HOTEL VODNO

This tourist area (Крстовар, pronounced "krastovar") has the most beautiful views of the Skopje region. It is located at the top of Mount Vodno, around the highest point, Krstovar peak, at 1,066 m above sea level. The latter bears the name "Place of the Cross" since the Ottoman period. It now houses the Millennium Cross, the AEK tower, the arrival station of the Millennium Cross cable car, the Dare-Džambaz guesthouse, cafes and restaurants, a playground and picnic tables. It is also a popular site for mountaineers and the starting and ending point of many hiking trails, one of which allows you to reach the Matka canyon in about 3 hours. By the way, since 2018, passes here, in March, the Vodno-Matka marathon (vodnomatka.mk), which starts from the tourist area of Sdreno Vodno. It is not quite a marathon, since the course is "only" 40.6 km. But it is still a dreaded race because of its 2 680 m of difference in altitude. Since the construction of the cable car in 2011, the Krstovar peak can be enjoyed with much less effort. Many Skopians come here even in the middle of winter, when the summit is covered with snow and the thermometer shows -20°C. The view from here is breathtaking, not only of the Skopje agglomeration, but also of the Mokra Planina ("wet mountain" to the south, 2,540 m) and the Skopska Crna Gora (to the northeast, on the Serbian border, 1,651 m).