AN ADVENTURE FULL OF SCULPTURES: MACEDONIA
- berfinozelsel
- Jul 15, 2024
- 7 min read
MACEDONIA TRAVEL GUIDE
North Macedonia; Officially known as the Republic of North Macedonia, it is a visa-free Balkan country that remained under Ottoman rule for more than 5 centuries. There is 1 hour difference between Türkiye and Turkey.
The Vardar River passes through the middle of the city of Skopje, the capital of the country, and divides the city into two in cultural and architectural terms. The north of the river is called the 'Old City' and the other side is called the 'New City'. While the Muslim population in the Old City side is high and this area has an ethnic and traditional atmosphere, the New City is inhabited by Macedonian people and is equipped with more European architecture and sculptures.
Skopje; It is the largest city in Macedonia and this city is called the 'City of Statues'. You will try to count them while visiting Şizler, but there are too many statues to count :) . Even about this; There is also a joke that says 10% of Macedonia's population is made up of statues.
Skopje is definitely a city that is more beautiful at night than during the day. The city takes on a completely different look at night; The statues and bridges shine brightly with their illumination.
It was the second country of our Balkan Tour. After Sofia, we reached Skopje. We reserved two days for Macedonia, stayed one night and then continued towards Kosovo.
It is enough to spare a day to visit the places to see in Skopje without lingering, unless you are going to go to Matka Canyon. If you are thinking of going to Matka Canyon, and we think you should see this postcard-like canyon while you are here, you need to add at least one more day.
I can say that it is the most affordable country among the Balkan countries, food and drink are generally cheap and we paid a reasonable price for accommodation.
TRAVEL GUIDE: MACEDONIA
History
Macedonia is a country located in Southeastern Europe and stands out with its historical richness. Its capital is Skopje. The official language of Macedonia is Macedonian and the currency is the Macedonian Denar. The population is around 2 million and the ethnic structure of the country is diverse and the majority of the population consists of Macedonians. Orthodox Christianity and Islam are among the common religions in the country.
Skopje took the name Skopje after it came under Ottoman rule in 1392 during the reign of Yıldırım Beyazıt. It remained under Ottoman rule until the Balkan wars in 1913. It later came under Serbian rule, and after World War II, Skopje became the capital of the "Autonomous Republic of Macedonia" under the rule of Yugoslavia. They declared independence in 1991 and started to change the current face of the country. In order to develop the country and give it the atmosphere of a European capital, architectural changes were made with the "Skopje-2014" project and the country was equipped with statues. With this project, they aimed to give the city a stronger new look and to revitalize tourism.
Places to visit
The places you should see in Skopje are explained in more detail in the article "Places to Visit in Skopje".
The city is divided by the Vardar River into two regions, the Old and the New city, with completely different architectural textures. Before creating your travel route, you can divide the city into 4 regions in your mind. You will be able to visit more easily when we classify the area north of the stone bridge, namely the Old City, as the Bazaar area, and the area south of the stone bridge into 4 regions: City center, Debar Maalo and Karposh region.
Town center ; After passing through the Macedonian Gate, the areas up to the Macedonian Square, most of the places to see are here. Debar Maalo district; The area where the city's bars and restaurants are located, continuing after passing the Macedonian Square. The Karposh region is located on the banks of the Vardar River, away from the noise of the city.
You can start your city tour from the Bazaar area. After visiting the landmarks in the Old Bazaar on foot, you will come to the Stone Bridge, walk around the Alexander the Great statue, walk around the Macedonian Square and finish the city center.
List of Places to Visit in Skopje
Skopje Old Bazaar
Stone bridge
Skopje Art Bridge
Double Hammam
Macedonia Square
Alexander the Great
Macedonian Gate
North Macedonian Archaeological Museum
Makedonija street
Mother Teresa House
Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art
Makedonsko Selo Macedonian Village
Skopje Castle
Millennium Pilgrim
Skopje City Park
Bohemian Street
Church of the Ascension of Christ
Matka Canyon
Matka Canyon
Matka Canyon is located between the Treska and Vardar Rivers, 25 kilometers from Skopje. Matka Canyon, the most popular tourist spot in Macedonia, is one of the natural wonders with multiple underground water caves.
Matko Canyon, which resembles a secret paradise hidden among the rocks, hosts magnificent underwater caves and offers countless opportunities for those interested in nature sports.
Vodno Mountain Observation Hill
One of the highest points from which you can watch Skopje is Vodno Mountain. This summit, which is 1,066 meters above sea level, includes forest areas and several viewing points.
