10 days in Skopje & Ohrid Itinerary

A melting pot of cultures from Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Yugoslavian rule, Skopje serves as the nation's eclectic capital.

Popular historic sites such as Old Bazaar, Skopje and Macedonia Square are in your itinerary. Escape the urban bustle at Lake Matka and Mountain of Vodno. Change things up with these side-trips from Skopje: Tikves Winery (in Kavadarci) and Mavrovo Lake (in Mavrovo). There's still lots to do: pause for some serene contemplation at Church of St. Panteleimon, don't miss a visit to Museum City of Skopje, contemplate the long history of Kale, and take in the history at Memorial House of Mother Teresa.

To find photos, reviews, more things to do, and more tourist information, you can read our Skopje day trip planning tool.

Istanbul, Turkey to Skopje is an approximately 5.5-hour flight. You can also drive; or take a bus. You'll gain 2 hours traveling from Istanbul to Skopje due to the time zone difference. When traveling from Istanbul in September, plan for somewhat warmer days and little chillier nights in Skopje: temperatures range from 30°C by day to 14°C at night. Finish your sightseeing early on the 12th (Mon) to allow enough time to drive to Ohrid.

Located on Lake Ohrid, the town of Ohrid earned the nickname Jerusalem of the Balkans because it was once home to 365 churches.

Your inner history buff will appreciate Monastery Saint Naum and Saint Climent of Ohrid. Do some cultural sightseeing at Lake Ohrid and Plaoshnik. Explore the numerous day-trip ideas around Ohrid: Bitola (Clock Tower & Heraclea Lyncestis). Spend the 16th (Fri) exploring nature at National Park Galicica. Next up on the itinerary: fly like a bird with a parasailing or paragliding tour, contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Saint Sophia, take an in-depth tour of Bay of the Bones Museum, and examine the collection at National Workshop For Handmade Paper.

Plan trip to Ohrid with our itinerary maker to find out where to go and what to do.

You can drive from Skopje to Ohrid in 3 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus; or do a combination of train and bus. In September, plan for daily highs up to 28°C, and evening lows to 13°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 17th (Sat) to allow time to travel back home.