Skopje Travel Answers

Hello, With "Manastir" you mean Bitola or Ohrid? If you only have 3 days, I would not spend two of them in Skopje, but in Ohrid. With such a short time I suggest you let us know the arrival/departure times to be able to plan better... With a rental car I suggest roughly: Day 1: Arrival in Skopje, visit Skopje Day 2: drive to Ohrid via Mavrovo National Park, visit the Bigorski Monastery, sightseeing in Ohrid. Maybe visit st Naum as well. Day 3: Drive back to Skopje via Bitola and Prilep Of course you can leave out things if you don;t want to hurry too much. Via my homepage here on VT you can find info on all these places. My parents once rented a car with Eurocar at the airport I believe. Here's a list of other agencies from the aiport site: skp.airports.com.mk/default.... Cheers, Dennis

Hi Ive found www.auto-europe.com to come up consistently with the best deals for rentals over the last few years. they subcontract to good companies such as Europcar but get better prices than if you went direct. For insurance to cover excess and the tyres and windows that usual rental agencies policies dont cover check out insurance4carhire.com For info and qns on Macedonia etc send an email to vter MacedonianUK. all the best

Depends of your transfer from Pristina to Skopje, I would suggest any of the well known car rental companies (Europcar, Sixt, Avis). Bare in mind that the first two have pick up offices at Alexander Palace hotel that is on your way when you enter Skopje from Pristina, and Avis has pick up office right in the center of the town at Ramstore mall. Which ever you choose, you can drop the car off at the Skopje airport. The price for same category of cars is about the same, 50 eur/day (with basic insurance). As for the trip, I suggest you stay the first day (and night) in Skopje, walk around the center, go to the fortress knows as Skopsko Kale, visit the old bazaar, try some tea, coffe, food there (try restaurant T'ga za Jug, close to Kapan An:))... The next morning as Pijlmans already said, Bigorski monastry is must visit on your way to Ohrid, just watch the roads, specially because its winter time. We have great weather now, but depends when is your visit, it can be very tricky. Maybe you can stop at Vevcani too, visit the springs, churches, have your lunch there (I suggest the national restaurant Via Ignatia). Then straight to Ohrid, because there is so much to see in the city. St Naum monastry and the springs of Drim is great place to see, but time consuming because is some 30kms away on the other end of the lake. The next day, depends what time is your flight, take a bit more time in Ohrid, or drive straight to Bitola, maybe visit Heraklea, walk in the most famous Sirok sokak, grab some coffee and food there. You'll need around 1,5hrs to get to the Alex the Great Airport :)) Like i said, drop your rental there and have a pleasant flight back home :))

Al good advices! Dennis pages can help you a lot. Hoshgeldiniz in Monastir my home town!! Cheek my comprehensive pages on Bitola you will find lots of info. Do not miss Kemal Attaturk permanent exercising in the museum of Bitola. It is situated in his former military school and garrison. From Bitola is very easy to get bus (6 a day) to Skopje and same amount to Ohrid. Re renta car: now www.sixt.com has office(cars) at the airport so you can pick directly one from there, also at the moment Sixt is still way cheaper per day than competitors. Also if you decide to rent from town, please, Please do not fall for the rip off con for taxi to town. Preorder taxi to pick you up or get on at the airport but make sure is *licenced*. the licence is special sticker (square, White background black numbers) like in NYC which is situated on the back wing of the car. Also the price including the toll shouldn't be more than 1000 MKD denars. I use STARO VODNO taxi service and they charge 800 denars with toll or 650 without but than you will have to pay the toll. www.starovodno.com.mk Makedonya Hoshgeldiniz !! Valentina

Regarding driving times: Bitola -Skopje airport 2.30 min in good conditions ( summer) in winter add 30 min extra as the high mountain pass behind Prilep can be very dengerous in winter. The pass is 1460m above sea level and is often than not icy, but is frites regulary as the road is main nerve for shoots to Greece and rest of Macedonia. If you are going to the airport from Ohrid than you pass Ohrid airport directions Kichevo than Straza pass (1200m above sea level) on your way to Tetovo and Skopje, but this is longer way as the airport is SE of Skopje and you are coming from west, so you need to go extra 37 km around Skopje. Tolls from Bitola to the Airport are 5 euros or 300 denars and 350 from Tetovo to the airpot stretch... This past May I organised VT meet in Bitola & Ohrid and I have done lots of driving around the country,but again summer is diferent. In winter you might not be able to take the car up to the parking lot at Bigorski monastery as is Maria and mountainous road. You can live it on the main road and walk up it is about 600 m uphill walk. You might like to stop in Tetovo for Alaga Jami ( Painted mosque) and BektSh order Monastir of Arababati Babati Teke.. Chek out www.travel2macedonia.com.mk For more info Also good road maps on Macedonia can be bought at any Lukoil, Okta or Makpetr pumps they are by 3maks..... www.trimaks.com.mk Need more info please ask. Valentina

All of your infos are great. Thanks a million too all. And Valentina, Nice to hear that we are coming your town too.. I don t have worry for anything:)) Before this year ends we have to clear all details. Take care mate..