Comments on: Why Travel to Macedonia? The Macedonian Question

By: George Angyan

George Angyan — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:34:04 +0000

Well,I stayed in Macedonia for 3 years and all I can say it is a great and amazing
place to visit. Friendly people,really delicious food and very tasty wines!
The enviroment is tremendous as well! You will love it if you are not snobbish.

By: Susanne and Nicky from hidden europe

Susanne and Nicky from hidden europe — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:39:42 +0000

Great to hear that you are bound for Macedonia. You’ll find it hugely interesting. Bus services are the best option for travel between main centres. Trains are limited, but there are useful rail links from Skopje to Prilerp, Bitola, Kocani and Kicevo. For Tetovo, although there are thrice-daily trains from Skopje, bus is the best option. Prices for journeys by train and bus are very cheap. Unless we totally missed it, we don’t think there is a bus from Skopje Airport into the capital. Bizarre! So you’d need to take a taxi for that short hop.

Food is excellent and really great value. Superb salads which cost next-to-nothing (often eaten as a starter by Macedonians, but really a meal in itself). Hotels are patchy and we found prices surprisingly high, particularly where the hotels had given themselves star ratings which they really did not deserve. Too many hotels charging €70 to €80 for a room that in other Balkan countries (or for matter also in Poland, Slovakia or even more rural parts of Germany) might cost only €40 to €50.

Plenty of pensions (private rooms), some of which can be superb value. One on the shores of Lake Ohrid that elicit great reports from folk we met offered lakeview rooms for just €15.

No doubt as independent travellers start to arrive, the hotels will sharpen up their act and use dynamic pricing to attract discerning travellers. At the moment, lots and lots of hotel rooms that just remain empty for most of the year.

By: Tim Forster

Tim Forster — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:29:49 +0000

Brilliant, a few friends and I are convinced. We’re heading to Skopje in July on a direct flight from London Luton. We want to travel independently, just to get the feel of the place. Can anyone advise about train services? And any thoughts on hotel prices and meals? Guess we’d be looking for mid-range pensions / hotels and ditto for restaurants.

By: many questions, one macdonia

many questions, one macdonia — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:17:23 +0000

We found this article by chance, and it pleases us greatly. Our country does not feature so often in the media, and it is good to see such a nice review. Yes, there are many questions we Macedonians must answer as we try to attract visitors. We are less 100% Orthodox than sometimes we pretend. And we are, as the article says, quite varied with many Muslims. Many questions, true, about our cultures, our tolerance (or not) but only one Macedonia.

By: Timeless Drifter

Timeless Drifter — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:26:32 +0000

Question answered! In addition, any place not attractive to mobs of tourists carries its own appeal. But, maybe that’s just me.