Skopje
Izvor: ©oguzhanedman from Getty Images via Canva.com
Welcome to Skopje
Are you getting ready to visit Skopje? Our site will offer you a virtual guide through one of the most beautiful cities in North Macedonia. Read and find out when is the best time to go to Skopje, as well as which means of transport are the easiest to get to this city. Find out which activities we recommend in Skopje for both the elderly and our little ones. We will guide you through the most visited attractions in this city, and we will suggest the best ways to spend a fulfilling and quality day in Skopje. We will not leave out the most beautiful and delicious specialties that you can taste in the most popular restaurants of Skopje, and the popular night clubs that we have listed below will especially relax you. Let's go together on a virtual tour through this city, after which you will book accommodation in the city today.
Skopje Attractions
Skopsko Kale
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Dušanov most
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Milenijumski krst
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Stara skopska čaršija
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Most umetnosti
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Daut-pašin amam
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Kanjon Matka
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Spomen kuća Majke Tereze
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Ristićeva palata
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When to visit Skopje?
Most tourists visit Skopje during spring and summer, while a slightly smaller number do so in autumn.
- Summer - Skopje is best visited during spring and summer. The city is then the most beautiful, with a rich tourist offer. What you should be prepared for during the summer is possible crowds, given that Skopje is on the way to Greece. During that season, you may experience traffic jams at the border crossings.
- In winter - The city's winter offer is reduced to a ski resort 50 km from the city. It is about the Popova Šapka ski resort, located on Šar mountain at an altitude of 1700 meters. This is also the most famous ski center in Macedonia.
How to get to Skopje?
Due to its crucial location and transit, Skopje is well connected with Serbia and the region. Skopje is 430 km from Belgrade, 820 km from Zagreb, and 640 km from Sarajevo. You have several options for getting to the capital of North Macedonia.
- By bus - You can get to Skopje from Belgrade by bus; there are daily departures. A one-way Niš express ticket will cost you around $30, while a round-trip ticket will cost you $50. The expected duration of the trip is 8 hours. If you are traveling from Niš with the same carrier, a one-way ticket costs $16, while a return ticket costs around $28. It will take you about 4 hours to get from Niš to Skopje. From Zagreb, it is best to travel by bus with Hafet Tour; since they have regular departures. The ticket price ranges from $50-65, and the journey takes about 12 hours.
- By train - Belgrade and Skopje are connected by rail, so you can get to the capital of Macedonia by train for a return ticket price of 27.60 euros. The journey by train from Belgrade to Skopje takes about 6 hours. The railway passes through Niš, so you can reach Skopje by train from this city. A return ticket from Niš to Skopje costs 13.7 euros.
- By plane - A direct flight from Belgrade to Skopje, if you opt for Air Serbia, the most convenient carrier on this route, will cost you more than 10,000 dinars. The flight lasts one hour and ten minutes. It is also possible to reach Skopje by direct flight from Zagreb, with Croatia Airlines, and that flight will cost you about 22,000 dinars. There are no direct flights from Sarajevo to Skopje.
- By car - If you decide to travel to Skopje by car, it will take you between 4.30 and 5 hours to drive from Belgrade, a little more than 8 hours from Sarajevo, and you will arrive a little faster when you travel from Zagreb. It is best to travel via Belgrade by car on E75. But we must warn you that during the summer season, many Serbian citizens travel to Greece for their vacation via Macedonia, so your journey may take longer due to the crowds at the border crossing. From Niš to Skopje, the distance is about 200 kilometers, and the drive takes about 2.30 hours on average.
Activities for tourists in Skopje
Organized walking tours are the most popular in Skopje, and in addition to them, it is also possible to tour the city by bus. In addition, agencies in Skopje organize one-day trips to famous surrounding destinations.
- Excursions - Skopje offers numerous one-day excursions in its immediate and further surroundings. As far as the immediate surroundings are concerned, the trip to Matka is the most popular. When it comes to other destinations, you can visit Ohrid (about 2 hours by bus), then the Kokino stone observatory (about 40 minutes by bus), Marovo National Park (about an hour's drive), and the stone town of Kuklice, for which you need about an hour and a half's drive.
- City Tours - Free city tours are a great way to get to know Skopje. Tours last about 3 hours and include food and wine tasting. An excellent guide guides you throughout the tour through the city. Although the tour is free and you are not obliged to pay, the practice is to give the guide €10 at the end of the tour. The tours are daily and usually leave around 11 am from the Marriott Hotel, although you must make an appointment beforehand. Communication with the organizers and more information can be found on the Free Skopje Tours Facebook page. You can also do city tours by bus at very reasonable prices.
