Mavrovo is both a beautiful valley and a protected national park. Approximately 100km southwest of Skopje mid-way between the capital and the lakeside summer playground of Ohrid, Mavrovo is named after the largest settlement in the region and features little in the way of things to see and do, preferring to put all of its energy into mountain activities and pursuits. Home to the most popular ski resort in the country, whose slopes begin at an altitude of 1,960m, skiing in the region is catered for with a total of about 10km of ski lifts and chairs with slopes available for all abilities from novice to professional, of which the latter should find more than enough adventure to keep them busy for at least a weekend. With most of the non-skiing part of people visits being taken up by eating and drinking courtesy of a handful of fine establishments in the region, sightseeing is little more than an afterthought. The other large feature that attracts the crowds is Mavrovo Lake which covers about 780 square kilometres and that attracts visitors for fishing and, during the warmer part of the year, the opportunity to swim and generally mess about on the water. By far the most iconic sight to ‘visit’ is St. Nicholas’ Church, constructed in 1850 and submerged in the lake back in 1953. Recent droughts in the region however have brought the beautifully decayed building back up on dry land.