AglocoPTR - Earn $5000 Per Month!! The Republic of Macedonia, (Macedonian: Република Македонија, Republika Makedonija) (accepted in the UN under the provisional reference the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), is a landlocked country in the Balkans. It is bordered by Serbia and the disputed region of Kosovo to the north, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, and Greece to the south. The constitutional name of the country is the Republic of Macedonia and it is usually called simply Macedonia, despite the disambiguation concerns of the neighboring Greeks in the Greek province Macedonia and the official provisional name the country has under UN.
While easily accessible
from all points abroad, and boasting all the amenities of the Western world, the
Republic of Macedonia remains one of Europe’s last undiscovered countries: a
natural paradise of mountains, lakes and rivers, where life moves to a different
rhythm, amidst the sprawling grandeur of rich historical ruins and idyllic
villages that have remained practically unchanged for centuries. The majority
population is ethnic Macedonian and Orthodox but there is also a significant
Albanian Muslim minority. Therefore, one can expect a wonderful mix of
architectural and ethnic hertitage. The country represents the Balkans in the
truest sense, consisting of a fascinating mix of Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish,
and Mediterranean influences.
Understand
Macedonia is a country
with many ethnic minorities. There is still some ethnic tension between
Albanians (who form the majority in the northwest) and Macedonians, so this is a
subject best avoided. It almost came to civil war a few years ago.
Climate
Macedonia has warm, dry
summers and autumns, and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall.
Terrain
Macedonia is covered by
mountainous territory marked by deep basins and valleys. There are three large
lakes, each divided by a frontier line, and the country bisected by the Vardar
River.
Macedonia is blessed with
outstanding natural beauty. Do not miss a trip to one of the large lakes,
Pelister Mountains, Shar Planina in the West, and the fascinating rolling hills
and mountains of the East with its rice fields.
History
Macedonia is dotted with beautiful
Orthodox churches, monasteries, and Ottoman mosques. The territory of the
Republic of Macedonia has a proud history. Being under the Ottomans for 500
years caused legendary Macedonian revolutionaries such as Goce Delcev, Nikola
Karev, and Pitu Guli to lead uprisings to free Macedonia. Macedonia has been
part of many countries, but until its incorporation into Yugoslavia by Tito in
1945 it was never acknowledged as an administrative "state." Macedonia prospered
under Tito's rule, especially when the capital Skopje was rebuilt after a severe
earthquake in 1963 and the Yugoslav government invested heavily in the
subsequent infrastructure rebuilding. This may explain why many Macedonians are
somewhat nostalgic for Tito's Yugoslavia.
International recognition
of Macedonia's independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's
objection to the new state's use of what Greece considered a "Hellenic name and
symbols." Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995, and the two
countries agreed to normalize relations, despite continued disagreement over the
use of "Macedonia" in the name. Greece is now the largest investor in the
Republic of Macedonia.
Macedonia's large
Albanian minority (about 25%), an ethnic Albanian armed insurgency in the
Republic of Macedonia in 2001, and the status of neighboring Kosovo continue to
be sources of ethnic tension. There were also tensions during the last
parliamentary elections on the 2nd of June 2008, although they happened between
supporters of the two biggest rival Albanian political parties.
Regions
| Povardarie The region along the Vardar River, including the capital and largest city, Skopje |
| Western Macedonia
Full of the bulk of Macedonia's tourist attractions, in particular the three national parks and Ohrid |
| Eastern Macedonia
Not as many tourist attractions, but some spectacular vistas of rural life. |
Cities
- Skopje, the nation's capital. It is home to many historic landmarks and architectural monuments, and a great deal of cultural places of interest.
- Ohrid, a lakeside resort and UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is considered the jewel in Macedonia's crown.
- Bitola, the second largest city. It is Macedonia's most "European" town. It has it all: an ancient city, Ottoman monuments, a lovely shopping promenade, great nightlife, and more.
- Kruševo, a museum-city nestled high up in the mountains of southwestern Macedonia. It is one the most historically significant destinations in the country as it was the site of a revolt against the Ottoman Empire. The town is also home to great skiing.
- Prilep, tobacco fields, medieval monasteries, and strange rocks.
- Struga, small town on Lake Ohrid. It receives a fraction of the amount of tourists that nearby Ohrid gets, making Struga much more calm and peaceful.
- Štip, a peaceful city in eastern Macedonia. The town has existed for thousands of years, which is evidenced by its many archaeological sites.
- Kumanovo, the third largest city. The area boasts many churches, pre-modern settlements, and more.
