Day tour to Skopje, North Macedonia - Small Group
Description
Appreciating the diversity of Balkan culture can be difficult, especially with limited time in the region. Explore Macedonian culture on a day tour to Skopje from Sofia, and tick off another Balkan capital in just 1 day. Enjoy the company of 2 professional guides - one from Bulgaria and one local from Macedonian. Travel the distance with ease via modern vehicle, and discover landmarks including the Skopje Fortress, Memorial House of Mother Teresa, and Old Bazaar, with insights provided by your guides. During this day tour you will have the chance to visit one of the most bizarre cities on the Balkan Peninsula. Skopje is a mixture of authentic monuments from the Ottoman period, and new neo-classical buildings, complete with ornate columns and rooftop figures of nymphs. After the reconstruction of the new center has been done, as per the “Skopje 2014” project, the city became one of the popular destinations in Eastern Europe.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our day tour to Skopje will start with pick up from your centrally located hotel/accommodation in Sofia at 08:00 am. After approximately 4 hours of drive, we will reach Skopje. During the long drive, you will learn the Bulgarian point of view regarding the history of the region. Then you will have two hours guided tour of the city made by a local Macedonian guide. You will have the chance to hear the stories about Yugoslavia and the modern way of life in the country from a native, which will make your experience much more fulfilled. In addition, you will compare the two historical interpretations and make your own conclusions. The highlights you will visit are the Old fortress, Sultan Murat Mosques, and the Old Bazaar, where we will have the chance to see Caravanserais (inns) from the Ottoman period when Skopje was one of the main trade centers on the Balkans.
Historical fortress located at the highest point in Skopje from where you will have the chance to admire the stunning view of the city.
A mosque from the Ottoman-era, built during the 15th century. It is a masterpiece of the architectural achievements of the early Ottoman empire.
We will cross the Vardar River by the Stone bridge, the only preserved bridge from the Middle ages and start our exploration of the new part of the city.
We will visit the new neo-classical square Macedonia. There we will admire the biggest statue of Alexander the Great and his father Phillip II. You will stop and learn the history of the ancient Macedonians and the adventures of their rulers.
We will continue to Mother Teresa memorial house. She is the most famous person born in Skopje. Her work and contribution to the world deserve huge respect. In the house museum, you will learn about her story and will track her life by the big photography collection. The walking part of the tour will finish at the Gate Macedonia (newly built triumphal arch). After the walking tour, you will have 2 hours of free time during which you will have the chance to have a lunch and taste the traditional Macedonian cuisine. The tour will end with drop off at your hotel in Sofia
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We will pick you up from your centrally located accommodation.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please bring your passport with you and check if you need a visa due to border crossing
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
Reviews(471)
The driver was very grumpy from the start of the trip and looked like he didn’t want to be there… once we got in the car the he jammed my hand in between the car seat and had the audacity to look annoyed 😒
Dear Eva, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We take all passenger concerns seriously, and we would like to clarify the circumstances of your trip. From the very beginning, our guide’s priority was your safety and compliance with border regulations, as this was an international tour. When it was discovered that your passports had been forgotten, our driver immediately offered to turn back so you could retrieve them, despite the delay this caused to the schedule. Regarding the seat incident: while trying to assist your husband in changing seats, the guide moved the folding seat to help him out. Unfortunately, your hand was placed in the gap at that exact moment, leading to an accidental pinch. Our guide apologized immediately and paused the vehicle to ensure you were uninjured and to give you time to calm down. Although you chose to cancel the tour on the spot and your subsequent communication included inappropriate imagery toward our team, we decided to issue a full refund as a gesture of goodwill. We stand by our guide, who is one of our most highly-rated and polite professionals, and we wish you all the best.
Very nice vehicle, comfortable drive. Our guide was a nice man who was very knowledgeable and spent majority of the drive telling us about the history of Sofia and North Macedonia. Some people forgot their passports but obviously since you are going to a different country you need them.
Great day tour to North Macedonia. Dim is a knowledgable and fun tour guide who really knows and loves driving. Thanks for a fantastic day out of Bulgaria.
The tour was very good; Ivan was a safe driver and shared many interesting details with us. Despite the long drive, there was no boredom. The time in Skopje is not very long; the tour provided a good overview, and there was time to look at everything again at a leisurely pace. It makes you want more.
Unfortunately, my experience with this tour was disappointing. Instead of explaining Skopje's architecture, history, and landmarks, the guide spent most of the time talking about the political disputes between North Macedonia, Greece, and Bulgaria. The entire tour felt like a constant attempt to construct a heroic image of the past to justify the contemporary nation, constantly extolling the greatness of its ancestors. I understand the region's national pride and historical complexities, but tourists only care so much about politics. We were there to explore and understand the city, not to attend a lecture on historical vindication. Not recommended if you're looking for a typical sightseeing tour. I must also add a note about the round-trip transportation from Sofia. The driver (not the Skopje guide) was courteous and very helpful. Unfortunately, however, he had the terrifying flaw of constantly looking at his smartphone while driving. Such distraction while driving is unacceptable and completely undermined the tranquility and safety of the trip.
Dear traveler, In our opinion, understanding a place, a country, requires explanations and a context. I don't understand why you would complain that someone gives you all the information in a 2-hour walking tour, so you can really explore the place. Of course, it is up to the taste. This is why we have the option for a transportation-only, and explore on your own. Regarding the driving, we totally agree. In this case, you forgot to mention the border situation, and that a family was separated, the logistics have been disrupted, and new organisation had to be made, and adjust with the guide, who drove you to Skopje. We tried to help the traveler to be able to enter back in Bulgaria, and the guide had to receive instructions. We are sorry about that you felt unsafe, and the guide should have had a hands-free device, but it wasn't expected to have the necessity of that many calls. It is good when you put a review to put the context, as it is good to have such when exploring a city.
All praise to our guide Kiko who was so energetic and informative and drove us a long way so we had an opportunity to visit the beautiful city of Skope. It was such an interesting place and special to view the birthplace of Mother Teresa and be in awe of the giant statue of Alexander the Great. The bazaars are exciting to see and they certainly imbue the ambience and authenticity of this area.
Fantastic day trip to Skopje. Our driver and guide Kiko was great. He was very knowledgeable and helpful. He shared many important facts about both Bulgaria and North Macedonia. The vehicle was a comfortable Mercedes van which was perfect for the small group of 7 people. The drive was comfortable and we made stops along the way for coffee and the bathroom. Skopje itself is an incredible city, very walkable with lots to explore. The history, culture, architecture, food and everything about Skopje makes it a must visit. Overall I rate this tour very highly and it gives you the best value.
Long trip but rewarding. Glad we took the time to get a taste of Macedonia through Skopje. Very interesting town of lots of statues. Valentin was a wonderful local guide in Skopje. Dimi was excellent taking us there and back safely. I now want to visit Ohrid. Highly recommended!
We were very lucky with crossing times at the Bulgarian/North Macedonian border and, after a 4hr approximate drive, reached Skopje. Small city but excellent guides, very interesting details about the city and easy to explore - very glad I experienced this trip.
A well organized and interesting tour including excellent local and historical information provided by the driver/guide Ivan during the transportation part of the tour. Skopje is and interesting and scenic city with a compelling story and a wealth of history.
