North Macedonia travel advice
Culture & history tips
Rosanna Neophytou from our supplier, Tucan Travel:
“North Macedonia is a fantastic country to visit because of how diverse it is. There is a real mix of architectural beauty that features different cultural elements with Mediterranean, Turkish, Slavic and Albanian influences. The capital of Skopje has a mix of historic sites such as the 6th century Kale Fortress as well as many restaurants, bars and art galleries to explore. Anyone visiting North Macedonia should definitely visit Matka Canyon and Lake Ohrid too.”
“North Macedonia is a fantastic country to visit because of how diverse it is. There is a real mix of architectural beauty that features different cultural elements with Mediterranean, Turkish, Slavic and Albanian influences. The capital of Skopje has a mix of historic sites such as the 6th century Kale Fortress as well as many restaurants, bars and art galleries to explore. Anyone visiting North Macedonia should definitely visit Matka Canyon and Lake Ohrid too.”
Getting off the beaten track
Mark Huggins from our supplier, Undiscovered Destinations:“North Macedonia is quite small and landlocked but has lots to interest travelers wanting to experience a different side of Europe. Don’t miss Lake Ohrid, Sveti Naum Monastery, Mavrovo National Park, the old Ottoman bazaar in Skopje. And Gadime Cave discovered in the 1960s – full of crystallised stalactites and stalagmites. You can also combine North Macedonia with little visited Albania and Kosovo for an extensive, off the beaten track adventure.”
Drinking water
Goran Janevski has been working in partnership with our North Macedonia small group tour experts, Explore, for more than 20 years: “Drinking water is available all over North Macedonia; the spring water in the mountains is unbelievably fresh and pure. We always encourage our travelers to bring their own reusable drinking bottles. We have very few alternatives to plastic and so there aren’t always opportunities to offer guests anything other than plastic water bottles if they don’t bring their own.”Health & safety in Macedonia
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Ancient North Macedonia tour
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Tips from our travelers in North Macedonia
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travelers are often... other travelers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do – and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful North Macedonia travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your suitcase.
We have selected some of the most useful North Macedonia travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your suitcase.
I was impressed by the quality of the local wines, which were very good. Food was fine and there were lots of salads. Take a cork screw and a bottle stopper. ![]()
- William Francis
“The variation between the coast and the mountains was amazing and we enjoyed the trip immensely. The standout highlights, and there were many, were Skopje, Budva, Kotor, Biogradska Gora National Park, Ohrid, Prizren, Blue Eye National Park, and Gjirokastra. Understand the driving was long some days, but to see what we saw we knew we would have long days in the vehicle. Do have a go and attempt to communicate with shop keepers, in particular in bazaars and "old Towns', the locals seemed to enjoy the patter and it is terrific to witness their smiles as they welcome your attempts.” - Michael Cain on a tour of Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia
"Our leader Saimir Maja was excellent and made the most of every location. He was very aware of pollution and took us to local restaurants and markets and encouraged us to use tap or well water where available. The most memorable moment for me was the boat trip and swim in lake Ohrid." - Hava Feary visited North Macedonia on a western Balkans tour
"Our leader Saimir Maja was excellent and made the most of every location. He was very aware of pollution and took us to local restaurants and markets and encouraged us to use tap or well water where available. The most memorable moment for me was the boat trip and swim in lake Ohrid." - Hava Feary visited North Macedonia on a western Balkans tour
The standout highlights, and there were many, were Skopje, Budva, Kotor, Biogradska Gora National Park, Ohrid, Prizren, Blue Eye National Park, and Gjirokastra![]()
- Michael Cain
“I was impressed by the quality of the local wines, which were very good. Food was fine and there were lots of salads. Take a cork screw and a bottle stopper. Ask lots of questions, it shows an interest and is appreciated by the locals. People were very friendly and pleased to see us, sometimes it was difficult to believe that they had been abandoned by Europe for 600 years. At least now I know a little about this forgotten part of Europe and its peoples.” - William Francis on a tour of Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia
"I believe our trip did benefit local people as our tour guide intentionally chose small vendors for our meals and day trips. Most of the time, this meant an exceptional experience, including some fantastic restaurants that we never would have found ourselves." - Reid Kincaid visited North Macedonia on a Balkans explorer tour
"Seeing all these places I had been reading about! I can't pick one memory. Make sure you have Euros with you. Many places will accept Euros, if you run out of local currency." - Sara Detmer visited North Macedonia on a Balkans explorer tour
"I believe our trip did benefit local people as our tour guide intentionally chose small vendors for our meals and day trips. Most of the time, this meant an exceptional experience, including some fantastic restaurants that we never would have found ourselves." - Reid Kincaid visited North Macedonia on a Balkans explorer tour
"Seeing all these places I had been reading about! I can't pick one memory. Make sure you have Euros with you. Many places will accept Euros, if you run out of local currency." - Sara Detmer visited North Macedonia on a Balkans explorer tour
More North Macedonia articles
The scorching summer temperatures often become cooler the higher up you hike.
Piece together the former fragments of Yugoslavia with our guide on what to do and see.
North Macedonia occupies one third of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia.
North Macedonian menus are a meze of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern delights.
Uncover the lost empire of Alexander the Great In Greece, Bulgaria and North Macedonia.
The deepest lake in the Balkans, Lake Ohrid is one of the most beautiful and serene places in North Macedonia.
Learn about poverty, pollution and plastic, find out what to expect, and how you can help.
