North Macedonia · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in North Macedonia
These are the places worth your time in North Macedonia, from the bazaar, museums and taverns of Skopje to the churches and beaches of Lake Ohrid, Bitola's café street, the villages of Mavrovo and the wineries of Tikveš. Classics sit beside quiet corners many travellers miss, so every kind of visitor finds something to love.
Places to Visit in Skopje
Arts and Culture
- Old Bazaar (Čaršija) (Čair, north bank of the Vardar)
One of the largest surviving Ottoman bazaars in the Balkans, full of mosques, inns, tea houses and craft shops. - Memorial House of Mother Teresa (Macedonia Street, centre)
A small, moving museum on the site of the church where Mother Teresa was baptised in her home city. - Museum of the Macedonian Struggle (Vardar riverbank, centre)
A lavish museum of waxwork scenes telling the story of the fight for Macedonian statehood. - Mustafa Pasha Mosque (Near the fortress)
An elegant fifteenth century mosque with a rose garden and a calm courtyard. - Church of Saint Saviour (Sveti Spas) (Old Bazaar)
A half sunken church hiding one of the finest carved walnut iconostases in the Balkans. - Museum of Contemporary Art (Above the fortress)
Works by Picasso, Léger and Balkan artists donated after the 1963 earthquake, in a building with city views. - Archaeological Museum of North Macedonia (Vardar riverbank, centre)
Grand halls of Roman mosaics, gold masks and Byzantine icons in one of the newer riverside buildings. - Kuršumli An (Old Bazaar)
A stone Ottoman caravanserai with a quiet courtyard that once housed travelling merchants. - Daut Pasha Hamam (Old Bazaar)
A domed Ottoman bathhouse now used as the National Gallery for changing exhibitions. - Old Railway Station and City Museum (Centre, near Macedonia Square)
The station clock still stopped at the moment of the 1963 earthquake.
Things to Do
- Stone Bridge (City centre)
The fifteenth century bridge that links Macedonia Square with the Old Bazaar and frames the whole city. - Skopje Fortress (Kale) (Above the Old Bazaar)
Restored walls with wide views over the river, the bazaar and Mount Vodno. - Monastery of Saint Panteleimon, Gorno Nerezi (Lower slopes of Mount Vodno)
Twelfth century frescoes that art historians call a forerunner of the Renaissance. - Skopje Aqueduct (Northwest edge of the city)
The only surviving aqueduct in the country, a quiet stone ruin in open fields. - Skopje Zoo (Near City Park)
An easy, low key family outing next to the park.
Nature and Outdoors
- Millennium Cross and Mount Vodno cable car (Mount Vodno)
Ride the cable car to the giant cross on the summit for the best view of Skopje. - Matka Canyon (About half an hour southwest of Skopje)
A dramatic gorge with a lake for kayaking, cliffside monasteries and the Vrelo Cave. - Saint Andrew Monastery, Matka (Matka Canyon)
A tiny fourteenth century church with frescoes right at the water by the canyon dam. - City Park (Gradski Park) (Along the Vardar, west of centre)
A huge leafy park with paths, cafés and a lake, loved by Skopje families.
Shopping and Markets
- Bit Pazar (Edge of the Old Bazaar)
The busy everyday market for peppers, cheese, spices, honey and household goods. - Green Market (Zelen Pazar) (Near the centre)
A neighbourhood produce market for seasonal fruit, vegetables and ajvar peppers. - Old Bazaar filigree jewellers (Old Bazaar)
Small workshops selling the delicate silver filigree the bazaar has made for centuries.
Restaurants
- Pivnica An (Kapan An courtyard, Old Bazaar)
Traditional Macedonian dishes served in the courtyard of an Ottoman inn. - Destan (Old Bazaar)
A long running kebapči grill famous for its plates of small grilled kebapi. - Skopski Merak (Debar Maalo)
A lively tavern with Macedonian food and live old town songs in the evening. - Old Town House (Stara Gradska Kuќa) (Near the Stone Bridge)
A traditional house restaurant serving tavče gravče, sarma and Macedonian wine.
