A small and beautiful country nestled in the southeast of Europe , Macedonia offers its visitors a unique blend of natural wonders, traditions and cultures- as well as a long tradition of unrivaled hospitality.

From their savory cuisine to their love of music, dance and general merrymaking, Macedonians know how to make their guests feel at home. Combining these qualities with the country's dramatic mountains and canyons, its deep lakes and rivers, Macedonia has something for everyone.

Macedonia - that unforgettable name evoking images of ancient, great civilizations and exotic adventure - is also a warm and welcoming modern-day republic in the very heart of southeastern Europe .

While easily accessible from all points abroad, and boasting all the amenities of the Western world, Macedonia remains one of Europe 's last great undiscovered countries: a natural paradise of mountains, lakes and rivers, where life moves to a different rhythm, amidst the sprawling grandeur of rich historical ruins and idyllic villages that have remained practically unchanged for centuries.

Macedonia's geographical and cultural position as bridge between East and West, as the crossroads between Christian Europe and the mystical Orient, is attested to today in its inhabitants. The Macedonian people – a mixture of ancient Macedonians and Slavic tribes that settled here starting in the 5th century C.E. – make up the greatest part of a country where that mixed population is a vibrant reminder of Macedonia 's rich and lengthy history. Minority populations include: Albanians, arriving first from mountains of Albania and Kosovo; a Turkish population established during Ottoman times; The Roma, hailing ultimately from far-off India; Serbs, Bosniaks and Croats; and Vlachs, famous tradesmen and likely descendants of ancient Romans.

In essence, today's Macedonia is a unique patchwork of cultures, where Balkan bloodlines have mixed with others more exotic still. Macedonia resonates with the names of the many peoples who have set foot on its eternal soil: from Armenians, Avars and Ashkenazi to Hellenes, Peonians and Gorani; from Kumans, Montenegrins and Jews to Dardanians, Ukrainians and Bulgars.

Such a diverse range of peoples has co-existed for thousands of years in Macedonia , a place where hospitality always welcomes visitors and it comes from the heart. And indeed, the country's charms have not been lost on an increasing number of Westerners today who are now choosing it as their second home!

In addition to its diversity,, Macedonia 's cultural richness is expressed in its archaeological legacy. Although just a little country, it holds many antique theaters, Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques, in addition to relics from the Stone Age and even earlier periods of human civilization.

The oldest traces of human habitation in Macedonia are the cryptic, 30,000 year-old stone engravings or “rock art” unearthed in the Kratovo area, as well as the astronomical observatory/ religious ritual site of Taticev Kamen, dating back almost 4,000 years.