North Macedonia
- For other places with the same name, see Macedonia (disambiguation).
The Republic of North Macedonia (Macedonian: Северна Македонија, Severna Makedonija) is a landlocked country in the heart of the Balkans. One can expect a wonderful mix of architectural and ethnic heritage. The country represents the Balkans in the truest sense, consisting of a fascinating mix of Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, and Mediterranean influences.
Regions
| Povardarie This central region consists of most of the area along the Vardar River, which somewhat bisects the country and defines much of this area. Skopje, North Macedonia's capital and largest city, lies in the north of this region. Veles is downstream, with the ancient city of Stobi nearby. The southern part of this region contains most of the Macedonia's wine country, in and around Kavadarci. |
| Western North Macedonia Full of the bulk of North Macedonia's tourist attractions, in particular the three national parks and the World Heritage Site of Ohrid. Two of the country's three major lakes, Ohrid and Prespa, lie at the southern area of the western region. Many of the country's larger cities, such as Bitola and Tetovo, are situated in the country's west. There are also many small towns and rural areas of interest, such as at Kruševo and Mariovo. |
| Eastern North Macedonia Less frequented by tourists but home to major sites in the north, including the Kokino prehistoric observatory and Osogovo Monastery. The cities of Štip and Strumica anchor much of the eastern region. In the south, Gevgelija is known for its casinos, while Dojran is home to the country's third major lake. |
Cities
While the Macedonian capital Skopje is home to over half a million residents, the rest of the country's cities are significantly smaller, ranging from just a few thousand to under 100,000 residents.
- 1 Skopje (Скопје) — the nation's capital, home to many historic landmarks and architectural monuments, and a great number of cultural places of interest
- 2 Bitola (Битола) — North Macedonia's most "European" town, with an ancient city, Ottoman monuments, a lovely shopping promenade, great nightlife, and more
- 3 Kratovo (Кратово) — a picturesque town situated in an extinct volcano crater
- 4 Kruševo (Крушево) — a museum-city nestled high up in the mountains of southwestern North Macedonia; it is one of the most historically significant destinations in the country as it was the site of a revolt against the Ottoman Empire; also home to great skiing
- 5 Ohrid (Охрид) — a lakeside resort and UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is considered the jewel in North Macedonia's crown
- 6 Prilep (Прилеп) — tobacco fields, medieval fortifications and monasteries, and strange rocks
- 7 Štip (Штип) — an economic and cultural hub of eastern Macedonia with a long history
- 8 Strumica (Струмица) — a city with one of the highest concentrations of historical sites in eastern Macedonia
- 9 Veles (Велес) — in the center of the country, a dense city on hills on both sides of the Vardar River
Other destinations
- 1 Galičica National Park — consists of the mountainous land between Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa.
- 2 Mariovo — a unique, though depopulated, region of southern Macedonia
- 3 Mavrovo National Park — the largest of North Macedonia's national parks. It is home to the country's highest peak Golem Korab, the World Heritage Site Dlaboka Reka Beech Forest, as well as several picturesque villages and monasteries.
- 4 Pelister National Park — separates Bitola from Prespa. It covers the Baba Mountain area and features two glacial lakes known as "Mountain Eyes" that feed multiple rivers.
- 5 Prespa (Преспа) — contains most of the Great Prespa Lake, shared by neighbouring countries. Galičica to the west and Pelister to the east complement the scenery provided by the lake.
- 6 Staro Nagoričane (Старо Нагоричане) — a prehistoric observatory, medieval churches, massive rocks, and important memorials
- 7 Stobi (Стоби) — an ancient city that is now one of the largest archaeological sites in the country.