Events and festivals in Skopje
Skopje is the cultural center of the entire North Macedonia, and accordingly, it is a city where the festival scene is rich and diverse. The most famous festivals and events in Skopje are:
- Skopje Film Festival - was founded in 1998, and since then, this festival has nurtured film art worldwide. During the festival, galleries are open, but screenings of films from around the world are also shown. The festival takes place during March and April.
- International children's folklore festival Oro without Borders - is a festival that takes place every year from September 29 to October 2 in the Universal Hall in Skopje. Children's folklore ensembles from North Macedonia and abroad participate in this festival.
- International Skopje Jazz Festival - takes place in mid-October. This festival gathers established and well-known jazz musicians from around the world and North Macedonia, allowing young jazz musicians to assert themselves. Over time, the festival has become one of the most important festivals in the country.
- Taxirat Festival - a festival that takes place at the end of June and the beginning of July. It is a music festival that gathers rock, hip-hop, and electro-sound performers, mainly from the region and the rest of Europe.
- World Caricature Gallery - The World Caricature Gallery is the only manifestation of its kind in Macedonia, the oldest in the Balkans, and one of the oldest in the world. It was founded in 1969 by the editors of the Osten magazine. Thus, critical thought expressed through art forms - caricature, satirical drawing, and comics - became available to a broad audience. If you are a fan of cartoons, you can see current drawings in the Osten Gallery, located not far from the Stone Bridge.
Activities for kids in Skopje
The capital of North Macedonia is an excellent choice for family trips, given the rich scene for children. Your little ones will indeed have fun in Skopje visiting:
- ZOO park - in Skopje is very nicely decorated and rich in various animal species, so this will surely be great fun for the little ones. The zoo is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and the entrance fee is slightly less than €1. They can get crowded on weekends, so be prepared for that. Parking in front of the garden is complimentary on weekends, while on weekdays, it is charged until 4 p.m.
- Dino Park - From the zoo, you reach the Dino Park when you head towards the city park. There are more than 40 replicas of dinosaurs in this Dino Park, but the Skopje Dino Park is also one of the greenest parks, with over 400 seedlings of different plants. The park's working hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the entrance fee is only 50 denars.
- Playgrounds - In the city's core, next to the city promenade, you will find several nicely decorated playgrounds for the little ones. The most famous playrooms for the youngest are LolliKids, located in the center of Skopje, then the Game Room, and a little further Into the World of Children.
- Outdoor Pools - A public outdoor pool that is available to everyone is the Airport Pool. The working hours of the swimming pool are from 10 am to 8 pm; located in the center of Skopje, and not far from it is a smaller city park with a playground.
What to see in Skopje?
Skopje is a city that exudes a rich history at every turn. A long and rich history has left its mark on the city's architecture and monuments, so these are attractions that you must not miss, but besides them, you will see a lot more.
- Central or Macedonian Square - Skopje Square abounds with monuments, among which the Soldier on Horse, or Alexander the Macedonian, dominates, under which there is a large fountain. The square in the old part of the city is connected to the old city by the Stone Bridge, under which the Vardar River flows.
- Bridges of Skopje - The aforementioned Stone Bridge, which adorns the banks of the Vardar River and connects the old and new parts of the city, is the most famous bridge in Skopje, but not the only one. The Stone Bridge is one of the most important historical buildings in Skopje. It dates from the 15th century, during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II, the Conqueror, although it is assumed that it was built on the foundations of a Roman bridge from the 6th century. Skopje and Vradar are decorated with several more bridges, and the Bridge of Art and the Bridge of Civilization are recommended, both decorated with numerous sculptures of artists and significant historical figures of Macedonia.
- Kale - The central part of Skopje is dominated by a monumental edifice known as Kale, a fortress located on Gradište Hill. In its current form, it was built in the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Justinian. After the Second World War, it housed numerous military facilities, and in 1951 it was taken over by the Archaeological and Historical Museum. Climbing Calais is worth it, even if you're not a history buff, because of the beautiful view of the entire city.
- Millennium Cross - When we talk about beautiful panoramic views, it is impossible not to mention the Millennium Cross. This is one of the most famous sights of Skopje. The cross is located on the highest peak of Mount Vodno, Krstovar, at a height of 1,066 meters, while the cross is 66 meters high. It can be reached by cable car, and the price of the cable car ride is about 100 denars.
