Prespa

城市概覽

Prespa is a rural area of natural beauty and important history. Galičica National Park separates the region from Lake Ohrid. The villages on the western shore of Prespa slope upwards toward Galičica Mountain. On the eastern side, the villages slope upwards toward Baba Mountain in Pelister National Park. This means there are many beautiful vistas to be seen of the lake, regardless of where you find yourself. The views only get better the further up into the mountains you go.

People The Prespa area consists of the villages of (from the west going clockwise around the lake): Konjsko, Stenje, Leskoec, Oteševo, Šurlenci, Volkoderi, Pokrvenik, Preljublje, Perovo, Drmeni, Ezerani, Podomočani, Grnčari, Rajca, Asamati, Kurbinovo, Pretor, Slivnica, Krani, Arvati, Štrbovo, Nakolec, Ljubojno, Brajčino, and Dolno Dupeni. Over 4,500 people live in these villages as of the last census. Prespa's inhabitants traditionally work in agriculture. Roughly half of the apples produced in the country are grown in Resen Municipality. Ethnic Macedonians form a large majority in the area (77%), but there is ethnic diversity in Prespa with Albanians forming 22% and Turks forming 1%. Arvati, Grnčari, Krani, and Nakolec have ethnic Albanian majorities. Further north of Prespa toward Resen are larger Turkish communities. The Macedonians are typically Orthodox Christians, while Albanians and Turks are largely Muslims. Unlike other parts of the country, there haven't been any inter-ethnic incidents in Prespa even at the height of tensions in 2001. Prespa, like many rural regions in North Macedonia, has suffered from youth migration to cities and foreign countries. The population in the last census is roughly half the 1981 number. Many villages have primarily elderly residents. In the summertime, the number of people in the area increases with many people returning to homes that have been in their families for generations.

History This region's long history is evidenced by the archaeological si

如何抵達

By car There are three ways to get into the Prespa area via car from other parts of North Macedonia, as well as neighbouring Albania. It was announced in 2019 that the border with Greece (at Dolno Dupeni) shall be re-opened for the first time since the 1960s.

Highway P504 splits off from P501, which runs north-south between Galičica and Lake Ohrid, near St Naum. P504 cuts across Galičica National Park connecting Lake Ohrid's eastern shore with Lake Prespa's western shore. There are a lot of twists and turns on this mountain road but the nature and views are spectacular. E-65 is a highway that runs east-west through Resen, north of Prespa. Road R1307 splits from the highway in the town of Resen and runs through the western side of Prespa to the Albanian border crossing. Road 1308 splits off from the highway west of Resen and runs south on the eastern side of Prespa all the way to the Greek border. One of North Macedonia's four border crossings with Albania sits between the Macedonian village of Stenje and the Albanian village of Gorna Gorica.

By taxi Cabs can be hired from Resen, Ohrid, or Bitola (or further beyond for higher prices). From Resen, fare to the furthest villages of Prepsa should be no more than 600 denars. From Ohrid or Bitola, travelling to Resen is up to 1,000 denars and then onwards to Prespa villages can be about another 700-1,000 denars (cab drivers will often factor in the cost of getting back to their home city in which they picked you up). Agree on the price before getting in the taxi.

當地交通

By car The best and most convenient way to get around Prespa is by car. This is a rural region with villages often spread quite far from each other. Exploring the mountainside in Brajčino in the morning, hitting the beach in Dolno Dupeni in the afternoon, and then dancing the night away at the nightclub in Krani is not possible to do unless you have a car at your disposal, even though these three villages are considered neighbours. Just getting to Krani's beach from the village centre of Krani is quite the hike.

By bus A bus company out of the village of Arvati operates a small network of buses that run from the villages of Prespa up to Resen a couple times per day. Ask the locals for bus times. This is convenient if you need to make a stop in the town for certain purchases or to get to a certain village (if you have a ride back to your start). Fare is equivalent to about one Euro or less, depending on from where you get on the bus.

By thumb Hitchhikers in Prespa, as in most of North Macedonia, shouldn't have too much trouble hitching a ride. The biggest problem is picking a time of day where there simply aren't many cars passing by.

必看景點

Aside from the natural scenery, the Prespa area is home to many historical sites. Golem Grad, often mistaken as the only island in the country, is certainly the most unique destination in the area.

Most of Prespa's villages are home to historic churches and monasteries, some standing since the Middle Ages; the more well-known ones are listed below. As most of the churches are locked much of the time, ask around in the respective village for a key if you wish to access the inside. The locations below are listed going clockwise around Lake Prespa from Golem Grad.

1 Golem Grad (Голем Град) (2 km S of Konjsko). The largest island in the country, Golem Grad is a part of Galičica National Park. It is located in the corner of North Macedonia, a few kilometers from Greek and Albanian territory. It is accessible only via boat; small tour boats can usually be found in Konjsko or Stenje. The ride is shorter from Konjsko than Stenje (30 minutes vs. 90 minutes), but Konjsko itself is much more difficult to reach by car than Stenje. The island has an area of 20 hectares (50 acres) and is surrounded by caves and cliffs, the highest of which rises 50 m (164 ft) above the lake. Golem Grad is home to diverse flora and fauna. It used to be known for its snakes but it is much more of a sanctuary for birds. The island, uninhabited since the mid-20th century, is also home to many ruins of ancient settlements of varying condition. The archaeological sites include a Roman cistern, six churches, and multiple Roman and Hellenistic houses. (updated Sep 2016) 2 Church of Saint Peter (Црква „Св. Петар“). One of several churches on the island but the only one completely standing, last renovated in 1934. It was built in 1360 under Serbian King Vukašin. It was built of brick and stone. The frescoes inside are not too well-preserved. (updated Sep 2016) 3 Monument to the Prespa Meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Part of Macedonia (Споменик за Преспанското советување на ЦК на КПМ), O

體驗活動

1 Ezerani Nature Park (Парк на Природа Езерани) (Ezerani). Covering 1,916 hectares (4,734 acres), this protected area contains important ecosystems within the wetlands and meadows of the northern shore of Lake Prespa. It is a great destination for bird-watching. (updated Sep 2016)

Beaches

Prespa is