Cafés
- Baklava shops of the Old Bazaar (Old Bazaar)
Sit down for baklava, tulumba and Turkish coffee the way locals have for generations. - Café life on Macedonia Street (Macedonia Street, centre)
Grab an espresso on the pedestrian street and watch the city stroll past. - Debar Maalo café terraces (Debar Maalo)
Leafy terraces for coffee by day and wine by night in Skopje's favourite neighbourhood.
Bars and Nightlife
- Debar Maalo bar street (Debar Maalo)
The easiest place in Skopje to find a relaxed drink and a lively crowd. - Old Bazaar evening bars (Old Bazaar)
Beer gardens and small bars open up in the bazaar courtyards on warm evenings.
Events
- Skopje Summer Festival (Venues across Skopje)
Concerts, theatre and film through July and August in courtyards and halls. - Skopje Jazz Festival (Skopje)
A respected October festival bringing international jazz names to the city.
Stays
- Marriott Skopje (Macedonia Square)
Polished rooms and a rooftop bar right on the main square. - Guesthouses of Debar Maalo (Debar Maalo)
Small family run rooms within walking distance of the centre and the best taverns.
Places to Visit in Ohrid
Arts and Culture
- Church of Saint John at Kaneo (Kaneo, below the old town)
The country's most photographed church, perched on a cliff above the lake. - Samuel's Fortress (Top of the old town)
Walk the walls of the medieval fortress for views over the lake and the roofs below. - Plaošnik and Saint Panteleimon (Old town hill)
A rebuilt church on the site of Saint Clement's school, with early Christian mosaics around it. - Church of Saint Sophia (Old town)
A great medieval cathedral with some of the most important frescoes in the Balkans. - Ancient Theatre of Ohrid (Old town)
A Hellenistic theatre that still hosts summer performances. - Robevi House (National Museum) (Old town)
A grand nineteenth century townhouse full of carved ceilings and local history. - Icon Gallery at Saint Clement (Perivleptos) (Upper old town)
A precious collection of medieval icons beside a frescoed thirteenth century church. - Bay of Bones Museum (Gradište, south of Ohrid)
A reconstructed Bronze Age village of houses on stilts over the water.
Shopping and Markets
- Ohrid Pearl workshops (Old town)
Family workshops still making the famous Ohrid pearls from fish scale lacquer. - Vangel Atanasovski paper workshop (Old town)
A small workshop where you can watch paper made by hand on an old press. - Ohrid Green Market (Town centre)
The daily market for figs, cheese, honey and lake fish.
Things to Do
- Boat to Saint John at Kaneo (Ohrid harbour)
Local boatmen run short trips along the cliffs at sunset. - Monastery of Saint Naum (Southern tip of the lake)
A monastery with peacocks by the springs where boats glide over clear water. - Rowing boats at the Saint Naum springs (Saint Naum)
Small boats take you over the crystal clear springs that feed the lake.
Nature and Outdoors
- Galičica National Park (Between Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa)
A mountain road and hikes with views over two lakes at once. - Mount Magaro hike (Galičica National Park)
A summit walk with Ohrid on one side and Prespa on the other. - Gradište beach (Near Peštani)
Quiet coves next to the Bay of Bones. - Lake Prespa and Golem Grad island (Prespa, east of Galičica)
A remote island of tortoises, pelicans and ruined churches. - Trpejca village (Eastern lakeshore)
A fishing village with a pebble beach and taverns at the water.
Restaurants
- Restaurant Kaneo (Kaneo beach)
Lake fish and salads eaten on a wooden deck over the water. - Sveta Sofija (Opposite the Church of Saint Sophia)
A quiet, polished restaurant beside the old cathedral. - Letna Bavča (Kaneo, near the beach)
A simple, much loved fish place by the water. - Lakeside taverns of Trpejca (Trpejca village)
Grilled fish and a slow lunch in a village by the water.
