Canyon Matka in Skopje

This is an excellent place to visit with your family and friends. You can enjoy beautiful nature and a river. You can swim, do kayaking, take a boat tour around and visit a cave. There is a nice long trail, but it is not really safe for the kids. There is a hotel and a restaurant, the picnic tables and small cafes where you relax. There is free parking here. This place can be super busy on the weekends during summer time. So if you really would like to enjoy, it is better to come here from Monday to Friday.

Great place to visit.Here you can find a cave called "Vrelo" which is considered to be one of the deepest underwater caves in Europe and the world.

Great place for a hike and you need to try the kayaking.

Better place near Skopje than Skopje itself :)Must-see-point in Macedonia.PS. Take the tour to Vrelo Cave, not that expensive, but it takes an hour and you can see almost all that Matka Canyon has to present (beside mountains of course)!

Beautiful canyon, amazing hotel/Restaurant right on the River, all together must see place when in Macedonia

Awesome natural location- great hiking and views! Also opportunity to have a boat ride to the caves or just about and through the canyon.

Take a boat ride or kayak and enjoy the scenery.Matka Canyon is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Macedonia. This spectacular place was actually not made by nature. In 1938 the dam was built on river Treska, creating the artificial lake surrounded by high mountains, the oldest lake of that kind in Macedonia.The Matka Canyon covers the area of around 5,000 hectares. 20% of the plant species you can see here are endemic, meaning they can’t be found anywhere else. There are also ten caves at Matka Canyon, the most popular one being Vrelo Cave.

Cute place, nice nature, good place to be if you want/need to get out of Skopje.

Breath taking canyon in the vicinity of the Macedonian capital of Skopje, Matka is a must see atraction for tourists, hikers, rock climbers, kayakers, nature lovers.Plan at least 2-3 hours and if you want to climb to the surrounding churches, more than that. You can take an one hour boat trip to the Vrelo Cave on the Matka Lake while watching the green water and vertical mountain sides of the canyon. Hiking along the narrow trail is equally beautiful and you walk along interchangeably vertical rocks and the lush vegetation. The road to the Matka dam from Saraj should be repaired and modernized. It is surprising that there is very little signage and unless you have gps and maps, you could miss some spots and trails.

Beautiful place with icecold (8 degreesfresh water. It is only recommended to jump into the water near the caves, since you cannot stay in there for long. Kajakking was the best way to experience nature, its beauty and its silence!

Kayaking, walking around, hiking. This place is for me a must do if you re in Skopje. Super interesting place and fun fact, its home to most venomous snake in South Europe, the horned viper. Check where you step!

One of the best places to visit in Macedonia. A definite location for sunrise or sunset. Becomes very busy and people tend to just park on the side of the road which can cause some chaos, but all in all, great place.

Breathtaking, beautiful place for a boat trip,hike and nice food/drinks (swim if you dareand a nice cave

Really nice green area with a lovely canyon and river very close to the city centre. It’s is easily reachable by bus 60 (which departs form the bus stationor by car. Over there, you can hike through the path next to the canyon, take a boat to visit the cave, rent a canoe or simply swim. There are some restaurants where you can have dinner or small street shops where you can buy, water, soda, nuts or corn.

Nice place. Better to try 2nd place with boat. There is possible pay by card. 1st one only cash but also nice.

Anyone traveling to Skopje must stop there. It is only a few minutes by car. Just a short walk from the parking lot. I definitely recommend taking the boats. Attention, there are two options, either just a cruise, or a cruise plus a visit to the cave with a guide. A very nice place, also suitable for small children.

Amazing place! Really nice view! I recommend going with the boat ride.

What a lovely place to visit. I enjoyed every minute. You have a small restaurant where you can have a coffee or even order food. Great views, the lake looks amazing.

Good cafes, very good for hiking, kayaking and resting, peaceful in dam lake with caves, walkway around the lake, toilets needs improving seriously

So beautiful and so unexpected. Followed the suggestion of a friend and visited it after a long day in the office. I got so relaxed and so amazed by the nature I couldnt believe in my eyes . Only downside the flocks of tourists but it is something expected on this place.

