In this article I will sum up my prolonged weekend getaway spent in North Macedonia and Kosovo. Two former Yugoslavian countries with very rich history to learn about. Let it be useful for those heading there.
FLIGHTS
I flew via Wizzair directly from Bratislava to Skopje, North Macedonia for around €42 both ways. The flight took around 90 mins, however, on the way there, there were some turbulences and we couldn’t land for the first time. It was a bit scary, many people crying and praying but I guess it could happen at any other flight.
HOW TO GET FROM SKOPJE TO PRISTINA
There are few options of how to get from the capital of North Macedonia to the capital of Kosovo – Pristina. You can take a bus from the main bus station, buying the ticket on a spot for around €9. Or you can take a taxi which was our option as it was four of us. We negotiated the price from €60 to €45 per 100km ride between Skopje and Pristina. I guess it was pretty worthy. No complications at border crossing.
KOSOVO ACCOMMODATION
We used a “booking” app to book our accommodation and we chose a private three -bedroom apartment located close to the city centre called Siera´s apartment. We paid €50 euro per one night. A highly recommended apartment!
WHAT TO DO IN KOSOVO WITHIN 24 HOURS
We did a Prishtina Free Walking Tour which takes place twice a day, at 10am and 4pm, the meeting point is in front of the National Theatre. Thanks to local guides you can learn a lot about Kosovo´s history such as about a war between Serbia and Kosovo, the independence of Kosovo, etc …
I also recommend to pay €1,50 for the entrance at the Cathedral of Mother Theresa´s viewpoint tower. The views from the top were worth it. Another recommendation is to visit the National Library which is built in a very specific architecture style of “brutalism”.
Regarding food and drinks, we ate a good and affordable dinner at the restaurant “Me Luge” where we got amazing service with traditional Kosovo dishes. When it comes to active nightlife, I recommend to visit a bar called Taverna Baron or any other bar at the same very vibrant street.
SKOPJE ACCOMMODATION
In Skopje we stayed in a three-bedroom apartment located in the heart of Skopje next to the square with a huge statue of Alexander the Great. Friendship apartment´s cost was €40 per one night. Also highly recommended.
WHAT TO DO IN SKOPJE WITHIN 48 HOURS
I can recommend to take a Skopje Free Walking Tour. Our guide was amazing, very friendly full of knowledge and he knew how to pass it. We learned a lot about the city. For example, a terrible earthquake in 1963 destroyed 80% of the city so it had to be rebuilt. Thanks to the Skopje Project 2014 there are now many monuments and a lot of modern looking statues around Skopje.
I also recommend to visit Old Bazaar where you can eat nice traditional and affordable meals (I recommend a restaurant Rio). Besides you can visit many museums such as The House of Mother Theresa (as she was born there), The Museum of Architecture, …
Another highlight of the city is the Millenium Cross located at the top of the city with one of the tallest religious crosses built up there. The bus n. 25 runs for free at the weekends and can take you up to Vodno cable car. The price of the return ticket for a cable car is only 100 denares (around €1,60).
MATKA CANYON AS A HALF-DAY TRIP OUT OF SKOPJE
Our highlight of North Macedonia´s getaway was a half-day trip to the Matka Canyon which is located around 15km from Skopje. You can take a taxi there OR take a local bus n. 60. You can download the app BusSkopje to buy a ticket (one ticket 35 denares = €0,60) and also to check the exact bus schedule and bus stops. Easy peasy.
From the bus stop at the canyon, you will have to walk for around 25 minutes alongside the river to get to the main tourist office where you can buy a one-hour boat trip to a beautiful river canyon cave. The owner Saidi is a very nice man who used to live in Slovakia for 35 years so we really got along well. The price for a trip (including entrance to the cave) was 500 denares = €8.
TOTAL BUDGET PER PERSON
We were four people all together but I will sum up the price just per one person per the whole trip (3 nights, 3 full days) to North Macedonia and Kosovo.
Flights: €42
Accommodation: €33
Taxi: €37,50 (including taxi to/from airport)
Food: €42
Sightseeing and tips for guides: €36,50
TOTAL: €191 including the flights, taxis, accommodation, food
What do you say about my weekend getaway? Do former Yogoslavian countries North Macedonia and Kosovo call your attention? Or have you already been to these countries? If yes, feel free to share your experience in the comments below.
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