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Visit Skopje, Macedonia – A New Dawn Rises on Our One Day in Skopje

Learn how to visit Skopje, Macedonia with this one-day in Skopje guide! You’ll see fountains dance & statues illuminated by incredible lights.


Jim and I arrived in Skopje, one of the many amazing Eastern European capitals, well after the sun had set, and we had booked our room in a hotel right in the middle of the city. Even though it was after ten on a weekday, the downtown area was hopping and we were glad to be there after our extensive train travels through Eastern Europe.

Fountains danced, statues with light shows flashed, people played in the jumping water fountain, watched their children ride bikes and play, or stood around talking. It looked and felt like a Saturday night and the fair had come to town. Skopje felt festive and welcoming, it made me smile and I had this sudden urge to buy some cotton candy.

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The capital of Macedonia all lit up in the evening.

Visit Skopje – Waking Up in Skopje

It had been a long, hot, humid day and sitting all day on plastic train seats, we had become pretty sweaty and sticky. We drew straws on who would get the shower first and dropped into bed.

The next morning, I woke up to the sunrise. The pink sun peeked over the horizon. It was almost a pretty sight, but there is so much construction going, and so much of it was covered with scaffolding that it took a little away from the view.

Visit Skopje and you'll see the vibrant downtown area pictured here.


Once the sun was up, and we walked outside, Skopje didn’t quite have that same festive feeling. Instead, the city workers were heading to their jobs. Builders, plumbers, electricians, all headed to the various sites that surrounded the main plaza.

It was gray and dusty, had a kind of gritty, concrete feel. It really wasn’t pretty, but the Macedonians are clearly making the effort to beautify their capital city, and they have been since they initiated their “Skopje 2014” rebuilding project.

Additional Reading on Eastern Europe:
Places to Visit in Macedonia
Kosovo
Visit Kiev
5 Day Visa Belarus

During our Skopje visit, we saw many religious buildings like this.

Visit Skopje – Downtown Skopje

There are plenty of beautiful buildings already built, with fountains, statues, bridges, walkways, and ornate decorations. They just have more to do. In a few more years, it will be the new Prague!

The downtown area is split into two sections, the old Ottoman market area and the modern shopping and restaurant plaza which both have their charms.

Visit Skopje, Macedonia and you'll see many old buildings like this.


We loved walking over the stone bridge, which was originally built during Roman times and has quite a checkered history, with the old hamam on the right, and a mosque and clock tower on the left. These shops and narrow alleyways have a distinctly Turkish feel, even selling current Turkish products.

Visit Skopje, Macedonia and see a barber like this in his small shop.

We understood some of what people were saying and some signs, because they were in Turkish rather than Cyrillic. From the leather goods and dried fruits hanging outside of the storefronts to the old men sitting on the stoop with their çay, this part of the city could be anywhere in Anatolia.  

Visit Skopje – The Old Bazaar

Of course, the alleys lead right to the Old Bazaar where you can buy anything from dried nuts, to fruits, meats, cheeses, and household items. We felt right at home. This is also where we found the best food, where kebabs were grilled on the mangal right there in the shop and served on metal plates with flatbread. Delicious!

Jim standing in front of the Alexander the Great fountain in Skopje.

One Day in Skopje – Macedonia Square

Macedonia Square hosts the huge central statue of the Warrior on a Horse, or Alexander the Great. It towers over the plaza on its marble base guarded by soldiers and lions. Near it is another fountain installation where the water jumps in a pattern, often accompanied by music and at night a light show. Kids and adults alike run through the water spouts, cooling off and having fun.

There are a few restaurants on the plaza, but more are promised. We had a lunch of pizza, and sat under a fan. Every once in a while the mister would reach us, and that felt almost refreshing as Skopje, in early August, is pretty hot!

One of the many beautiful museums in the city.

One Day in Skopje – The National Archaeological Museum

Along the banks of the Vardar, the area is shaping up to be the best part of the city. There are already a few bridges, very close together where walkers can stroll across. My favorite one hosts 29 sculptures of Macedonian artists and musicians and takes you right to the entrance of the National Archaeological Museum.

The museum has an extensive coin exhibit that follows Macedonian history back to before Alexander which is pretty impressive, and the other exhibits are also quite well done.

A map of Skopje.

One of the best deals we found in the city was the twice daily city bus tour which lasts just about one hour. We found just one reference to it, a sign right next to the Porta Macedonia (white gate) which told the times of the tour 11:00 and 5:00 each day and the cost was exactly the cost of a one-way bus ride, about 36 US cents.  

It was a great way to get an overview, starting with the plaza, going over to the Kale (fortress), up the hill where the largest U.S. Embassy is situated, around the hill to the Vardar River banks, and then back into the main part of the city. It might be the deal of 2015 if not the century!

Conclusion

Whether you’re exploring Kosovo or marveling at Kiev, eastern Europe truly is an amazing region. We loved our one day in Skopje and truly enjoyed seeing fountains dance and statues that were illuminated by incredible light shows. Tell us, have you been to Skopje? What was the best part of your visit to Macedonia?

Author Bio: Corinne Vail is a travel photographer, food lover, and a perpetual traveler who has been travel writing for over 14 years. For many years she lived overseas in Germany, Japan, Turkey, South Korea, and the Netherlands teaching the children of the US. military. She’s visited over 90 countries, and she’s not stopping anytime soon.

Agness of Fit Travelling

Sunday 28th of May 2017

I can see that this place has a lot to offer. Somehow, it seems like the past and the future interchange in Skopje, Corinne!

Jim Vail

Monday 29th of May 2017

It is a real jumble of old and new. Somehow they are making it work.

Pinay Flying High

Monday 19th of October 2015

The Greek Mister's city (Thessaloniki) is very close to Macedonia - in fact, they still believe that Macedonia should still be a part of Greece. Lol. When I begged him that we go there when we had a free time in Thessaloniki, he didn't budge and told me there's nothing to see there. Maybe someday I'd be able to drag him there. :)

Corinne Vail

Monday 19th of October 2015

Noemi, You should try and get over there at least once. Although you can probably wait a couple of years. Maybe they'll be done with all the construction at that point!

Red Nomad OZ

Sunday 18th of October 2015

I've never been there, but from your photos I love that museum with the bridge crossing to it, and the statue of Alexander the Great would definitely be a must-see! It's SO different to country Australia, my normal hang-out!

Corinne Vail

Sunday 18th of October 2015

Red Nomad, It is a different place. Skopje is a pretty up and coming city. You definitely should try and make it there.

Kathy Marris

Friday 16th of October 2015

I haven't seen much of Europe at all, so I'm very interested in some of these lesser known countries and towns. What a beautiful place.

Corinne Vail

Saturday 17th of October 2015

Kathy, Europe is so full of variety. Everywhere I go, I find myself gaping at the new! I love it.

budget jan

Thursday 15th of October 2015

Hi Corinne and Jim. Wow I really want to visit Skopje. I first read about it on Yomadic and probably Kami. Those plastic train seats don't sound appealing - were they the only option for trains into Skopje and where did you come from? I love the Macedonian square photo at night. Isn't it great how places often look their best at night? There is something about the yellow glow of a street lamp and the lovely deep blue of twilight. Where's the cotton candy I want some (we call it fairy floss!). I like places that are not polished all over - the contrast of sections is so interesting. I would like to explore the Ottoman section.

Corinne Vail

Friday 16th of October 2015

Jan, You would definitely appreciate Skopje. It has such a Turkish feel in parts of the city. We were coming from Thessaloniki in Greece, and it was hot!