Macedonia

Skopje - a view of Macedonia's capital and largest city.  Much of the city is modern, having been rebuilt following a disastrous earthquake in 1963.

Skopje - Ploštad Republika (Republic Square), formerly Marshall Tito Square, a broad tree-lined expanse separating the old town from the new.

Skopje - the Kameni Most (Bridge) across the Vardar River, built by the Romans and restored by the Turks in the 15C.

Skopje - a typical street in the old town.

Skopje - always time for friends and a coffee.

Skopje - an outdoor market in the old town.

Skopje - view of the modern center from the Turkish fortress above the city.

Mavrovo National Park - this beautiful park is southwest of Skopje, and contains some of the finest scenery in Macedonia.

Mavrovo National Park - the crisp mountain air and rushing streams are just over an hour by car from Skopje.

Jance - one of dozens of such villages passed on the road between Skopje and Ochrid.

Monastery of Sv Jovan Bigorski - this complex dates from the 11C, but was largely rebuilt in the 19C.  It is in western Macedonia, close to the Albanian border.

Monastery of Sv Jovan Bigorski (St John the Baptist) - note the characteristic Balkan architecture.

Banište - this charming small village is just north of Debar on the border with Albania.

Ochrid - view of the lakeside square.  The town lies on the western shore of the lake of the same name, one of the largest in the Balkans, and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ochrid - the town itself has over 500,000 inhabitants, and is the largest in the region.

Ochrid - late afternoon.  The lake harbors many unique species of fish, including the 'salmon trout'.

Ochrid - some homes on the shore of the lake.

Ochrid - the lakeside promenade in the newer section of the town.

Ochrid - the view on the climb up one of the many hills in the town.

Ochrid - the highest hill is capped by the ruins of this fortress, which dates from the 10C.

Ochrid - a sunset along the shores of Lake Ochrid.

Lake Ochrid - anyone for a ride on the lake?

Monastery of Sv Neum - this small complex lies just a few meters from the Albanian border on the southern shore of Lake Ochrid, and was established in the 9C.

Lake Prespa - a view of another large lake, this one shared between Macedonia, Albania, and Greece.  Lake Prespa is much more rural and agricultural than the area around Lake Ochrid.

Heraclea - view.  This site lies just outside Bitola, the second largest city in Macedonia.  It was founded in the 4C BC by the father of Alexander the Great, and was an important military garrison in Roman times.

Heraclea - detail of a house containing a mosaic.

Heraclea - detail of another mosaic.

Map courtesy of maps.com.