Mount Vodno

Vodno rises to 1066 metres directly above Skopje and functions as the city's park: paths climb it from several points, a road runs to the middle station and a cable car covers the last stretch to the top. The Millennium Cross, a steel structure sixty-six metres high erected in 2002, stands on the summit and is lit at night, visible across the whole valley. The medieval church of Saint Panteleimon sits on the lower slopes.

What you actually see

• The Millennium Cross - a steel cross of sixty-six metres on the summit.
• The cable car - the lift from the middle station to the top.
• Saint Panteleimon - the twelfth-century church with important frescoes on the lower slopes.
• The Skopje view - the city and valley spread out below.

When to go

April to October is best for the paths. The cable car runs year round but closes in high wind. Winter smog in the Skopje valley can be severe and the summit rises above it.

Honest expectations

Skopje's winter air pollution is among the worst in Europe and the view down is often into haze. The cable car queues at weekends. The cross is a modern structure and has been politically contentious.

Nearby

Skopje is below, and Matka Canyon is west.