- Museums in Skopje - The Archaeological Museum is a heritage of around 7,000 archaeological objects discovered by archaeological research in the entire territory of Macedonia and is the most important and oldest museum institution in Macedonia. Artifacts are exhibited in prehistoric archaeology, ancient archaeology, medieval archaeology, numismatics, anthropology, and lapidary departments. The museum's working hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except that the museum is closed on Mondays. The entrance fee is 150 denars, while the entrance is free for students, pensioners, and children up to 7 years of age. Holocaust Memorial Center of the Jews of Macedonia In the Memorial Center, which is located in the former Jewish neighborhood, there is a permanent exhibition with a presentation of the history of Jewish life in the Balkans, about the life of Sephardic Jews after their persecution from Spain, as well as about the Holocaust experienced by 7,148 Jews from the area of the North of Macedonia. Museum of the City of Skopje One-third of the building, which has remained relatively preserved, today functions as a museum with an area of 4,500 m2, of which the exhibition space occupies 2,000 m2. The museum connects activities in Skopje's archaeology, history, ethnology, and art history.
- Memorial House of Mother Teresa - In the center of the city is the memorial house of Mother Teresa, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Her real name is Agnes Gondža Bojadži; she was initially Albanian, born in Skopje in 1910, and lived there for about twenty years. Mother Teresa's memorial house is not where she was born but the church where she was baptized. That is why a small chapel was built on the museum's second floor. A monument to Mother Teresa is in front of the house, and the entrance is free.
- Daut Pasha's Amam - a spa built during the 15th century by order of Grand Vizier Rumelia. Built in the center of Skopje, about a hundred meters from the Stone Bridge, the hammam was thoroughly renovated in 1948. The most impressive part is the roof, which consists of 13 unevenly distributed domes. In the interior, there are 15 rooms, different in size, which are interconnected with circular passages decorated with oriental ornaments.
- Mustafa - Pasha's mosque - was built by order of the Skopje commander Mustafa Pasha in 1492. It is located opposite the entrance of the Skopje fortress. The mosque is built of marble blocks, decorated with various ornaments. In this mosque is a richly decorated sarcophagus of Uma - the daughter of the mosque builder; then it was painted, as well as the remains of former houses and madrasas.
- Monastery of St. Panteleimon, Gorno Nerezi (XII century) - This monastery has the most significant fresco painting value in Macedonia. It is one of the most valuable works of European church painting. The Renaissance in fresco painting began in this monastery almost a century and a half before the appearance of Giotto and the Renaissance in Italy. The monastery was built in 1164 during the Byzantine Komneni dynasty. It is built of stone and brick, in the form of an inscribed cross in a rectangular space and five domes
Accommodation in Skopje
When we compare it with the region's capitals, accommodation in Skopje is much more affordable, both private and hotel-wise. If you are looking for more luxurious content (swimming pools, spas, and wellness services) within the accommodation, it is currently more available in hotels.
- Hotels - Hotel Antigona stands out as an excellently equipped hotel with favorable prices, where a night for two people costs €70. View Inn stands out as a hotel with more luxurious content and a beautiful panoramic view, where the price of a night for two people ranges from 80-100. More affordable hotels in Skopje are Grand Plaza and Rose Diplomatique, which is a little further from the city center.
- Private accommodation - Private accommodation in Skopje is very affordable, so apartments a little further from the center, 1.5-2km, can be found at a price of 20-25€. As for locations closer to the center, you will find the most significant number of apartments in the range of €40-50. Apartments with luxurious amenities, such as a jacuzzi and spa-wellness services, start at €80 and up.
Phone numbers of important services
- Emergency service - 194; +389 2 306 1258
- Police - 192; +389 80 019292
- Fire department - 193
- Skopje Airport - 023148300; +389 (0)2 3148 333
- Railway Skopje - +389 (0)2/3248-701
- Bus station - +389 (0)2 2466 313; +389 (0)2 2466 011
- Area code for Macedonia - 00389
- AMSM Roadside assistance - 987
- Information - 188
- International information - 189
Where to eat in Skopje?
The gastronomic offer of Skopje will surely leave you breathless. The city has an abundance of traditional dishes, dishes from the East, and specialties from world cuisine.
- Pubs and restaurants - Pubs in Skopje are an unmissable attraction. These are the places where you will have the opportunity to try the specialties of traditional Balkan and Eastern cuisine. In the pubs, orchestras also play in the evenings so that you can organize a night out there. The most famous taverns are La Tane, the Staro bure restaurant where you can try pastrmajlija, a famous Macedonian dish. The Potkovica restaurant and the most visited Skopski Merak and Gostilnica Dukat are also unmissable. We recommend the Plaza del Toros restaurant for lovers of Mediterranean cuisine, specifically Spanish and Portuguese.
