Skopje Travel Guide

Skopje (Macedonian: Скопје, Albanian: Shkup, Turkish: Üsküp) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of North Macedonia. Skopje is a city of many cultures and many centuries. The various groups that have controlled the city through its history have each left visible reminders of their reign: multiple Dardanian and Roman-era archaeological sites dot the city; Byzantine and Serbian Empire churches and monasteries can be found around the outskirts; a great wealth of Ottoman heritage fills the Stara Čaršija; commieblocks and other Soviet-style structures recall the Yugoslav era; and the current ruling party is erecting countless historicist neoclassical-style buildings in Centar. All of this comes together to form quite an interesting city. Skopje's location on the Vardar and its nearby tributaries amongst towering mountains makes it a place of scenic beauty as well. Mount Vodno's highest peak at 1,070 m (3,500 ft), capped by the Millennium Cross, stands visible throughout the city

International Airport ofPristinais 3 hr away by bus from Skopje and may offer cheaper deals than flying directly into Skopje on some routes.

Skopje has a vast, frequent and efficient bus network. A ride of any length (without interchange) with the bus (red in colour, run by theSkopje Public Transportation Agency[dead link]) costs 35 denar if you pay with a Skopska card or a mobile phone. You can also still pay in cash as of Sept 2025, which is 50 denar. There is also an option to ride in the buses with the application SkopjeBus, where you can buy rides or use a wallet topped up by a credit card directly in the app itself. The SkopjeB

Skopje, just like the rest of Macedonia, is a relatively safe place. But, the usual rules about common sense apply here as they would anywhere. The places where crime occurs most often are in the places where tourists have little reason to be at.

Accommodation options in Skopje are numerous and inexpensive, probably the most inexpensive in Europe. Note, if you select "Skopje City Center" on Booking.com, it will show you a reduced selection of options, just choose "Skopje", most is in walking distance anyways.