- 8 Vevčani (Вевчани, Vevchani) — historic mountain village known for its natural springs, its 1,400-year-old annual carnival and its attempts at autonomy
Understand
 | |
| Capital | Skopje |
| Currency | Macedonian denar (MKD) |
| Population | 1.8 million (2021) |
| Electricity | 230 volt / 50 hertz (Europlug, Schuko) |
| Country code | +389 |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 |
| Emergencies | 112, 192 (police force), 193 (fire department), 194 (emergency medical services) |
| Driving side | right |
| edit on Wikidata | |
The country officially changed its name from the Republic of Macedonia (Macedonian: Македонија, Makedonija) to the Republic of North Macedonia in February 2019 in order to settle a dispute over its name with Greece. However, hardly any Macedonian refers to their country as "North Macedonia"; instead, they continue to use "Macedonia" and find "North" to be offensive. It has also been known as "the former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)" prior to the official name change.
North Macedonia is a country with several ethnic minorities. Albanians form majorities in areas in the northwest.
The majority of the population is ethnic Macedonian and Orthodox Christian but there is also a significant Albanian Muslim minority.
Climate
North Macedonia has warm, dry summers and autumns, and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall.
Terrain
About 85% of North Macedonia is considered mountain area, making it one of the most mountainous countries in the world. There are three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line, and the country bisected by the Vardar River. The Dinaric Alps stretch down to here.
North Macedonia is blessed with outstanding natural beauty. Do not miss a trip to one of the large lakes, Pelister Mountains, Shar Planina in the west, and the fascinating rolling hills and mountains of the east with its rice fields.
History
North Macedonia is dotted with beautiful Orthodox churches, monasteries, and Ottoman mosques. The territory of North Macedonia has a proud history. Being under the Ottomans for 500 years caused legendary Macedonian revolutionaries such as Goce Delcev, Nikola Karev, and Pitu Guli to lead uprisings to free Macedonia.
North Macedonia has been part of many countries, but until its incorporation into Yugoslavia by Tito in 1945, it was never acknowledged as an administrative "state". The Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia prospered under Tito's rule, especially when the capital Skopje was rebuilt after a severe earthquake in 1963 and the Yugoslav government invested heavily in the subsequent infrastructure rebuilding. This may explain why many Macedonians are somewhat nostalgic for Tito's Yugoslavia.
International recognition of Macedonia's independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new state's use of what Greece considered "Hellenic name and symbols." Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995, and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, despite continued disagreement over the use of "Macedonia" in the name. Greece is now the largest investor in North Macedonia. Due to the naming dispute, the country was often referred to as "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" - or "FYROM" - while many Macedonians disliked this moniker, it led to such oddities as the UN delegation of the country being seated under "t" (for "the") as a compromise. In June 2018, the leaders of Macedonia and Greece signed an accord to resolve the dispute by having Macedonia change its name to "the Republic of North Macedonia". The name change took effect on 12 February 2019.
North Macedonia's large Albanian minority (about 25%), an ethnic Albanian armed insurgency in Macedonia in 2001, and the status of neighbouring Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension. There were also tensions during the parliamentary elections of June 2008, although they happened between supporters of the two biggest rival Albanian political parties.
Visitor information
Get in
Entry requirements
Citizens of the European Union and of the countries signatories to the Schengen Agreement can enter with just a valid officially issued ID card or a passport.
Visas are not required by nationals from the following countries:
Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
The period of stay is regulated under the issued visa, but is no longer than 90 days. The visa free stay is 90 days, with the exception of Turkey, Japan and Montenegro where the visa free stay is 60 days.
Any foreign national possessing a valid multiple entry short stay Schengen type C visa (valid for the entire territory of the Schengen zone) may enter and stay in North Macedonia up to 15 days without having to possess a Macedonian visa. Visit this page for more details. Border guards may not be aware of this information, and they might tell you that you require a visa to enter North Macedonia. Stay calm and politely ask them to recheck their information. They will fill a form with your passport and car registration information which can take up to 1 hour!
By plane
North Macedonia has two international airports, the main airport in the capital Skopje (SKP IATA). Wizz Air operates here to several destinations. Another airport is in Ohrid (OHD IATA).
Another option to travel into North Macedonia is to fly to Thessaloniki (SKG IATA), Sofia (SOF IATA), Pristina (PRN IATA) or Tirana (TIA IATA) and get a taxi or bus from there. There are 5 buses from Sofia Central Bus Station to Skopje, leaving at 09:00, 12:00, 16:00, 17:00 and 23:59. The two bus companies which operate these services are MATPU and Kaleia, both of which are outside the main bus terminal. Single ticket is approximately €16 (~1000 denari). There are also services from Skopje to Sofia at similar prices and times for a return flight home.
