Vodno and Matka: the mountains in the city: the back story

About Vodno and Matka: the mountains in the city: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Skopje Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Skopje is a city of the valley, but the mountains are never far away. Mount Vodno rises straight from the southern suburbs, and Matka Canyon, a wild gorge with a lake and monasteries, is half an hour from the centre.

Mount Vodno

Vodno is Skopje’s home mountain, covered in woods and laced with trails. Locals walk and cycle here year-round, and the slopes hold the 12th-century church of St Panteleimon at Gorno Nerezi.

Up to the cross

The Millennium Cross crowns the summit at 1,066 metres. A cable car runs up from Sredno Vodno, where there is a car park, cafés and a bus stop; it usually closes on Mondays and in bad weather. On a clear day the view stretches across the whole valley.

From the bazaar to a mountain summit in under an hour.

Matka Canyon

South-west of the city, the river Treska cuts a deep canyon. A dam built in 1938 created Lake Matka, and boats and kayaks now take you to Vrelo Cave, while trails lead to medieval monasteries clinging to the cliffs. See our Matka Canyon guide.

Seasons

Spring and autumn are perfect for walking. Summer is hot in the city but cooler on the mountain and the water. In winter Vodno often has snow, and the city is just a bus ride below.

Our advice: take the cable car up Vodno in the late afternoon and walk down through the woods, or hike up from Sredno Vodno in about two hours. Go to Matka on a weekday morning, take the boat to Vrelo Cave and walk to St Nicholas monastery for the view.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Vodno and Matka: the mountains in the city: the back story before you go.