Struga have a Dream

There is no other place like Struga

When the subtitle of this text is pronounced in Macedonian has a rhyme, but that is not the reason why this is a common quote. This small town is sharing the cost with Ohrid (Ohrid Lake) and among this two there was always rivalry! It is like among two brothers- having unbreakable link but so much individuality at the same time!

The common competitive and comparing discussions among people from Ohrid and people from Struga is finished with: Ok! But Struga have (a) Drim! There is a beautiful river coming out of Ohrid Lake, named Drim, that gives the constant advantage to Struga in this discussion. There is one romantic story about eel, a snake-like, catadromous fish, that lives in Ohrid Lake. The fish follows the river Drim and goes all over the Sargasso Sea to breed. The legend says that in Ohrid Lake lives only female eels and the way that they are passing to reproduce is also called "wedding trip of the eel". The newborns, without their mothers, intuitively are coming back to the Lake. Real world travelers!

The breathtaking views and cozy atmosphere of this small town are very easy to relate it with poetry. For more than a half-century this town is a place where Struga poetry evenings are happening and the Festival has awarded its most prestigious award, the Golden Wreath, to some of the most notable international poets. In memory of the laureates, the Park of Poetry featuring memorial boards dedicated to each of them was established near the Struga Cultural Center.

For this region are characteristic the cave churches. Through them, from the 12th century, we can follow the stories of this type. This kind of churches is projection of a monastic life that tent to happen in isolation so it is considered close to god. This merger of Church and cave is unusual and interesting in an architectural and spiritual way. The monastery complex Kalishta contains four churches, of which two, are cave type. People believe that this place can do miracles. The icon portrait of st. Maria is considered as miraculous and with healing power, so believers from around the world are visiting this place.

When in Struga, don't forget to try Trilece. It is a sweet cake-like cube that will make you brake every diet. Tri-lece re three milk comes from three different type of milk that is used during preparation of this incredibly good desert.

The infinite number of legends and stories that you will hear here will make you come back like baby eels do. They know a good place.