Old churches
Among the junipers.
Бојан Тренчевски — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ehrlich91 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cibrev — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cibrev — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cibrev — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cibrev — CC BY-SA 4.0
Golem Grad, the «big town», is a rocky island in Lake Prespa a few kilometres from the Greek and Albanian borders, also known as Snake Island or Pelican Island. It covers about 20 hectares, 600 metres long and 350 metres wide, and lies inside Galičica National Park. The island has been uninhabited since the mid-20th century, when the last monks left, and holds ancient ruins and medieval churches among juniper trees; it opened to visitors in 2008. It is home to large numbers of snakes, most of them harmless, and to about a thousand Hermann's tortoises brought here by people long ago, along with the lake's birds. It can be reached only by boat. The nearest point is the village of Konjsko, about 2 kilometres away, and boats also leave from Stenje and from Dupeni beach, or you can book a day trip from Ohrid that includes the park fee. Wear closed shoes and long trousers because of the snakes and thorns, and watch your step on the paths.
Among the junipers.
About a thousand.
Across Lake Prespa.
Lake Prespa near the village of Konjsko, inside Galičica National Park
Most are harmless, but wear closed shoes and long trousers and watch your step on the paths.