Prilep Macedonia Travel Guide, Prilep, Macedonia (B)

Prilep is a natural stop along the route of a tour of Macedonia. Although it is the fourth largest city in Macedonia, the city center is quite small and commercial. Prilep’s real charm can be found in the quiet residential areas and in the outlying trails above the city. We were surprised to discover many neighborhoods full of fairly large, single family homes which is an uncommon sight in much of Europe. It was nice to see people tending to gardens, enjoying their yards, and sitting with their families on patios.

Upon our arrival, one of the first things we observed was all the tobacco drying alongside the streets. There is almost a sweet, earthy smell to the city. Many of the world’s largest cigarette corporations get their high-quality tobacco from this region. The climate is perfect for growing it here.

Since we missed out on Pelister National Park, we were excited to explore the Marko’s Towers, or Markovi Kuli, and do some independent hiking.

Marko’s Towers lies to the northwest to the city of Prilep. Located on a 590 foot hill, the fortress ruins are from the era of medieval Prince Marko Mrnjačević. It dates back from the 13th and 14th century and remains are in decent condition. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).