Discovering Macedonia on a Map & Best Travel Guide 2023

Discovering Macedonia on a Map & Best Travel Guide 2023

North Macedonia is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. Skopje, the capital and largest city, is home to a quarter of the country’s 2.06 million population. The majority of the residents are ethnic Macedonians, a South Slavic people.

North Macedonia

Table of Contents

North Macedonia on a Map

Macedonia on a map

Informations

Temperature:The best time to visit this country is in summer from Mai until September

Language:The official languages are Macedonian and Albanian.

Currency: Macedonian denar

Food Prices:

Meal in a cheap restaurant=5 EUR,Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant=25 EUR

You can find more information about the visa here.

Things to do

Matka Canyon

 Matka is a canyon located west of central Skopje, North Macedonia. Covering roughly 5,000 hectares, Matka is one of the most popular outdoor destinations in North Macedonia and is home to several medieval monasteries. The Matka Lake within the Matka Canyon is the oldest artificial lake in the country.There are ten caves at Matka Canyon, with the shortest in length being 20 metres (65.6 feet) and the longest being 176 metres (577.4 feet). The canyon also features two vertical pits, both roughly extending 35 metres (114.8 feet) in depth.

Church of St. John of Kaneo

 Saint John the Theologian, Kaneo  or simply Saint John at Kaneo is a Macedonian Orthodox church situated on the cliff over Kaneo Beach overlooking Lake Ohrid in the city of Ohrid, North Macedonia. The church is dedicated to John of Patmos, the writer of Revelation, who has been by some considered to be the same person as John the Apostle. The construction date of the church remains unknown but documents detailing the church property suggest that it was built before the year 1447. Archaeologists believe that the church was constructed some time before the rise of the Ottoman Empire very likely in the 13th century. Restoration work in 1964 led to the discovery of frescoes in its dome.

Old bazaar

The Old Bazaar in Skopje is an old trading and market district and a cultural-historical part as well as one of the most famous sights of the city. It is located in the area between the stone bridge in the southwest and Bit-Pazar, today’s market, in the northwest. The quarter is bordered by the rivers of the Vardar and the Seravas. According to the administrative division of the city, the bazaar is located on the territory of the municipalities of Čair and Centar.

Sveti Naum Monastery

The Sveti Naum Monastery is a monastery founded by Saint Naum at the end of the 9th century near Ohrid in North Macedonia. Naum is buried in the monastery. The monastery, together with the city of Ohrid, Lake Ohrid and its surroundings, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Macedonia due to its historical importance and beautiful location.

Stone bridge

The Stone Bridge is a bridge across the Vardar River in Skopje, the capital of the Republic of North Macedonia. The bridge is also less frequently known as the Dušan Bridge after Stephen Dušan, Emperor of Serbia.
The bridge is considered a symbol of Skopje and is the main element of the coat of arms of the city, which in turn is incorporated in the city’s flag.It is located in Centar municipality,and it connects Macedonia Square to the Old Bazaar.

Millennium cross

The Millennium Cross is a 66-metre (217 ft) tall cross situated on the top of Vodno Mountain in the Republic of North Macedonia above the capital city of Skopje.Built in 2002, it is one of the tallest crosses worldwide.It was constructed to serve as a memorial for 2,000 years of Christianity in Macedonia and to honour biblical passages citing the evangelisation activities of St. Paul within the region.The monument has become a symbol associated with or representing Skopje.As a landmark, the cross has turned into a tourist destination with the best observation point to see the panorama of the capital city.

Skopje Fortress

The Skopje Fortress , commonly referred to as Kale (from kale, the Turkish word for ‘fortress’), is a historic fortress located in the old town of Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. It is located in Centar municipality and situated on the highest point in the city overlooking the Vardar River. The fortress is depicted on the coat of arms of Skopje, which in turn is incorporated in the city’s flag.

Macedonia Square

Macedonia Square is the main square of Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. The square is the biggest in North Macedonia with total 18.500 m2.It is located in the central part of the city, and it crosses the Vardar River. The Christmas festivals are always held there and it commonly serves as the site of cultural, political and other events. The independence from Yugoslavia was declared here by the first president of Macedonia, Kiro Gligorov. The square is part of the Skopje 2014 project.

Mavrovo National Park

Mavrovo National Park is the largest of the three national parks in North Macedonia. It is located in the northwestern part of North Macedonia, southwest of the city of Gostivar.