Beautiful canyon. Nice trail runs up the canyon for at least an hour (we turned back). Water is a bit cold for swimming. Boat rides are ~$4-8 usd for 30 to 60 minute trips, kayak rentals cost about the same. Easy trip in from Skopje via bus 60 unfortunately there was debate / no confirmation regarding afternoon pickups. We eventuaĺly took a taxi to a nearby town and caught a Skopje bound bus there.

Must to see,close to Skopje. If you want to go for a boat trip you need cash, there is no chance to pay by card...

It’s probably the best place in North Macedonia, must visit 100%! Green water, mountains, a lake with a fast flow, there are so many people jump to the water and go with the flow, it looks like they have a lot of funit’s very easy to get there from Skopje, you take a bus 60 from the main bus station, it takes 40 min and then you walk around 2 km but it’s ok, all people go there and there are nice views around. The entrance is free, prises for kayaks or boats are really cheap, pics with prices are in attached pics. JUST ONE VERY ANNOYING THING- cars and motorbikes are allowed to enter the territory of the lake and canyon, and drivers are crazy, they move fast, people walk, drivers go by cars fast touching people with a part of the car, the bikes are so noisy, it makes feel not good about the place, they should not let cars and bikes enter.

Best spot around Skopje , the capital of Macedonia. When you reach the river than through the bridge you can hike to the Monastery Nikola Sisevski from 13-14 century. Or you can follow the road to the lake and take a boat to the Cave Vrelo...

One of the most beautiful places i have visited! Its near to Skopje and it is a must to visi if you visit town. Nature is beautiful, colors and calmness are really unique. You can have boat trip, you can eat at restaurant and you can feed ducks! We stayed for couple of hours and it was incredible experience. Its clean and they care about it which is also really nice.

Beautiful nature and views, took a boat trip to the nearby cave Vrelo. Price is 500 MKD for an adult, children half and under six goes for free. The trip takes about 1 hour. The cave is not big, but it is nicely lit. Lovely, undemanding trip.

Nature, beauty, walk, restaurants and a boat ride to the cave. Everything that you need for a perfect day, when the weather is good.

Great place of natural beauty that offers hiking, kayaking and boat riding opportunities. The cave and monastery are well worth a visit.

One of the best beauty in 🇲🇰. Must be on your check list. We tried waterbike and had a lot fun. Biking against the flow is a little tiring but turning back is easier. It is really long drive so if you want to see the whole canyon you can walk through paths, use bicycles, or take a boat tour. I also saw one place for kayak renting. It seems fun, too.

So gorgeous place! Took 1 hour boat trip (500 Denars).

One of my favorite places Ive ever been.Its just stunning.Kayaking, boat trip, cave, dine in a cave hike the trails and take in the stunning surroundings...oh and its really cheap!

Matka Canyon, should go straight to the top of the “must do list” for anyone visiting Skopje.This canyon is about 23 minutes drive from central Skopje and is pretty much unreachable without getting a bus, booking an excursion or hiring a taxi (the option we took). There are a number of ways to explore the canyon, you can hike, you can take a boat trip, hire a katak or similar solo or duo transport options. However you travel this is a wonderful break, it’s so calming and relaxed, the air is nice and it just makes you feel free of everything.It costs nothing to enter the canyon and there are plenty of places to eat or drink, just near the entrance of the Canyon, once passed the dam however there is only one option for food and drink and they know it adding a premium for the experience.This stunning location really will make your trip worthwhile.

A very nice place for a day trip. You can walk around the lake or take a boat ride. There are places to eat and drink.

True N.Macedonian (Balkangem!!! It is a must visit if you are in NMKD. Amazing nature and there are a lot of restaurants. It is oldest artificial dam.

It is a wonderful area full of multiple leisure opportunities. There is a boat on the right of the lake or you can go with motor boat to a cave visiting. Ill returne there with friends!

