5 Days Backpacking North Macedonia Itinerary for First-Timers

5 Days Backpacking North Macedonia Itinerary Map

5 Days Backpacking North Macedonia Itinerary

Day 1 - 3: Skopje (3 nights)

Our itinerary begins in Skopje, the capital city of North Macedonia, a place where history and modernity collide. It's a city of contrasts, where old-world charm meets contemporary vibrancy, and where cultural experiences and outdoor adventures abound.

To start off our exploration in Skopje, we are going to begin at Skopje's Old Bazaar, a bustling marketplace that has been a fixture of the city for centuries since the Ottoman times. The market is located right in the heart of Skopje's city center, across the Vardar River, which makes for a great place to begin our journey as we make our way across the city.

What I love most about the Old Bazaar is the vibrant mix of old and new, with traditional shops housed in these old Ottoman-era houses selling crafts and souvenirs alongside trendy boutiques and modern cafes creating a lively space for both locals and travelers to hang out.

While you are exploring the Old Town, be sure to drop by and check out Kuršumli An, an abandoned caravanserai which is an ancient roadside inn where travelers (caravaners) could rest and recover from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce in ancient times and you can often find these inns all over the ancient Silk Road.

In fact, I saw a few of them in Azerbaijan and Central Asia which is more than 2000+ km (1200+ miles) apart with a few of them you can stay overnight. Unfortunately, this one is abandoned and closed off but you can take a peek inside the gate to see what it looks like, so be sure to drop by there before we continue to our next destination.

Located on the hillside overlooking the Old Bazaar, you will also find Mustafa Paša Mosque, one of the most prominent structures in Skopje's Old Town known for its impressively well-preserved condition that is mostly intact since it was constructed in the 15th Century.

The mosque is known for its beautiful interior with stunning Islamic patterns and decors, similar to mosques in Turkey which goes to show just how much influences the Ottomans had on this city.

After you are done at Mustafa Paša Mosque, continue walking up the street and make your way to Skopje Fortress, a historic citadel perched on the hill you just climb overlooking the city that has stood watch over the capital of North Macedonia for centuries.

Out of all the places I visited in this city, Skopje Fortress is one of my favorites with its abundance of walking trails that goes around the castle's vast courtyard and along the castle's ancient walls while offering us an incredible vantage point for sweeping panoramic views of the city below.

You can spend hours just wandering through the fortress's courtyards and ramparts, admiring its impressive towers and gates, and learn about its fascinating history through informative displays and exhibits often held in buildings inside the castle.

Now, if you are interested in the history of Skopje and North Macedonia, there are a slew of museums you can check out in Skopje that will provide you with a glimpse of forgotten history that is rarely taught outside of the country.

For a museum about the Macedonian revolution for independence in 1991, I highly recommend you check out the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle. For those who are interested to learn more about the story of the Jewish Macedonian people during the Holocaust, you should check out the Macedonian Holocaust Museum.

For those who are interested to learn more about the story of the Jewish Macedonian people during the Holocaust, how the Bulgarian Empire, allied with Hitler's Germany deported the Jews living here to the infamous Treblinka extermination camp, the Macedonian Holocaust Museum located across the road from the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle is a great place to check out.

Other museums like the Archaeological Museum of the Republic of Macedonia and Museum of the Republic of Macedonia are also worth a visit as well if you are interested to learn more about the less gloomy history of North Macedonia so for history buffs out there, be sure to check some of these museums out while you are in Skopje.

Of course, you have to visit Square Macedonia, a vast public space that serves as the city's central gathering place, and right at the center, you will find a giant statue of Alexandar, the Great, the biggest statue in the city standing over 22 meters (72 feet), towering all the surrounding buildings in the square.

The square is probably one of the most impressive sights of the city as the square is also surrounded by some of Skopje's most impressive architecture as well as plenty of restaurants and cafes you can enjoy making it great for lunch or dinner.

At night, the square is especially lively with people coming out in droves, hanging out around the square, and enjoying each other's company while the street performers keep us entertained throughout the night.

Other notable attractions you should check out are the Memorial House of Mother Teresa, a museum dedicated to the life and work of Mother Teresa who was born and raised in Skopje, the Macedonian Church St. Clement of Ohrid, one of the most unique-looking churches in the city, and check out all the statues that got the city its name, the City of Statues at the Bridge of Civilisations.