- Tetovo, majority of the population is ethnic Albanians. Home to the Painted Mosque and Monastery of Lešok.
- Radoviš, a small city in southeastern Macedonia, famous for the new Holy Trinity Orthodox Church.
- Strumica, a vibrant city in the warm, sunny southeast. Progressive Strumica is home to great shopping, nearby hiking, waterfalls and hot springs, and the legendary Strumica Carnival.
Other destinations
- Galičica National Park
- Mavrovo National Park
- Pelister National Park
Citizens of the European
Union and of the countries signatories to the Schengen Agreement can enter only
with a valid officially issued ID card (or a passport).
Visas are not
required by nationals from the following countries:
Albania, Andorra, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bosnia
and , Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa
Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Hong
Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia,
Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico,
Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino,
Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain,
Turkey, UK, USA, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The period of stay is
regulated under the issued visa, but is no longer than 90 days. The visa free
stay is 90 days, with the exception of Turkey, Japan and Montenegro where the
visa free stay is 60 days.
Foreign national, holder
of valid travel document of a third country, who is required to have visa for
entry in the Republic of Macedonia, may enter the territory without having to
acquire Macedonian visa, If the foreigner has Permanent Residence in EU
or Schengen member state; OR if the person possess valid multiple Schengen C
type of visa. Visit for more details. Strangely enough,
Schengen D type visas will not be accepted and holders of such visa will be
deported back. After all in the Balkans you don't deal with bureaucracy,
bureaucracy deals with you!
By plane
Republic of Macedonia has
two international airports, the main airport in the capital Skopje "Alexander
the Great Airport" (SKP) and another in Ohrid "St.Paul the Apostle
Airport" (OHD). There are around 150 flights in a week from different
European cities to Skopje. Macedonian Government awarded one Turkish Airport
Operator Company (TAV) a contract to construct a brand new Terminal building in
Skopje Airport. Construction was completed in October 2011. From the low-cost
airlines, only WizzAir flies directly between Skopje and
London (Luton Airport), and Venice (Treviso Airport).
Another option to travel
into Republic of Macedonia is to fly to Thessaloniki (SKG) or to Sofia (SOF) and
get a taxi or bus from there. There are 5 buses from Sofia Central Bus Station
to Skopje, leaving at 9:00, 12:00, 16:00, 17:00 and 00:00. The two bus companies
which operate these services are MATPU and Kaleia, both of which are located
outside the main bus terminal. Single ticket is approximately 16 Euros (32 Lev).
There are also services from Skopje to Sofia at similar prices and times for a
return flight home.
Additionally, if you
contact the Sofia Tourist Information Service, they can normally put you in
contact with private tranfer companies who will pick you up at the airport and
take you to Skopje. Prices range from as little at €60 to €160. Negotiating with
taxis can be trickier but may be able to get a cheaper price.
If you fly to
Thessaloniki, you can go by public bus (24/7) for 0,50 EUR to the train station
and catch a train from there (14 EUR one way).
By train
Regular train service
connects the Republic of Macedonia to Greece in the South (Note 13 April 2011:
all international trains to Greece have been stopped until further notice as of
February 2011) and Serbia in the North.
A cheap way of traveling
to or from Macedonia might be the Balkan Flexipass.
By car
Be sure your Green Card
(International Insurance Card) has an uncanceled "MK" box. Try to get a good map
of the Republic of Macedonia and/or try to be able to read Cyrillic letters.
Although most street signs are printed in Cyrillic and Latin letters it can be
helpful to have a little knowledge of the Cyrillic alphabet, especially in small
towns.
The border guards often
make a big deal about having the original documents for the car (no copies). The
enforcement rate about this is 50-50 and if you have a rental car this can be a
problem as you usually have a copy. Tourists have been told in the past to drive
back several hundred kilometers over this detail by certain power hungry guards.
By bus
Eurobus is an
international coach operator based in Macedonia that has almost daily tours from
Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia. Prices from 60€ and possible
to get student discount. The website of the bus company is available in
German
- EuroBus Macedonia, ☎ +436643014416 (eurobus_mk@yahoo.de),. almost daily in modern coaches from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia. Stops in the major cities Skopje, Tetovo, Ohrid. €75/€140rt from Vienna.
There are bus connections
from Serbia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia and Turkey to Skopje. In
addition some buses, those operated by Drity tours at least, run from Tirana to
Pristina via Skopje (don't expect them to wake you up or stop anywhere near
Skopje bus station though)
In Skopje, there are two
bus terminals. Most buses come to the new terminal, but some connections (for
example to Pristina) are serviced by the old one, which is located at the city
center. If you need to change the terminals, you need to walk to the stone
bridge over Vardar and cross the bridge (about 2.5 km) or take a taxi.
