Things to see and do Polog And Reka

Located along the Pena River, this superb ^19th-century mosque (Шарена Џамија/Šarena Džamija, Xhamia e Larme) is a rarity in Islamic architecture: its exterior and interior walls are adorned with rich, brightly-colored decoration. In the Balkans, only the Colorful Mosque in Travnik (1817), Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the Et'hem Bey Mosque in Tirana (1823), Albania, preserve comparable frescoes. Here, the mosque is modest in size (10 x 10 m) and preceded by a five-arched porch. It was built in 1833, on the site of an earlier "colored" mosque dating from 1495, of which only the 28 m-high minaret remains. It was commissioned by the region's governor, Abdurrahman Pacha. This Albanian patron of the arts, a follower of Bektashism, was the son of Rexhep Pacha, the governor who enlarged the Arabati-Baba tekké. To decorate "his" mosque, Abdurrahman Pacha called on craftsmen from the Debar region, renowned for its iconostasis sculptors and church painters. It is said that 30,000 egg yolks were needed to make the paint and varnish for the decorations.

Star of the Mahdi. The outer walls each feature some 30 rectangular panels painted with geometric and arabesque motifs. The façade has fewer painted panels and more arabesques. The porch features a large six-pointed star, rather than the classical five-pointed one representing the five pillars of Islam. This is the symbol of the Mahdi, the "Saviour" awaited by all Muslims, but whose belief is more widespread among Bektashis (and Shiites) than among traditionalist Sunnis. Inside, the six-pointed star can be found in various places. The mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca) and minbar (pulpit) are carved marble and painted in a baroque style. On the porch side, the upper part of the wall is open with three corbelled balconies, also in Baroque style. The walls are decorated with floral and geometric motifs, Arabic calligraphy and landscapes depicting Muslim buildings. Among the latter is a representation, extremely rare if not unique in a mosque, of the Prophet's tomb in Mecca. The carved wooden dome is adorned with twelve medallions representing six floral compositions and six mosques in the Tetovo region. Last but not least, note the ^18th-century wooden clock with a mechanism indicating the (variable) prayer times.

This vast Ottoman-period tekké (Арабати Баба Теќе/Arabati Baba Teḱe, Teqeja e Baba Harabatit) belongs to the brotherhood of the bektashis, the most tolerant branch of Sufi Islam. The complex, which resembles a fortified camp, extends over 26,700 m². It boasts a magnificent garden, a dozen classical Ottoman-style buildings and around a hundred tombs of dervishes and followers of Bektashism. It was founded in 1538 by the Turkish dervish master Sersem Ali Baba. But it bears the name of his disciple and successor, Arabati Baba. It was he who undertook the expansion of the tekké after the death of his master in 1549. Out of humility, these two great theologians and poets adopted ridiculous sobriquets: in Turkish sersem means "madman" or "fool" and harabati is derived from the ancient Arabic arābātat, meaning "drunkard". It was from this tekké that the humanistic precepts of the bektashis spread to the Albanian-speaking populations of the Balkans. However, the complex took on its current appearance between 1799 and 1820 under Rexhep Pasha. An adept of Bektashism, this Albanian governor of the Tetovo region undertook major renovations.

Welcoming dervishes and intimidating bearded men. Rexhep Pacha's original intention was to house his daughter Fatima, who was suffering from tuberculosis, so that she could breathe the pure air of the Šar Mountains. Thanks to his patronage, the complex continued to flourish, attracting ever more dervishes, scholars, poets, pilgrims and donors. When the bektashis became too influential at the sultan's court and were expelled from present-day Turkey, the brotherhood transferred its headquarters to the Arabati-Baba tekké in 1826. When the Ottomans left in 1912, the headquarters were finally transferred to Tirana, Albania, where they remain today. Since 1912, the tekké has suffered a long decline. Closed down by the Yugoslav socialist authorities in 1945, it fell victim to arson in 1948, before being transformed into a tourist complex in the 1960s with a restaurant, hotel and even, for a time, a discotheque. After independence and another fire in 1992, it was finally returned to the Bektashis in 1994. But since 2002, part of the complex has been occupied by a group of Sunni Islamists who consider the Bektashis to be "heretics". Fortunately, a visit is still possible. But it can be a little strange, with welcoming, peaceful dervishes on one side, and sometimes intimidating fundamentalist bearded men on the other.