- Pastry shops - Lovers of sweets, especially unusual ones, will find the Old Čaršiji part of the city attractive. There are many pastry shops where you can try cakes from the East or Turkey (baklava, kadaif, sutlijash, sweet chestnut). We recommend you visit the famous Scheherazade, one of the oldest pastry shops in Skopje. Pastry shops Zafir and Ohrid have excellent offers, while lovers of chocolate sweets will indeed find Chocohouse interesting. This is only part of the sweet offer of Skopje; we are sure that the city will inspire you to search for more similar pastry shops.
Where to go out in Skopje?
The nightlife of Skopje has a prosperous and varied offer. Clubs are trendy and frequented, and clubs with electronic music predominate, but you can also find many clubs that play music popular in the region.
- Clubs - The most famous clubs are Stanica 26, whose working hours are from Thursday to Saturday at 23:04, and Sector 909, where DJs perform. Club Vox is a great place for fans of pop and rock sounds.
- Pubs in Skopje are an excellent place for anyone who likes a more relaxed atmosphere. The most famous are Led Zeppelin and St Patrick Irish Pub. These pubs have excellent beer offers, and you can take the opportunity to try the famous Skopje beer. Watching matches is often organized in pubs. Another great place for beer and rock fans is Old Town Brewery, the first craft brewery in Skopje.
Transportation and taxi in Skopje
City public transport in Skopje is well organized, with reasonable prices, so this can be your primary means of transport. Still, there are also a large number of taxi services, which are pretty affordable.
- Public transport - The most convenient way to drive and tour Skopje is by public transport. Buses have a large number of departures, and they travel to all critical locations in the city, as well as the surrounding area. The price of one ride is 35 denars, and you can find more information about the timetable and lines on the JSP Skopje website.
- Taxi - Taxi transportation in Skopje is among the cheapest in the region when discussing larger cities. The most famous taxi services and their contact numbers are Taxi Teniks - 071/209-194 and Taxi Skopje - 071/755-252.
Parking and public garages in Skopje
Parking in Skopje is zoned and time-limited in certain zones, but a public garage is available if you are visiting the city center.
- Parking zones - Parking in Skopje is divided into 5 sections A0, A, B, C, D. In A0 and A zones, parking time is limited to two hours, while in B zone, it is limited to four hours, in other zones, there is no time limit. The price of parking per zone is A0 75/50 denars; And 40 denars; B 30 denars; C 25 denars; D 25 denars. You should also know that Skopje has decided that on days when the pollution level is high, an hour of parking will cost twice the regular price.
- Underground garage - in Skopje, it is located not far from the Porta Makedonija Triumphal Gate on the city square. This is a great place to park, as you can leave your car without restrictions near all the main attractions. The parking price is 30 denars for the first hour, while each subsequent hour is charged 20 denars.
Surroundings of Skopje
The surroundings of Skopje are just as worthy of attention as the city itself. A large number of cultural monuments and beautiful nature characterizes it.
- Matka Canyon and Lake - About 15 kilometers from Skopje is the Matka Canyon and Lake, with the Vrelo cave and the Treska River. You can enjoy this nature in various ways: sport climbing, swimming, diving, fishing, and exploring caves. There are also several churches in the area, the most famous of which is the Monastery of Saint Nicholas, which can be reached by footpath.
- Vodno - Vodno is a mountainous area located above Skopje. There is also the Millennium Cross, the monastery complex of St. Panteleimon, and Vodno has a park - a forest, mountain lodges, organized hiking trails, and parking lots. Thanks to the beautiful panoramic view from this place, Vodno is one of the most visited locations around Skopje.
- The Monastery of St. Andrej - was built on the canyon of the river Tresca. It was built by Andreja, the second son of King Vukašin, in 1389. Frescoes in the monastery of St. Andrej are a novelty in Macedonian medieval painting and the stamp of a new style at the time with the appearance of Hesychasm in monasticism. Frescoes of the holy warriors Đorgđa, Dimitrij, Theodore Tiron, and Theodore Stratilat are presented in three zones. The monastery also has frescoes with scenes from the life of Jesus Christ.
- The Neolithic village of Tuma Magjari - The site is in the current settlement of Čento and represents the most important settlement in the Skopje Basin from the Neolithic period - the Young Stone Age. Life here continued continuously between 6000 and 4300 BC, with economic and cultural prosperity in the Middle Neolithic. Several ceramic findings were found, exhibited in the Museum of Macedonia.