At both terminals, you
will be constantly nagged by taxi drivers, who will try to convince you to use
their services. Unless you have too much money to throw away, you shouldn't take
their advice. The taxi is likely to be heavily overpriced, especially for
foreigners, while the buses are cheap, clean and safe.
Get around
By car
If travelling by car, be
sure your tires are good enough. Especially in spring and autumn, weather in the
mountains (Ohrid, Bitola) can differ significantly from the weather in the area
you're coming from. You shall be aware, that even if the roads are bad, there is
a toll charge which can be as much as 1,50 EUR for 20 kms bad road (Eg from
Kumanovo to Skopje).
By train
National trains are slow,
but they are nonetheless a nice alternative to hot, crowded buses in the summer.
The main train line runs from Skopje to Bitola and Skopje to Gevgelia. No trains
run to Ohrid.
By taxi
Taxis are perhaps the most common
mode of transport in Macedonia amongst tourists. Most will usually charge a flat
rate of 30 denars (in Skopje 50 denars) with the extra kilometres added on. Be
careful when negotiating the price of the fare beforehand. Within city limits,
prices over 100 denars are considered expensive even though the amount only
converts to a few American dollars. Macedonian cities are much smaller in
comparison to most western developed countries and would only take approximately
10-15 minutes to travel from one side of the city to the other by car. In
Skopje, the capital and largest city, this should work out to an amount of about
100-150 denars.
A general exception to
this rule is during peak tourist seasons particularly in the town of Ohrid. The
summer months are the most profitable for many small businesses in Ohrid (and
for some businesses, the only profitable months) including taxi drivers. For
this reason many drivers will charge up to three times the flat rate for the
same distance. Most taxis will insist on driving for no less than 100 denars
which can be heard as "sto denari" or a "stotka" (slang term for a one hundred
denar bill). Generally this is excessive but you can either negotiate the price
down to 80 or even 70 denars to be reasonable, or else simple bargain hunting is
all that is required. During the peak seasons it is possible to find drivers
willing to go as low as 40. Never feel pressured to take a taxi that seems
overpriced.
By boat
There are plenty of boats
for charter around Lake Ohrid and will show you the whole lake for a cheap
price.
Talk
Languages: Macedonian 66%,
Albanian 25%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 2%, other 4%. Macedonian is the
official language, and is spoken by almost all people.
While many young people
speak English, many do not, so a phrasebook is handy. Speakers of Bulgarian,
Serbo-Croatian and Slovene should have no problem getting by. Russian and German
are also very useful, especially among older Albanians, and Dutch might be
useful in Ohrid.
Šuto Orizari Municipality
(better known as Shutka), which is part of the city of Skopje, is the only place
in the world where Romani (Gypsy) is a co-official language.
See
Macedonia is a small country but
there are a lot of things to see in it. Its capital Skopje is the biggest city
and upcoming European city, with the Vardar river running right trough it. It
has a multitude of sights worth seeing: Kale fortress is kind of a city
symbol. Right under it lays the beautiful Old Bazaar with many cafeterias
and restaurants. Its main sights are St. Spas Church, Kurshumli An
and many more. Over the famous Stone Bridge you can get to the main
square "Macedonia" where you can see the 22-meter statue of the ancient
Macedonian leader Alexander the Great, as well as the biggest shopping center in
the city "ГТЦ". Other interesting sights are the Memorial House of Mother
Teresa and the Millennium Cross on the top of mountain Vodno, which
is a 66-meter cross and it is the biggest cross ever built. It is reachable by
roperailway and by foot.
Festivals
- Taksirat Festival. One of the biggest winter festivals in Eastern Europe, which happens at the end of November and beginning of December.
Buy
Republic of Macedonia is
full of markets and bazaars well worth a visit. The bazaars of Skopje, Tetovo,
Ohrid and Bitola are the largest selling anything from dried peppers to fake
designer sunglasses. While much of the merchandise may not be worth buying,
there is normally a good selection of shoes, fruit, and vegetables of good
quality, depending on the season. Merchants are generally pleasant and
welcoming, especially to westerners, who remain something of a rarity outside of
Skopje and Ohrid.
Ohrid is famous for its
pearls and there are dozens of jewelers in the old town that will offer good
products at decent prices. The Macedonian Orthodox paintings in old Ohrid are
also worth a look.