This Orthodox monastery dedicated to Saint Athanasius of Alexandria (Лешочки Манастир/Lešočki Manastir, Manastiri i Leshkës) is a symbol of Macedonian identity. The faithful come here to pay their respects at the tomb of Kiril Pejčinoviḱ (c. 1771-1845), a Bulgarian monk from Tearce canonized by the Macedonian Orthodox Church in 2022. Enjoying a beautiful setting, with the Šar Mountains in the background, the complex was founded in the ^14th century by Serbian prince and saint Lazar Hrebeljanović (1329-1389). Destroyed by the Ottomans after the Austrian incursion into Polog around 1683-1699, it was restored by Kiril Pejčinoviḱ, who was higoumène (abbot) of the monastery from 1818. A great literary and religious figure, Pejčinoviḱ is both considered the creator of the modern Bulgarian language and one of the earliest contributors to the Macedonian language. On the heights of the complex remain the ruins of the old ^14th-century Church of St. Athanasius. To the south-east of the courtyard stands the 19th-century Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God. Dating from the ^19th century, it is very simple in form and features frescoes from the ^14th, ^17th and ^19th centuries. Finally, the new Church of St. Athanasius, completed in 1936, is massive and of a style that is, to say the least, haphazard. Badly damaged during the 2001 civil war, it was rebuilt with European funding in 2007. Various ^{twentieth-century} buildings recall the monastery's use as an orphanage and as an annex to the Tetovo hospital specializing in the treatment of lung diseases.

This mountain range (Бистра Планина/Bistra Planina) covers 573 ^km2 in the southeastern half of Mavrovo National Park and part of Kičevo municipality. It includes fifteen peaks over 2,000 m above sea level, culminating in the Medecina/Меденица ("honeycomb") peak, at 2,163 m above sea level, near the village of Galičnik. Renowned for its forests, caves (undeveloped for tours), numerous rivers and small glacial lake Senečko (at 1,870 m a.s.l., 4.4 km west as the crow flies from the village of Mavrovo), it is also the setting for many sporting activities: skiing at the Zare-Lazarevski resort, off-piste skiing around Galičnik, paragliding, hiking, horseback riding or mountain biking. An 11 km trail links the Mavrovo National Park information center with the village of Vrben/Врбен (130 inhabitants, above Mavrovi Anovi) via the Koža peak, 1,740 m above sea level. Another, 14.3 km long and considerably more difficult, connects the Zare-Lazarevski resort with Galičnik via the Medecina peak. But one of the most frequently recommended routes is between the village of Nikiforovo/Никифорово (population 50, on the eastern shore of Lake Mavrovo) and Sandaktaš peak/Сандакташ, at 1,983 m above sea level. It requires an 8 km walk (approx. 2h30) with a 700 m ascent. It presents no particular difficulty and offers superb views of Mount Korab, Lake Mavrovo and, to the southeast, the Treska valley and the town of Kičevo.

This peak (Црн Врв/Crn Vrv, Maja e Zezë) lies at 2,585 m altitude in the Šar Mountains, on the border with Kosovo. It offers grandiose views over the entire massif and as far as the large Kosovar town of Prizren, some 17 km to the north-west as the crow flies. It can be reached via a relatively difficult, poorly-marked 8 km trail from Vejce (approx. 4.5 hrs walk and 1,500 m ascent). The route is described on several websites, including sharplanina.com.mk and sharamountainguide.com.mk. Scheuchzer's cottongrass(Eriophorum scheuchzeri), a "cottony" plant found mainly in Arctic peat bogs from Alaska to Siberia, as well as in a few valleys in the Alps and Pyrenees, was recently discovered near the Black Peak. It's also possible to reach the Black Peak via another 20.8 km itinerary, which ends in Vejce and requires a 9h hike. This one starts from the hamlet of Brezno/Брезно (officially, 3 Macedonian inhabitants) which is located at 975 m a.s.l., 6 km northeast of Lešok. First, you have to follow a carriage road (by 4 x 4 or on foot) to the locality of "Les Trois-Eaux" (Tri Vode/Три Воде) at 1,320 m above sea level. The trail then crosses the Tearečka Bistrica river and leads along Mount Suva Dupka (2,492 m) and to the summit of the Black Peak, before descending to the village of Vejce. The route is difficult and unmarked, with an ascent of 1,610 m. We recommend that you do both hikes with a guide.

