smber October 24, 2021

In Northern Macedonia you will meet a proud and hospitable people who greet their guests with humor and warmth. And Northern Macedonia has a lot to offer. Enjoy, for example, old-fashioned cuisine with grilled vegetables and meat, tasty salad and home-baked bread and fine wines from some of the Balkans’ largest wine producers.

See trips to Northern Macedonia

Residents: 2.1 million

Capital: Skopje

Language: Macedonian

Mother Theresa was born in the capital of northern Macedonia Skopje to Albanian parents in 1910? In central Skopje there is an entire museum dedicated to her.

Opium from Northern Macedonia is the strongest in the world?

Nature

Northern Macedonia is a captivating and mountainous inland state in the Balkan Peninsula, surrounded by Greece to the south, Albania to the southwest, Kosovo and Serbia to the north and Bulgaria to the east. Northern Macedonia has an impressive nature. The landscape is characterized by magnificent rock formations, plateaus, arable valleys, rushing rivers and deep lakes and it is green and lush. The country is located in a seismically active area and is often hit by devastating earthquakes.

Northern Macedonia is an agricultural country with a widespread breeding of sheep and cows and wheat, maize, tobacco, cotton, citrus fruits and wine are grown. The country is known for its wine production, which is the second largest export after tobacco, and the Tikves area is in the heart of the Balkans’ largest wine production.

History

Northern Macedonia is a republic established in 1992 following the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Since then, there have been disputes with Greece over the name Macedonia, and in international circles the country has been given the name “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” (FYROM) which is a temporary term until the two parties find a solution. The dispute is due to the fact that the northwestern part of Greece has been called Macedonia for several centuries and that the Republic of Macedonia uses symbols and figures that historically belong to Greek Macedonia.

This applies to Alexander the Great, among others. He was king of Greek Macedonia and lived between the years 356-323 BC. He conquered a very large area that stretched across present-day northern Macedonia, Thrace, Greece, Persia and up to, but not extensively, India and Afghanistan. In February 2019, Macedonia and Greece agreed that the former Macedonia would change its name to Northern Macedonia.

The population of what is now Macedonia (FYROM) has, like the other Balkan countries, undergone a very turbulent history and has been under Yugoslav, Serbian and Ottoman rule. Today, about a quarter of the republic’s population is Albanian.

Skopje

According to top-medical-schools, Skopje has been the capital since the end of World War II when Macedonia became a republic under Yugoslavia. At that time, the city was considered one of the most beautiful in the world until a violent earthquake in 1863 left 80 percent of the city in ruins, which it still bears the mark of.

Since 2014, Skopje has undergone a huge renovation and modernization. Centrally located in Skopje is now a new, large statue of Alexander the Great who is the country’s great pride. A highway, an airport and a hospital have also been named after him to the great annoyance of neighboring Greece. One of Skopje’s major tourist attractions is the large Millennium Cross at the top of Vodnoberget, which was built in 2002 to commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of Christianity.

Ohrid is located on the beautiful Lake Ohrid, which forms part of the border between Albania and northern Macedonia. The lake is the deepest part of the Balkan Peninsula and both city and lake are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city is over 3,000 years old and thus one of the oldest in the Balkans.

In Ohrid you will find everything in one place. The beautiful lake landscape is surrounded by dramatic mountains and magnificent nature. The city has a wealth of historical and religious attractions. In the Middle Ages, the city was called the Jerusalem of the Balkans because it housed a number of churches and chapels. The city is lively all year round and there are lots of small shops on the pedestrian street in the old town and a plethora of restaurants and nice cafes.

Facts about Northern Macedonia

Below you will find practical information in connection with your trip to Northern Macedonia

Residents: 1 million

Capital: Skopje

Language: Macedonian

Religion: Macedonian Orthodox and Muslims

Currency: Macedonian denar

Surface: 25,713 km2

Worth knowing

Time difference

There is no time difference between Northern Macedonia and Sweden.

Transport in Northern Macedonia

The buses we travel with in Northern Macedonia are in good condition.

Economy

Prices in Northern Macedonia are very affordable and among the lowest in Europe. A meal can be obtained for SEK 50 and the portions are large.

Tip

It is not so common to leave tips in northern Macedonia, but between 5 and 10 percent is estimated if you are satisfied with the service.

Currency and credit cards

The currency in Northern Macedonia is Macedonian Denar (MKD). There are ATMs in the larger cities and Visa and MasterCard can be used in larger hotels and restaurants. If necessary, bring cash (US dollars or euros that can be exchanged at official exchange offices).

Electricity

In Northern Macedonia it has 220 volts and the sockets are of the same European standard as in Sweden.

Telephone and internet

Northern Macedonia’s international country code is +389. Feel free to ask your Swedish operator about mobile coverage and call prices to and from Northern Macedonia.

Most hotels have internet access and there are a lot of internet cafes in the larger cities.

Drinking water and hygiene

Hotels and larger restaurants have modern toilets. In rural areas, the standard may well be more primitive. Bring your own toilet paper or a package of wet wipes and possibly. hand disinfection, Then you can do without water if such is lacking.

The water from the tap has chlorine in it and is usually drinkable, but we still recommend that you buy bottled water.

Tact and tone

When visiting churches and other religious buildings, shoulders and knees are expected to be covered to show respect.

Smoking

In northern Macedonia there are no public smoking rules and it is smoked everywhere. Some restaurants have designated areas for smoking.

Climate and weather in Northern Macedonia

Here you can read about the climate in Northern Macedonia and about the weather in the capital of Northern Macedonia, Skopje.

	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	CHRISTMAS	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC
Skopje
Daytime temperature	4	8	14	19	24	27	30	30	26	20	11	5
Night temperature	-4	-1	2	5	10	13	15	15	11	6	1	-2
Precipitation (mm)	36	36	40	40	60	46	34	27	36	42	56	51