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Skopje is a medium city at the European level. Being the capital and largest city of North Macedonia, Skopje concentrates a large share of the national economy. The Skopje Statistical Region, which encompasses the City of Skopje and some neighbouring municipalities, produces 45.5% of the Macedonian GDP.
- 21 Best Things to Do in Skopje + Suggested Skopje Itinerary
- Morning: New Skopje
- Afternoon: Old Skopje
- Evening: Sunset at Skopje Fortress
- Map of Things to Do in Skopje
- Best Day Trips from Skopje
- Where to Stay in Skopje
- How to Get to Skopje
- How to Get from Skopje Airport to The City
- Moving Around Skopje
You only need one day in Skopje (albeit a rather full one) to see the city’s highlights. For your convenience, I’ve organised my list of the top 21 things to do in Skopje into a logical one-day Skopje itinerary. If you prefer to take things at a slower pace (I spent a whole week in Skopje so I completely understand), you can easily extend this itin...
1. Start your one day in Skopje with a coffee in Debar Maalo
Debar Maalo is Skopje’s bohemian neighbourhood, characterised by wide tree-lined boulevards, street art and outdoor bars and cafes. There are lots of apartment blocks in this area so if you want to start each day in Skopje’s coolest suburb, you should try to find an Airbnb here. I stayed in this neighbourhood myself and loved it. Debar Maalo is very central, just west of Skopje’s main square along the river, so you can easily wander here from the centre, too. There are plenty of cafes in down...
2. Saint Clement of Ohrid Church
Visit time: 15 minutes Get there: 5 minutes’ walk from Debar Maalo As you wander east from Debar Maalo into central Skopje, stop by Saint Clement of Ohrid Church on the way. The largest Macedonian Orthodox cathedral in the country, this is one of the most distinctive buildings in Skopje and an interesting example of the city’s quirky modernist architecture. Completed in 1990 by Macedonian architect Slavko Brezovski, the church comprises a series of domes and arches which give it an unusual ‘b...
3. Count the sculptures in Macedonia Square
Visit time: 20-30 minutes Get there: 10 minutes’ walk from Saint Clement of Ohrid Skopje’s main plaza, Macedonia Square, is unusual because it stretches over both sides of the Vardar River. This is the nucleus of the city and ground zero for Skopje 2014, a massive urban renewal project designed to give the capital a ‘more classical’ feel. More than 100 sculptures and monuments and 20 new building facadeswere added to Skopje’s skyline under the controversial and costly scheme, which also sough...
9. Cross the Stone Bridge
Visit time: 10 minutes Get there: 10 minutes’ walk from City Museum via Macedonia Square Once you arrive at the foot of the Stone Bridge, you’ll immediately see the contrast between old and new that Skopje is so famous for. A symbol of Skopje, the bridge’s distinctive shape is immortalised on the city’s coat of arms. The Stone Bridge starts directly in front of Macedonia Square and stretches 200 metres across the river to the Old Bazaar. It was built by the Ottomans in the year 1451 atop foun...
10. Daut Pasha Hamam
The first point of interest in Old Skopje is Daut Pasha Hamam. You reach the entrance by crossing through Philip II Square, another grand plaza with a huge monument to Philip II of Macedonia in the centre. This is one of several 15th-century Ottoman bathhouses in North Macedonia that has been converted into an art gallery. (A few hammams in Bitolahave received the same treatment, as has the one in Tetovo.) It presents a very unique chance to see this type of architecture up close and from the...
11. Eat Macedonian food at Destan
Visit time: 60 minutes Get there: 6 minutes’ walk from Daut Pasha Hamam Destan is a good example of an old-school North Macedonian kafana. At least it’s styled that way. It’s a chain brand with restaurants around the city, but my favourite is the one at the entrance to the Old Bazaar, where the tables spill out onto the sidewalk. Destan has been operating since 1913 and is most famous for its kebab (kebapi), which you might know as cevapi. At Destan, this oily, meaty Balkan staple is best eat...
19. Climb Skopje Fortress for a view
Visit time: 20-40 minutes Get there: 4 minutes’ walk from the Ascension of Jesus Church As your day in Skopje winds down, there’s only one way to go – up. Skopje Fortress (AKA Kale Fortress or Tvrdina Kale) is located on the western edge of the Old Bazaar and is the perfect place to finish your Skopje itinerary with some breathtaking city and sunset views. The fortifications were built in the 10th century and added to during Ottoman times, when there were an estimated 70 towers in total. Just...
