If you want peace and quiet on your holiday, this Balkan country has it in spades.
For people who prefer to take in the sights and sounds of their holidays at their leisure rather than rushing from one destination to the next, there’s a rising trend which might appeal.
Quiet tourism is experiencing a rise in Google searches and the demand for tourist destinations with less noise pollution has been on the up for several years.
A recent study by Bókun, the leading tour operator software provider within the TripAdvisor family, found North Macedonia to be the fastest-growing quiet tourism hotspot.
By analysing holiday and trip demand search data over the past decade, along with noise pollution levels and forecasted search insights, North Macedonia was named as the most popular quiet travel hotspots with a 183% rise in Google searches since 2013.
For those who crave peace and quiet, North Macedonia has it in spades. For calming nature walks there are Kolesino waterfalls, which are described as “magical” by those lucky enough to visit them.
Nestled in the forest this gorgeous waterfall can be found after a 20 minute walk through the woodland where you’ll likely see other families picnicking in the grass. One person who had made the trek said on TripAdvisor the experience was indescribable.
“I love this waterfall! it truly has something magical you can hardly describe,” they wrote. “The fresh air, the nature, the colours are a perfect mix to enjoy a picnic in summer or simply to inhale the beauty of nature. highly recommendable!”
North Macedonia is also famed for being home to one of Europe’s oldest and deepest lakes, Lake Ohrid. Nestled in the mountainous border between North Macedonia and Albania, this peaceful destination is described as “the most beautiful place on Earth” by one Tripadvisor user.
Lake Ohrid and its surrounding town are both recognised as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Despite this accolade, the region is quiet and peaceful even in the high season. That doesn’t mean it’s boring though – there’s plenty to do and see.
The lake offers kayaking and paddleboarding for the more adventurous holiday makers. But if culture is more your thing then don’t worry, Lake Ohrid has plenty of that too. One of the most popular destinations is the beautiful Church of St John which is perched above the lake, offering awe inspiring views over the expanse of water.
Ohrid is easy to get around on foot, so you won’t be spending big on transport, leaving you more money to sample some of the delicacies from the many restaurants around the lake. North Macedonian delicacies like burek – a thin flaky dough stuffed with various savoury fillings are particularly popular.
