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Skopje recommendations?


Bundy

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Going to the Supercup in August and looking for some tips.

Flying from Glasgow to Sofia, so need to organise transport to Skopje, and digs there.

Any help would be appreciated

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Favourites of mine in Sofia were the Happy Bar & Grill and a cheap wee back street bar called the Up and Down.

In Skopje, go across the Old Stone Bridge to the Old Bazaar area for food & drink.

We drove from Sofia to Skopje (mainly so we could also visit Ohrid), and it was an adventure in itself.   The hire company provided the right border papers & insurance for Macedonia.   I needed an international driving permit, but don't see them on the country list any more.

August there will be a furnace.

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6 hours ago, Grim Jim said:

Favourites of mine in Sofia were the Happy Bar & Grill and a cheap wee back street bar called the Up and Down.

In Skopje, go across the Old Stone Bridge to the Old Bazaar area for food & drink.

We drove from Sofia to Skopje (mainly so we could also visit Ohrid), and it was an adventure in itself.   The hire company provided the right border papers & insurance for Macedonia.   I needed an international driving permit, but don't see them on the country list any more.

August there will be a furnace.

Cheers Jim, won't get much time in Sofia as I'm getting the bus to Skopje (I hope) first thing in the morning after a late arrival. 

Fully expecting it to be crazy hot, will need plenty fluid intake. Any watering holes in the Old Bazaar area that stood out? 

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Can't remember any names Bundy, but the restaurant/bar owners were tremendously friendly and keen to explain the food.   Kinda low-budget (except the wine bar... where we got told off for asking about beer after a hot climb there :lol: ).   Tables under trees & canopies in some small, rustic squares were nice.   The posher bars are on the other side of the river, where they had different prices for locals vs tourists.

The bazaar seems mostly Muslim, so some places are strictly soft drink, but you'll be glad of that in the afternoon perhaps :P

Any, it's been a while, and the place was changing fast (building site), so explore and enjoy.   We loved it.

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I preferred Skopje in 2008 as I felt in 2013 it had gone a bit to Las Vages-ish with all the new buildings which are suppose to replicate the city before the earthquake in the 1950's and the over the top statues (locals seemed very unhappy that money was being pumped into these stupid projects rather than where it was really needed), but still a really nice place and somewhere I would like to return to one day.

Hotels, first time I stayed in Hotel Square (naturally, was on the main square) and second time in Hotel Anja..... out the two I slightly preferred Anja, but as you are going in August I will assume its for the Super Cup Final? In which case, this hotel is located right on the main drinking area of the city along side the river (effectively a row of 10-15 bars, cafe's and restaurants along side the river (watch yourself here as the staff in some of these bars can be quick to fleece you for your cash when the time comes to pay for your drinks) but at night can be very rowdy (saying that, Hotel Square is just around the corner).

I preferred the old town a lot more, and while people will tell you it is unsafe, I never felt that once (can not recall name, but there was a cracking outside bar that everyone gathered there at the last game).

Good place to eat is Kaj Marsalot.... little back street restaurant that does brilliant food roughly half way between the main square and the stadium.

Doing the cable car up to the Millennium Cross and a hike up Lake Makta is also a must do :ok:

Edited by wanderer
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54 minutes ago, wanderer said:

I preferred Skopje in 2008 as I felt in 2013 it had gone a bit to Las Vages-ish with all the new buildings which are suppose to replicate the city before the earthquake in the 1950's and the over the top statues (locals seemed very unhappy that money was being pumped into these stupid projects rather than where it was really needed), but still a really nice place and somewhere I would like to return to one day.

Hotels, first time I stayed in Hotel Square (naturally, was on the main square) and second time in Hotel Anja..... out the two I slightly preferred Anja, but as you are going in August I will assume its for the Super Cup Final? In which case, this hotel is located right on the main drinking area of the city along side the river (effectively a row of 10-15 bars, cafe's and restaurants along side the river (watch yourself here as the staff in some of these bars can be quick to fleece you for your cash when the time comes to pay for your drinks) but at night can be very rowdy (saying that, Hotel Square is just around the corner).

I preferred the old town a lot more, and while people will tell you it is unsafe, I never felt that once (can not recall name, but there was a cracking outside bar that everyone gathered there at the last game).

