North Macedonia

North Macedonia is still relatively quiet and a gem to discover for yourself due to its rich past. The prices are low, the locals are very friendly and travelling is easy.

The country of North Macedonia is often mentioned as one of the new pearls of Europe. The country has only officially existed since 1991, before that it was part of the former Yugoslavia. The capital is Skopje, a city with a history of more than 2,500 years. These are the must-see highlights of North Macedonia.

The name Macedonia had been a sensitive topic with the Greeks for years, who have an adjacent region of the same name. Partly for this reason, the name of the country was officially changed to North Macedonia in February 2019.

No less than 1000 churches and monasteries have been built in North Macedonia. But what’s most extraordinary about this, is that 365 of these can be found in the city of Ohrid. The reason, a church was built in Ohrid for every day of the year. This alone makes this city worth a visit.

Ohrid is located on the border of Albania. This city was proclaimed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its many Byzantine monuments. Remarkably, the city is located on the edge of the Galičica National Park. Which makes it easy to mix culture and nature.

The country is ideal for hiking. In the southwest of Macedonia there are two great lakes; Lake Prespa and Lake Ohrid. Research has shown that these lakes are connected underground.

Along Lake Ohrid there are also several monasteries, like Kalista. The Treskavec Monastery at Prilep is also beautiful.

Macedonia's highest point is the Golem Korab with 2,754 meters. Although there are several other mountains that are also ideal for hiking. The European wolf and brown bear live in North Macedonia, but are rarely spotted.

The monastery of Sveti Naum was built in 905. This monastery is named after Saint Naum, who lived in the 10th century. The monastery is the habitat of countless peacocks, which you will surely see. It is located about 30 kilometers south of Ohrid.

Due to the rich past, culture lovers can also indulge themselves. Special sights outside the capital Skopje include: the famous St. Andreas Monastery, which is located on the edge of Lake Matka.