On a month-long hitchhiking trip through the Balkans, sitting in gray Serbia, I was anticipating an equally gray Macedonia, but already at the border it became clear that I was wrong. I fell in love with the distant lights of the cities as soon as I crossed the border. Macedonians' hospitality, local cuisine and landscapes reminded me of Georgia. The country is not yet spoiled by tourists, and you still have a chance to see it for real. And it is also a very cheap vacation: in the capital you can rent a simple studio apartment for only 13 € per night — in other countries I have not met such prices even for hostels.
A small but important touch to the portrait of Macedonians: the policemen we asked for directions were so shocked that two girls had come to Macedonia alone and hitchhiking that they first treated us to pizza and then questioned our host to make sure he was trustworthy.
There’s plenty to do in Macedonia for a whole vacation: walk around Skopje, go to Matka Canyon and sunbathe by Lake Ochrid. Here are 5 things to do in Macedonia.
Currency — Macedonian denar: 1 € = 61.7 MKD
Take a walk in the center of Skopje.
You can spend a couple of days in Skopje. Find out what to do here.
We started our acquaintance with the city from theKale Fortress (Skopsko Kale) near the city center. Entrance is free, so even a budget tourist should come here. The fortress offers a panorama of the city and in the evening an incredible view of the lights of Skopje at night.
The fort was an administrative center in the 13th century, it was destroyed and rebuilt several times. Each rebirth of the fort is associated with a new power and culture. There are still archaeological excavations in the fortress. In 1963, Kale, like the whole of Skopje, was badly damaged by an earthquake, but it was quickly restored.
From the fort, the road leads to the old town, where local men in cafes hold conversations over a glass of tea. There are many souvenir shops there — there is a place to buy a magnet as a souvenir.
After a glass of aromatic tea, it is worth going to the city center, where the huge Macedonia Square (Ploštad Makedonija) with majestic monuments, fountains and buildings is located.
Next to the square is the stone bridge (Kamen Most), which connects the new and old town and the Archaeological Museum of Macedonia (Archeoloski Musej na Makedonija), and near the museum is the Bridge of Arts. There are 40 sculptures along the railing at a distance of 3 meters. On one side are monuments to Macedonian warriors, and on the other side are monuments to poets, writers, artists, and musicians.
Evening Skopje deserves special attention. I was fascinated by the city at night: bridges, glowing lanterns, lovely architecture, a ship, stars and the moon — all bright, neat and restored. It’s hard to believe that not so long ago this was a socialist camp country.
Try Macedonian cuisine
The national cuisine of Northern Macedonia is a mixture of Balkan, Turkish, Albanian and European cuisines. Meat, fish and vegetables are the main components of Macedonian cuisine.
- Here you should try tavche gravche — fried beans cooked in a special clay pot. This dish is also called Macedonian-style beans or «gravche na tavche»: gravche means beans and tavche means earthenware.
- Sarmale, or stuffed cabbage in grape leaves, is similar to dolma and stuffed cabbage. The dish is considered national in Armenia, Ukraine and Romania, but everywhere it has a different name and a slightly different way of cooking.
- Ohrid pastrimka is trout baked with vegetables. It is better to try it in Ohrid, not Skopje.
- Popular in the Balkans, including Macedonia, is the pleskavica cutlet. It is a mixture of minced meat grilled, usually in a bun with onions and sauce. The same mixture in the form of small sausages is already chivapcici. They are served with fresh onions, but without the bun.
- Grilled meat plate is another popular dish in Macedonia. It goes well with beer or rakija, the local vodka.
- There is rakija (vodka) in every Balkan country, but everywhere it has a special taste and color. In Serbia, rakija is as clear as a tear, while in Macedonia it is white.
- Some restaurants serve free tarator — sour yogurt with cucumbers or nuts and warm bread with olive oil, flavored with smoke — to accompany the main course.
Check out Matka Canyon
The amazing Matka Canyon is located 20 km from Skopje. There is plenty to do there all day long: boating on the turquoise water, walking along the canyon, exploring caves, visiting nearby monasteries and relaxing in cafes.
Admission to the canyon is free, and you can leave your car in the free parking lot.
The boat ride to and from the cave costs 400 MKD per person for a 1 hour ride. For 250 MKD per person you can take a 25-minute boat ride through the canyon. The boats are moored along the canyon and are impossible to miss.
Here you can stay overnight in a hotel. There is not much choice, but in the evening, when most tourists leave, you can be alone with nature. A room for two with breakfast in a 3* hotel costs 40 €.
You can reach the reservoir by hitchhiking, cab or the N60 bus. The bus runs daily from 5:50 to 23:20 every hour and a half. The cost of a ticket is 35 MKD.M
The schedule can be found on the official website. If you come by car, you can combine a walk through the canyon with a visit to the Millennium Crossing.
Climb the Millennium Cross (Milenium Krst)
The Giant Millennium Cross is located in Skopje in the Vodno neighborhood. You can get here as part of a tour, by rented car, cab or bus #25. The fare is 35 MKD and the journey takes 30 minutes. Buses leave from the bus stop. Most often they are red double-decker buses like in London.
Climb to the top of the cross, there are mesmerizing views of the boundless forests and mountains.
Visit Ohrid and Lake Ohrid
Ohrid is the pearl of Macedonia. Thousands of tourists travel to this country to get to Lake Ohrid, the oldest lake in the region. You can get there from Skopje by hitchhiking, bus or cab. Bus schedules and prices can be found here. Skopje-Ohrid-Skopje tickets cost around 20 € and can be bought at the bus station ticket office.
The serpentines, mountain peaks and valleys along the Skopje-Ohrid road are as impressive as the lake itself.
Romantic Ohrid is spread along the lake, with many beaches, bars and churches. The cobbled narrow streets, tiled roofs on white houses are inspiring. Stay here for a night — a room for two in a 3* hotel right on the lake shore costs only 23 €.
There is another nice town called Struga, 20 km away from Ohrid. It is also near the lake, and tourists go there to relax. It is not as impressive as Ohrid, but if you have free time, you can go and see Lake Ohrid from here.
Northern Macedonia is an amazing country. It strikes right to the heart with its picturesque landscapes and friendly locals. There are no crowds of tourists here (except for busloads of Asians — they are even here), so the landscapes are untouched by tourist infrastructure and the prices are among the lowest.