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North Macedonia
time to discover. Tailor-made cultural trips

Surrounded by Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Kosovo, North Macedonia is in the middle of the Balkans. Guests can expect a millenary history, with influences of different cultures and a varied landscape with large cities and small villages. And so much is revealed: North Macedonia is always good for a surprise. The country has much to offer its visitors - discover North Macedonia with Air Prishtina.


History and culture

The settlement of today's North Macedonia dates back before Christ's birth - correspondingly diverse are the cultural and archaeological legacies. Orthodox Christianity and Islam have shaped the area of today's North Macedonia for centuries. Churches and mosques in the immediate vicinity are therefore not rarity in the whole country. Wherever you move, you always meet witnesses of bygone days. You can hardly dig in Ohrid without encountering historic walls and important relics. Various construction sites within the city are still due to archaeological finds.  New vs. old - such contrasts are still visible in many places today. The clearest sign of the boundary between the past and today is probably in Skopje. While the new district has countless monumental new buildings, the Ottoman outlines are still visible and noticeable everywhere in the Old Town, despite the modernization that is taking place here as well. A very exciting combination. 

Small villages, Vivacious cities

Anyone who thinks there is nothing to experience in the cities of North Macedonia is definitely wrong. Skopje trumps with capital character and occurs to its visitors not unjustly as a metropolis opposite. Modern and clean, at the same time traditional and a bit chaotic.  The pedestrian areas are lively and fills the streets. The city of Ohrid surprises with its Mediterranean flair far away from the Mediterranean Sea. The city of Ohrid surprises with its Mediterranean flair far away from the Mediterranean Sea. On the shores of Lake Ohrid prevails a summer holiday feeling in the warmer months. Cafeteria-lined promenades, waterfront restaurants, trendy and innovative bars with an open-air lounge and a distinctive nightlife offers the appropriate ambience for everyone. Especially this flair in combination with the centuries-old history and the historical buildings make the cities of North Macedonia particularly delightful. In special contrast are the villages on the countryside - small villages in the plains, the forests at the nearby of the mountains. There, where chili peppers and tobacco leaves are hung for drying on the front door and red tractors adorn the entrances of the farms. The drive through the country always opens up new perspectives and the view from the window is always worthwhile.

 

The landscape and nature

North Macedonia is also very varied from a nature perspective.  Wide plains, lovely hilly landscapes, dense forests with bears, wolves and wild boars or mountains with peaks reaching over 2700m. Lake Ohrid is considered one of the oldest lakes in the world and has a large biodiversity, with many of the animal species living here are found only in this body of water. A boat trip on Lake Ohrid not only offers relaxation, but also opens up a new perspective on the naturalness of the waterfront regions. In the plains of the country agriculture is mainly used. Tobacco is grown on extensive green areas as well as corn, cereals, peaches and apricots. The land has several vineyards in which the Vine Mountains nestle against the hills. Most of the growing areas are located along the Vardar River in the center of the country. Also in central North Macedonia, marble is reduced, which is used far beyond the country's borders. The white cuts of the quarries in the mountains are already recognizable from a distance. Many of the most beautiful destinations are accessible from the big cities by day trip. Worthwhile is also, for example, the west of Skopje Matka Canyon with the same reservoir.

 

Crafts

Depending on the location, many products are still made today by hand. In the old part of Skopje you can visit some of the factories or watch from the street the craftsmen making their products. In the bazaar, for example, numerous goldsmiths can be found, but also bags, clothes and shoes are here partly still made by hand - from traditional to modern. Who travels to North Macedonia will certainly come into contact with filigree art (silver art and jewelry).  In Ohrid you will notice pearls that you can buy in all sizes. Contrary to the naturally grown pearls, these are made by human-hand. Raw pearls are pulled several times through an emulsion of powdered fish scales.  The recipe for this emulsion is well-guarded, but only the iridescent scales of the plasica fish come into question for the Ohrid pearl. Plastic does not come into consideration for  the traditional manufacturers, in contrast to the copies from the Far East, which can be bought cheaply at the street stalls.

 

Food and drinks

The food in North Macedonia is relatively nutritious as everywhere in the Balkans. A traditional menu starts with a Schopska salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and grated sheep's cheese. Ajvar (paprika mousse), Pindjur (like Ajvar, but slightly coarser and with tomatoes), a garlic cream and olives follow on different plates. Afterwards, there is traditionally meat - beef, lamb or chicken. This is either processed as a stew, or it is fried and baked with cheese. The same applies for the fish. Often bean dishes, eggplant and zucchini, potatoes and French fries are also on the table. Of course, bread should never be missing. As a dessert, you can eat the syrup-soaked Baklava throughout the country. Depending on the region, the dessert may also vary. In Ohrid, for example, the Ohrid cake is often served - a cake with chocolate, caramel and walnuts. Definitely, it is worth to take a look at the wine list in the restaurants. In the various regions of the country there are numerous producers who produce excellent wines. The wineries can also be visited and the wines tasted.