The little-known mountainous Republic of Macedonia is home to beautiful nature, scenic lakeside resorts, and skiing centers, as well as ancient ruins, medieval monasteries, idyllic villages and Oriental bazaars. Macedonia is a hospitable, green country with an interesting mix of cultures and architecture, and an increasingly popular as well as rewarding destination for intrepid visitors.
Small mountainous country located in Southeastern Europe between Greece, Serbia, Albania and Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia can often be confused with the Greek region of Macedonia, so it is therefore also known as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Macedonia is a multicultural Balkan country with Slavic, Albanian, and Turkic people that has a great mix of cultural heritage. Although Macedonia hosts a few relatively popular tourism destinations, the mountainous country is still largely undiscovered by tourism.
Lake & rural attractions. The three big mountain lakes in Southwest Macedonia are scenic and popular tourist spots. The lakeside resort of Ohrid that is also called “the jewel in Macedonia's crown” is by far the most popular travel destination in Macedonia, where you can find historic sights as well as beaches and mountains. Dojran Lake is also becoming a popular resort area, and the small historic town of Kruševo in Western Macedonia is known for its preserved traditional houses and skiing center, and as a center of the Vlach minority in Macedonia. Mavrovo, Popova Sapka, and Zare Lazareski are other popular skiing centers in Macedonia. In addition, the ruins of the large ancient Macedonian Greek city of Stobi and the medieval monasteries of Sveti Jovan Bigorski and Treskavec offer interesting historic attractions and breathtaking mountain scenery.
Travel to FYROM. Republic of Macedonia is easily reached from elsewhere in Europe by air, railroad and road. The capital city Skopje and the lake resort town of Ohrid host international airports with flights to Macedonia from several European countries as well as from Turkey and Israel. There are regular train connections to Macedonia from Greece and Serbia, and international bus connections from for example Germany, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, and Turkey. Local public transport in Macedonia is handled mainly by buses, but there are also cheap and comfortable but slow train connections to many places in the country. Taxis are available in every town and there are plenty of car rental agencies around in Macedonia.
Hotels in Macedonia are relatively expensive, especially in Skopje, but there is also plenty of private accommodation available in most towns throughout Macedonia. They can be found through local travel agencies.
Small mountainous country located in Southeastern Europe between Greece, Serbia, Albania and Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia can often be confused with the Greek region of Macedonia, so it is therefore also known as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Macedonia is a multicultural Balkan country with Slavic, Albanian, and Turkic people that has a great mix of cultural heritage. Although Macedonia hosts a few relatively popular tourism destinations, the mountainous country is still largely undiscovered by tourism.
Macedonia attractions: historical sights, skiing and lake resorts
Republic of Macedonia offers its visitors historic sites and outstanding natural beauty in form of scenic mountains and lakes. The country is home to many beautiful Orthodox churches and monasteries, as well as old mosques and bazaars, largest of which are the bazaars in Skopje, Tetovo, Ohrid, and Bitola. The capital city of Macedonia, Skopje hosts many historic and cultural sights, architectural monuments, and nightlife and shopping opportunities. The second largest city in Macedonia, Bitola has ancient ruins, Turkish monuments, nice neo-classical architecture and the popular Pelister National Park with the ancient ruins of Heraklea nearby.Lake & rural attractions. The three big mountain lakes in Southwest Macedonia are scenic and popular tourist spots. The lakeside resort of Ohrid that is also called “the jewel in Macedonia's crown” is by far the most popular travel destination in Macedonia, where you can find historic sights as well as beaches and mountains. Dojran Lake is also becoming a popular resort area, and the small historic town of Kruševo in Western Macedonia is known for its preserved traditional houses and skiing center, and as a center of the Vlach minority in Macedonia. Mavrovo, Popova Sapka, and Zare Lazareski are other popular skiing centers in Macedonia. In addition, the ruins of the large ancient Macedonian Greek city of Stobi and the medieval monasteries of Sveti Jovan Bigorski and Treskavec offer interesting historic attractions and breathtaking mountain scenery.
Macedonia travel information and practical tips
The climate in Macedonia is a mix of Mediterranean and continental climate that enjoys warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with lots of snow. The mountain areas have long, cold winters and are covered with snow from November to May, which makes Macedonia a good country for skiing. The river valleys of Macedonia have temperate Mediterranean climate with hot summer temperatures and vineyards.Travel to FYROM. Republic of Macedonia is easily reached from elsewhere in Europe by air, railroad and road. The capital city Skopje and the lake resort town of Ohrid host international airports with flights to Macedonia from several European countries as well as from Turkey and Israel. There are regular train connections to Macedonia from Greece and Serbia, and international bus connections from for example Germany, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, and Turkey. Local public transport in Macedonia is handled mainly by buses, but there are also cheap and comfortable but slow train connections to many places in the country. Taxis are available in every town and there are plenty of car rental agencies around in Macedonia.
Hotels in Macedonia are relatively expensive, especially in Skopje, but there is also plenty of private accommodation available in most towns throughout Macedonia. They can be found through local travel agencies.
Photo: Panoramas, used under Creative Commons License (By ND 2.0)
The hotel rates are significantly cheaper outside the peak Macedonian tourism season in July and August. Finding accommodation in July and August can be hard, so it is advisable to book in advance. Restaurants can be found in every town and village of FYROM, and there is nightlife available in bigger towns and lakeside resorts.
Safety. Republic of Macedonia is a safe country to travel, although theft and pick-pocketing exists. There have been ethnic tensions between the majority Slavs and minority Albanians in Macedonia, and you should be cautious if visiting the frontier regions near Kosovo and Albania. Macedonians are friendly and helpful, especially so if you respect local customs and keep your possible political opinions to yourself. Many young people in Macedonia can speak English. Some also speak German and Russian.
Short history of Macedonia (FYROM)
The historical Greek state of Macedonia, famous for the king Alexander the Great, was situated in the areas of today’s Greece, Bulgaria, and Republic of Macedonia between 4th and 2th century BC. It was conquered by the Romans and became part of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 4th century AC. Slav tribes settled in Macedonia in the 7th century AC, and the region was conquered by Bulgaria in the 9th century, and later switched hands between Bulgaria, Serbia and the Byzantine Empire. Turkish Ottoman Empire conquered the area in 1389 and ruled it until the First Balkan War in 1912.The current Republic of Macedonia became a region of Serbia in 1912, and was again occupied by Bulgaria in the Second World War. It became an autonomous republic within Yugoslavia in 1943. Macedonia declared itself independent from Yugoslavia in January 1992, and unlike in the other newly independent countries in the region, the split was peaceful. Greece objected the new state's use of the name Macedonia, which delayed international recognition of the country as "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)". In 2001, there was a violent unrest between the Macedonian government and ethnic Albanian rebels in the north and west of the country, ending with the intervention of a NATO monitoring forces. At independence, Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslavian republics, and slow economic growth and unemployment are still problems in the country.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Skopje, Ohrid, Kosovo, Tirana, Thessaloniki