Additionally, if you contact the Sofia Tourist Information Service, they can normally put you in contact with private transfer companies who will pick you up at the airport and take you to Skopje. Prices range from as little at €60 to €160. Negotiating with taxis can be trickier but may be able to get a cheaper price.
If you fly to Thessaloniki, you can go by public bus (24/7) for €0.50 to the train station and catch a train from there (€14 one way).
By train
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There is a train between Skopje and Kosovo (Pristina), but it is not guaranteed. Check at the train station to confirm. Also, more details can be found under Skopje#By train.
A new train line is under construction from Skopje and Sofia and should be operational in 2027.
Railway services between North Macedonia and Serbia (Belgrade) is out of service.
Also until 2013, there was train service from Greece, and there are initiatives to get them back running from Gevgelija and Bitola (most likely will not occur in the very near future due to the country's political state. Don't wait around for this.)
A cheap way of travelling to or from North Macedonia might be the Balkan Flexipass.
By car
Be sure your Green Card (International Insurance Card) has an uncancelled "MK" box. The guards almost always want to see it, unlike those in Serbia and Greece. Try to get a good map of North Macedonia and/or try to be able to read Cyrillic letters. Although most street signs are printed in Cyrillic and Latin letters it can be helpful to have a little knowledge of the Cyrillic alphabet, especially in small towns.
The border guards often make a big deal about having the original documents for the car (no copies). The enforcement rate about this is 50-50 and if you have a rental car this can be a problem as you usually have a copy. Tourists have been told in the past to drive back several hundred kilometres over this detail by certain power-hungry guards.
By bus
There are bus connections from Serbia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia and Turkey to Skopje. In addition some buses, those operated by Drity tours at least, run from Tirana to Pristina via Skopje (don't expect them to wake you up or stop anywhere near Skopje bus station though).
For bus companies and connections see below or Skopje#By bus.
In Skopje, there are two bus terminals. Most buses come to the new terminal, but some connections (for example to Pristina) are serviced by the old one, which is in the city centre. If you need to change the terminals, you need to walk to the stone bridge over Vardar and cross the bridge (about 2.5 km), or take a taxi.
At both terminals, you will be constantly nagged by taxi drivers, who will try to convince you to use their services. Unless you have too much money to throw away, you shouldn't take their advice. The taxi is likely to be heavily overpriced, especially for foreigners, while the buses are cheap, clean and safe.
Get around
By car
In this mountainous developing country, the roads are often narrow and not very well maintained, with warning signs for the quite frequent sharp turns rarely provided, and the safety barriers between your tires and high cliffs often rusty, or sometimes completely absent. In the north, there is a short network of motorways with separated directions and a posted speed limit of 120 km/h, linking Skopje with Tetovo and Gostivar in the west, and with the Alexander the Great Airport and Kumanovo in the east, but the surface quality is hardly better than the rest of the roads. The toll collection on the motorways depends on a system of toll stations (PEAGE) every 20 km or so (typically after leaving and on approaching major towns, which means you will pay twice for the route, say, between Skopje and Tetovo, two neighbouring cities), where all through traffic comes to a complete halt (as opposed to only those leaving and entering the motorway) and pay according to the type of the vehicle (for motorcycles and cars, which is often 20 or 30 denari).
Always make sure your tires are good enough. Especially in spring and autumn, weather in the mountains (Ohrid, Bitola) can differ significantly from the weather in the area you're coming from.
All directional signs in the country show the town names in Macedonian Cyrillic and their Roman transliterations, sometimes accompanied by a second local language, which is often Albanian.
Renting a car is cheap. Check Google Maps including their ratings, or ask at your accommodation.
By train
National trains are slow, but they are nonetheless a nice alternative to hot, crowded buses in the summer. The main train line runs from Skopje to Bitola and Skopje to Gevgelia. No trains run to Ohrid.