This waterfall (Самовилски Водопад/Samovilski Vodopad) is little-known and difficult to access due to the damp ground. But it is... enchanting! The Samovilski River, a small tributary of the Radika River, falls here in staircases 8 m high between moss-covered rocks and in the middle of a thick forest. It's just 50 m from the road, near the junction between the roads to Strezimir, Kosovo and the abandoned village of Brodec. But 50 m on slippery ground must be a trick of the fairies, who prefer to keep to themselves here.

This mountain range (Кораб Планина/Korab Planina, Mali i Korabit), whose name means "boat" in Albanian, stretches over 400 ^km2 between Northern Macedonia and Albania. Its summit, the Golem Korab (Голем Кораб, Maja e Korabit), is the highest point in both countries, at 2,764 m above sea level. This "great Korab" is the fourth highest peak in the Balkans. The massif boasts nine other peaks over 2,500 m in altitude, three of which flank the Golem Korab: Korab II (2,753 m), Korab III (2,745 m), both on the border, and Radomira Peak (2,716 m) in Albania. A little further south are Malokorapska Stena (2,725 m) and the "little Korab", Mal Korab (2,683 m). Surrounded by the Šar massif (2,748 m) to the north and the Dešat massif (2,372 m) to the south, the Korab is part of a vast protected area with the Mavrovo National Park in northern Macedonia and the Korab-Koritnik Natural Park (555 ^km2) in Albania. On the Albanian side, to the west, the walls are rocky. However, the Korab Golem is accessible via a 9.4 km trail from Radomira (1,250 m above sea level, 35 km north of Peshkopi). In North Macedonia, there are several more scenic routes. The one from Strezimir stretches over 8.5 km with a 1,318 m ascent, passing Lake Korab at 2,470 m altitude. It requires a good level of fitness. You can then return to Strezimir or descend to Radomira. In either case, check with the information center in Mavrovo Anovi before you set off.

This beautiful waterfall (Дуфски Водопад/Dufski Vodopad or Duf Şelalesi in Turkish) is formed by the Rostuška river, which here makes a 23.5 m high jump through a narrow gorge, before filling a small basin and then joining the Radika. The water here flows powerfully, averaging 90 litres/second in winter. But the site is most beautiful in autumn or spring. The waterfall is located below Rostuša, about 30 minutes' walk from the village or 15 minutes from the road along a well-marked path.

This fortress (Китино Кале/Kitino Kale) stands on an isolated hill some twenty meters above Kičevo. It was erected by Serbian prince Marko Mrnjavčević in the ^14th century and occupied by the Ottomans until 1860. Only the remains of a tower and a rampart remain. Since 1963, the fortress has housed a major memorial complex designed by Jordan Grabulovski, who also built the Makedonium in Kruševo. At the top, a semicircular ossuary contains the bodies of partisans who liberated the town twice, in 1943 and 1945.

This museum houses temporary exhibitions of contemporary art and the archaeological discoveries of the region. The emblematic illyrienne statuette of the Menada goddess is however at the national museum in Skopje.

This mountain range (Крчин Планина/Krčin Planina, or Mali i Kërçinit in Albanian and Kırçin Dağı in Turkish) stretches for around 90 ^km2 between Albania and Northern Macedonia, partly within the Mavrovo National Park. Framed by the Dešat massif to the north and Lake Debar to the south, it culminates at Golem Krčin, 2,341 m above sea level, on the border between the two countries, just above Rostuša. A little further south are the peaks of Deli Senica (2,174 m), Rudina (2,238 m) and Crvena Ploča (2,107 m). The Krčin is the only habitat for a rare endemic flower, the Macedonian carnation(Dianthus macedonicus). The massif is best known for its hot, sulfurous springs, which are exploited at the Banište and Kosovrasti thermal baths near Debar. It is also an important gypsum reserve, with a quarry at Dono Kosovrasti, north of Lake Debar. Mount Krčin is also ideal for hiking. An easy 3.5 km trail leads from Rostuša to the important village of Skudrinje/Скудриње (Skudrinye in Turkish). Located just south of the Mavrovo National Park, it is home to around a thousand Turks (76%) and Macedonian Muslims (the Torbeš). Still departing from Rostuša, another more demanding route in the form of a loop (22 km) passes south of Velebrdo/Велебрдо, then through Bituše/Битуше, at 986 m altitude, before climbing to the Golem Krčin and skirting the border to the Deli Senica and Rudina peaks. The descent to Rostuša then passes by the pretty Duf waterfall.

