Loven Dom 4


Walking trail LOVEN DOM - FOUNTAIN HEALING WATER - COMPLEX TZAR’S TOWERS - village of POPCHEVO - village of RABORCI (CASCADE MARKOVA RIVER)

This is a very characteristic walking trail, consisting of two parts. One part is difficult to climb, and it requires greater physical fitness, and mountaineering knowledge; and the other part is flat, and fairlysuitable for walking. The trail begins on the right side of “Loven Dom”, rising steeply up the hill to “Saint George” monastery, and “Tzar’s Towers” fortress. The location is convenient for landscape photography of the city of Strumica, and its surrounding.

If one takes the trail from the West tower of “Tzar’s Towers” fortress, descending down through stone stairs, the trail continues, and leads straight to the complex of “Tzar’s Towers”. This beautiful, newly built facility offers a pleasant atmosphere for rest, and recreation for visitors and lovers of good food, and clean and fresh mountain air. The complex “Tzar’s Towers” also offers accommodation, and visits to a zoo which represents great tourist attraction.

The place is abundant with distinctive types of various flora and fauna. The trail is designed for recreational, sport, cultural, research, and educational purposes. The trail continues to a flat asphalt road in the village of Popchevo. The village is in the mountain. While in the village, one may visit the village fountain, and the monument of Risto Popchevski. The village has beautiful nature, with potential for rural tourism. The mountain air, the clean environment, and favourable climate, combined with the natural scenery, make the village an ideal place for weekend relaxation.

The walking trail continues to the village of Staro Raborci, which has no inhabitants, but it is located in a beautiful and green area with fresh air, in the vicinity of “Vodocha” dam. The area has deciduous and evergreen forest, different types of trees, short stemmed plants, and various types of mushrooms.

Further down the walking trail leads to the village of Novo Raborci, rich in diverse nature during all seasons of the year; continuing to “Markova river” cascade. Therefore, a large number of residents of the municipality of Strumica and its surrounding use these sites to build holiday houses, to enjoy the beautiful nature of the area.

  • Flora and fauna:

Along the trail, diverse flora can be found throughout the year. This includes deciduous trees: betuala alba – birch; tilia sp. – linden; quercus - oak, fagus silvatica- beech; castanea - chestnut. Most prevalent among the evergreens, present in the upper parts, are: pinus silvestris - pine, abies alba - fir, cupressus sp. - cypress, juniperus sp. - juniper. In the trail’s vicinity, there are a number of short stemmed plants such as, raspberries, blackberries, currants, blueberries, and Rosa canina (dog rose). There are also several varieties of tea, as well as mushrooms, including: chanterelles – cantharellus; champignon- agaricus bisporus and parasol mushroom - Macrolepiota procera.

Fauna that can be spotted on the trail include: rabbits, wolves, foxes, and wild pigs. Among the   birds that can be seen are: nightingales, pheasants, partridges, eagles and falcons, as well as various types of insects.

The track is used by hunters during the hunting season, and people who usually take the livestock, flocks of sheep, cattle, and goats, for grazing.

  • Additional opportunities for using the trail (eco-tourism, hiking and jogging, mountain biking, quadracycling, alpinism, archaeological tourism, herbal tourism, rural tourism).

TRACK TYPE: Ground / Asphalt