Tipping is not seen as
essential, but it is always welcomed.
Currency
The official currency of
Macedonia is the denar, however, many Macedonians quote prices in €. Most cities
have ATMs where you can withdraw money with cheap commission rates, although
there are also plenty of banks and exchange booths where you can easily change
money. Do not change money on the street. Shops may accept € but it is
technically not allowed for them to do so.
| Currency | Amount | Denar Conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Euro | 1 | 60.66 |
 Dollar
(US) |
1 | 46.5 |
 Pound
(UK) |
1 | 72.7 |
 Dollar
(AU) |
1 | 46.8 |
 Dollar
(CA) |
1 | 45 |
If you are a British traveler it is STRONGLY advised to exchange your currency BEFORE you leave the country. British exchange offices will only accept the 1000 denar note and nothing else.
Eat
If you are on a tight
budget, try one of the Skara (grill) places. There are quite a few up-market
restaurants serving better quality food on the waterfront, but these cater to
tourists, so don't be surprised by a rather sizeable bill at the end of your
meal.
General
Typical Macedonian food
resembles the food of the southern Balkans, meaning loads of grilled meat (known
as skara). Side dishes usually have to be ordered separately. The
Republic of Macedonia is also famous for its shopska salata a mixed salad
of cucumbers, tomatoes, and grated sirenje. Sirenje is a white
cheese similar to feta cheese. Usually Macedonians will translate the English
cheese to sirenje. Another local speciality is ajvar, a red paste
made from roasted peppers and tomatoes, which is either used as an appetizer or
side dish. Another typical local dish is tarator which is comparable to
the Greek tzatziki. It is made of yogurt, cucumbers, and garlic and it is served
as a cold soup.
Traditional Food
Tavce gravce (pronounced
tav-chay grav-chay) or тавче гравче in Macedonian is the national dish and
unique to Macedonia. It basically consists of beans, paprika and other
vegetables so can be eaten by vegetarians. Traditionally, it is served with cut
sausage mixed and eaten with bread. It is a delicious meal that will definitely
leave you feeling full!
Fish
The Republic of
Macedonia, being landlocked, does not offer a great variety of fresh fish. A
notable exception is Ohrid, where fresh fish from the local lake can be enjoyed.
If you have no objections to eating endangered species, the Ohrid trout is a
local delicacy.
Drink
Rakija is a strong grape
brandy that has the best claim to be Republic's national beverage. There are
also many breweries which brew surprisingly good-tasting beer. Macedonians boast
the largest winery in the Balkan area—the Tikveš (Tikvesh) winery in Kavadarci.
Red wines are usually better than white ones. Try "T'ga za Jug"—Macedonian
favorite affordable red wine made from a local grape variety called Vranec.
Local white wines include Traminec and Temjanika. The local beer market appears,
in Skopje at least, to be dominated by Skopsko, a drinkable, if not entirely
distinctive, lager.
Sleep
Being the national
tourist attraction, Ohrid is obviously more expensive than any other destination
in the Republic of Macedonia. Note that hotel prices are very expensive
throughout the country and charge double rates to foreigners. It is therefore
advisable to stay in private accommodation. If someone does not ask you at the
bus station, you can always consult one of the many travel agencies in and
around the center. If you do opt for private accommodation make sure you see the
room first and then decide. Payment is normally made in advance and should cost
no more than €10-15 per night per person in peak season and half that during the
rest of the year. Note: finding suitable accommodation in July and August is not
easy, so try and book through a travel agent in advance.
When visiting Lake Ohrid,
staying in nearby Struga as opposed to the more popular Ohrid is a wise
alternative for the price and tourist-trap conscious.
Learn
For those interested in
learning the Macedonian language, the options are the official Center for
Testing and Certifying Macedonian as a Foreign/Second Language CETIS MAK. You
can also get certified with the Test in Macedonian as a Foreign Language -
TEMAK, and get a certificate issued by the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University.
Also, there are several
private language schools offering courses for foreigners. Some of them are:
LinguaLink, LogosOxford, VortexCenter.
You can study in many of
the state and private universities listed below in English, Macedonian and
Albanian.
- University for Information Science and Technology "St. Paul The Apostle" - a new state university located in Ohrid. The university's language of instruction is English. International students are required to pay a tuition fee of 4000€ per year.
- Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - the biggest state university in Macedonia, founded in 1949, located in the capital Skopje. Today it represents a family of 23 faculties, 10 institutes and other institutions.
