Matka Canyon 2: More hikes and caves

 


If you’re heading to Matka Canyon and don’t fancy hiking up one of the mountain trails, follow the paved footpath up past the dam instead.

It mostly runs alongside the water and is a great area to take photos.

The dam itself, about halfway along the walk, is the oldest in Macedonia, opening in 1938. Lake Treska is at the top, with the artificial lake running out if it on the other side of the dam.

A the ed of the main footpath, overlooking Lake Treska, is a hotel and restaurant, and St Andrews monastery. It’s also a popular location for rock climbers. You can walk on past the restaurant, with the path winding round the canyon and overlooking the lake. 



Lake Treska in Matka Canyon 

Lake Treska in Matka Canyon, looking towards the dam


There are plenty of opportunities to take interesting photos in Matka. This is close to the restaurant and hotel



St Andrews monastery is located close to where you take boat trips from

It’s a tourist trap in the summer, especially being so close to Skopje, so gets busy with a mix of local day trippers and international visitors.

From here, you can book boat trips on the lake, and one that’s well worth doing is a ride to some of the caves. It’s been some years since we headed to the caves, but it’s set up for casual visitors.

It's well worth taking one of the tours to the caves. it's a really short boat ride


All photos: Matka Canyon and Lake Treska, Macedonia, 2021, 2013, 2008

Location: Skopje, North Macedonia

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