After a day of exploration, you can spend the rest of the day, hanging out at Square Macedonia, enjoying the local cuisine before retreating for the night, and preparing for a day trip to Matka Canyon and Millennium Cross the next day.

For the second day, we are going to go on an organized tour and visit the Millennium Cross, a massive monument located on the summit of Vodno Mountain with an incredible vantage point over Skopje and its surrounding areas. The tour begins at 1 PM until around 5 - 6 PM, so you can take it easy in the morning.

After the Millennium Cross, the tour will then take you to the village of Gorno Nerezi and visit the Church of St. Panteleimon, a beautiful small 12th Century church known for its incredible frescoes before arriving at Matka Canyon.

Matka Canyon is a picturesque gorge with a beautiful medieval monastery where you can go boating, hiking, and even do some cave exploration. For this tour, you will be going on a boat tour along the gorge and exploring some of the caves around the area.

After the tour, you can spend some time and relax in Old Bazaar, try some local foods, and enjoy a night out before calling it a day and preparing for your next destination, Lake Ohrid, one of my favorite places in the country.

If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips.

Looking for a complete travel guide to Skopje?12 Best Things to Do in Skopje

Getting from Skopje to Lake Ohrid

To get from Skopje to Lake Ohrid, you should be able to catch one of the buses that connect the 2 cities together from the Skopje Bus Terminal located around 16 minutes walk away from Skopje's city center.

There are several buses running between the 2 cities daily from 9 AM to 8 PM operated by various bus operators. The journey should take about 3.5 hours and cost around 12 - 16 EUR. You can look up the schedule and book the bus online here.

Day 4 - 5: Lake Ohrid (2 nights)

Next up, we are going to visit Lake Ohrid, a breathtaking lake surrounded by beautiful natural wonders and medieval towns rich in history, tucked away in the southwestern part of North Macedonia, sharing the border with Albania. With its incredible view, a town steeped in history, and unrivaled affordability, this place has the potential to become a popular tourist spot in the region.

One of the most prominent landmarks at Lake Ohrid that you should check out first thing in the morning is Samuel's Fortress, a beautiful towering medieval fortress Perched atop a hill overlooking the glistening waters of Lake Ohrid that have stood the test of time for centuries.

You can stroll around the fortress ground, check out the excavated sites as well as climb up to its walls and check out the incredible views of the city, the lake, and its mountainous surroundings. The views from the walls are quite a sight to behold.

I especially enjoy exploring the fortress in the morning when the weather is nice and cool, the lake is calm, and the fortress is not crowded. If you are looking for the best time to visit the fortress, make sure to drop by here in the morning.

To get to the fortress, there are several hiking trails you can take but I highly recommend you start from the Ohrid Boardwalk, a lakeside boardwalk that will take you from Ohrid's Old Town all the way to Samuel's Fortress along a lakeside path, through a forest, and up to the fortress on an incredibly picturesque trail.

The boardwalk starts from here and you will be walking along a trail made out of plank woods that hovers above the lake as it curved its way around the foot of a cliff, zigzagging its way up the cliffside.

Along the way, you will be able to admire the stunning views of the lake and experience it up close as well as get a chance to swim in its crystal clear water at Potpesh Beach, a small strip of pebble beach you can relax at, and Kaneo Beach with swimming platform and a restaurant.

Once you arrive at Kaneo Beach, you should find a path that goes up the cliff. It is a nice easy walk up along the lake and up the cliff that should take about 20 - 30 minutes to complete and at the top of the cliff, awaits the Church of Saint John the Theologian, one of the most iconic places at Lake Ohrid.

Built in the 13th century, this stunningly preserved medieval church is one of the most iconic landmarks at Lake Ohrid. It is the church that is often featured in postcards and North Macedonia's marketing material, boasting its distinctive Byzantine-style architecture and an incredible vantage point over the entire lake.

You can stroll around the church courtyard, admiring the beautiful view of the lake, or go inside the church and check out its famous Byzantine-era frescoes and intricate stone carvings, surrounded by beautiful interior decorations, and learn about the fascinating history of the church.

After you are done at the church, continue making your way towards Samuel's Fortress and you will stumble upon one of the most impressive structures here, the Church of Saints Clement and Panteleimon, a Byzantine church known for its incredible history, impressive architecture, and archeological sites the church was built on top of.

