Home to the highest mountains in North Macedonia and featuring dense forests with rare trees and wildlife in abundance, it comes as no surprise to discover that much of the northwestern part of the country is protected in the form of the Mavrovo National Park. Hugely popular throughout the year, the locals flock to the park during the winter for its fine skiing and snowboarding at the fabulous Sport Center Mavrovo and other locations, returning again when it’s warmer for the wonderful hiking and mountain biking opportunities the region provides. With a wide range of accommodation available for all tastes and budgets in the recommended surrounding villages, and being more or less equidistant between the airports at Skopje and Ohrid, it’s easy to get away and spend a few invigorating or relaxing days in one of Europe’s last great unspoilt landscapes.