Skopje

Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, is a city of striking contrasts straddling the Vardar River. On one bank lies the Old Bazaar, one of the largest and most atmospheric Ottoman-era markets in the Balkans, a warren of mosques, caravanserais, craft shops and cafes beneath the medieval Kale fortress. Across the river, the centre was transformed by a vast and controversial building programme that filled it with grand neoclassical facades, museums and a startling profusion of monumental statues and fountains, making for a curious, eclectic and endlessly photogenic city.

History

The promontory of Skopje Fortress was settled in the Chalcolithic, the 4th millennium BC, and Roman Scupi was founded under Emperor Domitian (81-96) as a colony of veterans. Destroyed by an earthquake in 518, it was rebuilt under Justinian I (Wikipedia, Skopje).

The main sights

• The Old Bazaar - the atmospheric Ottoman market and mosques.
• The Stone Bridge - the historic bridge over the Vardar.
• The Kale Fortress - the medieval hilltop fortress.
• The monuments and statues - the grand, much-debated new centre.

When to go

April to June and September to October, for the most pleasant weather, as summers are very hot and winters cold; the Old Bazaar is liveliest in the evenings, when cafes and restaurants fill. A day or so is enough to see the compact centre and its two contrasting sides.

Things to know

The lavish statue-filled makeover of the centre, known as Skopje 2014, is widely seen as kitschy and controversial, costing vast sums and dividing opinion, so reactions to the grandiose new monuments range from amusement to dismay. The genuinely charming, historic Old Bazaar across the river is the real highlight. As a quirky, contrast-filled and inexpensive capital, though, Skopje is intriguing and worth a day.

Nearby

The Matka Canyon and the mountains around the city are close by.

Key facts