Lovely North Macedonia

Discovering North Macedonia: My journey of visiting all Balkan countries continues, I recently returned from an incredible trip to North Macedonia. Tucked away in the Balkan region of Europe, this country is often overshadowed by its neighbors, but is bursting with history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes.

If you're contemplating a visit to this charming destination, read on for some fun and informative highlights from my journey!

Skopje: A City of 200+ monuments; My wife and I rented a lovely apt in the city center(Elena our landlady 389-70-537-165) arranged for airport pickup. The city center is very walk-able and is a unique blend of modern and traditional elements and many statues that define this city. The iconic Stone Bridge, which connects the old and new parts of the city, is a big tourist must-see and connects the old traditional and the new. The Old Bazaar is where you can wander through winding streets filled with shops selling handmade crafts, gold and traditional food, but what always caught my attention was the statues everywhere. The Sister Teresa memorial, history of the Macedonian struggle museum are very well laid out, the Jewish Holocaust memorial is also worth a visit and the Train station building the still houses the clock that stopped at the time of the terrible earthquake of 1963 but I just marveled all all the statues and interesting building facades. On one of the days I made it to the Millennium cross, the Makka Canyon and walked inside the caves.

The Old Bazaar invites you to explore winding streets filled with shops offering handmade crafts, gold, and traditional food, but what always captivated me were the statues scattered everywhere. The Mother Teresa memorial, the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle, and the Jewish Holocaust Memorial are well worth visiting, and the train station still houses the clock stopped at the time of the devastating 1963 earthquake. I was particularly fascinated by the statues and the interesting building facades. On one of the days, I visited the Millennium Cross, explored the Matka Canyon, and walked inside the caves.

After a few days in Skopje, I traveled to Ohrid, often called the "Jewel of the Balkans." This charming town is located on the shores of Lake Ohrid, one of Europe's oldest and deepest lakes.

The lake’s stunning blue waters and surrounding mountains create a stunning backdrop that is perfect for a leisurely stroll and a boat ride is a must. While in Ohrid, I made sure to visit the ancient Church of St. John at Kaneo, perched on a cliff overlooking the lake. I also visited numerous Roman ruins to include the Roman theater which is being revitalized. Ohrid is very walk-able but all the streets and alleys are cobblestone and rolling. The lake's brilliant blue waters and the surrounding mountains provide a breathtaking setting ideal for a leisurely walk and taking a boat ride is a MUST. After a delightful stay in Ohrid, I returned to Skopje. For all my transportation needs, I used an excellent local company (ARS, very reasonable and honest, 389-70-873-228).

#Final Thoughts; North Macedonia is a little treasure waiting to be discovered, Macedonian wine is world class the food/dinners at every restaurants we dined was simply superb and the people are wonderful. I would love to return and spend a month. Put this place on your MUST list.