North Macedonia

Discover the wonders of North Macedonia with our comprehensive travel guide. Learn about the weather patterns and find out the best times to visit this beautiful Balkan country. Explore transportation options that make getting around easy and convenient. Uncover top cities, must-see destinations, delicious local foods, and secret spots most tourists miss. Whether you're planning your first trip or returning for more adventures, our guide has everything you need to experience North Macedonia like a local.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

Skopje & Northern Region: May-June and September-October offer pleasant temperatures (20-25°C/68-77°F) for exploring the capital without extreme heat or cold. Avoid July-August when temperatures can exceed 35°C/95°F.

Lake Ohrid Region: June-September is ideal for lake activities with water temperatures around 24°C/75°F. July-August brings perfect swimming conditions, though these are peak tourist months.

Wine Regions (Tikveš): September-October coincides with grape harvest festivals and offers mild temperatures (18-22°C/64-71°F) ideal for vineyard tours.

Mountain Areas (Mavrovo, Pelister): July-August for hiking and outdoor activities with temperatures around 20-25°C/68-77°F. December-March is the winter sports season with reliable snowfall.

Eastern Regions: April-June showcases spring blooms across the countryside with mild 15-20°C/60-68°F temperatures, perfect for outdoor exploration before summer heat.

How to Get to North Macedonia

Two airports serve travelers visiting North Macedonia. The primary gateway, Skopje International Airport (SKP), is located near the capital city and handles over 2 million passengers annually. Flights arrive from Istanbul, Vienna, and Zurich, connecting North Macedonia with Europe and other international destinations.

In the southwestern part of the country, St. Paul the Apostle Airport (OHD) serves the Lake Ohrid region. Though smaller, it offers convenient access with seasonal flights from Belgrade and Ljubljana.

Both airports have been renovated in recent years with improved facilities. These upgrades allow visitors to arrive efficiently and begin their North Macedonian experience promptly, whether traveling for business in Skopje or leisure activities around Lake Ohrid. These modernized airports have made traveling to this Balkan nation more accessible than before.

How to Get Around

North Macedonia's roads tell stories across mountains and lakeshores, connecting ancient villages and buzzing cities through a network of practical transportation options. 

Buses form the heart of travel here, with vehicles constantly moving between Skopje's urban landscape and Ohrid's blue waters. Travelers often find themselves sharing these journeys with locals carrying groceries, students with backpacks, and occasionally, a farmer with fresh produce from morning markets.

In cities, local buses wind through neighborhoods, though the schedule might follow the relaxed Balkan approach to time in smaller communities. Taxis appear around nearly every corner in Skopje, their drivers often becoming impromptu tour guides who point out landmarks and share stories that guidebooks miss.

The red double-decker buses in Skopje stand out against the city's mix of Ottoman architecture and modern buildings, letting travelers step on and off at their own pace. While you won't find underground trains here, the bus networks weave everything together effectively.

For longer journeys between cities, companies like Classic Company Ohrid and Makedonija Soobrakaj run coaches that give travelers time to watch the countryside unfold through the windows. Villages nestled in valleys, roadside fruit stands, and mountain passes that connect one chapter of your journey to the next.

Food Scene

North Macedonia's food scene reflects a rich cultural tapestry where meals share stories that stretch back centuries. The country's kitchen tables hold dishes that grandmothers have perfected through generations, each recipe carrying echoes of Ottoman, Balkan, and Mediterranean influences.

In Skopje's Debar Maalo neighborhood, cooks stir pots of tavče gravče, a hearty bean stew that simmers slowly until the beans become tender while developing a slightly crisp top layer. Nearby, families in Ohrid continue the autumn tradition of roasting red peppers over open flames to create jars of ajvar that will brighten winter meals.

Morning walks through Skopje's Bit Pazar or Ohrid's Green Market reveal mountains of peppers in every shade of red and green, farmers arranging white cheese in brine, and bakers pulling hot pastrmajlija, oval bread topped with meat, from wood-fired ovens.

