North Macedonia Selfdrive Tour Program

Day 1 Arrival Skopje

After arriving at the airport, a guide will wait for you and help you take delivery of your rental car. You will then drive yourself into Skopje, the capital of northern Macedonia and your base of operations for the next two days.

Earthquake-ravaged Skopje is the country's largest city and borders Kosovo and the Vardar River. It consists of an old and a new part of the city, and in between is an old bridge that connects the two parts: the Stone Bridge called Kameni Most. In the old, Muslim part you will find a cozy, old Ottoman bazaar called baršija that is definitely worth a visit. In the new part of town you will find the famous fortress Tvrdina Kale.
The new town has been completely refurbished in recent years with pompous buildings and giant statues, many of Alexander the Great.

Day 2 Skopje / Matka canyon

Just a short drive from Skopje is Matka Canyon, one of the most beautiful gorges in the area. The clear, blue-green water flows through the river and the impressive, high cliffs are alternately bare and dense.

You can explore the gorge on foot or by boat. There is a hiking trail running up the cliffs, and from the trail you will have great views of the gorge and the crystal clear water. In our opinion, the best way to experience the gorge is by boat. Moreover, a boat trip through the Matka Canyon will also take you to the Vrelo Caves, which are considered the deepest caves in the world.

Enthusiasts can also rent a canoe to paddle through the gorge. Swimming is also possible at the beginning of the gorge.

Day 3 Skopje - Janche via Tetovo and Mavrovo

Today you drive further towards the southwest. In Tetovo, don't miss the 15th century mosque of Sarena Dzamija. Beautifully painted both inside and out, the mosque is one of the most beautiful mosques in Macedonia. Because the mosque was designed by two sisters, it has a striking design with many floral patterns on the inside and outside of the walls.

Next, you drive on to the Mavrovo National Park where you can enjoy the lush scenery such as Lake Mavrovo and the Radika Gorge. One of the highlights is a visit to the monastery of St. Jovan Bigorski, located high at the top of the gorge.
This is one of the most important monasteries in the country and decorated inside with medieval frescoes.
At the waterfall of Duf you can take a nice walk of about twenty minutes. You will then arrive at the beautifully situated small village of Janche where you can have a nice meal in the village restaurant. The mountain village of Janche still houses a number of characteristic, traditional houses.

Day 4 Janche - Ohrid via Vevcani

After breakfast, you will leave picturesque Janche and drive on to the village of Vevcani at the foot of Jablanica Mountain and on the border with Albania. This village is especially famous for the costume festival that takes place here annually at New Year according to the ancient Orthodox calendar. You can take a scenic tour of the village and walk through a wooden pass to the beautiful Vevcani water spring.

In the surroundings of Vevcani you will find numerous churches, chapels and monasteries and it is a wonderful region to tour around at your own pace in your rental car.

You end the day today in Ohrid. The city of Ohrid sits high on the shore of Lake Ohrid and it is one of the oldest European settlements. The historic city center is characterized by colorful architecture, centuries-old houses and monuments and numerous churches and monasteries, and it is no surprise that the city has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Lake Ohrid to the southwest of the city is surrounded by green mountains and impressive cliffs. This sublime combination of historical heritage and fantastic natural scenery makes a visit to this region the highlight of a tour of northern Macedonia, according to many.

Day 5 Ohrid

Today you have whole day to explore Ohrid and its surroundings. You can visit the Monastery of Saint Naum, set amidst lush greenery and built in the 10th century AD. It is an oasis of tranquility on the border between Albania and Macedonia. Also be sure to make a photo stop at the Bay of Bones Museum, a reconstruction of a prehistoric pole village that must have once been located here.
Near the Monastery of Saint Naum is also a pleasant beach and this is a wonderful place to take a splash in the lake.

Also worth visiting is the small village of Trpejca, an authentic fishing village by the water. Here you can take a refreshing dip in the lake and also have a delicious lunch.

Day 6 Ohrid- Popva Kula via Lake Prespa and Bitola

From Ohrid you continue south toward Stenje, where you can take a scenic boat ride on Lake Prespa. This is Macedonia's second largest lake and it is located on the border of Macedonia, Albania and Greece.

Discover Golem Grad, a jewel of a place hidden in Lake Prespa. Golem Grad is also called “Pelican Island,” and in addition to - indeed - pelicans, you will also find cormorants, sand eagles, turtles, dice snakes and, with a little luck, you will see a golden eagle flying. Ruins, countless bird species and an otherworldly beauty make Golem Grad a place you absolutely must have seen.

After the boat ride, you return to Stenje where you can enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Then you continue to Bitola, a large Mediterranean-style city with churches, mosques, an old Ottoman bazaar and beautiful neoclassical houses.

From Bitola you will drive further to the vineyard Popova Kula where you will learn about Macedonian wine culture and where you will have a great panoramic view of the region.

In this vineyard you can have a delicious dinner and of course this is accompanied by a tasting of various local wines. you will spend the night in Popova Kula, so you can leave the car here!

Day 7 Popova Kula - Skopje via Kratovo

You continue your round trip back north and on the way to Skopje you will make a stop in northern Kratovo. One of the best preserved medieval towns in northern Macedonia, Kratovo is known for its Ottoman bridges, medieval towers and 19th-century houses. It is a charming, small village in the western hills of the Osogovo Mountains, perched high on an extinct volcanic crater.

In Kratovo you can take a stroll through the village, have a nice lunch and then drive back to Skopje.