Cafés
- Lakeside cafés on the quay (Ohrid harbour)
Morning coffee on the promenade with the boats rocking below. - Ohrid bakeries for burek (Town centre)
A hot slice of burek and a yogurt for breakfast is a local ritual.
Events
- Ohrid Summer Festival (Old town venues)
July and August concerts and plays in the ancient theatre and churches. - Ohrid Swimming Marathon (Saint Naum to Ohrid)
A long distance swim across the lake in late summer.
Stays
- Hotel Inex Gorica (Lakeshore south of town)
A large lakeside hotel with its own swimming area. - Guestrooms of the old town (Varoš, old town)
Family rooms with lake views and local hosts.
Places to Visit in Struga
Things to Do
- Struga riverside promenade (Black Drin river)
Where the lake drains into the Black Drin, lined with willows and cafés.
Events
- Struga Poetry Evenings (Struga)
One of the world's oldest poetry festivals, held each August. - Vevčani Carnival (Vevčani)
A wild masked carnival around the Orthodox New Year.
Nature and Outdoors
- Vevčani springs (Vevčani village above Struga)
Cold springs and a village famous for its mid January carnival.
Places to Visit in Bitola
Things to Do
- Širok Sokak (Bitola centre)
The elegant pedestrian street of consulates and café terraces. - Clock Tower (Centre)
The landmark of Bitola, beside the old mosques and the park. - Krushevo (About an hour north of Bitola)
A high stone town known for the 1903 Ilinden uprising and paragliding.
Arts and Culture
- Heraclea Lyncestis (Southern edge of Bitola)
A city founded by Philip of Macedon with superb floor mosaics. - Bitola Museum (Centre)
Housed in the old military academy where Atatürk studied. - Church of Saint Demetrius (Centre)
A large nineteenth century church with a richly carved iconostasis. - Yeni Mosque art gallery (Centre)
A sixteenth century mosque now used as a gallery.
Shopping and Markets
- Bitola Bazaar (Old Bazaar quarter)
A working Ottoman bazaar of tailors, cobblers and spice shops.
Nature and Outdoors
- Pelister National Park (West of Bitola)
Molika pine forests, glacial lakes called the Mountain Eyes and good hiking. - Dihovo village (Pelister foothills)
A village with river pools and guesthouses at the edge of the park. - Brajčino village (Prespa side of Pelister)
A quiet mountain village with marked hiking trails.
Stays
- Villa Dihovo (Dihovo)
A well known village guesthouse with home cooking and garden wine.
Restaurants
- Bitola kebab and burek counters (Old Bazaar)
Simple counters serving local grills and morning pastries.
Cafés
- Café terraces of Širok Sokak (Širok Sokak)
Sit down for a coffee where the whole town comes to see and be seen.
Bars and Nightlife
- Širok Sokak evening bars (Širok Sokak)
The street turns into a lively strip of bars after dark.
Events
- Manaki Brothers Film Festival (Bitola)
An international festival of cinematography each autumn.
Places to Visit in Mavrovo
Nature and Outdoors
- Mavrovo National Park (Western North Macedonia)
The country's largest national park of forests, peaks and gorges. - Mavrovo ski centre (Zare Lazarevski, Mavrovo)
The country's main ski area, busy from December to March. - Galičnik village (Mavrovo National Park)
A high shepherding village of stone houses. - Duf waterfall (Near Rostuše)
A short walk to a waterfall in a forested gorge. - Mount Korab (Albanian border)
The highest peak in the country, climbed on guided summer hikes.
Things to Do
- Sunken Church of Saint Nicholas (Mavrovo Lake)
A church half submerged in the reservoir that appears and disappears with the water level. - Janče village (Radika valley)
A quiet village of guesthouses, cheese and mountain walks.
Arts and Culture
- Monastery of Saint John Bigorski (Radika valley)
A monastery famous for its wooden iconostasis and quiet setting above the river.
