Skip to content
Mixroutes
Skopje
Capital and largest city of North Macedonia

Skopje

Skopje is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia.

Plan a trip to Skopje→From Ohrid

It lies in the northern part of the country, in the Skopje Valley along the Vardar River, and is the political, economic, and cultural centre of the country. As of the 2021 census, the city had a population of 526,502. Skopje covers 571.46 km2 (220.64 mi2) and includes both urban and rural areas, bordered by several municipalities and close to the borders of Kosovo and Serbia.

See

Worth seeing

The largest concentrations of sights in Skopje are found in Centar and the Stara Čaršija (Old Town). The former is the modern hub of the city and contains newer attractions, while the latter is home to many of the city's historical sights. Outer Skopje is home to larger sights that are more spread out. The Skopje Fortress stands above central Skopje, on the right bank of the Vardar.

Do

Things to do

The Macedonian National Theatre in Centar, is the home of the State Ballet. The theatre holds theatre, opera, and ballet performances all year round. City Park is a large green area in Centar. A part of it is a museum, with several monuments within. It is a nice place to go for recreation, as there are pathways around the small lakes, the children’s amusement park, cafes, restaurants, etc.

Eat

Where to eat

North Macedonia’s capital offers something to satisfy all modern tastes and appetites. Make sure to try the famous Macedonian foods such as burek, Shopska Salata, and others. Skopje’s eateries are plentiful and offer a diverse range of local and international flavors.

  1. 01
    Pelister

    Macedonia Square 7 (directly on Macedonia Square overlooking the main pedestrian area),.

  2. 02
    Restaurant Old House

    Boulevard Phillip the Second of Macedon 14 (east of the city centre near the Macedonia Opera and Ballet building),.

  3. 03
    Dropstop Gastrobar

    Maksim Gorki 31A (in the immediate city centre, just west of Macedonia Square near the City Wall complex), reservations@dropstop.mk.

  4. 04
    Amigos Mexican Restaurant & Bar

    Makedonija 11 (near Macedonia Square along the pedestrian boulevard),.

  5. 05
    Restaurant Skopski Merak

    Debarca 51 (in the heart of Debar Maalo),.

How locals move

Getting around Skopje the local way

  • Get inInstead of wasting your money, you could try hitch-hiking but first take a train/bus as close to the border as possible (Kumanovo/Palanka or Kjustendil) and try from there.

From Wikivoyage: Skopje, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Chuck Homler d/b/a Focus On Wildlife (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons.