Heraclea Lyncestis and Bitola

Just outside the southern city of Bitola lie the ruins of Heraclea Lyncestis, an important ancient city founded in the fourth century BCE by Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. Its excavated remains include a Roman theatre, baths and basilicas, but its glory is a series of exquisitely preserved early Christian floor mosaics, richly patterned with birds, animals and trees. The site pairs beautifully with Bitola itself, a handsome town once home to many foreign consuls, with an elegant main street, Ottoman mosques and a colourful old bazaar.

What you actually see

• The Heraclea mosaics - the exquisite early Christian floor mosaics.
• The Roman theatre - the ancient theatre and basilicas.
• Bitola's Shirok Sokak - the elegant consular-era main street.
• The old bazaar - the Ottoman market and mosques of Bitola.

When to go

April to June and September to October, for comfortable weather, as the exposed ruins are hot in high summer; the mosaics show beautifully in the softer light of morning or late afternoon. Bitola's cafe-lined main street is a pleasure to stroll in the mild evenings.

Honest expectations

Heraclea is a modest-sized site whose highlight is its mosaics rather than grand standing monuments, so it rewards those interested in the ancient and Byzantine past, ideally with some context; Bitola itself is a pleasant provincial town rather than a major destination. Combined, though, the fine mosaics, the ancient links to Philip and Alexander, and Bitola's graceful streets and bazaar make a rewarding southern detour.

Nearby

The mountain village of Krusevo, Ohrid and the Pelister park are within reach.