TETOVA CITY TOUR
Tetova is a city in the northwestern part of North Macedonia, built on the foothills of Sharr Mountain and divided by the Shkumbin River. Tetovo is also home to the University of Tetovo. Explore the city of Tetovo and the famous Painted Mosque, Arabati Baba Tekke, Ss. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral the Old Hammam and visit Leshok village and Leshoki Monastery.
The main attractions of Tetovo are its historic areas and structures. The Painted Mosque is located near the Shkumbin River in the old part of town. The mosque was built in 1438 and rebuilt in 1833 by Abdurrahman Pasha, the son of Rexhep Pasha. It is one of the most important cultural and historical structures of Tetovo and represents the style of early Ottoman architecture. The painted mosque continues to be an important monument to the residents of Tetovo, and is the main tourist attraction for many foreign visitors.
The Arabati Baba Teḱe is an old cultural center which is historically used as a religious base for the Bekteshi Islamic clerics. It was originally built in 1538 around the türbe of Sersem Ali Baba, an Ottoman dervish. In 1799, a waqf provided by Rexhep Pasha established the current grounds of the tekke. The finest surviving Bektashi monastery in Europe, the sprawling complex features flowered lawns, prayer rooms, dining halls, lodgings and a great marble fountain inside a wooden pavilion.
Turkish bath- is another building which shows that people of this area have fanatically saved and have taken care of the historical buildings. It was also built during the Ottoman Empire. This old Aman (bath house) used to be part of the complex of the Painted Mosque.
There are some stone decorations, in a small and very limited range. Except for the interrupted arches which are realized in the most beautiful manner, special treatments have the apexes of the domes. The architectural features, the harmonious extent, the clarity of the lines make the Hamam of Tetovo to take a honored position in the public monumental constructions, not only in Tetovo, but beyond as well. Nowadays, its areas are used by The Gallery of Visual Arts.
“Kodra e Diellit” also known as the Pearl of Sharr Montain is a ski resort located in the Sharr Mountains. Despite being around seven kilometers (4.3 miles) from the city, it is generally associated with Tetovo. Since it is located in the heart of Sharr Mountain, which represents one of the most beautiful mountains in the Balkans, many consider that “Kodra e Diellit” is one of the most beautiful tourist centers in Europe.
This tourist center has many ski tracks that are suitable for beginners and professional skiers, snowboarders and those that use a sleigh. The ski tracks can be used for several disciplines, but as people say, skiing off-track was an unforgettable experience.
Extreme junkies rank skiing at “Kodra e Diellit” among the very top. Aside from hosting recreational and competitive skiing competitions, “Kodra e Diellit” has many villas and restaurants to accommodate visitors.
Sunny weather, fresh air and the snow, even in the amount that has fallen, are still attracting tourists from the country and the region. Efforts to revive the center during the summer include organizing the mountain bike marathon and the traditional mountain-climbing to the top, but despite that, there is still a small interest for that period of the year.