Your country is beautiful, this view is amazing, said 30-year-old English cyclist leading the group of about 15 cyclists, who had come to this country to ride along some of the most beautiful roads in Macedonia. We met them while they were resting at Bellevue on mount Galicica over Ohrid Lake.
The choice this group made is not a coincidence. They have come to the Balkans for the bicycle tour specially, thus Galicica was of their main destinations. Through this mountain which has been declared a national park, goes a crooked road, which shows the best view of the two largest lakes, Ohrid and Prespa.
We began our journey from Trpejca village, resting on Ohrid Lake. A little less than a kilometer from Trpejca, in direction toward St. Naum is the exit for the mountain pass. If you go during the day, you will encounter a guard, who will charge you a pay toll per person, as well as for the vehicle if you are going with one. We were charged a total of MKD 80.
The friendly guard advised us to get water. The mountain, as pleasant as it is, does not have water. At around 7 km form the pay toll, there is a fountain on the left. That is also a popular picnic spot, with benches.
Still, before you get to the fountain, be prepared for a number of turns and drive with decreased speed. The sharp turns, falling rocks and the road holes, can easily trick you into losing control over your vehicle. But apart from the twists, there is something more important. Only a few hundred meters going in the mountain, the great blue Ohrid Lake unravels beneath you. Watch the road before you, but from time to time take a look of the lake, which, as you are ascending the mountain it opens up with its beauty. We advise, if it is your first time driving through this region, do not rush and enjoy the view.
However, do not miss the Bellevue. It is on the right side, about 10 km after the pay toll. You switch off the highway directly on to a dirt road, about 150 meters long, and you drive with a light car. You will find benches, fence, and other facilities at the spot.
More important is that the place offers one of the best views of the Ohrid Lake, directly beneath you is the serpentine road, and near the coast are the roofs of the Trpejca village.
You get the feeling like everything is at arm’s reach, but really you are at 1,500 meters height. The cliffs of Galicica in that part sharply go down toward Ohrid Lake.
But don’t waste your sighs on this Bellevue. We recommend a trip to the mountain pass, called Baba, near Zli Dol. There are no benches and fences there, but you will encounter a view that you cannot even dream of. Ohrid Lake is beneath you again, the clouds above the water constantly moving, and the mountain is at times sunny and at times cloudy. Don’t be surprised by the strong winds.
The mountain pass is the favorite spot for hang-gliders who take off from there toward the Ohrid Lake. While we were there the wind changed their plans, so they waited for a little calmer air streams.
Although we were hoping that from the pass we would see the two lakes at the same time, it turned out that we needed to put more effort. You need to walk to one of Galicica’s peaks, at least an hour and a half from Baba, depending on you physical condition. Those are the peaks Kota – 2,265 meters, and peak Magaro – 2,254 meters height. However, due to the lack of the climbing equipment we decided to leave this experience for another time.
We continued our trip toward the Prespa side of the mountain. Along the way we met with the English cyclists again, who were going down the sharp turns with great speed. Fortunately for them, there are not many vehicles along the roads. Apart from 2-3 cars with Macedonian registration plates, all we saw were cyclists, and bikers traveling from abroad, exploring the mountain pass.
After a short ride, the second great water unraveled before us. The mountain side of Galicica from the other side looks far calmer and falls down toward Prespa Lake more gently. The first view is of the large sand beach near Stenje village, which from time to time hides from sight because of the tunnel of trees you pass through when driving down.
Shortly we reached the mountain road, where we saw a road sign pointing to Stenje on the right, and Oteshevo and Bitola on the left. We took a right, to see the Stenje beach. We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived. The beach has been completely renovated and ready for the first tourists this year.
Two hours of rest were enough to climb Galicica through the same pass again. Though the weather was rainy, that was not an obstacle to enjoy the lakes again from a different angle.
We recommend you to go this way, it is only 30 km long in one direction. For those who love cycling, the road is great for a one-day tour, and there are many paths marked for those who love mountaineering.