AROUND
MACEDONIA
What do Macedonia has to offer?
Macedonia (officially: North Macedonia) is a predominantly mountainous country in Southeast Europe, with lots of lakes and beautiful nature. It is a landlocked country bordering Kosovo to the northwest, Serbia to the north, Bulgaria to the east, Greece to the south, and Albania to the west. The population of the country is around 1.8 million people and the total area of the country is 25,713 km2 (9,928 sq mi).
​
There are many cities and places worth visiting and every single of them has its own beauty.
​
Ohrid is the main touristic center in the country and the most visited after the capital Skopje. The city is home to the one of Europe's deepest and oldest lakes. Ohrid is the eight-largest city in the country, and is known for once having 365 churches, often referred to as a "Jerusalem of the Balkans". Ohrid is a must see if you are in Macedonia.
​
Ohrid Municipality is home to over 100 sites declared as Cultural Heritage by the Ministry, of which most are located within the city.
​
Ohrid and Lake Ohrid are declared as Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The city is one of only 28 sites that are part of UNESCO's World Heritage that are Cultural as well as Natural sites.
​
Galichica National Park is located near Ohrid. The International Airport St. Paul The Apostle is also located near the city.
​
Ohrid Summer Festival and Ohrid Choir Festival are some of the annnual events happening in the summer.
​
Skopje to Ohrid (173 km) via Kichevo with car: ~2:30-3 hrs.
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of Macedonia and the second-largest city in the country. The most popular film and photo festival in the country "Manaki Festival of Film and Camera" is held in Bitola. The city is a part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. It is known as "the city of consuls", as it is home to numerous consulates.
​
Some of the more famous places in the city include Heraclea Lyncestis, an ancient city from the Roman period near the city itself, which dates back to the middle of the 4th century BC, as well as the Shirok Sokak, which is the most frequented street in the city. The Pelister National Park is located near the city.
​
Skopje to Bitola (174 km) via Prilep with car: ~2:30-3 hrs.
Struga is a popular tourist destination situated in the south-western region of the country, lying on the shore of Lake Ohrid. The river Black Drim (Crn Drim) is flowing through and divide the city.
The main event of the cultural life in Struga is the world's largest poetry gathering, Struga Poetry Evenings, whose laureates have included several Nobel Prize for Literature.
​
Skopje to Struga (173 km) with car: ~2:40-3:10 hrs.
Mavrovo is a valley region in the northwest. It is home to Mavrovo National Park and a winter sports center. Mavrovo is the most popular ski center in the country. In the same region reservoir Mavrovo Lake is situated. Make sure to also visit the village Galichnik which is 20-30 minutes by car.
​
Skopje to Mavrovo (97 km) with car: ~1:20-1:50 hrs.
Travelling through Macedonia
By car you could get from end to end in Macedonia in about 5 hours, so car would be one of the most compact ways to travel to other cities in the country (See: Rent a car). When riding through the highways you will stop at a pay toll for sure. The methods of payments are either cash or with credit card.
​
Travelling with bus is just another method of transport through the country. There isn't a central system to check the direct lines from city to city, but it's fair to say that the bigger cities are connected for sure. For example, you could easily find bus Ohrid-Skopje, Ohrid-Bitola, Prilep-Bitola, Bitola-Skopje, Skopje-Strumica, Strumica-Shtip, Kumanovo-Skopje. Find contact informations about the bus stations in Macedonia on Yellow Pages.
​
Yet another way to travel is with a train which is not a very common way to travel for the locals, as the travel conditions are considered as not so good. From Skopje with train you can get to Kumanovo, Veles, Gevgelija, Kocani, Bitola and Kicevo. Make sure to contact the Railway station for more informations and to confirm them, in case there are changes to the timetable.
Road toll system in Macedonia
Macedonia's toll system works in a way where drivers pay a fixed fee at designated toll stations along highways. The system charges drivers at multiple points, regardless of where they enter or exit the highway. This means drivers encounter several toll booths on a single trip, each requiring a separate payment.
​
Here, we will look at a few examples and explain the payment methods.
​
For example, if you travel from Skopje to Ohrid via the E-65 highway, or vice versa, you will pass through four toll stations along the road, all located between Skopje and Gostivar. Two of the toll stations charge cars 40 denars (1 euro), and the other two charge 30 denars (0.5 euro) each. Other toll stations can be more expensive; for instance, the toll station in Veles costs 80 denars (1.5 euros).​
​Tolls can be paid in cash (Macedonian denars or euros), by bank card, or via the M-TAG/M-CARD system, which enables electronic toll payments for faster passage through designated lanes. The M-CARD is a physical card that is scanned at a device located at the toll station, while the M-TAG is mounted on the windshield, which is automatically detected when approaching the toll station, allowing seamless passage without stopping. Funds for both M-CARD and M-TAG can be topped up online at etc.roads.org.mk. However, it is important to note that not all toll stations offer this option.
​
Both M-TAG and M-CARD can be purchased at toll booths, as well as at the Control Center of the Public Enterprise for State Roads in Petrovec.
