The British newspaper Guardian made a reportage for the ten most beautiful canyons where visitors can hike. The Matka canyon in Skopje is part of that list.
“Visitors to Skopje who feel they may tire of the city’s kitsch but enjoyable new monuments can head off to the Matka lake and canyon. It is 15km to the south-west of the city and has enough activities to sate the hunger of every outdoor enthusiast: hiking, walks, canoeing, caving, climbing, history, and bird and butterfly spotting. The gorge contains medieval monasteries with superb frescoes and a lot of caves – some are accessible by boat from Lake Matka. The number 60 bus from Skopje takes 40 minutes to get there and costs about 40p, though it is infrequent. Taxis cost around £5. The bus stop is a 15-minute walk from the splendour of Lake Matka, which has restaurants alongside. This is also the starting point of the trail that hugs the gorge and that – although is a comfortable walk – has its hairy moments when handrails disappear and sudden drops loom up. If you are not in hiking mode one of the best things to do at the gorge is to take a boat trip to the water-filled Vrelo cavern with its incredible stalagmites and unchartered depths,” writes Guardian.