Check Skopje#By train for all connections.
By bus
Perhaps the most common way of travelling in the country, the buses are frequent and quite reliable, if sometimes a bit slow and old (though not exactly dilapidated). The tickets are typically printed in Macedonian, with English translations or even Roman transliterations rarely provided. Here is a quick guide to reading your Macedonian ticket: The destination will be printed on the top (best to refer to the Wikivoyage article of the town in question for the Macedonian name of it), Дата (Data) translates, non-surprisingly, date, and Час (Čas) is the time of the departure. Перон (Peron) indicates the number of the platform your bus will be departing from, which is usually well-signed in the stations, and Седиште (Sedište) is your seat number, although on less travelled routes, this will typically be assigned to the seats 3 and 4, which means you are allowed to sit whatever place you like. It's possible to hail buses directly on the streets, in which case you will pay to the driver on board, but if there are no free seats available, this means you are making the whole journey standing—which is unlikely to be the best travel experience. The bus companies often prefer to inscribe their names in the Roman alphabet in the livery, but the tickets will indicate them in the Cyrillic. Common national companies include Rule Turs (Руле Турс), Galeb (Галеб), and Classic Company (Класик Компани). The destination signs in front of the buses are provided in Macedonian, and in the other common local language of the destination if there is one, this in most cases being Albanian.
Here is some link to the timetable of those bus companies :
- EuroBus Macedonia, ☏ +436643014416, eurobus_mk@yahoo.de. An international coach operator based in North Macedonia that has almost daily tours in modern coaches from Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia. Prices from €60 and possible to get student discount. Stops in the major cities Skopje, Tetovo, Ohrid. €75 one way, €140 return from Vienna.
- Flixbus. Present all over Europe.
- Rule Turs.
- Galeb. You have to scroll down the page. Links are buggy on mobile.
See also the article on bus travel in the former Yugoslavia for deeper details.
By taxi
Taxis are perhaps the most common mode of transport in North Macedonia among tourists. Most will usually charge a flat rate of 30 denari (in Skopje 50 denari) with the extra kilometres added on. Be careful when negotiating the price of the fare beforehand. Within city limits, prices over 100 denari are considered expensive even though the amount only converts to a few American dollars. Macedonian cities are small, and would only take approximately 10–15 minutes to travel from one side of the city to the other by car. In Skopje, the capital and largest city, this should work out to an amount of about 100-150 denari.
A general exception to this rule is during peak tourist seasons particularly in the town of Ohrid. The summer months are the most profitable for many small businesses in Ohrid (and for some businesses, the only profitable months) including taxi drivers. For this reason many drivers will charge up to three times the flat rate for the same distance. Most taxis will insist on driving for no less than 100 denari which can be heard as "sto denari" or a "stotka" (slang term for a 100 denari bill). Generally this is excessive but you can either negotiate the price down to 80 or even 70 denari to be reasonable, or else simple bargain hunting is all that is required. During the peak seasons it is possible to find drivers willing to go as low as 40. Never feel pressured to take a taxi that seems overpriced.
By thumb
As in many former communist countries, hitchhiking is not unheard of. So, it should in general also be possible here.
Though, watch out for any Scams.
By boat
There are plenty of boats for charter around Lake Ohrid and will show you the whole lake for a cheap price.
By bicycle
Despite often challenging (but also scenic) terrain, North Macedonia is, generally, a pleasant destination for bicycle travel. An idea of North Macedonia's geography can be given by the local toponymy: in most countries, mountains and hills are named, while areas of flat land often lack specific names; in North Macedonia, flat land is precious, and every area of it has an individual name, such as Bitolsko Pole ("the Field of Bitola"), and Prilepsko Pole ("the Field of Prilep"). Many bookstores are decorated with a country's 3-dimensional map, which is quite impressive.
