Skopje stretches along the banks of the Vardar. On the river’s left bank, Kale Fortress stands on Kale Hill in the city centre. It is considered the historic heart of modern-day Skopje. If you are interested in the city’s history, it is a good starting point for further discoveries, from the medieval bridge and the Old Bazaar to museums and archaeological sites.

The Vardar, the bridge and the Old Bazaar

According to historical sources, the Stone Bridge was built during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II, between 1451 and 1469. Today, it connects Macedonia Square with the Old Bazaar. The bazaar has been part of the city for more than seven centuries and brings together different aspects of urban life: its shops include craft workshops, restaurants, kebab restaurants, cafés and tea houses. As you explore, historical landmarks sit alongside places of commerce and dining.

Close to the Stone Bridge and in front of the entrance to the Old Bazaar, the Daut Pasha Hamam stands on the Vardar’s left bank. The former bathhouse is a monument of Islamic secular architecture. The term refers to non-religious architecture, distinguishing the hamam from religious buildings. Its location and architectural classification add to the historic picture of this part of Skopje.

Museums and archaeological discoveries

The city’s museums focus on a range of subjects. The Skopje City Museum holds more than 40,000 museum artefacts, a large proportion of which have been presented and published. The Archaeological Museum of the Republic of North Macedonia displays more than 7,000 artefacts from several fields: its collections include prehistoric archaeology, classical antiquity and medieval archaeology, as well as numismatics, anthropology and a lapidarium. The range spans early periods and specialised collection areas.

The Aqueduct Monument is also part of Skopje’s cultural heritage. It has been designated cultural heritage of particular importance and, within this classification, falls into the subcategory of exceptional importance. Tumba Madzari, meanwhile, is an open-air museum and archaeological site of scientific, educational and tourist significance. The Dino Park Skopje offers a different focus: it features 41 dinosaur replicas from the Cretaceous and Jurassic periods, along with educational content about the different animal species.

Another attraction with an educational focus is the Skopje Zoo. Its activities include programmes, workshops, campaigns and events that promote awareness of biodiversity, nature conservation and responsible treatment of wildlife. The range of discoveries therefore extends from archaeological sites and museum collections to topics related to biodiversity today.

Matka Canyon and the landscape of Greater Skopje

Beyond the succession of historic and cultural sights, the landscape comes into view. In 1994, the City Assembly of Skopje declared Matka Canyon a natural monument. A section of the Matka walking trail runs from the Monastery of St. Andrew to Visok Rid, opposite Vrelo Cave. In October 2023, the City of Skopje began renovating footpaths in the canyon to improve conditions and accessibility for visitors. If you are planning an outing along the trail, check conditions before your visit.

The mountains of Greater Skopje include Vodno, with Krstovar Peak at an altitude of 1,066 metres. Gazi Baba Forest is also a protected landscape: a decision by the City of Skopje protects it as a characteristic landscape. Matka Canyon, Vodno and Gazi Baba thus offer different landscape experiences within the Skopje region, so not every nature excursion needs to have the same destination or focus.

The range of attractions gives you several options when planning your trip: you can focus on the city’s history and architecture, explore archaeological collections and sites, or discover nature and the landscape.

Discover more destinations: Skopje, Gorna Matka, Oreshani, Veles, Demir Kapija, Prilep, Qark Korça, Municipality of Kriva Palanka.

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