- Goce Delčev University - the second biggest state university, located in Štip with many branches in other cities in Eastern Macedonia. It was founded in 2006.
- St. Clement of Ohrid University - is one of the fifth state universities, located in Bitola with branches in other cities in Western Macedonia. It was founded in 1979, but the name St. Clement of Ohrid was not given until late 1994. The current number of enrolled students exceeds 15,000.
- State University of Tetovo - is a state university located in Tetovo. The university was established in 1994, however, it was not officially recognized as a state university by the government of the Republic of Macedonia until January 2004. The languages of instruction are Macedonian and Albanian.
- South East European University - is a not for profit private university in Tetovo. It was founded in 2001 and is a member of the European University Association. The languages of instruction are English, Macedonian and Albanian.
- FON University - a modern private university.
- European University Republic of Macedonia - a modern private university
- University American College Skopje - a modern private university.
- International Slavic Institute - a private Russian university located in Sveti Nikole and Bitola. With majors in Psychology, Finances and credit and Management.
- University for Audio-Visuel Arts - European Film Academy ESRA - a private university, part of the French Film School Ecole Supérieure de Réalisation Audiovisuelle located in Paris and New York.
Stay safe
Republic of Macedonia is
a safe country. Driving is not ill-advised, but it's recommended for foreigners
to try and use taxis and public transport wherever possible. As in all
countries, keep an eye out for pickpockets and all valuables safe. Hotels and
most private accommodation will offer a safe to store valuables and cash in.
Most people are very
friendly and hospitable.
Stay healthy
Water is safe to drink
and there are public drinking water fountains in most public places. It is
advisable to wash all fruit and vegetables.
As with any other
country, use caution when eating red meats at restaurants. Although Macedonian
cuisine typically revolves around grills ("skara") there are some restaurants
that do not use proper or clean methods of cooking, which if practiced in many
Western countries would be seen as a violation of certain health regulations.
Bad restaurants can be spotted easily; they will probably not look very
appealing and will not have many customers. However, the vast majority of
restaurants in Macedonia serve good quality food.
Respect
It is not advisable to
refer to the country as FYROM (fee-ROM). Republic of Macedonia is directly
transliterated from the Cyrillic as Republika Makedonija, and is pronounced
roughly how it would appear to an English speaker: "reh-POO-blee-kah
mahk-eh-DOHN-ee-yah".
Touchy topics are
Macedonian-Bulgarian, Macedonian-Albanian, and Macedonian-Greek relations. Most
Macedonians can hold strong political opinions regarding their neighbours and
won't shy away from expressing their views in most cases. Politics often finds
its way into conversation over a cup of coffee. To keep from upsetting your
hosts or new-found friends, avoid topics such as the 2001 war against the NLA,
Macedonia's partition during the Balkan wars and Macedonia's pending membership
into the European Union or Nato. Don't worry about talking about the Communist
period or about Josip Tito.
With the current
situation in Kosovo, be very careful when talking about politics, as there is
also a significant Albanian minority here. Ask as many questions as you'd like
(within reason), but don't make any statements. Best to keep in mind that
roughly one in four people you see on the street are likely to be Albanian, with
far higher percentages in the west, and tensions are at times high between the
Macedonian and Albanian communities. In short, keep your political opinions to
yourself.
Domestic Phones
Domestic telephone
service is available in all inhabited towns, via the PSTN or VoIP. The PSTN
network is run by T-home. There is an affordable fixed phone
service (wireless and easy to install) from the mobile operator ONE, avaliable prepaid (without a monthly
fee, 12 months availability without recharge, recharging for only 500 denars
-18€) and postpaid.
Mobile phones
Mobile phones are widely
spread and the coverage is excellent. There are 3 mobile networks (T-mobile, One and VIP),
all using the GSM/3G standard. You can buy a pre-paid SIM card from T-mobile for
295 denars (5€) with 250 denars free talk time, from ONE for 190 denars (3€)
with 250 denars free talk time, and from VIP for 300 denars (5€) with 300 denars
free talk time. You may need to show your ID card or passport when buying.
Internet Access
Internet access is widely
available. Broadband internet is available through cable, ADSL, WiMax and LAN
connections. You can also access internet with your mobile phone, via GPRS or
3G.
ONE offers both internet
for home and mobile internet. More information here. T-home offers ADSL internet
for 599 denars/month (10€) - 30GB bandwidth, 6Mbps speed - you need to have PSTN
connection from T-home.
Internet cafes are
available in most cities and in some villages.
No comments:
Post a Comment