This peak (Титов Врв/Titov Vrv) is the highest point in the Šar Mountains, at 2,747 or 2,748 m above sea level. It has been named after Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito since 1953, but retains its former name of "Great Turk" (Turku i Madh) in Albanian. A 12 km trail leads from Popova Šapka. Allow 4 hours for the walk (and 3h30 for the return). This hike is quite demanding. It passes over the Vakuf plateau, at an altitude of 2,000 m, and Mount Bakardan, at 2,704 m, with patches of snow still holding out in July. The route is well signposted and marked in red. It is described on signs at the ski resort and on various websites such as wikiloc.com. The Ljuboten mountaineering club offers the excursion with an experienced guide (price: approx. €65/MKD 4,000). The club also organizes a group climb every last weekend in May for around 200 people (price: €15/900 KD). At the top is a 9.3 m-high cylindrical tower built in 1951, where you can spend the night. From here, you can enjoy views of all the peaks of the Šar Mountains, in particular Piribreg (2,524 m) and Ljubuten (2,498 m) to the northeast, and Velika Rudoka (2,660 m) and Borislavec (2,675 m) to the south. Also visible are Mount Korab (2,764 m), the highest point in North Macedonia and Albania, in the Mavrovo National Park (to the southeast), and Mount Pelister, the highest point of Mount Baba, in the Pelister National Park near Bitola.

Located 580 m above sea level, this artificial lake (Дебарско Езеро/Debarsko Ezero, Liqeni i Dibrës) borders the town of Debar and covers an area of 13.2 ^km2. Also known as Špilje (Шпиље), it is the country's largest artificial lake after Tikveš and Mavrovo. Created in 1968, it stretches 22 km from Dolno Kosovraci (Banishta in Albanian) in the north to the hamlet of Drenok in the south. In the north, its widest section is 2.5 km long, with a maximum depth of 92 m. The waters of the country's second largest river, the Black Drin, are held back here by the Špilje dam. Located 5 km south-west of Debar, the dam stands 102 m high. It is used to irrigate the region and powers a hydroelectric plant that produces an average of 300 million kilowatt-hours. Popular with fishermen for its abundance of fish, the lake also receives water from the Radika River to the north. This is where the only structure crossing the lake, the Melnički Bridge, is located. Built at the same time as the dam, between 1966 and 1968, it is 368 m long and allows the R 1202 road to cross from one shore to the other. The western bank is the most developed, with the town of Debar and the dam. The eastern bank includes several hamlets and villages belonging to the municipality of Centar Župa, where the majority of the population is Turkish. To the southeast, away from the lake, lies Kodžadžik, the birthplace of Atatürk's father, the founder of modern Turkey.

The steep Dlaboka valley (Длабока Река/Dlaboka Reka, Përroi i Thellë), whose name means "deep", is home to primeval forest, in the Korab massif and within Mavrovo National Park. It ends grandly at the foot of the Korab waterfall (Корапски Водопад/Korabski Vodopad, Ujëvara e Korabit), one of the largest in the Balkans. Since 2021, part of the valley (2 ^km2) has been included on Unesco's World Heritage list of 94 "primary beech forests of the Carpathians and other parts of Europe". The Dlaboka River rises at Lake Mal Korab ("Little Korab"), at 2,310 m altitude. It is a tributary of the Ribnička, which flows into the Radika. The valley can be crossed from the abandoned hamlet of Ribnica (Рибница, Rimnica). This is at an altitude of 970 m, 16.5 km west of Mavrovi Anovi or 21.5 km north of Rostuša. From the hamlet of Volkovija (Волковија, Vallkavi), first follow a carriage road (by 4 x 4 or on foot) for 4.5 km to Ribnica. From here, a footpath leads to the waterfall where the Dlaboka falls from a height of more than 100 m between around 2,050 and 1,950 m above sea level. It's a 13 km walk to get there, with an ascent of 1,000 m. The return journey is by the same route (26 km in total). This challenging hike is not described on the national park website. However, guides are available to accompany you, and several routes are described on the wikiloc.com website.