Sveti Jovan Bigorski Monastery

Sveti Jovan Bigorski Monastery is an Orthodox monastery founded in 1020 in the west of the Republic of North Macedonia. Its good structural condition as well as a large six-row and wood-framed iconostasis and a three-row gallery of Orthodox saints and biblical motifs on the outer wall of the monastery church make it one of the most important cultural sights in the country.

Ancient theatre of Ohrid

The Ancient theatre of Ohrid of the Hellenistic period is located in Ohrid, North Macedonia. It was built in 200 BC and is the only Hellenistic-type theatre in the country as the other three in Scupi, Stobi and Heraklea Lynkestis are from Roman times. It is unclear how many people the original theater used to seat, as only the lower section still exists. The open theater has a perfect location: the two hills that surround it keep it protected from winds that could interfere with acoustics during performances.Since the late 1980s, the theater is again a site of public performances, such as plays, concerts, operas, ballet performances.Recently, high-profile cultural performances such as those by the Bolshoi and José Carreras take place each summer as part of the Ohrid Summer Festival.

Bay of Bones Museum

The museum on water, otherwise known as Bay of Bones, is an archeological complex located at the excavation site of Ploca Micov Kamen, near Gradishte and Pestani along the Ohrid coast. An authentic reconstruction of the pile dwelling settlement, Bay of Bones is a very popular day trip and one of the most attractive destinations in Ohrid and Macedonia.

Galičica National Park

Galičica is a mountain situated across the border between North Macedonia and Albania. There is a national park on North Macedonia’s side of the mountain, situated between the two biggest lakes in the republic: Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa. It stretches over an area of 227 square kilometres (88 sq mi).The floral life in the Galičica National Park represents over 1600 species, of which many relicts and endems have the final frontier of its range exactly on the mountain Galičica.

Archaeological Museum of Macedonia

The Museum of the Republic of North Macedonia,formerly and still unofficially known as the Museum of Macedonia , is a national institution in North Macedonia and one of the oldest museums in the country. It is located in the Old Bazaar in Skopje, near the Skopje Fortress. The Museum of the Republic of North Macedonia was created by joining three museum in one. The three museum that were unified were the archaeological, historical and ethnological museum,of which the archaeological museum was the oldest one; it was opened in 1924 and that date is considered as an establishing date of the national museum. During the existence of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, the museum was known as People’s Museum of Macedonia.

Monastery of Sv. Joakim Osogovski

Sveti Joakim Osogovski Monastery is a monastery three kilometers northeast of the town of Kriva Palanka. It is located in the Osogowo Mountains, 825 meters above sea level and belongs to the Kriva Palanka Province.

Popova Šapka

Popova Šapka lly is a peak in North Macedonia. It is over 1,780 metres (5,840 ft) above sea level and is a ski resort in North Macedonia.

Church of Saint Kliment

The Church of Saint Kliment of Ohrid in Skopje is the largest Macedonian Orthodox church and is dedicated to Saint Kliment of Ohrid. The church is located on Partizanski Odredi, one of the largest streets in Skopje.

Where to stay

A good night’s sleep is particularly important when you are travelling. North Macedonia offers its guests a host of luxurious, charming and also out-of-the-ordinary accommodation.

Whether in the heart of the city, near the lake or surrounded by nature –North Macedonia‘s hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses guarantee a relaxing and invigorating stay.

We managed to find the best three companies that offer hotels, holiday homes and transportation. These are: Booking.comTrip.com and Vrbo. We have already tested these companies and we warmly recommend them. As a result this will just bring you good deals for your next vacation in North Macedonia.

Vrbo

Top hotels we recommend in Skopje : Hotel Panoramika Design & Spa,Hotel Mirror

Traditional food

  • Sarma – Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
  • Turlitava – Vegetable and Meat Stew
  • Kebapi – Grilled Minced Meat Sausages
  • Selsko Meso – Pork and Mushroom Stew
  • Tavče gravče is the national dish of North Macedonia consisting of beans stewed with onions, oil, dried pepper flakes, and seasonings such as salt, parsley, and black pepper.
Sarma, Turlitava, Kebapi, Selsko Meso, Tavče gravče traditional food Macedonia
  • Tavce Gravce – Baked Beans
  • Pastrmajlija – Macedonian Pizza
  • Polneti Piperki – Stuffed Bell Peppers
  • Chomlek is a traditional North Macedonian stew
  • Zelnik is a traditional North Macedonian pie that can be filled with a variety of different ingredients such as cheese, spinach, eggs, meat, leeks, or cabbage. 
Tavce Gravce, Pastrmajlija, Polneti Piperki, Chomlek, Zelnik traditional food Macedonia
  • Celufki (Meringue Cookies)
  • Ohridska Torta (Walnut Cake)
  • Vasina Torta (Almond Orange Cake)
  • Tikvarnik (Pumpkin Cake)
  • Bajadera (Chocolate Tea Cake)
Celufki, Ohridska Torta, Vasina Torta, Tikvarnik, Bajadera traditional deeserts North Macedonia

