Skopje, North Macedonia

Skopje – city of Statues and Strays. Since Macedonia (now North Macedonia) declared independence in 1991 its capital city has re-invented itself. We did not know what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised – so much so that we extended our stay.

Skopje’s city centre is lined with neo-classical buildings and overflows with countless statues. It looks like a grand old European capital, except it’s not. Most of the buildings (or in some cases just facades of buildings) and almost all the statues have been added in the last 10 years in an effort to attract tourists.

The project has met with widespread criticism. It is not for us to judge whether it was money well-spent, but as visitors we appreciated the effort. The atmosphere gives the streets in the downtown core an upbeat vibe, with lots of people out shopping and dining in sidewalk restaurants.

Not everything is new. There are still historic sites and neighbourhoods from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods, and of course the recent Communist rule. In addition to the city sights, Skopje has nature at its doorstep, with mountains and rivers within a short drive.

Oh, and the strays. The city is full of friendly stray dogs. They are well fed and inoculated, they just have no homes. They hang out in the main square. They particularly like tagging along with walking tours. It is hilarious to watch 3 or 4 dogs wandering along with guided tours as if they are curious tourists themselves.

North Macedonia is not on most people’s radar for tourism. We highly recommend a visit now before word gets out, the crowds come and the prices rise!

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Next Stop: Kosovo