Good place to eat is Kaj Marsalot.... little back street restaurant that does brilliant food roughly half way between the main square and the stadium.

Doing the cable car up to the Millennium Cross and a hike up Lake Makta is also a must do :ok:

look out for poisonous snakes - I kid you not nearly stumbled across one on the path - scared the crap out of me as we were an hour from civilisation

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12 hours ago, wanderer said:

I preferred Skopje in 2008 as I felt in 2013 it had gone a bit to Las Vages-ish with all the new buildings which are suppose to replicate the city before the earthquake in the 1950's and the over the top statues (locals seemed very unhappy that money was being pumped into these stupid projects rather than where it was really needed), but still a really nice place and somewhere I would like to return to one day.

Hotels, first time I stayed in Hotel Square (naturally, was on the main square) and second time in Hotel Anja..... out the two I slightly preferred Anja, but as you are going in August I will assume its for the Super Cup Final? In which case, this hotel is located right on the main drinking area of the city along side the river (effectively a row of 10-15 bars, cafe's and restaurants along side the river (watch yourself here as the staff in some of these bars can be quick to fleece you for your cash when the time comes to pay for your drinks) but at night can be very rowdy (saying that, Hotel Square is just around the corner).

I preferred the old town a lot more, and while people will tell you it is unsafe, I never felt that once (can not recall name, but there was a cracking outside bar that everyone gathered there at the last game).

Good place to eat is Kaj Marsalot.... little back street restaurant that does brilliant food roughly half way between the main square and the stadium.

Doing the cable car up to the Millennium Cross and a hike up Lake Makta is also a must do :ok:

Cheers Wanderer, I'll be sure to check those out. :ok:

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On 6/4/2017 at 0:01 PM, Grim Jim said:

Favourites of mine in Sofia were the Happy Bar & Grill and a cheap wee back street bar called the Up and Down.

In Skopje, go across the Old Stone Bridge to the Old Bazaar area for food & drink.

We drove from Sofia to Skopje (mainly so we could also visit Ohrid), and it was an adventure in itself.   The hire company provided the right border papers & insurance for Macedonia.   I needed an international driving permit, but don't see them on the country list any more.

August there will be a furnace.

Going to Ohrid fairly shortly. How did you find it? 

The weather there just now is causing me anxiety!! (very thundery and stormy)

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6 hours ago, scot scotland scottish said:

Going to Ohrid fairly shortly. How did you find it? 

The weather there just now is causing me anxiety!! (very thundery and stormy)

Loved Ohrid.   A smallish town, and is the touristy bit of Macedonia.   Lots of small bars/restaurants, with probably something for all tastes.   The hill around the fortress is testing in the heat, but a nice view.

Had some fun in a storm there ourselves.   Sitting in an open restaurant perched over the lake, we could see it coming in across the water.  Soon the waves were coming up through the floor while the rain fell in the beer.

There'll be live folk music playing in some restaurants.   There were some restaurants up the hill around a church (St Sophia?) which were quite romantic at night.   The tiny St Jovan Kaneo church is very picturesque in the sun.

Macedonian bevvy is Rakija (as an aperitif or digestive :P) and beer is usually Skopsko.   Instead of butter, try ajvar (red pepper spread) on yer bread.

Night life, I dunno.   Usually knackered and gone to bed early.

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15 hours ago, Grim Jim said:

Loved Ohrid.   A smallish town, and is the touristy bit of Macedonia.   Lots of small bars/restaurants, with probably something for all tastes.   The hill around the fortress is testing in the heat, but a nice view.

Had some fun in a storm there ourselves.   Sitting in an open restaurant perched over the lake, we could see it coming in across the water.  Soon the waves were coming up through the floor while the rain fell in the beer.

There'll be live folk music playing in some restaurants.   There were some restaurants up the hill around a church (St Sophia?) which were quite romantic at night.   The tiny St Jovan Kaneo church is very picturesque in the sun.

Macedonian bevvy is Rakija (as an aperitif or digestive :P) and beer is usually Skopsko.   Instead of butter, try ajvar (red pepper spread) on yer bread.

Night life, I dunno.   Usually knackered and gone to bed early.

Excellent - cheers for that. I'm looking forward to it a lot

Night life will be of no concern of mine - I'm too old for that! And going with the wife and our wee 2 year old in anycase.

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