Church of Sveta Bogorodica Perivlepta
Ohrid
Just inside the Gorna Porta, this 13th-century Byzantine church, whose name translates as 'Our Lady the Most Glorious', has vivid biblical frescoes (newly…
Must-see attractions in North Macedonia
North Macedonia
Bitola's history museum is a little unkempt but has interesting displays on local archaeology, regional architecture, revolutionary history and the area's…
North Macedonia
The most easily accessible of Canyon Matka's 14th-century churches and also one of the finest, the petite Church of St Andrew (1389) is practically…
Lake Ohrid
The small mountain village of Vevčani, 14km north of Struga on Lake Ohrid, is celebrated for these natural springs, which writhe and wriggle through leafy…
Ohrid
Ohrid's grandest church, 11th-century Sveta Sofija is supported by columns and decorated with elaborate, if very faded, Byzantine frescoes, though they…
National Workshop for Handmade Paper
Ohrid
Here's a slightly random fact for you: Ohrid has been printing paper since the 16th century and this museum-cum-shop has one of only two copies of the…
Skopje
Standing on a plateau at the very top of Skopje's Čaršija is this working mosque where you can see locals come and go for prayers and chit-chat in the…
Skopje
The Čifte Amam is a beautiful old Ottoman hammam (Turkish bath), now sometimes used as a temporary exhibition space under the stewardship of the National…
North Macedonia
Bitola's Širok Sokak is the city's best-known, most lively street – its multicoloured facades and European honorary consulates attest to the city's…
Memorial House of Mother Teresa
Skopje
This extraordinary retro-futuristic memorial is the most unique church you'll see in North Macedonia. Inside the building there's a small 1st-floor museum…
North Macedonia
Although the location was discovered in 1861, it wasn't until Germans unearthed the first remnants of the Roman city of Stobi while digging trenches in…
Skopje
Occupying the old train station building where the stone fingers of the clock remain frozen in time at 5.17am – the moment Skopje's devastating earthquake…
Lake Ohrid
Cupped between a sloping hill and a tranquil bay, Ohrid's last traditional fishing village features clustered houses with terracotta roofs and a white…
North Macedonia
Created in 1968 by damming the Crna River, Lake Tikveš is surrounded by scrubland and stark cliffs, dotted with medieval hermitage frescoes and circled by…
Ohrid
Ohrid's impressive amphitheatre was built in the Hellenistic period (around 200 BC); the Romans later removed 10 rows to accommodate gladiators and used…
Skopje
Located just over the Stone Bridge heading into Čaršija, Sveti Dimitrija is a three-aisled church from the 19th century inside a small courtyard. There…
North Macedonia
This Orthodox church (1830) has some rich frescoes, ornate lamps and a huge iconostasis. Sometimes weddings are held here and it's worth checking if there…
Ohrid
This small museum contains an impressive collection of Macedonian religious icons, from the 13th to the 18th century. It's right by the Church of Sveta…
Ohrid
Ohrid's Upper Gate marks the entrance to the fortified old town. If you enter Ohrid by car, you may well drive through its stooped stone archway.
Ohrid
Stroll Sveti Kliment Ohridski street, lined with cafes and shops, to reach this enormous, 900-year-old plane tree – a likeable Ohrid landmark.
North Macedonia
Has displays on local ethnological history, as well as wine-making equipment and drinking vessels from the 19th century. The museum is well-kept, but the…
Skopje
The original mosque at this site dated to the 15th century and was one of the oldest in the Balkans, but it was ravaged by a fire that devastated the…
Skopje
This outpost of the National Gallery of Macedonia hosts temporary exhibitions. It's a bit of a hike from Skopje's city centre and sometimes lies empty;…
Ohrid
The massive, turreted walls of Ohrid's 10th-century castle indicate the power of the medieval Bulgarian state. The ramparts offer fantastic views over the…