There are many paved country roads that are in good condition, but see little traffic. Main roads between major cities may be busy, with narrow lanes and no shoulders; however, in many cases the busy new road (avtopat) is parallelled by the old road which now sees very little traffic, but is still maintained to some extent. This is the case, for example, for roads between Skopje and Veles, between Prilep and Bitola, or between Bitola and Resen. Some of these older roads are paved with stone, rather than with asphalt. As more expressways are built (e.g. the one from Kičevo to Ohrid is under construction as of 2017, one may hope that more of today's busy main roads will be relegated to the status of older low-traffic roads.
North Macedonia's air quality is pretty good, and even busy roads have much less dust and exhaust than roads in e.g. China. Unlike China, in North Macedonia one very rarely sees pedestrians or moped riders wearing face masks.
Lots of people ride bicycles in cities (for transportation and recreation), and one can see recreational bicyclists in the countryside as well. Strangely, you can see stores selling new bicycles (along with other products) much more often than stores selling spare parts. Still, major cities, such as Skopje and Bitola, have specialized shops for bicycle parts and repairs; in smaller towns, one may look for a vendor of spare parts, or a bike repair man, in a local bazaar. Gas stations may or may not have air pumps.
In the past, it was possible to take a bicycle on a train. As of 2017, train stations display an order (dated 2016) which prohibits taking bulky items, "including bicycles" on trains. However, in practice bicycles are often still allowed on older trains, even if they may be fully prohibited on new ones.
A national 1:300,000 map, as well as maps of some national parks and some regional and city maps, are published by Trimaks, and sold in Trimaks stores and by other book vendors in major cities.
A word of caution: very occasionally, a road shown on a map may not exist, or may not allow bicycles. For example, looking at a map, one may be tempted to take a scenic route from Skopje to Ohrid, along the Kozjak Reservoir (Ezero Kozjak) and the valley of the Treska River, via Makedonski Brod and Kičevo. Some maps show such a road running along the east coast of the reservoir; unfortunately, although it exists (as of 2017, it's a single-lane road, and cars are allowed to travel on it in different directions during different hours), bicycles are not allowed to proceed beyond the gates of the Jasin Nature Reserve. Other maps show such a road running along the reservoir's west side; alas, in reality (as of 2017) it does not exist at all, and to fill the missing piece (a section from the Kozjak Dam to Zdunje) would require remarkable feats of engineering.
Talk
- See also: Macedonian phrasebook
Macedonian is the official and national language of the country, and is spoken by almost everyone. Albanian, as of 2019, is a co-official language at the national level. Turkish, Serbo-Croatian and others are spoken by ethnic minorities. Whilst many young people can speak English, many of the older generations do not. Most people related to tourism can speak at least basic English, particularly in Skopje, Ohrid, and Bitola. Speakers of Bulgarian, Serbo-Croatian and Slovene should have no problem getting by. Some older people may speak Russian, as it was a compulsory second language in schools during the communist era.
Šuto Orizari, better known as Shutka, which is part of the city of Skopje, is the only place in the world where Romani (Gypsy) is a co-official language.
See
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This lovely, compact country has a surprising myriad of attractions to offer. It's a fascinating mix of the ancient Balkan, the laid-back Mediterranean and the hip and happening vibe of modern Europe.
It all starts in lively Skopje, the country's main city and the centre of its economy. It offers great shopping and party opportunities, but also grand historic monuments. The 5th century Tvrdina Kale Fortress is one of the main landsmarks, together with the beautiful Sveti Spas Church, the charming old Ottoman bazaar Čaršija and the Kameni Most. This 600 year old Stone Bridge will take you right onto the city's main square, where a gigantic statue of Alexander the Great awaits. If you're up for a hike, make your way up to the enormous Millennium Cross on top of Vodno mountain, or take the rope railway to get the same views with less effort. If summer makes the city hard to bear, follow the locals to the cool shores of Lake Matka just out of town, where you can explore the gorge and caves through hikes and kayak tours.
Smaller but a visitor's favourite is the city of Ohrid, famous for its countless Byzantine churches. Beautifully situated on Lake Ohrid, this place is listed by UNESCO as both a cultural and a natural monument. It's home to one of the most prominent collections of Byzantine icons in the world, second only to that of the famous Tretiakov Gallery in Moscow, as well as to the oldest Slavic monastery in the country and the picture-perfect Church of St. John at Kaneo right on the edge of the lake. The city's little sister on the lake, Struga, offers similar charm but is less overrun with visitors.
Still, many will argue that North Macedonia's best experiences can not be found in its cities, but rather in the stunningly beautiful mountain landscapes, remote monasteries and friendly rural villages. In any case, a tour of the countryside is a must-do for any visitor. Pelister National Park is the oldest of the country's three national parks and a popular destination for its typical Eastern European flora and fauna. The larger Mavrovo National Park offers great landscapes year round and is popular for winter sports in winter. It also holds the impressive Sveti Jovan Bigorski Monastery and a relic of its namesake patron. There are dozens of other monasteries to see, of which the Monastery of Bogorodica and the Zrze Monastery are good picks. For true nature lovers, the little known Public Enterprise for Managing and Protection of the Multipurpose Area Jasen is an excellent and off the beaten track reserve with great wildlife spotting opportunities, and yet right next to the capital.
There are plenty of other attractions to choose from, if you have enough time to spare. Consider a visit to the Stone town of Kuklica, which is only a short ride from the charming little town of Kratovo. Or, head over to the ancient Towers of Marko near Prilep.
Do
Festivals
- Taksirat Festival. One of the biggest winter festivals in Eastern Europe, which happens at the end of November and beginning of December.
- Baba Marta. Recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, traditions for March 1st include giving as a gift a small piece of adornment called a martinka, made of white and red yarn and usually in the form of two dolls, a white male and a red female. These are worn until the wearer first sees a stork, a swallow, or a blossoming tree.
- 1 D Festival, Dojran. D Festival is a multi-day outdoor music festival held every year in Dojran.
Buy
Money
|
Exchange rates for Macedonian denari
As of January 2024:
Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available from XE.com |
The official currency of North Macedonia is the denar (plural denari), denoted by the abbreviation "ден" (den) (international code: MKD). Many Macedonians quote prices in euro (€). The new denar replaced the old denar in 1993 at a rate of 100:1.
Coins of North Macedonia are issued in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 50 denari. Banknotes of North Macedonia are issued in denominations of 10, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 denari.
Most cities have ATMs where you can withdraw money. Fees depend on your issuing bank, but Halkbank for example charges no additional fees ontop of that as of 2022—Erste Bank charges 280 denar and УНИ Банка an undisclosed amount, Стопанска Банка seems to be free though.
There are also plenty of banks and exchange booths where you can easily exchange money. While banks often offer slightly better rates, you need to register with your passport which may take up to 10 minutes. Changing money in the exchange offices, on the other hand, is fairly straight forward, painless and quick. Do not change money on the street. Shops may accept euro but it is illegal for them to do so.
Shopping
North Macedonia is full of markets and bazaars well worth a visit. The bazaars of Skopje, Tetovo, Ohrid and Bitola are the largest selling anything from dried peppers to fake designer sunglasses. While much of the merchandise may not be worth buying, there is normally a good selection of shoes, fruit, and vegetables of good quality, depending on the season. Merchants are generally pleasant and welcoming, especially to westerners, who remain something of a rarity outside of Skopje and Ohrid.
Ohrid is famous for its pearls and there are dozens of jewellers in the old town that will offer good products at decent prices. The Macedonian Orthodox paintings in old Ohrid are also worth a look.
Tipping is not seen as essential, but it is always welcomed.
Eat
If you are on a tight budget, try one of the Skara (grill) places. There are quite a few up-market restaurants serving better quality food on the waterfront, but these cater to tourists, so don't be surprised by a rather sizeable bill at the end of your meal.
Service at the restaurants and cafés nationwide tend to be slow-ish, either because these businesses are chronically understaffed, or because of the general laid-back culture. Consider yourself lucky if your food is served within half an hour after you get seated.
General
Typical Macedonian food resembles the food of the southern Balkans, meaning loads of grilled meat (known as skara). Side dishes usually have to be ordered separately. North Macedonia is also famous for its shopska salata, a mixed salad of cucumbers, tomatoes and grated sirenje. Sirenje is a white cheese similar to feta cheese. Usually Macedonians will translate the English cheese to sirenje. Another local speciality is ajvar, a red paste made from roasted peppers and tomatoes, which is either used as an appetizer or side dish. Another typical local dish is tarator which is comparable to the Greek tzatziki. It is made of yoghurt, cucumbers, and garlic and it is served as a cold soup.
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The most popular street food is either burek (бурек) which is a flaky phyllo-like pastry filled with melted cheese and/or ham, or pressed, panini style sandwiches, called toast (тост).
Stobi Flips are a ubiquitous snack food found in supermarkets and corner stores, with the shape and texture of a cheese doodle, but a salty peanut flavour.
Traditional food
Tavče gravče (тавче гравче) is the national dish and unique to North Macedonia. It basically consists of beans, paprika and is traditionally served with cut sausage mixed in.
Fish
North Macedonia, being landlocked, does not offer a great variety of fresh fish. A notable exception is Ohrid, where fresh fish from the local lake can be enjoyed. If you have no objections to eating endangered species, the Ohrid trout is a local delicacy.
Dietary restrictions
If you've got reservations about consuming pork, look for the Albanian or Turkish-run restaurants, which are denoted by the Latin alphabet in their signage (as opposed to the Cyrillic more commonly used by ethnic Macedonians).
Drink
Rakija is a strong grape brandy that has the best claim to being the republic's national beverage. Homemade one can be bought for about 100 dinar per ½ L (sold in water bottles) in local markets from some fruit vendors, which sometimes sell quite high quality and percentage. Keep looking for yellowish one, which was fermented in wood barrels for a while.
Macedonians boast the largest winery in the Balkan area—the Tikveš (Tikvesh) winery in Kavadarci. Red wines are usually better than white ones. Try T'ga za Jug, a Macedonian affordable red wine made from a local grape variety called Vranec. Local white wines include Traminec and Temjanika.
The local beer market is dominated by Skopsko (Скопско, "of Skopje", following the Slavic convention of naming beers after their origin), a drinkable, if not entirely distinctive, lager. There are also many breweries which brew surprisingly good-tasting beer.
Sale of any alcoholic beverages from the stores end by 21:00 all over the country, but in the restaurants and cafés, it's business as usual.
Unlike much of the rest of the Balkans, sparkling water or water with gas is instead mineral water, or kisela voda.
The most common coffee drink in cafés is the macchiato (макијато, espresso topped by a foamy cream), which can be ordered as a single shot, small, mali macchiato, or double shot, large, golem macchiato. Cold cappuccinos with flavoured creams coming in large glasses are also popular in summer.
Tea is pretty much limited to the black and green varieties, and served in bags. Those longing for strong brewed black tea should head for the tea-houses run by the local Turks in the old town of Skopje or Ohrid.
Sleep
Being the national tourist attraction, Ohrid is more expensive than any other destination in North Macedonia. Hotel prices, primarily those of high-end hotels, are very expensive throughout the country and charge double rates to foreigners. It is therefore advisable to stay in private accommodation. If someone does not ask you at the bus station, you can always consult one of the many travel agencies in and around the centre. If you do opt for private accommodation make sure you see the room first and then decide. Payment is normally made in advance and should cost no more than €10-15 per night per person in peak season and half that during the rest of the year. Finding suitable accommodation in July and August is not easy, so try and book through a travel agent in advance.
When visiting Lake Ohrid, staying in nearby Struga as opposed to the more popular Ohrid is a wise alternative for the price and tourist-trap conscious.
Learn
You can study in many of the state and private universities listed below in English, Macedonian and Albanian.
- University for Information Science and Technology "St. Paul The Apostle" - a state university in Ohrid. The university's language of instruction is English. International students are required to pay a tuition fee of €4000 per year.
- Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - the biggest state university in North Macedonia, founded in 1949 in the capital Skopje. Today it represents a family of 23 faculties, 10 institutes and other institutions.
- Goce Delčev University - the second biggest state university. It's in Štip with many branches in other cities in Eastern North Macedonia. It was founded in 2006.