Events
- Galičnik Wedding (Galičnik)
A traditional wedding festival held each July with costumes and dancing.
Restaurants
- Galičnik cheese and lamb (Mavrovo villages)
Try sheep's cheese and slow roasted lamb from local shepherds.
Shopping and Markets
- Roadside honey and cheese stalls (Mavrovo roads)
Village producers sell honey, cheese and herbs by the road.
Stays
- Mavrovo village guesthouses (Mavrovo Anovi)
Simple rooms close to the lake and ski area.
Places to Visit in Kavadarci
Things to Do
- Tikveš Winery (Kavadarci)
The largest and most famous winery in the country, with tastings. - Stobi archaeological site (Near Gradsko)
A large Roman and early Christian city with mosaics. - Popova Kula Winery (Demir Kapija)
A hillside winery with rooms and wide valley views. - Stobi Winery (Gradsko)
A modern winery near the ancient city of Stobi.
Events
- Kavadarci Wine Carnival (Kavadarci)
A September harvest festival with a parade and plenty of wine.
Nature and Outdoors
- Demir Kapija gorge (Demir Kapija)
A rocky gorge on the Vardar with climbing and walking. - Lake Tikveš (South of Kavadarci)
A reservoir surrounded by hills and quiet monasteries.
Restaurants
- Village taverns of Tikveš (Kavadarci and Negotino)
Grilled meats and local wine at simple country restaurants.
Shopping and Markets
- Kavadarci market (Town centre)
A small town market for grapes, figs and peppers.
Stays
- Popova Kula rooms (Demir Kapija)
Stay in the vineyard and wake up to the valley.
Places to Visit in Kratovo
Arts and Culture
- Kratovo old town (Kratovo, northeast)
A town built inside a volcanic crater, with medieval stone bridges and towers.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Kaj Ilija (Debar Maalo, Skopje)
A cosy neighbourhood tavern in the street where Skopje goes out to eat. - Kebapčilnica Dobra Želba (Old Bazaar, Skopje)
A simple bazaar grill for kebapi, fresh bread and onions. - Gostilnica Dukat (Debar Maalo, Skopje)
A smaller family run place for home style dishes. - Temov Craft Brewery (Skopje, Skopje)
One of the city's early craft breweries with local beers on tap. - Hotel Arka (Near the Old Bazaar, Skopje)
A comfortable, well placed base between the Stone Bridge and the bazaar. - Monastery of Saint Zaum (Eastern shore, by boat, Ohrid)
A fourteenth century church reachable only by boat or a long walk. - Labino Beach (Lakeside south of the old town, Ohrid)
A pebbly beach with clear water and easy swimming. - Elšani village (Above Ohrid on the Galičica road, Ohrid)
A small mountain village with old houses and paths. - Restaurant Antiko (Old town, Ohrid)
Traditional food in an old house on the lane down from the fortress. - Gladni Fish (Ohrid, Ohrid)
A small casual spot for cheap fried fish and burek. - Jazz Inn (Old town, Ohrid)
A cosy bar with music and a lakeside crowd in summer. - Cuba Libre (Old town, Ohrid)
A long running summer bar and club close to the water. - Villa Mal Sveti Kliment (Old town, Ohrid)
A small, classic stay on the old town hill. - Villa Sveta Sofija (Old town, Ohrid)
A characterful stone guesthouse in the heart of the old town. - Kaj Dimče (Bitola, Bitola)
A traditional restaurant serving Bitola specialities. - Paragliding over Krushevo (Krushevo, Bitola)
Tandem flights over the mountains from one of the highest towns in the Balkans. - Hotel Radika (Radika valley, Mavrovo)
A larger spa hotel near the monastery. - Château Kamnik (Hrasnica, eastern Skopje, Skopje)
A smaller estate known for its reds. - Bovin Winery (Negotino, Kavadarci)
A family run winery offering tastings.