In western highland villages, shepherds craft Šarplaninski cheese using methods unchanged for centuries, while eastern Macedonia's small towns serve kukureku, a morning dish of spiced offal that locals insist cures everything from hangovers to heartache. 

Lake Ohrid's shore provides the perfect setting to try gjomleze, a labor-intensive layered pancake that demands both patience and skill to prepare.

Hidden Gems

1. Kokino Observatory (Kumanovo) 

This 3,800-year-old megalithic observatory tells the story of ancient Macedonians who studied the stars. From its position on a volcanic ridge, Kokino's carefully positioned stone markers line up with the sun and moon during important celestial events. NASA even recognizes it among the world's oldest observatories. On June 21st, the summer solstice, the sun lines up exactly with the stone markers — a moment that connects you directly with people who lived thousands of years ago.

To get there, drive 30 km/18 miles northwest from Kumanovo. The final 3 km/2 miles might need a vehicle with good clearance, or you can park and enjoy a 30-minute walk up to the site. The path rewards you with countryside views before revealing the ancient stones.

2. Matka Canyon (Skopje) 

Just 15 km/9 miles from Skopje, Matka Canyon cuts through the landscape with its green-blue waters and steep limestone walls. The canyon holds stories in its medieval monasteries tucked against the cliffs and in its ten caves waiting to be explored. Vrelo Cave invites curious visitors to see its chambers that continue underwater. April and May bring comfortable temperatures and fresh green growth to the canyon. 

Catch bus #60 from Skopje's main station to reach the entrance, or take a taxi for about $11. Rent a kayak to paddle at your own pace and discover quiet corners where the water meets the rock walls.

Scenic Routes

North Macedonia's countryside tells stories through its mountains, lakes, and historic places. These five routes let travelers see the land change from valleys to peaks, from city streets to quiet lakeshores:

• Skopje to Ohrid: The road winds through mountain passes where sheep graze on hillsides. After curves and climbs, Lake Ohrid appears below, its waters reflecting the sky. In summer, families spread blankets along the shore. Spring brings wildflowers dotting the roadside. From the bus window, the landscape unfolds like a slow-moving film.

• 
  

• Ohrid to Bitola: Apple trees line the road, their branches heavy with fruit in autumn. Small villages appear with red-tiled roofs and smoking chimneys. The "City of Consuls" waits at journey's end, with its wide boulevards and coffee culture. Buses pass through Prespa National Park, where pelicans glide over the water.

• 
  

• Skopje to Mavrovo: The Šar Mountains rise up as the road climbs higher. At Mavrovo National Park, a half-submerged church sits in the lake, telling tales of villages flooded long ago. Winter covers everything in white, while summer brings green meadows where cows graze. The bus navigates curves that reveal new mountain scenes at every turn.

• 
  

• Skopje to Matka Canyon:  Just outside the capital, the world changes. The canyon walls rise up, with clear water flowing below. Kayakers paddle past limestone walls while hikers follow trails above. Spring brings waterfalls, and autumn shows golden light on the rocks. A short bus ride leads to paths where nature takes over.

• 
  

• Struga to Vevchani: From lakeside Struga, the road climbs to a village where water springs from the earth. Vevchani residents have passed down traditions for centuries. In February, the village transforms with masks and costumes for Carnival. Summer visitors dip their hands in the cool springs. The bus climbs steadily, with the lake growing smaller in the distance.

• 
  

Events, Festivals and Local Markets

Musicians play their instruments while actors perform their roles during the Ohrid Summer Festival in Ohrid. The sounds of classical music echo off ancient stone walls, all while Lake Ohrid sparkles nearby. The performances happen when summer reaches its peak (July-August).

The notes of saxophones, pianos, and drums fill the air at the Skopje Jazz Festival in Skopje. Musicians from across the globe gather, creating music that makes people tap their feet and nod their heads in appreciation (October).

Stories unfold on big screens during the Skopje Film Festival in Skopje. People sit in darkened rooms, watching tales from around the world, often discovering films they wouldn't see elsewhere (April).

