues everywhere. That the country offers excellent trails and wild landscape, however, is something that had escaped me before my visit.
Given that we only had a few days to check out the areas outside the city, I won't claim in-depth knowledge in the matter, but the landscapes we saw in those days were very varied and with excellent trails for trail running and hiking.
A good starting point to explore this side of the country is to take the bus from Skopje to Lake Matka, some 20km outside the city. Situated in Matka Canyon, it is an artificial lake with a dam right at the entrance to the canyon, which offers beautiful views on the water and the surrounding hills.
You can either rent some kayaks or hop on a motorboat (certainly more convenient given the size of the lake) to get to Vrelo Cave, where you can explore some of the impressive formations and escape the hot sun for a bit.
Once you are back at the dock, there are various hiking trails in the area, and multiple medieval monasteries in the surrounding area. We picked a path which led up one of the steep mountains around the lake, and which led all the way to the giant Millennial Cross looming over the city of Skopje. The trails are in great condition and once we had left the busy area around the lake, the few people we met along the way were dressed in proper trail running outfits. The views are gorgeous - just make sure to pack enough water for the hike, as the shop and restaurant at the lake is the last chance to do so.
Once you get closer to the city of Skopje and to the cross on top of Vodno Mountain, it becomes clear just how big it is - twice the height of Christ the Redeemer, it is visible from most parts of the city. Since we arrived late on a Sunday, the visiting center was closed and the playground abandoned, which gave the whole scenery a slightly eerie vibe. On our descent we stopped at Zelenika beer garden for a cold drink to recover from the hike through the sun. There was some random pieces of art in the background, some involving mannequins, which is always slightly creepy, but the views from the terrace were stunning.
All in all it can be said that North Macedonia is underrated and under the radar as a trekking and hiking destination. The trails are well maintained and the mountainous landscape is fun to explore. And since it's the Balkans you know that in the end of a long day of hiking you will get the inevitable shashlik dinner to restore your strength.
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