Matka Canyon is a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life, offering a perfect blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure. Whether you’re seeking adrenaline-pumping activities or simply want to relax and reconnect with nature, Matka Canyon has something for everyone.
Matka – gorge with a rich complex of medieval buildings, including churches, monasteries and remains of the fortress (of the medieval city of Matka). Matka Canyon is a stunning natural attraction located just a short drive from Skopje. There are dozens of caves and a large number of endemic plants and animals. The canyon covers an area of about 5000 ha, and is located 15 kilometers southwest of Skopje. Matka is one of the largest refugee centers during the glacial period, and this results in the presence of a large number of relict and endemic plants, 20% are relict or endemic spices.
It is also important to note that there are 77 species of Balkan endemic small butterflies in the Matka Canyon area, and 18 other species are new and unknown to science. Treska Canyon cuts vertically through the massive Suva Gora. The gorge has valleys, cracks, caves formed by the long-term influence of mountain rivers and large temperature oscillations. In the vicinity of the Treska river you can find a large number of caves, among which the most beautiful are Vrelo, Krštalna and Ubava.
The caves are full of numerous stalagmites, stalactites and pillars, and some of them are illuminated. Visits to the canyon are organized by a guide. The Tresca river canyon is the most important climbing center in the northern part of Macedonia. The main climbs start in spring, around the Easter holidays, when visitors from all over Europe come. The season continues throughout the summer and fall through November. Tresca River Canyon is also open for kayaking. The monastery of St. Andrew, built in 1389, is located on Lake Matka (17 kilometers from Skopje) and contains frescoes of great artistic value.
The monastery of St. Nikola is located on top of the rock above Lake Matka, so visitors have a spectacular view of the lake and its surroundings. There is no precise information about when this monastery was built, but it is known that it was first mentioned in the 17th century. Unfortunately, in the 18th century the monastery was abandoned. Near St. Andrew and St. Nikola is the Matka monastery which dates back to the 14th century, and its frescoes date back to the 15th century. The monastery is located on the left bank of the Treska River, about 12 kilometers from Skopje. The church of St. Andrew, built in the 14th century, has picturesque compositions such as “The Last Supper”, “Descent from the Cross” and “Prayer on the Mount of Olives” deserve special attention.
If you want to go from the city center to Matka Canyon, you can go with public bus line 60. Private taxi is around 15 euros (max. 4 persons), from the taxi companies, many of them have mobile applications (Global, Wizy…).
Direction to Matka Canyon:
