Guide to North Macedonia

The Republic of North Macedonia (Macedonian: Северна Македонија, Severna Makedonija), mostly still referred to as simply Macedonia by its residents, is a landlocked country in the heart of the Balkans. The country has an ethnically diverse population (a Macedonian Slav majority, with minority populations of Albanians, Turks, Romani, and others) sharing an often ruggedly beautiful landscape. Architecture from the bygone eras of the Ottoman Empire and socialist Yugoslavia remains and now contrasts with the modern structures of independent Macedonia. Relative to other European nations, Macedonia is off the beaten path, and tourist infrastructure is underdeveloped and occasionally challenging to navigate.

While 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. Ohrid is the only one most tourists stop at, which means other Macedonian cities are cheaper, more authentic, and just as welcoming.

• Skopje (Скопје / Shkup) — the nation's capital, home to many historic landmarks and monuments, and the typical starting point for exploring the rest of the country
• Bitola (Битола) — Macedonia's most quintessentially "European" town, with ancient ruins, Ottoman monuments, a lovely pedestrian promenade, great nightlife, and more
• Kratovo (Кратово) — a picturesque town located in an extinct volcano crater, where stone bridges and clock towers watch over a lively river
• Kruševo (Крушево) — a museum-city nestled high in the mountains of southwestern Macedonia; symbolically significant in Macedonian history as the site of a revolt against the Ottoman Empire; also home to great skiing
• Ohrid (Охрид) — a lakeside resort and UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is considered the jewel in Macedonia's crown. Historically a destination for religious scholarship and pilgrimage, today a destination for unparalleled swimming and sunbathing
• Prilep (Прилеп) — tobacco fields, medieval fortifications and monasteries, and strange rocks
• Štip (Штип) — hosting a large student population, making it an enduring cultural center and an exception among eastern Macedonia's aging and depopulating cities
• Strumica (Струмица) — home to historic sites and a colorful costume parade each March
• Veles (Велес) — in the center of the country, a dense and industrial transportation hub on hills sloping down to the Vardar, featuring relaxing riverfront parks

• Galičica National Park — consists of the mountainous land between Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa.
• Mariovo — a unique, though depopulated, region of southern Macedonia
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Staro Nagoričane (Старо Нагоричане) — a prehistoric observatory, medieval churches, massive rocks, and important memorials
• Stobi (Стоби) — an ancient city that is now one of the largest archaeological sites in the country.
• Vevčani (Вевчани, Vevchani) — historic mountain village known for its natural springs, its 1,400-year-old annual carnival and its attempts at autonomy

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 was also known as "the former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)" prior to the official name change.

North Macedonia is a diverse country with several ethnic minorities. The majority of the population is ethnic Macedonian and Orthodox Christian, but there is also a significant Albanian Muslim minority. Across the country's north and west (the region stretching approximately from Kumanovo to Struga), Macedonians and Albanians live side by side, if somewhat uneasily.

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 is 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 rolling hills and mountains of the east with their rice fields.

History

Kingdoms, empires, and the socialist workers' state In ancient times the Kingdom of Macedonia ruled a vast area that included what is now North Macedonia. Its most famous king was Alexander the Great, who despite what today's Macedonians may tell you between rakija shots, probably spoke something close to Greek. Eventually, Slavs arrived in the territory, forming a belt across the Balkans spanning all the way from Slovenia in the northwest to Bulgaria in the southeast with Macedonia in the middle.

In the Middle Ages, Serbian and Bulgarian rule over Macedonia gave way to the Ottoman Empire, which remained for roughly 500 years. These shifting kingdoms and empires left an architectural legacy of beautiful Orthodox Christian churches, monasteries, and Ottoman mosques, and Ohrid emerged as a key center of Orthodox scholarship. While neighboring states gained independence one after the other in the 19th century, Macedonia - with its low population density and proximity to Istanbul - continued to languish under the Ottomans. Just as in other Balkan regions, though, resentment against the Ottomans festered, inspiring a nationalist movement. Revolutionaries of the late 19th and early 20th centuries such as Goce Delcev, Nikola Karev, and Pitu Guli are remembered today as the country's national heroes for fighting for Macedonian independence. But it was not to be. The 1912-1913 Balkan Wars ended Ottoman dominion over the territory, but, instead of independence, led to division of the region of Macedonia between the war's winners: Greece took the southern portion, Bulgaria the northeast, and Serbia the northwest. Today, the revolutionaries' dream, a Macedonian Slav state stretching to the Aegean Sea, lives on in "Greater Macedonia" t-shirts and graffiti.

Soon enough, the Kingdom of Serbia became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and finally the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia in 1945 after Tito's socialist Partisans emerged victorious in World War II. Thus began a hugely important era of Macedonian history which older Macedonians are still nostalgic for. For the first time, Macedonia - well, just the portion Serbia had seized earlier - became acknowledged as a separate political entity, with its own borders and limited autonomy within Yugoslavia. To minimize ethnic tensions, Tito included Macedonian (though, notoriously, not Albanian) as one of Yugoslavia's official languages, and the language was at last standardized and taught in schools. As money was redistributed from the richer Yugoslav republics (namely Slovenia and Croatia, which attract Macedonian students and migrant workers to this day) into the poorer ones, socialist Macedonia rapidly developed. Hydroelectric dams were added to rivers, sprawling factories added to cities, and the economy shifted over the 1950s to 70s from agriculture towards industry. In the wake of Yugoslav urbanization, few traces of the pre-socialist millennia were preserved. Imposing concrete apartment towers and beautifully abstract monuments (spomeniks) became symbols of the bright future promised by the one-party state, most prominently in Skopje. The capital of socialist Macedonia was hit by a severe earthquake in 1963, and the investment that arrived from home and abroad dramatically reshaped the city. Citizens in those days enjoyed a unique mixture of political liberties (a decentralized economy, freedom to travel outside Yugoslavia) and restrictions (limited freedom of speech, repression of any challenges to single-party socialist rule and Tito's dictatorship.)

Flash forward forty years later, and simmering ethnic tensions, Tito's death in 1980, and economic challenges had prompted Slovenia and Croatia to jump ship. Macedonia quickly joined them, declaring independence from the rapidly disintegrating Yugoslavia in 1991 and becoming a fully independent (and democratic) state for the first time.

An independent republic

As in other former Yugoslav provinces, much of Macedonia's post-independence history has been characterized by external and internal nationalist conflict, with a renewed emphasis on Macedonian national identity. For instance, international recognition of Macedonian independence was delayed by Greece's objection to the new state's use of what Greece considered "Hellenic names and symbols," including the new country's original flag, fearing Macedonian designs on Greece's northern provinces (historically the southern part of the region of Macedonia). Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995, and the two countries normalized relations, despite continued disagreement over the name. For decades, the country was officially referred to as "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia," or "FYROM," by the UN, leading to such oddities as the country's UN delegation being seated under "t" as a compromise. In June 2018, the leaders of Macedonia and Greece resolved the dispute, agreeing the country would change its name to the "Republic of North Macedonia", with the name change taking effect in February 2019.

Politics are contested mainly between the national-conservative VMRO and the more moderate SDSM. Under VMRO leadership, the Skopje city center was redeveloped yet again to assert the country's supposed roots in classical antiquity; the sparkling white Ancient Greek-style columns and larger-than-life statues sharply divide opinions among Skopje natives. Meanwhile, SDSM favors quick rapprochement with Macedonia's neighbors and the EU, having signed accords leading to the name change and NATO membership. Both parties, nonetheless, take pains to gain parliamentary support from parties representing the large Albanian minority, who represent roughly 25% of the country. A brief but violent insurgency in 2001 produced a compromise agreement that afforded them additional rights, including recognition of Albanian as a co-official language alongside Macedonian. Tensions and prejudice persist in some areas between the ethnic Macedonian and Albanian communities, who often live in separate neighborhoods and very rarely intermarry.

Meanwhile, slow economic growth, lower birthrates, and emigration to a wide variety of countries abroad have all conspired to reverse population growth. From a peak of 2.1 million, the country stands at 1.8 million today, a trend that haunts Macedonia's post-independence development. Ohrid and Struga glitter with tourists and the euros they spend, while English-speaking youth from all over the country flock to Skopje's universities, cafes, and multilevel malls. Other cities, however, appear almost frozen in the 1970s, while many villages grapple with dramatic population decline. As the country modernizes, slowly approaching EU membership, Macedonians young and old remain deeply appreciative of their country's traditions, and are eager to preserve and share them with foreigners.

Visitor information

• Exploring Macedonia.

Macedonian is the official and national language, and is spoken in various dialects across each corner of the country. Macedonian is a Slavic language, and so speakers of closely-related Bulgarian and Serbo-Croatian should have no problem getting by. Albanian is co-official at the national level, and is widely used in the north and west of the country. Turkish, Serbo-Croatian, Romani (Gypsy), and Aromanian are spoken by smaller ethnic minorities. Šuto Orizari (better known as Shutka), a northern district of Skopje, is the only place in the world where Romani is an official language.

If you've fumbled around with phrasebooks and translate apps in other countries, get ready for a pleasant surprise: Macedonians speak English astonishingly well, especially those in public-facing businesses a tourist might encounter. Almost no TV or film is ever dubbed into Macedonian, so children grow up exposed to English on a regular basis, and are taught the language in every year of primary school. All this also applies to the Albanian minority population: Albanian youth increasingly speak better English than they do Macedonian. As a general rule, proficient English speakers are difficult to come by among elderly and rural residents of the country. However, most natives of the country younger than 35 in larger cities like Skopje (where private English schools flourish) and Ohrid and Struga (where jobs interacting with tourists are lucrative) can be expected to know at least basic English.

A few older people may speak Russian, as it was a compulsory second language in schools during the Yugoslav years. Others may speak German, the second-most popular foreign language taught. Most Macedonians have at least a passive knowledge of Serbo-Croatian, which also used to be taught in schools and is still exported through music and TV.