Restaurants

  • Pivnica An is among the best restaurants in Skopje specialising in local cuisine: here you can try mućkalica barbecued meat stew, sarma (stuffed cabbage leaves) and turli tava, a hearty traditional dish made from potatoes, rice, okra, aubergines, carrots, peppers and pork, beef or lamb.
  • Whether it’s coffee with a friend, a business lunch or a romantic dinner, Forza Wine Bar and Restaurant is just the place.
  • Whether it’s coffee with a friend, a business lunch or a romantic dinner, Forza Wine Bar and Restaurant is just the place.
  • For the ultimate North Macedonian comfort food, look no further than the warming riblja čorba on offer at Gostilnica Dukat. Made on a wood-burning stove in a traditional pot, this hearty dish is best accompanied by some homemade bread and makalo – North Macedonia’s legendary garlic sauce.
  • The National Restaurant ‘Makedonska Kuka’ is one of the most authentic representations of the Macedonian spirit and traditions in the catering industry.
  • Kolektiv – You can find classic bar dishes including a great ratatouille and the house special, named after the place and featuring a plate of ribs, sausages,chicken.
  • Located in a traditional Ohrid house on Kosta Abrash Street, Čun is a classy restaurant on the lakefront. 

Saving Tips

  • The cheapest time to visit Skopje is in the winter, from December to February.
  • read the reviews and check the photos carefully before booking
  • The public transportation system is reliable and much less expensive than taking a taxi.
  • Many museums and attractions offer reduced prices for students with a valid ID.
saving tips North Macedonia
  • steer clear of the city’s many souvenir shops. You can find cheaper souvenirs elsewhere.
  • avoid purchasing bottled water. The tap water in Skopje is safe to drink and much cheaper than buying bottled water.

If you do not go by car and need to know more informations about the tours, things to see and do, we recommend this two companies that are offering tours for any kind of activity you want to do and where you can buy trips much cheaper than if you buy them when you arrive at your destination. It is always good to be able to save some money! 

Viator and Get Your Guide : the best activities in town!

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Shopping

Shopping in Macedonia from year to year pleases tourists from different countries of the world with a variety of goods and low mark-ups for products of world famous brands. In the shopping centers and individual shops of the country, you can buy quality goods at favorable prices.

  • Super Vero Centre – American-type shopping centre, recently built and part of the VERO Group.
  • Capitol Mall
  • In the City of Tetovo is the most famous mall – Palma Mall.
  • The Bazaar in Ohrid
  • One of the greatest markets on the Balkans is the Old Skopje Bazaar. Although it developed and changed over the centuries, it retained its original use as a shopping spot.
  • Bit Pazar, Zelen Pazar and Bunjakovec – The largest green market in Skopje.
  • Skopje City Mall – The greatest shopping centre/mall in Skopje where you can find all international brands.
  • Ramstore Mall is a shopping centre/mall built and organized in American style, with beautiful shops, restaurants, cafes and a cinema hall.
  • GTC- City Shopping Centre The largest shopping centre in the city.
shopping in Macedonia

Traditional souvenirs: Religious artifacts and iconography, Modern art , jewelry, Ohrid pearls , ceramics, embroidery, traditional Macedonian costumes and textile items, traditional decorated footwear made from genuine leather i.e. “Opinci”, felts, dolls in folk costumes, mugs, copper and clay dishes, vases, authentic candlestick holders, wall decoration items, the famous Macedonian woven carpets.

Getting Around

The best way to explore Macedonia is by bus. It’s a bit more expensive than traveling by train, but it’s a lot faster. However, if you want to get off the beaten track and explore places in areas that are not inhabited, the best way is to rent a car or hire a driver from a local tour operator. Both options shouldn’t be costly because Macedonia is so small; you can get anywhere in the country in under 3 hours.

getting around Macedonia

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Getting Here

Macedonia has two airports, one in Skopje (the capital) and one in Ohrid (the tourist hotspot). If you’re flying from Europe, the cheapest option would be to book a flight with Wizz Air. If you’re flying from outside of Europe, consider flying to a bigger city in Europe from where you can get a Wizz Air flight.

getting to Macedonia

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