Car rental at
Skopje/Hotel Aleksandar Palace

You have to visit the Old Bazaar neighbourhood of Skopje, known as Carsija, which has been occupied for almost three thousand years, and has been an important center for trade for the past thousand years! Most of the people currently living in this neighourhood are ethnic Albanians, so there is a multicultural influence. Inside the bazaar there are a number of different sights that are of interest to tourists: shop for their daily needs, dine at one of the myriad restaurants and chat with the locals on the narrow, pedestrian cobblestone streets. Also do not miss the Stone Bridge (Kameni Most) which connects the old Turkish/Muslim part in the north of Skopje via Makedonija Square with the new center of Skopje, south of the river Vardar. Some say there has been a bridge since the 6th century, however, the present Stone Bridge dates back to the 15th century, built under the orders of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II the Conquerer. Pay a visit to the Matka gorge and lake, because not only the gorge and lake themselves, with the monastery, but also the journey there and the peaceful village communities (of Moslems and Christians living together) are worth the experience. There's a project especially dealing with vulture-conservation and you can also hire a boat for a trip in the lake. If you like hiking, walk up the the Millenium Cross, one of the newest symbols of Skopje, placed on the highest point on Vodno mountain. This Cross was built in 2002 by the Macedonian Orthodox Church in order to celebrate 2000 years of Christianity in the World and on Macedonian soil.