Unless you are a European native, chances are, you might not even know that there’s a country named Macedonia in the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula.
Macedonia is not a part of the EU or the Schengen area, but you don’t need a visa if you are a resident of any European country. However, if you’re from a country outside of Europe, you might need a visa depending on where you come from. To ensure whether you need a visa or not, check out this official government site before you plan your visit to Macedonia..
Macedonia has only two airports, one in Skopje (the capital) and one in Ohrid (the tourist hotspot). If you’re flying from Europe, the cheapest option would be to book a flight with Wizz Air. If you’re flying from outside of Europe, consider flying to a bigger city in Europe from where you can get a Wizz Air flight. This will always be a cheaper alternative..
Almost half of Macedonia’s population lives in Skopje, so it’s logical for such a city to be a city of contrasts but let me give you some background. If you’re wandering around the city square, you might feel like you’re in Paris or some other Western European capital. Skopje even has its own Arc de Triomphe. However, after you cross the legendary Stone Bridge, this vibe disappears, and you start feeling like you’re somewhere in Turkey or the Middle East.
According to multiple sources, the deepest cave in Europe is Hranicka Propast in the Czech Republic (402 meters). However, the Vrelo Cave, located in the Matka Canyon just outside of Skopje, isn’t fully explored, and many people believe that it might be deeper than 400 meters.
Mountains cover almost 80% of Macedonia’s territory. In only 25,000 square kilometers, you’ll find 50 lakes and 34 mountains higher than 2,000 meters. This makes Macedonia the fourth country in Europe with the highest average elevation (741 meters), only falling behind Andorra, Switzerland, and Austria. Despite being such a small country, Macedonia has three breathtaking national parks in Mavrovo, Pelister, and Galicica. These are some of the last places on Earth where you can spot a very rare species: the Balkan Lynx.