Excellent Scenery And Tranquility Of The Prespa Lake

If you want the main ingredients of your weekend to be serenity, kindness and leisure, than reserve your next weekend for the breathtaking lake Prespa - the second largest tectonic lake in Macedonia

A two-day tour

Prespa is very uniquely situated and surrounded with mountains, and has its own interesting and long history.

The starting point for the boat trip that will last 2 hours and for the tour will be the village of Stenje.

The Island of Golem Grad (Large Town), a rare natural phenomenon, is located 2 km from the village of Konjsko. Today the island is uninhabited; however archeological research of the island shows that settlements have existed there from the 4th century A.D. It is also known as the island of the snakes. Today it is abandoned by people. The island Golem Grad covers an area of 20 hectares. The archaeological excavations have shown that it was inhabited from Hellenistic to mediaeval times. Traces of the various historical periods can be found on the island, including two 14^th century churches, one of St. Peter and one of St. Dimitri. The church of St. Peter was erected and the frescos were painted in the 14th century, in 1360. It is a single-nave construction in the vicinity of which there is a small two-floor inn, evidence of the monastery life. The island now is a part of the National Park of Galichica that is home to rare flora and fauna. The island provides excellent scenery and tranquility for picnics and photographs.

From the island of Golem Grad we will return by boat to the village of Konjsko (30 minutes on a boat). The village of Konjsko is situated on the south-east shore of the lake Prespa. It is a fishing village displaying typical rustic architecture from the Neolithic period.

From Konjsko, the group will continue to Stenje. A traditional lunch will be served there.

You will have an opportunity to spend the night with a local families, who will be delighted to show you their hospitability. Most of their traditional houses are build from massive granite rocks, but are well adopted for the visitors.

After breakfast, we will continue to explore the other side of Lake Prespa.

The first stop will be in the village of Podmochani. Here we'll share with you the privilege of enjoying the beauty of the Collection of Macedonian Folk Costumes.

A rare and impressive collection of unique artifacts and traditional dresses from Macedonia may be found in the home of Jone Eftimovski. This collection includes many different national costumes from various regions as well as jewelers, weapons and coins.

We shall continue to the Monastery of Slivnica, Sveta Bogorodica (Holy Virgin Mother). This monastery was built and decorated in 1607, although some frescoes were made in 1612 and 1645. The frescoes are well preserved even today and display the key elements of 17th century art. In the 19th century, dormitories were added to the existing building.

A path through the forest allows passage to monastery of St. George in Kurbinovo. The external architecture may not seem very impressive at first glance; however, this historical monument dates back to 1191 and is in itself an architectural masterpiece.

To the northern part of Lake Prespa the reserve for protected birds Ezerani is located. There we will make a small stop just to see the most unique water habitats in the Balkans. This reserve is also protected under international environmental and natural heritage laws including Euronature. It covers more than 2000 ha and it is an ideal home for more than 115 species of birds.

The visit to the villages of Ljubojno and Brajchino will have a special impact on you. The village Ljubojno lies on the slopes of the mountain Baba and it has very interesting architecture. The surrounding countryside is beautiful and remains untouched near the clear waters of the Brajchinska river. There are two churches near Ljubojno - St. Peter and St. Paul. You have to pass through the village of Ljubojno to get to Brajchino.

The village of Brajchino is situated deep on the slopes of the mountain Baba that lies along the coast of Lake Prespa. The most famous landmark of the village are the houses built from massive granite rocks. The river Brajchinska runs through the beautiful green valley surrounding the village. There is trout in the river. The local specialty of the region is fresh trout and an endless variety of pies and pastries. And, of course, the visit wouldn't be complete without a visit of the local church of St. Petka.

PRICE:
Depending on group size

DATES:
from 14-15.04.2009 until 20-21.10.2009

The price includes transport/travel, all sightseeing, all meals and full escort by a professional tourist guide.

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