- Skupi - Archaeological site located about 5 km northwest of Skopje, near the village of Zlokukani. Archaeological research from 1966 until today is carried out by the Museum of the City of Skopje. So far, the walls, theater, civil basilica, city villa, city spa, cardo street, a Christian basilica, and parts of the eastern and western necropolis have been explored.
- Aqueduct - It is located about 2km north of Skopje. It was built of stone and brick and has 55 arches resting on massive columns today. Although it was associated with Skopje, due to the similarity of the structure, it is believed that it was built in the 15th century, when Skopje began to grow with new Islamic buildings, the construction and functioning of which required large amounts of clean water. The aqueduct leaves everyone breathless with its grandiosity.
- Mark's monument - About 20 km from Skopje, next to Mark's river near the village of Sušica, there is Mark's monastery, named after its founders - King Vukašin and his son Mark. The church is in the form of an inscribed cross, built of stone and brick. The frescoes are from the 14th century. The most famous fresco of this monastery is the Lamentation of Rachel, where the problematic human drama depicting the killing of children in Bethlehem is presented.
History of Skopje
- Skopje was founded by the Dardanians as far back as the 3rd century BC. During the time of the Romans, there was a town called Skupi, where the current name comes from. Skupi was destroyed in the earthquake of 518, only to be rebuilt later. In the Middle Ages, it was under the rule of Byzantium and Bulgaria, and then Serbia, i.e. Dušan's empire. Dušan was crowned emperor in Skopje on April 6, 1346.
- In 1963, a terrible earthquake struck Skopje, which claimed a large number of lives and caused significant damage to the city's infrastructure. Many buildings of historical and cultural importance were then permanently destroyed.
- Today, Skopje belongs to the independent state of North Macedonia and has undergone significant changes since 2014. The project "Skopje 2014" represents the construction of new facilities, buildings, and monuments; the square arrangement is designed to give the city a more classic look. The most significant controversy was caused by the erection of the Konjanik monument in the city square, which reminds us of Alexander the Great and the reason for a significant dispute with Greece.
Geography and climate of Skopje
- Geography - Skopje is 21° 26' longitude and 42° north latitude. The altitude in the city's center is 240 m; it covers 1,818 km2, 9 km wide, and 23 km long. The Skopje basin is surrounded by mountains: Vodno, Karađica, Osoj, Žeden, and Skopska Crna Gora. The Vardar River flows through the Skopje Valley with its tributaries: Treska, Pčinja, Markova Reka, Lepenec, and Kadina Reka.
- Climate - The city's climate is characterized by an average annual temperature of around 12.4 °C. Summers are long, dry, and hot, and winters are cold, with foggy days.
Demographics of Skopje
- The city of Skopje is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. According to the last census, the city has about 700,000 inhabitants.
- According to data from 2002, the ethnic structure consists of: 66.9% Macedonians, 20.5% Albanians, 4.6% Roma, 2.8% Serbs, and 1.5% Bosniaks.
Tradition and culture of Skopje
- In accordance with its size and importance for the country, Skopje is also the main seat of Macedonian industry (metalworking, chemical, wood, textile, leather and printing).
- Skopje is the birthplace of some historical figures of attention. Famous people born in Skopje are Justinian I, Byzantine Emperor, born in Taurezium (today's Taor village) near Skopje. 7) Mother Teresa (Agneza Bojadziju), a famous humanist who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Milcho Mančevski, famous director (film) "Before the Rain".) Branimir Štulić, the legendary rock musician of the group Azra, was born in 1954 in Skopje.
Frequently asked questions about Skopje
Why visit Skopje?
You should visit Skopje to witness its many cultural and historic sights, excellent gastronomic offer, and reasonable prices.
When is the best time to visit Skopje?
The tourist offer of Skopje is the richest during spring and summer.
What are the most famous festivals and events in Skopje?
The most famous festivals and events in Skopje are the Skopje Film Festival, the Taxirat Festival, and the International Skopje Jazz Festival.
How to find accommodation in Skopje?
You can find the best accommodation in Skopje on the page: Skopje accommodation.
What is the average cost of accommodation in Skopje?
The average price of private accommodation in the center of Skopje is around €30, while hotel accommodation is slightly more expensive.
What is the most famous tourist attraction in Skopje?
Skopje's most famous tourist attraction is the city square, where there are many monuments, among which the Warrior on Horse monument stands out; in addition, the Kale Fortress and the Millennium Cross are also well-known.
How long do tourists stay in Skopje on average?
Tourists stay in Skopje for 3-4 days on average.