Project description
Local people made great efforts to clear up and arrange the beach in Stenje, and the path to the church of St. Ilija. The path was marked, and information boards were placed in the village directing visitors to the cultural and natural heritage of Stenje and its surroundings.
The goal of the project entitled “Stenje - a natural and cultural treasury on the banks of the trilateral Prespa Lake” has been to organize activities related to tourism development and the protection of cultural and natural heritage, and to support local economic activities.
Contact
Svetlana Lazarevska, project coordinator, 070/772-276 toni_krstanovski@yahoo.com
Kico Uzanovski, president of the Stenje neighbourhood unit 070/533-401
Andon Bojadzi, “Galicica” national park, 070/249-161
andon@galicica.org.mk
Location
Stenje, Prespa, southwestern Macedonia
 About Stenje
The village of Stenje is located on the west bank of the Prespa Lake, on the western sand beaches of the Prespa Lake, at the foot of the Galicica Mountain. It is one before the last village on our side of the border and, at the same time, the last village before the international border crossing of Stenje to the Republic of Albania. Stenje is part of the municipality of Resen. There are 399 permanent inhabitants in it living in 98 households.
Stenje is rich with natural and cultural and historic places. There are two churches in the village itself: the church of St. Cyrillus and Methodius (1911) in the village’s centre; and the church of St. Atanas (XVI century) at the exit from the village. The Stenje beach represents a special geological rarity - it consists of fine quartz sand, a remainder of the glacial period.
How to reach Stenje?
To visit Stenje, you can use the direct coach bus line Skopje – Veles – Prilep – Bitola – Resen - Stenje driving every day in this direction and vice versa. Three local bus lines exist between Resen and Stenje, buses for Stenje departing from Resen at 06.20, 10.20, 12.20, and 14.20 hours.
If you take a car from Skopje, you go on the Skopje - Gevgelija highway, and take a turn at the point of exit from the town of Prilep, and then take the main road passing by Prilep, Bitola, Resen, and reaching Stenje.
 Where to stay overnight?
While in Stenje, you can use private accommodation. There are 50 houses in the village renting out rooms (300 beds in total). You organize your own meals. There is a restaurant in the village and another one is now being constructed and is expected to start working during this season.
Local specifics
Once in Stenje, it would be a pity to miss the local specialty made of the famous Prespa fish - the carp and dried barbell “cironka”. Fishing fans may themselves enjoy sports fishing on the Lake shore in Stenje, or can observe skillful local fishermen.
What can you see in the surroundings?
For visitors enjoying outdoor walks, Stenje offers wonderful possibilities for walking in nature - along the Lake walking to the beautiful bay of Lisa and the Konjsko village, along mountain paths through Galicica, where you can reach the Preseka saddle, from where you can see both lakes (Ohrid and Prespa) as on a palm. While in the mountain, you will be able to gather flowers and medicinal herbs and tea.
In the vicinity of Stenje, the widely known island is located of Golem Grad (“Big Town”), and you can reach it if local people take you there on a boat. However, all visits to the island have to be agreed with the administration of the “Galicica” national park. From local cultural and historic monuments, we suggest you to visit the monastery church of St. Ilija (1921) in the Lisa bay, the church of St. Peter (XIX century) on the Golam Grad island, and the cave church of St. Petka (XIX century).
You can also visit the town of Resen and the surrounding villages that also have their own rich cultural offer. We surely recommend you to visit the small fishermen village of Konjsko with its specific old houses woven of foya, as well as the private ethnological museum in the village of Podmocane.
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