Vrelo Cave
Vrelo Cave, considered one of the 77 best natural sites in the world, is known as the deepest underwater cave in the world, with an entrance from the right side of the Treska River.
Tumba Madzhari
The Neolithic settlement, discovered during highway excavations in Skopje, bears traces of life in the city between 6000 and 4300 BC. The settlement, which was discovered by chance during trial excavations, was later reconstructed, revealing the changing perception of settlement over time.
Some views from the City of Sculptures 😊 I'm waiting for you on Instagram for more statue photos.
What Should We Eat?
Macedonian cuisine is a rich cuisine where meat, cheese and vegetables are used abundantly. To try, you can taste delicacies such as tavče gravče (bean dish), ajvar (pepper paste), pita (various types of pastries) and sautéed chicken.
'Destan' restaurant in Macedonia is a restaurant famous for its meatballs, which is praised in every blog. Of course, we wrote it on our list to try it, but we missed something, our trip coincided with the month of Ramadan and everyone had made a reservation due to fasting. Of course, we could not find a place in such a famous restaurant, we could not try this place, but you can Try it 😊 There are many other meatball restaurants in the old bazaar, they were also delicious and their prices were affordable. In the Balkans, meatballs are called 'kebab' or 'Cevabi'. 8-10 meatballs come in a portion and one portion is quite filling.
Try these pastry shops for breakfast, 'Perora Local' and 'Old Town Börekcisi' in the Old Bazaar area. There is a pastry called simit börek in Skopje. It's famous here. It's like lahmöacun with bread 😊 of course, it's high in calories, but we tried it because it's famous, and it tasted good, we think you can buy one and try it. The plain pastry inside is specially made, so it tastes delicious. You'll find it at the Old Town Börek Shop, at the cash register. The child speaks Turkish :D
You should definitely try Trileçe and beans in a casserole. The homeland of this rich milk cake, which means “tres leches”, meaning “3 milks”, is Mexico, but its last destination before crossing the oceans and arriving in our country is the Balkans. Some sources say it is an Albanian dessert, some sources say it is a Balkan dessert in general, but ultimately Macedonia is one of the best places where you can eat this dessert. Whatever you do in Skopje, end your meal with trileche. Kaymaçina, which is very similar to Creme Caramel, is another local delicacy.
If you want to get away from the 'Burger Slut' traditional food culture, try this place.
Coffee Factory is a large cafe on 'Makedonija' street, right across the house of 'Mother Teresa'. A place where you can sit, relax and drink your coffee or cocktail. Cocktails were cheaper than coffee.
Their food culture is not foreign to us, it is not a country where you will go hungry :)
Where Should I Stay?
There is a wide range of accommodation options in Macedonia. You can find hotels, hostels and boutique accommodation options in cities such as Skopje, Ohrid, Bitola and Bitola.
I recommend you to choose the new city area to stay in Skopje. The airbnb house we stayed in was in the flatiron building and it was very good, it had parking. link:
How to go? Transport
You can reach Macedonia from Turkey and various points in Europe by plane or bus.
It is 20 km away from Skopje city center and airport. You can use taxis or Vardar Express buses at Alexander the Great airport.
After reaching Skopje by car, we did not use our car while traveling around the city. We left our car in the parking lot while settling in at home and visited all the spots on foot, except Matka Canyon. Since the city already consists of straight roads, walking is safe and comfortable. Metro and tram networks, which are very common in other European countries, are not available here, so if you want to use them, you will have to use a bus or taxi.
Global Taxi Skopje , Skopje Tourist , Skopje Smart Guide are some applications you can benefit from.
When to Go?
The best times to visit Macedonia are spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October). During these periods, the weather conditions are more suitable and the tourist density is less. We made our trip in April and the weather was nice enough to travel with a thin jacket.
Macedonia does not require a visa from Turkish citizens for stays up to 90 days. There are direct flights to Skopje from Istanbul every day with Pegasus and Turkish Airlines.
Things to Don't Leave Without Doing
Skopje Center : Visit points of historical and cultural importance in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, such as the Alexander Bust, the Castle and the Stone Bridge.
Lake Ohrid and Ohrid City : See Lake Ohrid and the city, its historical churches and landscapes, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Bitola : The ancient Mongolian city is known for its historical buildings and monuments.
Tetovo : It is a city famous for its colorful Ottoman period mosques.
Castles and Ancient Sites : Visit ancient castles and settlements located in various regions of Macedonia.
Traditional Handicrafts : Discover traditional handicrafts made in Macedonia and buy souvenirs.
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