These archeological sites are believed to have been the site where the first students of the Glagolitic alphabet (used to translate the Bible into Old Church Slavonic) were taught in the First Bulgarian Empire. In the church courtyard, you will find remnants of old structures with stone foundations and several columns scattered across the courtyard.

After the church, you will finally arrive at Samuel's Fortress. Spend about an hour or 2 exploring the fortress and the surrounding areas before making your way down the hill from the other side. Along the way, be sure to stop by the Ancient Macedonian Theatre of Ohrid, a theatre that dated all the way back to 200 BC, making it one of the oldest structures you will find here.

Other notable attractions you should check out while you are at Lake Ohrid are Ohrid's Old Bazaar the main commercial hub of Ohrid with a cobblestone street lined with shops, restaurants, and cafes, the Church of Saint Sophia, a 9th Century church with beautiful cloister and courtyard, and Robev Family House, a popular museum housed in a beautiful 19th Century Ohrid traditional architecture.

Last but not least, if you are looking for the best sunset spots at Lake Ohrid, and you should since Lake Ohrid is one of the best places to witness the sunset in the country, you just can't beat the view of the lake and Ohrid's Old Town from the Old Swimming Court.

This old swimming court is a concrete harbor perched off from the lakeside boulevard that runs along the lake, offering an incredible view of Ohrid's Old Town and the surrounding area as if you are in the middle of the lake.

The sunset from here is quite a sight to behold with the sky turning vivid purple as the sun dips behind the mountains over the horizon. The crystal clear water of the lake also becomes steady and calm, creating a perfect reflection of the lake as it reflects the purple sky.

Before retreating for the night, you can go for a stroll along the lake, check out some of the local restaurants, and try some traditional dishes like Moussaka, a popular eggplant or potato-based dish with ground meat stuffing, which is pretty common in this region of the Balkans. I recommend Viva Ksantika, a small local restaurant located in the old town of Ohrid. Nice homely atmosphere with traditional homemade dishes at an affordable price. What more can you ask for in a restaurant?

And that completes our 5-day backpacking itinerary around North Macedonia. Congratulations! From Lake Ohrid, you can either continue your journey and visit Albania or make your way back to Skopje the same way before heading back home or continue to visit other countries like Kosovo or Bulgaria.

If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips.

Looking for a complete travel guide to Lake Ohrid?10 Best Things to Do in Lake Ohrid

When to Visit North Macedonia?

The best time to visit North Macedonia is between May to September when the weather is nice and warm, great for exploring all the beautiful sights around the country, and since North Macedonia doesn't get as many tourists as other countries in Europe, you don't have to worry about the crowds when you travel here during the peak season as you do in other places in Europe.

The price also doesn't get jacked up as much during this period unlike other places in Europe so if you want to maximize your chance of getting a nice clear day, perfect for outdoor activities, I highly recommend you stick to the recommended period.

How to Get to North Macedonia?

From the US, the most direct way is to fly into Skopje, the capital city of North Macedonia via Turkish Airlines, leaving from big cities like New York, which should take around 13 hours including the transiting time in Istanbul or travel to neighboring countries like Bulgaria, Greece, and Albania, as part of a bigger Balkans trip and catch the bus from there.

From Europe, there are several flights from countries like Germany and the Netherlands that offer direct routes to Skopje via low-cost airlines like WizzAir or you can get a transit flight anywhere in Europe and transit through these cities.

From Asia, you can also fly with European or Middle Eastern airlines like Austrian and Turkish Airlines from any big cities in the region and it should take you about 15 - 20 hours including transit time before you arrive in Skopje.

To find a cheap flight to North Macedonia, I would recommend you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule so you can compare and pick the best one.

How to Get Around North Macedonia?

By Buses: Buses are the cheapest way to get around North Macedonia. There are several buses running between big cities like Skopje and Lake Ohrid as well as to and from other neighboring countries like Bulgaria and Albania in case you are visiting North Macedonia as part of a bigger trip in the Balkans.

For this itinerary, we will be relying mostly on buses. If you are coming from neighboring countries like Albania to North Macedonia or vice versa, you can rely on Flixbus. For buses within North Macedonia, you can book the bus ticket online here.

