Sveti Jovan Bigorski Monastery
This revered 1020 Byzantine monastery is located, fittingly, up in the gods along a track of switchbacks off the Debar road, close to Janče village…
Getty Images/Hemis.fr RM
Mavrovo National Park
The gorges, pine forests, karst fields and waterfalls of Mavrovo National Park offer a breath of fresh, rarefied air for visitors travelling between Skopje and Ohrid. Beautiful vistas abound, and the park is home to North Macedonia's highest peak, Mt Korab (2764m). Locally the park is best known for its ski resort (the country’s biggest) near Mavrovo town, but by international standards the skiing is fairly average. In summertime, the park is glorious.
One of North Macedonia's most important – and accessible – monasteries, Sveti Jovan Bigorski, is here, as are the atmospheric villages of Galičnik and Janče, separated by a mountain ridge. The Galičnik traditional village wedding is one of the country's most popular and quirky summer festivals. Mavrovo is also home to some of North Macedonia’s most revered cheesemakers.
Driving in the park is extremely scenic, but a word of caution: car GPS doesn't work well here and signposting is poor.
Explore Mavrovo National Park
- Sveti Jovan Bigorski Monastery
This revered 1020 Byzantine monastery is located, fittingly, up in the gods along a track of switchbacks off the Debar road, close to Janče village…
- JJanče
Just a blip on the map, the small village of Janče is one of the few places in Mavrovo (besides the ski resort) where it's possible to get decent…
- GGaličnik
Up a winding, tree-lined road ending in a rocky moonscape 17km southwest of Mavrovo, almost depopulated Galičnik features traditional houses along the…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Mavrovo National Park.
See
Sveti Jovan Bigorski Monastery
This revered 1020 Byzantine monastery is located, fittingly, up in the gods along a track of switchbacks off the Debar road, close to Janče village…
See
Janče
Just a blip on the map, the small village of Janče is one of the few places in Mavrovo (besides the ski resort) where it's possible to get decent…
See
Galičnik
Up a winding, tree-lined road ending in a rocky moonscape 17km southwest of Mavrovo, almost depopulated Galičnik features traditional houses along the…
Guidebooks
Learn more about Mavrovo National Park
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