This is the source (Извор на Вардар/Izvor na Vardar, Burimi i lumit Vardar) of the Vardar, the country's main river (380 km long, 76 km of which is in Greece). At an altitude of 683 m, the water emerges from karstic rocks at a very high flow rate (1.5^m3/second), next to the Orthodox Church of Archangel Michael, erected in 1924. Particularly pure and cold, it is used by local farmers, as well as to feed large trout-breeding ponds, which can be found on the menu of many Vrutok restaurants.

The hill of the "Holy City" (Светиград or Svetigrad in Turkish and Sfetigrad in Albanian) is a rocky mass that rises to an altitude of 1,100 m. According to the most widespread theory, the siege of Svetigrad took place here, from May 14 to July 31, 1448. This battle, lost by the Albanians, marked the beginning of Skanderbeg's war against the Ottomans, which lasted until 1478. But some Albanian historians claim that the site of the confrontation could have been in Pelagonia, at Drevenik/Древеник, a hamlet 15 km southeast of Demir Hisar.

This beautiful little glacial lake (Караниколичко Езеро/Karanikoličko Ezero, Liqeni Karanikollës) lies at an altitude of 2,110 m, around 500 m west of Kosovo and below the Karanikola peak (2,409 m). Also known as the "Grand Gjol" (Голем Ѓол/Golem Gjol, Gjoli pa Fund), it covers 2.7 ha, is 590 m long, 115 m wide and has a maximum depth of 5.60 m. It can be reached by a 14.3 km trail that starts at Bozovce (1,325 m above sea level) and ends at the village of Vešala (1,425 m), itself 2 km east of Bozovce by road. The lake is distinguished by the color of its water, which oscillates between light blue, turquoise, violet and dark blue. The water is considered the "softest" in the Balkans, with a hydrogen potential (pH) of around 6.5. Nearby, rare endemic flowers such as Šar mullein(Verbascum scardicolum) and Šar sainfoin(Onobrychis scardica) grow. The trail from Bozovce takes around 6h30. It is described on a sign in the village and on various websites such as balkanhikingadventure.com. With an ascent of 885 m, this route is considered difficult and requires a good level of fitness. But it offers superb views of the rock formations known as the "three hazelnut trees" (Лешнички Карпи/Leshnichki Karpi), Tito's Peak (the highest point in the Šar Mountains), the Pena River (Пена, Lumi i Shkumbinit) and Karanikola Peak. On the way back down to Vešala, you'll enjoy panoramic views of the Vrtop (2,555 m) and Kobilica (2,528 m) peaks.

This beautiful waterfall (Тресонечки Водопад/Tresonečki Vodopad) is located at 1,370 m a.s.l., near the source of the Tresonečka River and at the foot of Golem Brzovec (2,082 m a.s.l.), a peak on Mount Bistra. A well-marked 3 km trail leads to it from Tresonče. Around 500 m before the waterfall, the path passes close to the Alilica cave, 590 m deep and known by cavers for its great difficulty. The first chamber can be reached by bending down. You'll need good shoes, a flashlight and even a helmet to go any further.

This mosque (Инќар Џамија/Inḱar Džamija, Xhamia e Hynqarit) is Debar's oldest. But it is awaiting renovation. It was erected in 1467 thanks to a gift from Sultan Mehmet II and bears the Turkish name of Hünkâr Camii ("Sovereign's Mosque"). Rebuilt in 1938, it is still used by the inhabitants of the old charchia district. However, the city's Muslims are more likely to frequent the "Clock Tower Mosque" (Xhamia e Sahat Kullës) built in 2013, 300 m south-west of Skanderbeg Square.