North Macedonia travel guide
North Macedonia is a small, mountainous Balkan country with a deep layer of history: Byzantine monasteries, Ottoman bazaars and one of Europe's oldest lakes. It is uncrowded, good value and easy to explore by road, and it suits travellers who like walking, food and old churches more than beaches.
Places worth the trip
Lake Ohrid
One of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe, shared with Albania and listed by UNESCO for both its nature and its culture. The town of Ohrid has cobbled lanes, a medieval fortress and the clifftop Church of St John at Kaneo, seen on countless postcards.
Skopje
The capital mixes an Ottoman Old Bazaar, one of the largest in the Balkans, with the Stone Bridge over the Vardar and a centre filled with monumental statues built in the 2010s. Mount Vodno, reachable by cable car, has the Millennium Cross and views over the city.
Matka Canyon
A steep gorge on the Treska river just outside Skopje, with a reservoir you can kayak along, medieval monasteries clinging to the walls and boat trips to the deep Vrelo Cave.
Bitola
The country's second-largest city, known for Širok Sokak, a pedestrian street lined with nineteenth-century consulate buildings and cafés. The ruins of the ancient city of Heraclea Lyncestis, with fine floor mosaics, lie on the edge of town.
Mavrovo National Park
The largest national park in the country, with forested mountains, a ski area and the half-submerged church of St Nicholas in Mavrovo lake. The nearby Monastery of St John the Baptist (Bigorski) has an intricate carved wooden iconostasis.
Stobi
The best-preserved archaeological site in the country, a Roman and early Byzantine city in the Vardar valley with a theatre, basilicas and mosaic floors, close to the main motorway south from Skopje.
Tikveš wine region
The vineyards around Kavadarci and Negotino produce most of the country's wine, including the local red grape Vranec, and many wineries welcome visitors for tastings.
Interesting facts about North Macedonia
- Mother Teresa was born in Skopje in 1910, and a memorial house stands on the site of the church where she was baptised.
- The country changed its name from the Republic of Macedonia to North Macedonia in 2019 under the Prespa Agreement with Greece.
- Lake Ohrid is thought to be well over a million years old and is home to species found nowhere else, including the Ohrid trout.
- Skopje was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1963; the old railway station clock is still stopped at the moment it struck.
- North Macedonia is landlocked and more than three-quarters mountainous, with peaks over 2,700 metres on the Albanian and Kosovo borders.
Best time to visit North Macedonia
Late May to September is the season for Lake Ohrid, swimming and mountain walks, with July and August hot in Skopje and the busiest time at the lake. Late spring and early autumn are the best all-round months: warm, green and quieter, and September brings the grape harvest in Tikveš. Winters are cold, with snow in the mountains and skiing at Popova Šapka and Mavrovo.
Getting around
Buses are the main public transport between towns and connect Skopje with Ohrid, Bitola and most other places several times a day. The rail network is limited and slow. Renting a car gives the most freedom for monasteries, national parks and wine country, and roads between the main towns are generally fine, though mountain roads are winding. Taxis are inexpensive in cities; agree the fare or check that the meter is running.
Practical details
- Capital
- Skopje
- Currency
- Macedonian denar (MKD)
- Languages
- Macedonian, Albanian
- Plug types
- C, F
- Voltage
- 230 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency
- 112 (also 192 police, 193 fire, 194 ambulance)
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- Rounding up or leaving around 10% in restaurants is common and appreciated; it is not mandatory.
Staying online in North Macedonia
Mobile coverage is good in Skopje, Ohrid, Bitola and along the main roads, and 4G is widespread, with 5G in the larger towns. Signal can drop in deep valleys, canyons such as Matka and high mountain areas. Wi-Fi is common and usually free in cafés, restaurants and accommodation. North Macedonia is not in the EU, so EU roaming rules do not apply and home plans may charge heavily; install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
North Macedonia eSIM plans
1 GB
1GB eSIM Data for 7 Days for North Macedonia
1 GB
1GB eSIM Data for 30 Days for North Macedonia
Ilimitados
Unlimited eSIM Data for 1 Day for North Macedonia
3 GB
3GB eSIM Data for 7 Days for North Macedonia
Useful apps
- Google Maps: Driving directions and walking routes; download the country offline for mountain areas with weak signal.
- Google Translate: Handles Macedonian, including reading Cyrillic signs with the camera.
- XE Currency: Converts denar prices quickly, useful when shopping in the bazaars.
North Macedonia travel FAQs
The currency is the denar. Some hotels and tourist businesses quote or accept euros, but you will get better value paying in denars. Cards are widely accepted in cities; carry cash for markets, small cafés and villages.
Frequent buses run between Skopje and Ohrid, taking around three hours, and the drive via the motorway and mountain roads takes a similar time. Ohrid also has its own airport with seasonal flights.
Yes, but as the country is outside the EU, roaming on a European or other home plan can be expensive. A travel eSIM gives you local data for maps and translation while your home number stays active.
Not really. Road signs and many shop signs are also written in Latin letters, and Macedonian Cyrillic is quick to learn the basics of. A camera translation app covers menus.