- St. Clement of Ohrid University - is one of the fifth state universities. It is in Bitola with branches in other cities in Western North Macedonia. It was founded in 1979, but the name St. Clement of Ohrid was not given until late 1994. The number of enrolled students exceeds 15,000.
- State University of Tetovo - is a state university in Tetovo. The university was established in 1994, however, it was not recognized as a state university by the government of Macedonia until January 2004. The languages of instruction are Macedonian and Albanian.
- South East European University - is a not for profit private university in Tetovo. It was founded in 2001 and is a member of the European University Association. The languages of instruction are English, Macedonian and Albanian.
- FON University[dead link] - a modern private university.
- European University Republic of Macedonia - a modern private university
Stay safe
North Macedonia is a safe country. Driving is not ill-advised, but it's recommended for foreigners to try and use taxis and public transport wherever possible. As in all countries, keep an eye out for pickpockets and all valuables safe. Hotels and most private accommodation will offer a safe to store valuables and cash in.
Most people are very friendly and hospitable.
Stay healthy
Water is safe to drink and there are public drinking water fountains in most public places. It is advisable to wash all fruit and vegetables.
Use caution when eating red meat at restaurants. Although Macedonian cuisine typically revolves around grills ("skara") there are some restaurants that do not use proper or clean methods of cooking, which if practised in many Western countries would be seen as a violation of certain health regulations. Bad restaurants can be spotted easily; they will probably not look very appealing and will not have many customers. However, the vast majority of restaurants in North Macedonia serve good quality food.
Respect
It is advisable to simply refer to the country as "Macedonia". The "north" part of the name, added in 2019 to resolve a naming dispute with Greece, has not made it into everyday use among Macedonians and may never do so. Many, in fact, consider it offensive. Macedonia is directly transliterated from the Cyrillic as Makedonija, and is pronounced roughly how it would appear to an English speaker: "mahk-eh-DOHN-ee-yah".
Touchy topics are Macedonian-Bulgarian, Macedonian-Albanian, and Macedonian-Greek relations. Most Macedonians can hold strong political opinions regarding their neighbours and won't shy away from expressing their views in most cases. Politics often finds its way into conversation over a cup of coffee. To keep from upsetting your hosts or new-found friends, avoid topics such as the 2001 war against the NLA, Macedonia's partition during the Balkan wars and North Macedonia's pending membership into the European Union. Don't worry about talking about the Communist period or about Josip Tito.
There is a significant Albanian minority here, but some ethnic Macedonians are supportive of Serbia's position on the Kosovo issue. Ask as many questions as you'd like (within reason), but don't make any statements. Roughly one in four people you see on the street are likely to be Albanian, with far higher percentages in the west, and tensions are at times high between the Macedonian and Albanian communities.
Connect
Domestic phones
Domestic telephone service is available in all inhabited towns, via VoIP only. In fact, North Macedonia was the first country in Europe to go fully VoIP, back in 2014. There is an affordable fixed phone service (wireless and easy to install) from the mobile operator ONE , available prepaid (without a monthly fee, 12 months availability without recharge, recharging for only 500 denari/€8) and postpaid.
Mobile
Mobile phones are widely spread and the coverage is excellent—though LTE can be sparse. There are four mobile networks (T-mobile , A1 , LycaMobile and MTel , all using the GSM/3G standard. You may need to show your ID card or passport when buying a SIM card. For tourists data packages with sufficient GB (e.g. 100GB) are available dirt cheap. Many mobile providers in the Balkans provide free roaming across Balkan countries. So, in case you are planning to cross the border, ask on how to use the local SIM card in other Balkan countries. For instance, a One.al SIM card from Albania works flawlessly in North Macedonia and Kosovo with a regular Albanian package.
Internet
Internet access is widely available throughout the country. Almost all hotels provide internet access, either free or paid. Local coffee shops usually offer free Wi-Fi access, as many other public places do. Feel free to ask for the password, if the network is locked. ONE offers both internet for home and mobile internet. Internet cafés are available in most cities and in some villages.