Macedonian is written in the Cyrillic alphabet, also used for Russian, Ukrainian, and Bulgarian (among other languages). Businesses primarily serving locals, not tourists, usually use Cyrillic exclusively. As it shares several letters with the Latin alphabet, Cyrillic is easy.

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). Wizz Air operates here to several destinations. Another airport is in Ohrid (OHD).

Another option to travel into North Macedonia is to fly to Thessaloniki (SKG), Sofia (SOF), Pristina (PRN) or Tirana (TIA) and get in from there.

By train

As of 2025, there are no international trains running to or from North Macedonia.

A new train line is under construction from Skopje and Sofia and should be operational in 2027.

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 Albania, Serbia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia and Turkey to Skopje.

For connections see below or Skopje.

In Skopje, there is one bus terminals. The bus station is approximately a 15-minute walk from the center plaza and also serves as the main transportation center for intercity buses as well as Skopje city buses.

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 denar).

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

Small yellow stations with brown roofs dot the Macedonian landscape, visited by short trains as they trundle through tunnels and along rivers. As of 2025, 4 routes are in operation (even though online timetables and even signs in stations say differently): Skopje–Kumanovo (2 trains daily), Skopje–Veles–Prilep–Bitola (3 trains daily), Skopje–Veles–Negotino–Gevgelija (2 trains daily), and Skopje - Veles (8 trains daily.) Schedules from Skopje and to Skopje are available on the Macedonian Railways website.

Sadly, the Macedonian national railway network is a shadow of what it once was. Service to major cities like Štip, Tetovo, and Gostivar is suspended, allegedly temporarily. Ohrid and many smaller cities have no railway connection at all. Rides along the existing lines are significantly cheaper and more comfortable than the equivalent bus routes, so the trains maintain a loyal ridership among students, pensioners, and others who don't mind the slower speeds. Travelers will find the train especially useful for visiting Veles, and villages such as Čaška and Bogomila which lack direct bus service from Skopje. Note that in Macedonian cities, train and bus stations are generally next to each other, but in Veles the two stations are on opposite sides of the city, and the Kumanovo station is rather far from the city center.

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. 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, 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 :

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 denar (in Skopje 50 denar) with the extra kilometres added on. Be careful when negotiating the price of the fare beforehand. Within city limits, prices over 100 denar 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 denar.

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 denar which can be heard as "sto denari" or a "stotka" (slang term for a 100 denar bill). Generally this is excessive but you can either negotiate the price down to 80 or even 70 denar 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, it can be tricky to get out of Skopje — better take a train first. Also heading towards borders, people are hesitant to take hitch hikers in fear of smuggling refugees. But if you look white and decent enough, that might not be a problem.

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.

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.

• Football: the men's national team play at Toše Proeski Arena in Skopje. 10 teams play in First Football League and 16 in the Second.
• Taksirat Festival is one of the biggest winter festivals in Eastern Europe, which happens at the end of November and beginning of December in Skopje.
• Baba Marta is 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.
• D Festival is a multi-day outdoor music festival held every year in Dojran.

Money

The official currency of North Macedonia is the denar (plural denari), denoted by the abbreviation "ден" (den) (international code: MKD). This travel guide uses just denar, e.g. 100 denar. 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 denar. Banknotes of North Macedonia are issued in denominations of 10, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 denar.

ATMs

Most cities and towns have ATMs. Fees depend on your issuing bank, but on top of that ATMs usually charge 200–300 denar. Komercijalna banka had no such charges in 2025, but in 2026 at least one ATM in Ohrid charged a fee. The internet recommends "Universal Capital Bank" (UCB) and "Ziraat Bank" as free alternatives, but check beforehand.

Money exchange

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. Many places will also accept euro.

Cashless payment

The use of credit cards, debit cards and other cashless payments (wireless) is well established.

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. There are also many plain farmers markets, where you get a lot of vegetables, fruits and self-made spirits.

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.

KAM is the cheapest supermarket chain, Aldi-style.

Tipping is not seen as essential, but it is always welcomed.

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.

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).

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.

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 to 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.

Registration requirement

North Macedonia has a address registration requirement that requires all visitors to register their place of residence with the police within 48 hours. If you stay at a hotel or private residence, registration is your host's responsibility, but you may be fined up to €1000 if the registration is not completed properly. Insist on proof of registration (потврда) on paper, since these may be checked when leaving the country.

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 - a modern private university.
• European University Republic of Macedonia - a modern private university

North Macedonia is a safe country. Driving is not ill-advised, but it's recommended for foreigners to try to 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.

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.

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.

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 http://www.one.mk/en/default.aspx?SectionID=497, available prepaid (without a monthly fee, 12 months availability without recharge, recharging for only 500 denar/€8) and postpaid.

Mobile

Mobile phones are widely spread and the coverage is excellent. There are four mobile networks (T-mobile http://www.t-mobile.com.mk/public/?itemid=389505dc-f903-4847-80a6-8af095c32f3f, A1 http://www.one.mk/en/, LycaMobile https://www.lycamobile.mk/mk/ and MTel https://mtel.mk/, all providing 5G service. 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.