Dojran is a historic city in the southeastern part of the Republic of Macedonia on the shores of Dojran Lake, which was destroyed in the First World War when it numbered as many as 18,000 inhabitants.
Besides the Lake on the Macedonian side, there are three settlements: Nov and Star Dojran and Nikolic with more than 4000 inhabitants. Star Dojran is a settlement on the western part of the Lake. Today the settlement has a tourist-recreational function with a number of holiday homes. Along the coast there are 40 hotels and other accommodation facilities, several modern casinos and over 600 weekend cottages.
A very beautiful girl named Dojrana lived in the settlement. An Ottonman bey fell in love with her and asked her parents to give their blessing for her to be his wife even though Dojrana did not love him. One day she went to fill the jars with water from a spring, the bey noticed her and ran towards her. Running Dojrana threw herself into the spring for the next morning the spring to expand and flood the whole place becoming a lake. After the name of the beautiful girl, the lake received the name Dojransko, and the settlement Dojran.
Our people say that the fish swims three times - in the water, in a pan and in the wine. The most famous specialties are based on fish, especially the perch and rudd. The most famous recipe is the fish on a reed. Characteristic of this specialty is that the fish is wrapped around a reed and thus placed on the grill. The reed protects the fish while it is grilled, prevents it from burning and gives it unusual aroma. It is prepared most often with a rudd. With these fish specialties, for even greater enjoyment, it would be most appropriate to open a white wine, such as smederevka or zhilavka.
The true place where you can feel the climatic influence of the Mediterranean is the surroundings of Dojran Lake. The openness to the south and low altitude (148 metres) cause average annual water temperature to be around 15-18 degrees, and in the summer it is as high as 25-27 degrees. With an area of 43.1 km2, it is the smallest tectonic lake in the country, and at the same time the most shallow one - with a maximum depth of 10 metres – and is a relic remains of the Pleocene Peon Lake. It is rich in phytoplankton and zooplankton. High production of plankton means fish profusion. There are about 15 species of fish in the lake.
The summers are hot and dry, and the winters are mild and wet. The abundance of endemic algal species living in the lake will allow you to breathe iodine. Do not miss to apply a bit of the healing mud on yourself. If you are looking for a place for rest and serenity, in an embrace of a Mediterranean setting, surrounded by the unique beauty of the environment, it is the right place for you.
More information about Dojran can be found on this website.