Skopje Travel Forum

Any do's or don't for that area?

Thanks Chuck

See the general macedonia pages for all the info you want, there are quite a lot "do´s": http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/FYR_of_Macedonia/TravelGuide-FYR_of_Macedonia.html

Or these for Skopje:
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/FYR_of_Macedonia/Skopje-451990/TravelGuide-Skopje.html

I dont know how you´re traveling, but just don´t get ripped of too much by the taxi´s at the airport (or in general), I think somebody also wrote tips on that..That´s more or less the only big "don´t" I can think off...

Enjoy your time in Skopje!

Cheers

Make sure you have ENTRY stamp in your passport. They (=Macedonian border guards) play a "neat" game (seem to be also supported by Greek and Serbian border guards) with Americans:

- I assume, the Serbian/Greek guy will warn Macedonians ahead of time, air smells Yank (I have no proof but very likely)
- Macedonians will prepare at Gevgelija or Tabanovci NOT stamp the American passport with entry stamp and will phone their colleagues at the other end, Yank is approaching without entry stamp
- At the other end a Macedonian border guard will boldly approach the victim in the train and with

"ima problema" words ask for bribe (50 Euro/person or so) to let the Yank go through.

We felt victim to this scam last year. However, there was a little unexpected problem: I am not a Yank by birth. The silly Macedonian was arguing with me at Tabanovci border checkpoint regarding 50 Euro bribe for quite a while after realising, I am speaking (or at least try to do so) in his native language, not English. Than I showed my passport with "birthplace Russia" under his nose and the guy was reeeaally in big confusion. Just to make thigs right (obviously, an authority is always right!) he took 5 (five!!!) Euro out of wallet and disappeared with red face.

After what happened I was pretty upset and as the train pulled to the Serbian site (Preshevo) I complained with the Serbian border guards. They knew the trick and were of course sorry due the mishap. I do not know how far they and Greeks cooperate with Macedonians (I had some interesting observation at Idomeni but cannot say anything for sure).

The train was full of overseas Western tourists (Canada, etc.) also many from Turkiye, Greece, Germany, etc. They pulled that trick only on us and the "fee" dropped by 10 times as they discovered the mistake targeting a Russian in exile instead of a "true" American.

We felt just mildly upset because everyone knows what a big mess Americans made in the area recently and oh, well.... hope one day they won't act like an elephant in porcelain shop. Still, targeting tourists is very bad and doing immoral thing in response to immoral things is not a solution. At least the real victims (= Serbs) seem to be not involved formally, I suspect they "outsourced" it to Macedonians.

But before crying bloody murder and complaining about unjust things, keep in mind, the Grdelica bridge is fairly close to Tabanovci and for young couples like Ana Bjeletic' and Ivan Markovic'

http://www.serbia-info.com/news/2001-04/12/23167.html

it was pretty unjust to be burned in a passenger train alive, isn't it?

See also here:

http://www.zeleznicesrbije.com/system/en/home/newsplus/viewsingle/_params/newsplus_news_id/10736.html

1. if you arrive by plane:
there's no bus from the airport to the city. the only transport is taxi.
Outside of the airport you'll be approached by taxi drivers who may overcharge you, they are not members of any serious taxi company but individual drivers.

Book a taxi from a reliable taxi company in advance.

Online booking here (hope its functional, i've never used their web services):
http://www.taxi.com.mk/en/services.php

Or maybe you can send them sms from ur mobile phone when you arrive. The phone number for sms on their website: +38970149193 (NOTE: the website seems not updated for a long time)

Or you can enter the airport building and get a cheap phone card from some kiosk (if available) and call from a payphone (again, if available on some wall nearby). Their number is 15193. I beleive they speak some english.

Or you can ask some locals around you to call a taxi for you. It will cost them nothing. They should JUST ring to the following number from their mobile phones: 071315193 and wait a couple of min. The taxi company will see their number on caller ID and will call back and ask where u need to go and so on.

The rates: http://www.taxi.com.mk/en/rates.html
(no taximeter from the airport)

The price of the route Airport- the City with this company "Komak Komerc" is 650 denars which is approx. 10 euros. Other companies charge more, while the individual rip-off drivers may charge twice more.

2. If you arrive by train or bus you should know that now both stations are next to eachother.
Again there may be some rip-off taxi drivers around (however less than at the airport). You can book a taxi in advance as explained above, or you can get a taxi on the spot, but here you must insist on taximeter. There's more transport available around the rail/bus station than at the airport. There are public busses (not really a luxury, better avoid) or you can stop some taxi on the street. Taxis are cheap in Macedonia esspecialy by US/West European standards. A ride from the bus/rail station to the city center with a reliable taxi company should be approx. 50-70 denars depending on the traffic so thats 1-1.5 USD which is nothing (10-20 denars more-less doesnt matter). You can even walk by foot from the station to the center (not recommended, its hot these days and there's nothing special to see on the way)

DO's:
1. Skopje in the past was an interesting city, but after the earthquake in 1963 most of it was rebuilt into a concrete jungle. However the old part from the Ottoman Turkish times across the Stone bridge survived and its worth visiting. Starting in the morning, visit the church Sveti Spas where the tomb of the revolutionary Goce Delchev is. Enter the church and see the beautiful iconostas. Then walk around the Old part (Charshija), try some kebaps and baklavas, visit the Kapan An, Suli An (the Art academy), Kurshumli An etc. to see Ottoman architecture. Also visit the "Museum of Macedonia" and ask to see the permanent historical exhibition. Also, there is a separate ethnological department with folk costumes and stuff worth visiting. The price of the ticket is cheap and I beleive an english speaking guide will be available.

Afterwards, go to the city center (in the "modern post-earthquake" part) across the Stone Bridge . Visit the main Shopping Mall (Gradski Trgovski Centar - GTC) then sit down in some caffe on the river Vardar embankment (next to GTC) and watch people. There are many caffes as well as an irish pub. To check the cluns and discos look for any flyers around or ask the locals.

Of the beaten path (Skopje): you can take a taxi to the national park Matka to see beautiful nature, the hydroelectrical dam and old monasteries. Or take a taxi to Sveti Pantelejmon church from the 12th century on the Mount Vodno.

Thats for Skopje.

For other places: The city of Ohrid on the Ohrid Lake is a must see, esspecially its old part with ancient and medieval monuments, churches etc. Take a boat excursion to the church of St. Naum. Its a MUST. Visit the beaches along the road Ohrid-St. Naum (for example Gradiste, Lagadin and so on.. plenty of them some with loud beach parties, while some r quieter)

DONT's:
Skopje is generaly a safe city. Still use your common sence. The Old Bazaar, Charshija, Bitpazar etc. are very interesting during the day but not nice at night (it was different in the past, that part was very "alive" at night with caffes, restaurants and so on). Then, dont let urself being spotted by small gypsie beggars. If they notice you are a foreigner they may be really boring. Just walk away from them and ignore them. Or dunno, shout or kick them if needed. Avoid getting money from ATMs in dark and lonely places. Use the ones in GTC for example. Dont get scared, its safer here than in much of the us cities.

Thank you VRB-EXCELLENT STUFF

Oops VBB :)

no problem :)

just one more thing I forgot. Do's: when in Skopje, you should also visit the old railway station (the pre-earthquake one), "Stara Zeleznicka" in Macedonian language. The clock on the former railstation building shows 5.17, thats the time when the earthquake struck Skopje in the morning on July 26, 1963. Its the Museum of Skopje located inside today and its near the Ramstore shopping mall.

cheers