Travel Guide Demir Hisar

This village, whose name means "iron fort" in Turkish, really began to develop from 1946 onwards around mining (iron) and agriculture. Its charmless modernism doesn't make it a must-see: the only ancient monument here is a ruined Ottoman mosque. There are, however, a few places to visit in the countryside, notably the beautiful Slepče monastery, where the monks produce and sell plenty of good things to eat. The municipality also includes the village of Smilevo, birthplace of Dame Gruev, one of the leaders of the Ilinden Uprising of 1903. The area, however, attracts few tourists, except briefly on the road between Bitola and the charming town of Kruševo. If you want to sleep in Demir Hisar, you're spoilt for choice: there's only one hotel here, the Dezerto (+389 79 33 93 76). A few rooms are also available at the Čičko Taljo restaurant (+389 47 27 69 41).