Veles
A town rising steeply from both banks of the Vardar, with old houses and a hillside church.
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Veles is built up both banks of the Vardar where the river cuts through, the houses climbing steeply from the water on either side so the town reads as two amphitheatres facing each other. The church of Saint Panteleimon stands high on the eastern slope with a view over the whole town. Veles was a significant trading and craft centre and produced a number of Macedonian writers, and the old quarter keeps nineteenth-century houses.
What you actually see
- The two slopes - the town climbing steeply from both banks of the Vardar.
- Saint Panteleimon - the church high on the eastern side with the town view.
- The old houses - nineteenth-century buildings in the older quarters.
- The river - the Vardar cutting through the middle of the town.
When to go
April to June and September to October are the most comfortable. Summer in the Vardar valley is very hot. The town is a road and rail junction.
Honest expectations
Veles carried a heavy industrial legacy from a lead and zinc smelter that closed in 2003, and contamination remains a local issue. Parts of the town are run down. Summer heat is severe.
Nearby
Stobi is south, and Skopje is northwest.
What to pack for Veles
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.