General information
Skopje is the capital and largest city, located in the north of the Republic of Macedonia, on the upper course of the Vardar River, with around 500.000 inhabitants. The city of Skopje comprises two artificial lakes, located on the Treska River – lake Matka and lake Treska.
Skopje is a city with a 2000-year-old tradition, and the birthplace of Mother Teresa. The beautiful quay of the Macedonian river “Vardar”, the narrow streets of the Old Bazaar (the biggest bazaar preserved in the Balkans today), the “Kale” (1500 year-old fortress), the Daut Pasha Hamam and many more historical and cultural monuments are at the very center of the city easily accessed by foot, bus or car.
In Skopje, there are many museums that tourists can visit such as: Museum of Macedonia (details the history of the country), Macedonian Archeological Museum, National Gallery of Macedonia, The Contemporary Art Museum of Macedonia, The Skopje City Museum (located in the remains of the old train station), The Memorial House of Mother Teresa, The Macedonian Museum of Natural History etc. The Skopje Zoo is located on an area of 12 hectares in the city park and has a collection of 495 animals of 96 species (mammals, birds, reptiles).
For those that want to enjoy in a tasty food and a warm atmosphere, Skopje offers a wide range of national restaurants with Macedonian traditional food and Macedonian music. Apart from the traditional Macedonian restaurants, there are restaurants featuring international cuisines.
Transportation & Travel Information
You can get to Skopje by plane (Skopje has an international airport) or by car. Furthermore, Skopje has a public bus network.
The climate
The climate is continental sub-Mediterranean, with a mean annual temperature of 13.5 °C (56 °F). In October the season is autumn and the temperature is quite mild at 12.3 °C (54.14 °F). Afternoons can be somewhat warm with average high temperatures reaching 19.3 °C (66.7 °F). Overnight temperatures are generally cool with an average low of 6.3 °C (43.3 °F). You can stay up to date with the weather in Skopje by clicking here.
Currency and Exchange Rate
The official currency in the Republic of Macedonia is Macedonian Denar. The currency code for Denars is MKD, and the currency symbol is ???.
Emergency Services
- Ambulance – 194
- Fire Department – 193
- Police – 192