Before there was a Cleopatra in Egypt there was Cleopatra of Macedon, the sister of Alexander the Great and a strong player in early Hellenistic politics. The name Cleopatra brings to mind Greco-Egyptian princesses, but the name was once stock for Macedonian princesses. The most notable of them may be she who is now often known as Cleopatra of Macedon, in equal measure described as an unfortunate pawn and a prudent strategist.

Cleopatra was the daughter of King Philip II by his Molossian wife Olympias, which would make her the full-sister of Alexander the Great. Little is known about her early life, but Cleopatra was most likely raised at the Macedonian court and lived there until her marriage.
» Continue Reading

A landlocked nation within the central Balkan Peninsula, Macedonia may be a fusion of various cultures. The mix of cultures is also a consequence of a long history of foreign power Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Yugoslav. The architecture of its capital metropolis, Skopje, manifests this kind of blend, from the Ottoman paved streets, to ancient Yugoslav building, to red-bricked Byzantine churches and Roman houses.

The Skopje aqueduct also shows a Roman impact in the country, but more than that, it’s an apparent of urbanization throughout the olden times. Connecting the past as well as the contemporary locations could be the Stone Bridge, probably the most prominent landmark of the town.
» Continue Reading

Macedonian monasteries and mosques, 11th century Byzantine art , bargain shopping and Lake Ohrid, the oldest in Europe, are reasons to visit this world heritage site. Not only is Ohrid one of the most pleasant places in the Republic of Macedonia. It’s also one of the most historically significant in Eastern Europe. The city (then called Lichnidos) dates back about 2,500 years, long before Alexander the Great set out from the Macedonian kingdom to conquer the world.

Sandstone and stucco houses tumble down the hills to the shores of Lake Ohrid, which forms part of boundary with Albania. It’s a place of winding cobblestone streets with postcard views around every turn. Its lake oldest in Europe and one of the oldest on earth in 1979 was declared a World Heritage Site.
» Continue Reading

Historical and geographical Macedonia is divided between the Republic of Macedonia, the Greek province of Macedonia and a corner of Bulgaria called Pirin Macedonia. The largest portion of the historic Macedonia region is now Greek territory, a point that Greeks are always quick to make when disputing Macedonia’s use of the name, as they invariably do. In any case, the region was the homeland of Alexander the Great, who sallied forth to conquer the ancient world in the 4th century BC.

Rarely independent, the territory of the Republic of Macedonia has often been a staging post for invaders. Roman rule was entrenched after the conquest of Macedonia in 168 BC, and over the next 500 years the ancestors of the Vlach people developed a Latin dialect. Today’s Vlach community speak a language called Aromanian, which, as the names suggests, is related to Romanian and Latin.
» Continue Reading

For the adventure travelers out there, Macedonia offers a treasure trove of little-visited destinations to discover all on your own. Guidebooks barely cover Macedonia, the land-locked country in Eastern Europe, so even visiting the main cities might feel like an off-road adventure. Here are a few ideas to really get out and see the country when you visit. It might just seem like you have the whole place to yourself.

Any part of the country outside Skopje and Ohrid. These two cities are about all that is covered by guidebooks or articles on what to do and see in Macedonia. There is the whole rest of the country ready to be discovered. Albeit, it is one of the smaller countries in the region. Hotels, bed and breakfasts, historical sites and others catering to tourists are eagerly investing in the tourist business, bringing new enthusiasm to little-visited towns and cities.
» Continue Reading