Skopje: a first-timer's guide to North Macedonia's capital

Why go

Skopje is easy, friendly and good value. The centre is flat and walkable, the food is hearty, and within a few minutes you can move from a fifteenth century mosque to a riverside promenade lined with bronze warriors. It is also the natural base for Matka Canyon and the hub for buses across the country.

The Old Bazaar and the centre

Cross the **Stone Bridge** from Macedonia Square and you are in the **Old Bazaar**, or Čaršija, one of the largest surviving Ottoman markets in the Balkans. Its lanes hold mosques, caravanserais such as **Kuršumli An**, the half buried **Church of Saint Saviour** with its carved iconostasis, silver filigree workshops and old baklava shops. Above it rises the **Kale fortress**, with wide views of the city, and the **Mustafa Pasha Mosque**.

On the south bank, **Macedonia Square** is dominated by the huge Warrior on a Horse statue. Nearby are the **Memorial House of Mother Teresa**, who was born in Skopje, and the old railway station, its clock still stopped at the moment of the earthquake. Along the river, the **Archaeological Museum** and the **Museum of the Macedonian Struggle** sit among the new neoclassical buildings.

Day trips

**Matka Canyon**, half an hour southwest, is the classic escape: a narrow gorge with a lake for kayaking and boat trips to the Vrelo Cave, and small medieval churches clinging to the cliffs. **Mount Vodno**, the mountain behind the city, has a cable car to the Millennium Cross at the top, and on its lower slopes the monastery of **Saint Panteleimon at Gorno Nerezi** holds remarkable twelfth century frescoes. Further afield, **Kratovo**, built in a volcanic crater, and **Stobi**, a Roman city near the wine country, make good full day trips.

Where to eat

The **Debar Maalo** neighbourhood is where Skopje goes out to eat, with taverns serving tavče gravče, the national bean dish, grilled meats, šopska salad and local wine, often with live music. In the bazaar, try kebapi, burek and a plate of baklava.

Where to stay

First-timers usually stay near **Macedonia Square** or the **Old Bazaar** to walk everywhere. Debar Maalo is quieter and great for food. Business hotels sit along the main boulevards.

Good to know

In winter, Skopje's air quality can be poor on still days, especially from November to February. Check air quality readings if you have breathing problems. Otherwise, use normal city sense with bags and phones in crowded places.

Getting there and around

Skopje International Airport lies about twenty minutes east of the centre, with a shuttle bus timed to many flights and licensed taxis outside arrivals. The main bus station, next to the railway station, has services to Ohrid, Bitola, Struga and neighbouring capitals such as Sofia, Belgrade, Pristina and Tirana. In the city, most sights are within walking distance of Macedonia Square. Taxis are metered and cheap; use a licensed company and check the meter is running.

A suggested first day

Start with coffee on Macedonia Street, visit the Memorial House of Mother Teresa, then cross the Stone Bridge into the Old Bazaar. Climb to the fortress, have lunch at a bazaar grill, then spend the afternoon at the Museum of Contemporary Art or the Archaeological Museum. In the evening, walk the riverside and finish with dinner and live music in Debar Maalo.