20. Drinks at Brewery Old Town
Visit time: 1-2 hours Get there: 2 minutes’ walk from Skopje Fortress Brewery Old Town, one of Skopje’s favourite outdoor bars, is located right at the bottom of the fortress, making it the perfect place to stop off for evening drinks before you walk back through the now-silent Old Bazaar. Craft beer and pizza (or ribs) is the thing to order here. There are a dozen or so brews on tap, and beer tasting trays are available. Outdoor seating is offered in a lovely courtyard, and there’s usually l...
21. End your day with dinner inside an old caravanserai
Visit time: 60 minutes Get there: 4 minutes’ walk from Brewery Old Town There’s no better way to end a day in Skopje than with dinner in the Old Bazaar. Restaurant Pivnica Anis located on the bottom level of the historic Kapan Han, another of Skopje’s 15th-century caravanserais. The atmosphere is terrific, especially at night when the courtyard is lit up. The menu is great, albeit a touch more expensive than Destan – expect to pay a still-reasonable 300-500 denars (5-10 USD) for a main. I thi...
To help you plan your Skopje itinerary, I’ve put all the attractions and restaurants listed above on a handy map. Click here to access the interactive map on Google Mapsand save a copy to your device.
If you have extra time to spend in Skopje, consider taking a day trip from the city. National parks, canyons and wineries are all within a few hours’ drive by bus or car.
We stayed at a terrific little Airbnb apartment in Debar Maalo, just west of Centar. As I mentioned earlier, Debar Maalo is Skopje’s bohemian neighbourhood. I highly recommend it for first-time visitors as it’s nice and central while still feeling ‘local’.
Skopje International Airport is serviced by budget carriers from cities across Europe. If you’re flying into North Macedonia, this is likely where you’ll start your trip. If you’re coming from Ohrid (3 hours), Bitola (2 hours), Prilep (2 hours) or elsewhere in North Macedonia, you can easily find coach buses to Skopje. There are usually multiple se...
Skopje International Airport is located 25km (roughly 30 minutes by car) east of the city centre. Unmetered airport taxis are a surefire way to start your trip on the wrong foot, so I recommend pre-booking a transfer instead. This private transfer costs just 35 USD for a group of up to 3 people and can be organised onlinethrough Get Your Guide. I p...
Skopje is super compact and very easy to navigate on foot. It’s mostly flat, too. Note that there is no Uber (or Uber equivalent) in Skopje yet, so if you want to take a taxi, you have to do it the old fashioned way. A fare across town should be somewhere in the neighbourhood of 200 denars (approx. 4 USD). Remember to always settle the fare before ...
- National Gallery of Macedonia. The Daut Paša Amam (1473) were once the largest Turkish baths outside of İstanbul and they make a magical setting for the permanent collection of Skopje's…
- Čaršija. Čaršija is Skopje's hillside Ottoman old town, evoking the city's past with its winding lanes filled with teahouses, mosques, craftspeople's shops, and…
- Tvrdina Kale Fortress. Dominating the skyline of Skopje, this Game of Thrones–worthy, 6th-century AD Byzantine (and later, Ottoman) fortress is an easy walk up from the Čaršija…
- Archaeological Museum of Macedonia. This supersized pile of Italianate-styled marble has been a giant receptacle for Skopje's recent splurge on government-led monuments to boost national…
May 12, 2024 · Skopje, principal city and capital of North Macedonia. Standing on the banks of the Vardar River, Skopje began as the Illyrian tribal center of Scupi. It was the capital of Roman Dardania and fell to the Serbs in 1189.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- See the iconic Warrior on a Horse statue. I’ve already teased Skopje’s most iconic landmark in the previous section, but you couldn’t miss it if you tried.
- Admire art at a 15th-century Turkish bath. When we arrived in Skopje, stepping outside felt like being hit by a wall of scorching heat. We thought we might melt into a puddle at any moment, so we sought refuge at an old Turkish bath turned art gallery.
- Learn about the country’s road to independence at the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle. Next up in our quest to hide from the heat, we decided to visit the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle, which cost 300 MKD (around £4.30/€4.90).
- Step back in time at Skopje’s Old Bazaar. As Skopje’s trade and commercial hub since the 12th century, the Old Bazaar is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the cultural fabric of the city.
Explore Skopje's rich history, culture and architecture with Lonely Planet's guide to the city's top sights. From the ancient fortress and mosques to the modern monuments and museums, discover the best of Skopje's attractions.
Jan 29, 2024 · Skopje, the capital of the newly-named North Macedonia, is one of the most underrated cities in Europe. It is a small area surrounded by many neighbors; North Macedonia’s history is ancient and intriguing, and there’s no better place to experience it than Skopje.
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