Doјran flooded with tourists as Ilinden celebrations begin

Doјran, a lakeside town in North Macedonia, saw a surge of visitors ahead of the Ilinden holiday weekend. Border checkpoints recorded a sharp rise in traffic: the Bogorodica crossing saw about 11,900 people exit and a similar number enter, while the Dojran crossing recorded roughly 3,000 exits and 2,300 entries in the previous 24 hours. Macedonian citizens and foreign travelers alike used the routes, with 1,910 Macedonians entering and 6,884 leaving through Bogorodica, and 461 entering and 2,074 leaving via Dojran.

The town’s promenade, beaches, and lakeside area were crowded with tourists staying for several days, local residents and business owners reporting a rapid fill‑up of accommodations. In addition to the Ilinden festivities, a religious service for the town’s patron, Saint Prophet Elijah, will be held at the 19th‑century church, which can host around 600 worshippers.