Macedonia – From Skopje to Lake Ohrid

Macedonia is a small nation with a fascinating history. It’s part Balkan and part Mediterranean. This Balkan jewel offers impressive ancient sites and an inspiring capital. I spent 5 days in Macedonia and it was raining everyday, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying this country till the fullest!

Facts

Capital: Skopje
Language: Macedonian
Currency: Macedonian Denar (1 € ≅ 60 MKD)
Part of EU: No
Population: 2.1 million
Size: 25.713 km² (¾ of Holland)
Daylight saving time: Yes
Visas: Not required for most European citizens; others can enter with multi – entry Schengen visa
Best time to visit: May – Sep (European summer)
Visited: 2016 (part of Balkan trip)

Skopje

I entered Macedonia from Kosovo which went pretty smooth. With no hostel reservation made I started to explore the city in search for a place to stay. It was raining so I didn’t want to spend too much time doing this. I stepped into the first hostel I saw and I can’t say that my first impression was ‘jolly good’. An old woman was sitting outside feeding her 10+ cats; I stepped over the cats and got into the with smoke filled hallway. I couldn’t see a thing. The smoke cleared and a man with cuts on his face and 3 teeth in his mouth welcomed me. Do you need a bed? Hmmm, I wasn’t so sure anymore. But I asked if I could see the dorm. We went to the dorm which was basically just a separate room in his house for guests. He opened the door and the first thing I saw was a very old man laying in bed mumbling nonsense. He was missing one leg and it looked like that he could pass away any moment. So I asked is he ok? The owner mentioned that the old man was a guest and that he was not feeling well. Yeah clearly. I got a feeling that I was part of the movie Hostel and that I would wake up with 2 missing kidneys. But I was tired and didn’t want to go back into the rain so I accepted a bed. I went out for a delicious dinner. If you like meat, kebab, shredded goat cheese then this is your country! The next day I started to explore the city with an Italian guy which I met on the bus.

Impressive Skopje!

Left: Statue of Alexander the Great – Right: The stunning architecture of Skopje

The architecture in Skopje is stunning! The communist-era centre with fascinating buildings and the statue of Alexander the Great as centerpiece is a pleasure to walk through. Skopje is booming and there’s constant urban renewal going on.

On my way to the Turkish old town of Skopje.

Majestic buildings.

You will be rewarded with splendid views of Skopje from its ancient fortress. My favorite part of the city is the Turkish old town. It’s a great place to shop, have dinner or drink heaps of coffee / tea.

I had a great time in Skopje despite the weather!

Although my hostel wasn’t the best one and I had constant rain I really enjoyed my time in the capital of Macedonia. Easygoing Skopje never fails to impress! The capital definitely comes into my top 10 of favorite capitals in Europe!

Ohrid

Ohrid is easily reached from Skopje in about 3 hours by bus. The small town lies next to a 34km-long lake and has some impressive ancient sites. Both Albania and Macedonia have their share in Lake Ohrid.

The stunning Sveti Jovan at Kaneo church!

The brilliant architecture of St. Clement church.

I stayed at the Sunny Lake Hostel which I can really recommend! It’s a very cozy hostel where you will feel immediately at home. The most photographed church in Ohrid is the Sveti Jovan at Kaneo. This church is perfectly located at the edge of a cliff which gives stunning views over Lake Ohrid.

The lovely old town of Ohrid.

Ohrid is such a peaceful place.

Absorbing the ancient architecture makes you hungry; the Turkish old town has plenty of delicious kebab places. A fun thing to see here is how the coffee is being served. There’s one coffee place which serves the whole street. They go around with their small bicycles and tray full of hot coffee cups to serve their customers. Great! And I can really use a hot drink right now!