SKOPJE

As a traveler on a limited budget, I was pleasantly surprised when I visited Skopje. I heard it was cheap but I really had no idea in terms of how cheap it was. It was certainly welcomed as Croatia was significantly more expensive than I had thought.

I had taken an overnight bus from Podgorica, Montenegro and was set to arrive in Skopje early in the morning. It was just before 6:00am when I arrived and I had taken a short taxi ride from the bus station to my hotel. I was dilly dallying on whether or not I should just walk but I had just one night in Skopje and actually wanted to try to relax. Although it was dark outside, I was able to get a short glimpse of what Skopje could offer and I was really looking forward to it.

This was now the second half of my month-long trip in Europe and the hotel I had booked was apparently, as the locals would call it, “the nicest hotel in town”. I booked a stay at the Skopje Marriott Hotel and compared to what I had seen. I usually don’t expect much from the Marriott brand but it was clear that this hotel was brand new, housed a beautiful spa, great beds and amenities, a cool lobby lounge and breakfast bar and boasted the best views of Macedonia Square and the Alexander the Great statue.

The hotel was perfectly situated right in the middle of town and was walking distance to the stone bridge and the Old Bazaar. Like Sarajevo, visiting the Old Bazaar feels as if you are stepping into the Middle East. It is super lively over there with tons of antique shops, eateries, and a produce and wet market. I love wandering through this place and eating everything in sight. This was right down my alley.

Since I had only 24 hours in the city, I had to plan accordingly. After some time in the spa and a coffee at a trendy coffeeshop by the hotel, I ended up taking a taxi 30 minutes out of the city to visit Canyon Matka. It was a toss up between the canyon or Millennium Cross and of course, I had to go with nature. Because it was the dead of winter, I was one of the only tourists there! My taxi driver was also so sweet and friendly that he came and walked along the canyon with me. We shared a nice conversation about his daughter and how long he has lived in Skopje and all of the food I would need to try before I left. It was such a nice time and SO nice to have a conversation with someone in (albeit, broken) English.

In all honesty, I wish I had spent another night here or at least perhaps revisit in the summertime. I would have loved to get on the water and boat down the Canyon Matka but there weren’t many boats due to the off-season. I truly loved the food here and rummaging through all of the antique shops. Not to mention the amount of ginormous monuments dotted around the city. Really spectacular and a nice surprise to find in this part of Europe.

Know before you go:

Closed currency. The official currency in Skopje is the Macedonian denar; however, they do accept the euro as well. Be sure to use up all of your money while you’re here as it will be virtually worthless once you leave!

Getting around Skopje:

Walk - Once you’re in the city centre, it is pretty easy to walk around the city. Try and pick a hotel or AirBnB that is centralized and you’ll be able to walk everywhere around the city!
Taxi - Taxis are very cheap here, very affordable. While I prefer to use public transportation as much as I can when I travel, you can’t really go wrong when taxis are dirt cheap. It’s a no-brainer.

What to see in Skopje:

Canyon Matka - This was by far my favourite attraction to visit. You can access the canyon by a 30-min taxi ride outside of the city. There is a tiny parking lot there and you can walk along the canyon or, in better weather and climate, take boats all the way down the canyon.
Old Bazaar - Or maybe this one was my favourite? I love a good market but this had everything from fresh produce to antiques to street food to eateries. I was literally in heaven. I spent a lot of time in the Old Bazaar as it was just over the bridge from where I was. It provides a great place to explore.
Stone Bridge - I was right across from this large, prominent bridge. It was built in the 15th century and is a symbol of the country’s capital. It is truly iconic and it connects the old town to the new. Take in the views from this historic gem!
Macedonia Square - This is officially the centre of town. It is a bustling square with the magnificent and great enlarged Alexander the Great monument in the centre of it all. There are lots of shops and restaurants that surround the square. I noticed it was a lot of International fare that would likely cater to tourists but it was still nice to see the town come alive in this square.
Fortresses - Both the Skopje and Kale Fortresses are just across the bridge in the old town. If you’d like to see (and experience) a part of history, go visit. I enjoyed my views from the bottom but I bet the panoramic views from the top would be even better.
Bit Pazar - This lively market is at the edge of the Old Bazaar. This is where you will find fresh vegetables, meats, old and used clothing, and more. I loved seeing all of the different spices and dried foods that they were selling here. Although I didn’t buy anything, I truly did enjoy being immersed in the culture here as I felt it was the strongest. No tourists in sight when I visited in the winter!

What to eat in Skopje:

Tavche gravche - Macedonian baked beans. Oh my god, YUM. This was delicious! It is certainly a hearty dish with large white beans - smooth like a cannellini but larger like a broad bean. It’s cooked in a paprika-heavy sauce topped with some fiery hot dried spices. Loved this.
Cevap/kebabs - Yes, I am still in Eastern Europe so you’d best believe that cevapcici will be on the menu. Fatty, meaty, delicious. Be sure to have this with some fresh bread and beer to wash it all down!
Ayvar - Woot, I finally found a place that has ayvar! I know ayvar since my ex-sugar daddy was Serbian and he ate this a lot. It’s a creamy roasted red pepper spread that is so silky and good on basically everything. I love it at home on eggs or with bread but abroad I had this with bread and cevap!
Sarma - So, sarma, as I know it, is a cabbage roll (in Serbian cuisine). However, sarma in Macedonian cuisine is pickled cabbage, much like a sauerkraut but less wet and less fermented. I’d like to call it a young sauerkraut as the cabbage I had was lightly soured and still very crunchy.
Shopska salata- No, it’s not Greek salad but it does look quite similar. Tomatoes, cucumber, olives, olive oil and a mountain of grated Macedonian feta. So refreshing.
Tulumba tatlisi - I am a sucker for any type of deep-fried bread tossed in syrup. Yes, it is very similar to Greek loukomades or Indian jalebis and actually, it seems that this popular street food and dessert has roots in Turkey and the former Ottoman Empire. This is dirt cheap and great if you need a snack whilst perusing the Old Bazaar.
Gozleme - Wow, now doing my research months after my trip, I didn’t realize how much Turkish influence there was in Macedonia! This is a Turkish/Macedonian flatbread either served open or stuffed with spinach, cheese, onions, and more. I popped by at a local bakery to grab one of these guys and it hit the spot! Had this guy for breakfast and was super satisfied.

All in all, I loved my time in Skopje. I met some of the warmest people here and I felt that the culture was so strong, not to mention, the food was outstanding. When quarantine is over, maybe I’ll just have to revisit!

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