Do the boat and cave but be warned lots of walking to the boat from car and steps up and down for cave could be challenging for some.

Great place and it is very close to the Skopje city center. But you should spend there the whole day. It is recommened if you want to see the natural beauties of Macedonia and enjoying the nature.

A magnificent place indeed for lovers of nature. Easy to reach with a taxi and surprisingly, not very expensive for foreign tourists.I wholeheartedly recommend that you visit the canyon if you have a bit of spare time!

Beautiful canyon. Lots of hiking trails and you can rent a kayak to enjoy the beautiful canyon view.

Simply great place 👍🏻 Highly recommended for a nice day trip! A tour around the entire canyon is also possible. A bit adventurous and not suitable for wheelchair users.

Although we went on a cold day in winter and on a weekday, we loved this paradise-like canyon in the middle of huge mountains. There werent many people other than us, and this calmness allowed us to enjoy the atmosphere more. We couldnt go on a boat tour just because the weather was cold. We are sure that it will be much nicer in the summer.

One of the most beautiful places here in Macedonia 🇲🇰. The boat tour cost me 400 denar for a one hour boat ride with exploring the cave. You can even ask the boatman to jump in the water. The boatman was a supper chill dude and told us crazy stories with tourist who like to party. The restaurant staff were super friendly and the food was delicious. I would definitely come back again and hopefully when it’s warmer for sure.

Not the once in a lifetime kind of canyon but nice to spend a day there if youre in Skopje. Went on a 1h boat trip to the cave and back. Also took a walk along the canyon and then rent a kayak for 1h.We took the bus 60 from Skopje central station (bought single ride ticket there at the booth 50mkdthere and came back with the taxi (500mkdbecause we didnt want to wait.

The place is awesome! You can hike, you can kayaking, you can just get boat tour. But better come here in the morning otherwise too crowded.

I came on a weekend and decided to beat the crowds by hiking up to a Monastery. It was amazing and I got a stunning view down the canyon. On the way back I did a boat trip to the caves which was also a pleasant experience.

Gorgeous canyon, well maintained. When you enter you pass a big dam and then reach a few restaurants and cafés. From there you can take a boat trip down the river and visit the cave. Was about 400 denar. We decided to walk instead. There is a nice path on the right side of the canyon, but anything you walk you need to walk back. We thought we could reach the cave by foot but turnes out it’s on the other side of the canyon! You can only reach it by boat. Same goes for wanting to catch the boat on the way back- not possible. Hope this saves you some time!I would recommend walking until you see 2 benches and a picnic table and than return.

A small piece of natural heaven. Ideal for adventures with your family or friends. There is also an option to rent out a kayak if youre a couple who likes adventures. The view is breathtaking while youre going up the canyon which is engulfed in big mountains and greenery. I recommend visiting the "Vrelo" cave.

Great place to disconnect for a weekend, with many options such as walking around the lake, doing mountain hikes, kayaking, visiting monasteries...It is pretty close to Skopje and easy to reach it by public bus number 60.There are few restaurants and some stands selling souvenirs, ice creams and snacks.Totally recommended to go with family, friends or couple.

Absolutely gorgeous! If possible go during the week as it does get crowded. Parking can be an issue if you are not savvy. Bring appropriate clothing! I would not recommend flip flops and/or slides if you’re planning on walking on the rocky trail, you will twist an ankle. And I definitely recommend you walk at least part if the trail. Great photo ops and no better way to enjoy the nature. The total length is 7km one way, and you have to walk it back to keep that in mind.Definitely recommend a tour to Vrelo cave (make sure to be specific, not all tours go there). If you’d like to paddle yourself, kayaks or paddlebikes are an option.Bring water with you. There are bathrooms by the last restaurant open to the public. You can also pack sandwiches as the restaurants will be expensive.

Great natural place!You can enjoy hiking, kayaking or boat trip through canyon. The view is breathtaking. The area is huge, so you can walk here all day long. There are also a lot of restaurants, where you can taste delicious food. You’ll never regret it!