Skopje

Skopje is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. Known as a paeonian settlement since 4000 BC, traces from the Neolithic era have been found in the Kale fortress, proving the antiquity of the city that has always risen as an important political, economical and cultural center of Roman, Byzantine, Bulgarian, Serbian and Ottoman Empire.On 1945 Skopje became the capital of SR Macedonia, a federated state within the Yugoslavia, and has been an independent country ever since. The city developed rapidly, but this was interrupted in 1963 when it was hit by a disastrous earthquake.

 
 
 
1
1

This catastrophic event prompted a swift rebuilding to restore the city, and for a while a communist architecture dominated in Skopje, until the most recent intervention made by the government in 2014, which made drastic changes to the center of Skopje.

Some of the restored buildings respect the appearance of the city before the earthquake, but  there are some exaggerations that do not stay in line with any of Skopje’s authenticity, and for this many people had controversial opinions, but this doesn’t change the fact that Skopje is a totally eclectic city with so much to offer to its tourists.

With the beautiful Vardar flowing around, the city is split into two parts: on the side of the Vardar river, there’s the modern, newly developed area, while crossing the bridge to the north will bring you to the old, ottoman-era bazaar and neighborhood. This neighborhood is perfect for wandering, eating delicious traditional food and shopping.

Mount Vodno is right next to the town and has several hiking trails and trails suitable for trail running. At the top of the mountain is the huge Millennium Cross, from where you can hike to lake Matka, or visit churches and monasteries, ruins of Marko’s city or even head to the Vrelo cave by boat.

Some of the monuments to not miss while in Skopje are: Stone Bridge, Memorial House of Mother Theresa, Fortress Kale, Skopje Art Bridge, Eye Bridge, Museum City of Skopje, Holy Saviour Church, Daut Pasha Hamam, Kapan Han and more.

In a nutshell, there’s a lot to do in Skopje from historical types of tours, to outdoor experiences and urban exploration. Don’t miss the restaurants, cafeterias, bars and sip one of the best local beers, Skopsko(Скопско) Beer.

 
 
1
1

Popova Shapka -Kodra e Diellit

Located in the western side of Skopje, is a top notch skiing resort, and one of the highest peaks of Sharr Mountain range, with best slopes in the whole Balkan. Elevated up to 2500 m above sea level, this destination is the perfect natural formation suitable for winter leisure and activities, but is also well equipped with ski lifts and telepheric guaranteed to make your winter vacation totally worth it. The great thing about this terrain is that you can find skiing routes for beginners and pros. For beginners we recommend ‘Babin Izvor’. If you’re a pro try the ‘Ceripashina’ trail which is one of the most famous and challenging trails guaranteed to highlight your stay at Popova Shapka and give you one of the best skiing experiences. Also, the longest established cat ski company in Europe is based in Popova Shapka so giving catskiing a try here is another good move.

With a lot of beautiful villas and hotels known for ultimate comfort and great service, in Popova Shapka you can also find restaurants that offer a variety of food and beverage, and even host entertaining events to make your nights fun.