Macedonia greets its visitors with unsuspected alpine landscapes and several river made canyons. With several mountain tops reaching as high as 2700 m, this place is suitable for skiing or hiking. These sites are accessible by highway, on which you can drive for a small fee. At 17 km of capital Skopje, there is a beautiful place called Matka, in the Treska Canyon. Two artificial lakes have been created on river Treska at Matka and Kozjak, but the area still holds its wild appearance.
The orthodox monastery of St Nikola is just above river Treska, with a history that goes back to the 14th century. The fresco of the dark basilica is still visible. The brick walled church has a humble look, well integrated in the recollected atmosphere of the place.
The Muslim minority (about a quarter of the population) is very visible with lots of mosques in the rural areas, but Christians and Muslims alike, the Macedonians make up a great host. Though after declaring its independence FYROM has its own currency (dinar) you can also pay with dollars or euro.