The big picture
Most visitors fly into Skopje in the north or Ohrid in the southwest. The main road between them runs either through the mountains of Mavrovo or via Kičevo, and takes around three hours. Bitola sits in the south, an hour from Ohrid, and the vineyards of Tikveš lie in the centre of the country, an hour or so south of Skopje on the motorway towards Greece.
The destinations
- Skopje: the capital, with its Ottoman Old Bazaar, the Stone Bridge, a riverside full of new statues and the canyon of Matka half an hour away.
- Ohrid: the jewel of the country, a UNESCO listed old town of churches above a deep, clear lake.
- Bitola: a graceful southern city of consulates and cafés, with the Roman city of Heraclea and Pelister National Park next door.
- Mavrovo National Park: forests, a sunken church, mountain villages and the country's main ski area.
- The Tikveš wine region: vineyards, family wineries and the ruins of Stobi in the warm heart of the country.
How to combine them
A week lets you see Skopje and Ohrid properly, with Matka as a half day trip. With ten days, add Bitola and a night in a Pelister village, or drive through Mavrovo on the way to the lake. Wine lovers can add a day or two in Tikveš on the way to or from Skopje. Use the free trip planner to shape the route around your dates.