Words flow like the nearby river at Struga Poetry Evenings in Struga. Poets read their work under the stars, sharing verses in different languages while audiences listen closely, sometimes laughing, sometimes silent in thought (August).

Best Places to Visit

1. Skopje

The capital of North Macedonia tells two stories at once. In the Old Bazaar, craftsmen hammer copper into delicate filigree work their grandfathers taught them, while across the Stone Bridge, modern Skopje unfolds with its collection of statues and neoclassical buildings from the Skopje 2014 project. Walking through downtown means passing Alexander the Great on horseback one minute and ducking into a centuries-old caravanserai the next.

When spring arrives in May, outdoor cafés fill with locals sipping strong Turkish coffee. The city breathes easier than during July's heat, and the mountains surrounding the city still wear patches of snow. Similarly, September brings golden light that warms the stone walls without summer's intensity.

When darkness falls, the Macedonian Opera's lights illuminate performers telling stories through music and movement. In summer, follow the locals to City Park where musicians set up under trees, their melodies carrying across picnic blankets.

• 
  
• How to get to Skopje
• -Direct flights to Skopje International Airport from major European cities
• -Regular bus connections from neighboring Balkan countries
• -Train services from Belgrade, Serbia, and Thessaloniki, Greece

2. Ohrid

Lake Ohrid stretches like a mirror at the feet of this ancient city. Narrow cobblestone streets climb upward from the shore, revealing churches built in the 10th century when Ohrid housed 365 churches, one for each day of the year. The water itself holds secrets: it's one of Europe's oldest and deepest lakes, home to species found nowhere else.

In July, families spread towels on the beaches and swim in waters so clear you can see your shadow on the lake bottom. But come in May, and you'll have the Church of St. Jovan Kaneo almost to yourself, perched on its cliff with the blue lake spreading below.

As evening approaches, the ancient theater fills with music, the same stone seats that held audiences 2,000 years ago now cradle visitors watching performances under the stars. Down by the harbor, local artists display paintings capturing the lake's changing moods.

• How to get to Ohrid
• -Flights to St. Paul the Apostle Airport (seasonal)
• -Regular bus service from Skopje (3 hours)
• -Shuttle services from Tirana, Albania

3. Struga

Where Lake Ohrid gives birth to the Black Drin River, Struga watches the water begin its journey. Unlike its more famous neighbor, Struga moves at the pace of the river, unhurried and steady. Families stroll the riverside promenade at sunset, nodding to fishermen bringing in their daily catch.

June evenings bring a gentle warmth that invites long dinners at waterfront restaurants. The town feels most alive then, yet never crowded. May offers perfect days for renting bicycles and exploring the lakeshore.

On market days, farmers arrange pyramids of red peppers and deep purple plums. Musicians often gather near the river bridge, their accordions and drums accompanying traditional circle dances. On the lake, wooden boats depart as the sun lowers, taking passengers to watch daylight fade behind the Albanian mountains.

• 
  
• How to get to Struga
• -Bus connections from Ohrid (15 minutes)
• -Taxi services from St. Paul the Apostle Airport (30 minutes)
• -Direct buses from Skopje (3.5 hours)
• 
  

Tips for Traveling to North Macedonia

VISA & ENTRY

EU/US/UK citizens: Visa-free entry for 90 days

Passport must be valid for 3 months beyond the stay

Registration is required for stays over 24 hours (usually handled by the accommodation)

CULTURAL ETIQUETTE

• Greet with handshakes 
• Remove your shoes when entering homes
• Dress modestly when visiting churches/monasteries
• Tipping: 10% in restaurants is customary

MONEY MATTERS

Macedonian Denar (MKD) — exchange at banks/ATMs

• Major cities accept cards 
• Carry cash for small towns
• Notify the bank of travel plans
• 
  

HEALTH & SAFETY

• Emergency: 112
• Recommended: travel insurance, routine vaccines
• Tap water is generally safe in cities

TRANSPORTATION

• Buses connect major cities 
• Taxis are affordable
• Rental cars are recommended for rural exploration
•