Strumica, Our City
Strumica is the largest city of southeastern North Macedonia, home to about 34,000 people at 230 m in a warm, vegetable-growing valley. It is where our guests go for markets, restaurants, shops and an evening that does not end at the hacienda bar.
The city has been continuous urban ground for well over two thousand years, and it wears its history lightly: a fortress on the hill, a patron-saint church, a 17th-century mosque and a square built for sitting in.
A short history with long roots
The city first appears in writing in the 2nd century BC as Astraion, was renamed Tiberiopolis in the Roman period, and took its Slavic name from the river that runs through it; under the Ottomans it was Ustrumca. Its patron saints, the Fifteen Hieromartyrs of Tiberiopolis, were killed under emperor Julian the Apostate in 361-363 AD.
Modern history left marks too: in August 1913 the retreating Greek army burned the town, destroying more than 1,900 buildings, and it was ceded to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1919.
What to see
Start with Carevi Kuli, the fortress on the hill above the city, then come down to the church complex of the Fifteen Holy Hieromartyrs, the 17th-century Orta Mosque and Goce Delčev square with its world-map fountain and the clock tower beside it.
Lake Vodocha lies just west of the city, and the monasteries of Veljusa and Vodoca are on the same side, which is why one car can cover a fortress, two monasteries and a lake in a single loop.
Markets, food and evenings
The valley's climate, humid subtropical with July highs around 30.6 C, feeds one of the country's most productive farming regions, and the market is where that shows: vegetables, fruit, cheese and the season's first of everything.
Evenings belong to the restaurants and bars around the centre. Guests drive in for dinner, roughly 25 minutes from Gabrovo, and the city is noticeably livelier than its size suggests.
Why visit
- Carevi Kuli fortress above the city
- The church of Strumica's Fifteen patron martyrs
- A 17th-century mosque and a square with a clock tower
- A serious market fed by the warm valley
- Restaurants and bars for an evening out
Good to know
Getting there
Roughly 19 km and about 25 minutes by road from Gabrovo. Guided city tours and transfers can be arranged from the retreat.
When to go
Year-round. Spring and autumn are best for walking; July and August are hot, so plan markets for the morning and dinner for after sunset.
Good to combine
Carevi Kuli, the Fifteen Martyrs church and Veljusa or Vodoca monastery in one loop, with lunch in the centre.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Strumica from the retreat?
What should we not miss in the city?
Why is the valley so green and fertile?
More to explore
Stay at the hacienda
Ask us for a guided tour or simply a driver for the evening. Strumica is our city and we will point you at the good tables.