By Tours: For more remote places, you might want to rely on tours to travel to places like Matka Canyon which we will be visiting as a day trip from Skopje. There are plenty of other day trips you can make in North Macedonia, so be sure to check available tours here.

By Rental Cars: You can also rent a car straight from Skopje Airport and drive around North Macedonia but for this itinerary, you won't need it. If you insist, hit the link below to rent a car in North Macedonia:

Rent a Car in North Macedonia

How Much Money Do I Need for 5 days in North Macedonia?

From this 5 days itinerary, we can calculate approximately how much money you will be spending here as follows:

Accommodation: For 5 nights in North Macedonia, you can expect to pay around 45 EUR for accommodation considering you are staying in budget guesthouses or hostels.

Food: For 5 days, 3 meals a day in North Macedonia, you can expect to pay around 60 EUR for food considering you eat out every day. It will be significantly cheaper if you buy your own groceries and cook yourself instead.

Transportation: For this itinerary, you can expect to pay around 16 EUR for bus travel between Skopje and Lake Ohrid. Double this if you plan to go back to Skopje at the end of the itinerary to fly back home.

Activities: Depending on how much you want to do in North Macedonia, you can expect to pay approximately 45 EUR for a day trip to Matka Canyon as well as entrance fees to tourist attractions around the country.

Total Budget for 5 days in North Macedonia: 166 EUR

Is it Safe in North Macedonia?

It is very safe in North Macedonia. I spent about a few days traveling around the country independently and I didn't experience anything out of the ordinary. People are quite friendly here and since the country doesn't get many tourists.

That said, there might be taxi drivers that might want to overcharge you hanging around Skopje Bus Station so be sure to avoid them. You can easily walk from the bus station to the city center in less than 30 minutes so no need to deal with these taxis.

Also, it is always a good idea to exercise precautions by not leaving your belongings unattended, especially when in crowded places, and ALWAYS keep an eye out for your belongings at all times. Keep your hands in your pockets when entering or exiting crowded places to secure your phone and wallet. Other than that, you should be perfectly fine traveling around North Macedonia independently.

Which tourist SIM card is best for North Macedonia?

There are 2 major carriers in North Macedonia, Telekom, and A1, that offer prepaid sim cards tourists can buy while they are traveling in North Macedonia. That said, if you are looking for a more convenient way, I highly recommend you look into getting esims instead which is something that you can buy prior to your arrival in Bosnia.

If you have a smartphone that supports esims, I highly recommend you take a look at these esims. They have a variety of data packages, price points, and durations for you to choose from.

The setup is fast and instant and you can buy it prior to your trip so you don't have to scramble your way to get one at the airport after a long flight. The data speed is also equivalent to what you get with a local sim card with 4G speed across the entire country.

Note: The regional Eurolink esim that you can use in multiple countries in Europe doesn't work in North Macedonia as the country isn't included in the package, so you will have to buy one separately.

Be sure to do that before you arrive in the country as it requires Internet and you will not have it once you arrive in North Macedonia until you get access to your hotel's WIFI.

For more information on esims in North Macedonia, click here: Check North Macedonia's Available eSim.

What to Pack for North Macedonia?

As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to North Macedonia:

• Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
• Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
• Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
• Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
• Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
• Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
• Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
• Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
• Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
• Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
• Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
• Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
• Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.

For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.

Further Reading for North Macedonia

• For a complete itinerary to the Balkans, check out: 2 Months Backpacking Balkans Itinerary.
• Want to know why Skopje, the capital city of North Macedonia, is known as the city of statues? You have to be there to see for yourself! For a complete travel guide, check out this article: 12 Best Things to Do in Skopje.
• Looking for a nice relaxing lakeside town in North Macedonia? You can't go wrong with Lake Ohrid! Here are the 10 Best Things to Do at Lake Ohrid.
• Not convinced by my words? Here are 125 photos that will inspire you to visit Europe.
• To see all the articles about North Macedonia, visit the North Macedonia Travel Guide page.
• Traveling in Europe can be cheap, really cheap. These are the 12 Cheap European Countries to Visit.
• Looking for more travel guides for Europe? You can find more on my Europe Travel Guide page.
• Or if you want something more specific to the region, visit our Balkans Travel Guide, Eastern Europe Travel Guide, Western Europe Travel Guide, Southern Europe Travel Guide, or Central Europe Travel Guide pages.
• For more of my travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.