Skopje, September 30 (MIA) - The Republic of Macedonia has been highlighted in the most recent edition of the respected BBC History Magazine, a journal that is part of Britain's national broadcasting corporation, the BBC, and is the biggest-selling magazine about historical matters in the United Kingdom.
In the September edition of the magazine, which is read by academics, cultural tourists and other educated persons interested in topics of world history and archaeology, American travel writer and longtime resident of Macedonia Chris Deliso contributes a short article on the 'top ten historical sites in the Republic of Macedonia.'
The author of 'Hidden Macedonia', a travelogue already well-known to the Macedonian public, Deliso makes recommendations in the BBC History Magazine according to his role as an expert from Lonely Planet, the world's biggest publisher of travel guides. The top sites he mentions cover all parts of the Macedonian territory, and include famous places like Ohrid and intriguing sites less well-known to foreigners, such as Kratovo and Strumica.
According to the author, the top ten historical sites in the Republic of Macedonia worth a tourist's visit include Skopje's Stara Carsija, Ohrid, Sveti Jovan Bigorski Monastery, the ancient cities of Stobi and Heraclea, Kokino astronomical observatory, the Roman and Byzantine sites of Strumica, King Marko's Towers and Trekavec Monastery near Prilep, and the historic towns of Kratovo and Krusevo.
According to Deliso, who is preparing the Macedonia section of the upcoming Lonely Planet guide to the Western Balkans, promoting Macedonia's historical and archaeological sites in the foreign media is an important step to increasing the awareness of foreigners about Macedonia's cultural riches, and thus the opportunities for putting the country on the European cultural tourism map.
- We all know that there are many more than ten exciting historical sites here in Macedonia waiting to be discovered. The government's enthusiastic focus on archaeological investigations is an excellent strategy, and one that should be increased with the help of foreign experts and fundraising channels, so that Macedonia's historical heritage can be preserved and appreciated by all Macedonians and their foreign guests, Deliso says for MIA.
Chris Deliso is an American travel writer and journalist who has lived in Macedonia since 2002, and travelled in many Balkan countries. Before that, he lived in Greece and in Turkey, and has achieved a master's degree from Oxford University in England in the field of Byzantine Studies. From this experience is where he first developed a love of the Balkan and Mediterranean region. Now, he is also a member of large relevant organisations such as the Friends of Mt Athos and Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies, and he remains active in the fields of tourism development, cultural heritage, historical and winery tourism, mostly through his writing.
Along with the travelogue Hidden Macedonia, other travel books he has contributed to include the Lonely Planet guides to Greece, the Greek Islands and Bulgaria, as well as the recently released coffee-table book, The Europe Book. He is responsible for the Macedonia sections of the 2009 expected guides to Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and Europe on a Shoestring all from Lonely Planet. /lk/fd/14:42
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