Skopje Day Tour from Sofia: Discover Macedonian Culture and History

Immerse yourself in Macedonian culture and history on a day tour from Sofia to Skopje. Explore landmarks, enjoy the company of professional guides, and discover the unique blend of Ottoman and neo-classical architecture in this vibrant Balkan capital.

Duration: 12 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Old Bazaar, Skopje - Our day tour to Skopje will start with pick up from your hotel/accommodation in Sofia at 08:00 am. After approximately 4 hours of drive, we will reach Skopje. During the long drive, you will learn the Bulgarian point of view regarding the history of the region. Then you will have two hours guided tour of the city made by a local Macedonian guide. You will have the chance to hear the stories about Yugoslavia and the modern way of life in the country from a native, which will make your experience much more fulfilled. In addition, you will compare the two historical interpretations and make your own conclusions. The highlights you will visit are the Old fortress, Sultan Murat Mosques, and the Old Bazaar, where we will have the chance to see Caravanserais (inns) from the Ottoman period when Skopje was one of the main trade centers on the Balkans.

  • Skopje Fortress Kale - Historical fortress located at the highest point in Skopje from where you will have the chance to admire the stunning view of the city.

  • Sultan Murad Mosque - A mosque from the Ottoman-era, built during the 15th century. It is a masterpiece of the architectural achievements of the early Ottoman empire.

  • The Stone Bridge - We will cross the Vardar River by the Stone bridge, the only preserved bridge from the Middle ages and start our exploration of the new part of the city.

  • Macedonia Square - We will visit the new neo-classical square Macedonia. There we will admire the biggest statue of Alexander the Great and his father Phillip II. You will stop and learn the history of the ancient Macedonians and the adventures of their rulers.

  • Memorial House of Mother Teresa - We will continue to Mother Teresa memorial house. She is the most famous person born in Skopje. Her work and contribution to the world deserve huge respect. In the house museum, you will learn about her story and will track her life by the big photography collection. The walking part of the tour will finish at the Gate Macedonia (newly built triumphal arch).
    After the walking tour, you will have 2 hours of free time during which you will have the chance to have a lunch and taste the traditional Macedonian cuisine. The tour will end with drop off at your hotel in Sofia

What's Included
  • Pick-up and drop-off service included
  • Air-conditioned transportation
  • Guidance by English-speaking local Macedonian guide
  • Guidance by English-speaking local Bulgarian guide
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Embracing the varied culture of the Balkans can be challenging, particularly when time constraints limit your travels. Delve into the unique culture of Macedonia by joining a day tour departing from Sofia, thereby ticking off another capital of the Balkans in 24 hours. Engage with two expert guides - one from Bulgaria and one native Macedonian - throughout your journey. Ease into the trip in the comfort of a modern vehicle and uncover key sites such as the Skopje Fortress, the Memorial House of Mother Teresa, and the Old Bazaar, with your guides offering fascinating commentary. Venture into one of the Balkan Peninsula’s most eccentric cities on this one-day excursion. Skopje is characterized by its distinctive blend of original Ottoman-era monuments and more recent neo-classical designs adorned with columns and rooftop sculptures of nymphs. Following the city renovation as part of the “Skopje 2014” project, Skopje has been emerged as one of Eastern Europe’s hotspots.

  • Please bring your passport with you and check if you need a visa due to border crossing
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
Location
Old Bazaar, Skopje
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(302 Ratings)
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Jinee_m
Jul 22, 2024
Great Day Trip! - I highly recommend this tour for anyone wanting to maximize their time in the Balkans by spending a day in North Macedonia while on holiday in Bulgaria. Skopje is a lovely city and worth a visit. The guide/driver was very accommodating and the trip was well organized. The guide in Skopje was very knowledgeable and did a great job of moving the tour along to avoid having our group standing in the hot sun too long. Overall, I highly recommend this experience!
Review provided by Viator
Eugene
Jul 20, 2024
Best tour - Best tour. Tetho made our tour worth the trip. Highly recommended tour guide. Great job. We enjoyed our trip in Skopje. Thank you
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brenda_y
Jul 9, 2024
An excellent day trip to a fascinating city - Skopje has many points of interest and our guide was excellent in showing us the sights. She was also very knowledgeable and helped us appreciate the history of this part of the world.
Review provided by Viator
Evelyn_g
Jul 6, 2024
A wow place - Antonio is our guide. He is very knowledgeable. He explained every details of the monasteries. 2 hours to Rila and Antonio guided us in the monastery for 1.5 hrs then went with him to the cave. 1.5 hrs free to roam in Rila Monastery to visit museums. Last stop at the Boyana church. More power to Antonio and the tour operator.
Review provided by Viator
Gerald_p
Jul 6, 2024
Great day in Macedonia - Thoroughly enjoyable day. The monuments, the bazaar, and the new museum of Jewish history in Macedonia and the Balkans. 4 hours was the right amount of time with the guide and then time on our own.
Review provided by Viator
Goec2023
Jul 6, 2024
Long but worthwhile trip - Scenic views on the way. Dimo was a great guide and driver. Long drive straight to Skopje and two hours walking tour with guide and two hours free time. Skopje is very nice and walkable city.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nahum_w
Jul 3, 2024
Fun day trip to a historically fascinating city with a great guide. - Fantastic day trip to the historically fascinating city of Skopje. Our Bulgarian guide Dimo was a lovely dude. Very friendly, engaging, humorous and kind. He was always checking on everyone and he made the car ride fun. Border control went smoothly, and I had a great time at Skopje (our local guide there was knowledgeable and we had 2 hours to explore by ourselves). Highly recommend. Cool way to see a new city/country while in Sofia.
Review provided by Viator
Marc_p
Jul 2, 2024
Great experience - Great experience. Thanks to Lora for the driving and the explanations during the journey, and thanks to Dejam for the guided tour in Skopje. We had 2h guided tour in Skopje and 2h of free time. It is a long but delightful day.
Review provided by Viator
Abel_h
Jul 12, 2024
A tour guide taking you at a fast fast fast fast fast speed !!!!!! - What I will always remember is the guide taking us along the tour at a speed that you could hardly keep up, so the chances to take pics along the tour were hard to get. The tour description should include "you will be 4 hours at Skopje, with 2 hours with a guide that will keep moving AT A FAST PACE, and the extra 2 hours you will be left on your own. I would recommend the company that the tour will the guide should be 3 hours, or at least 2.5 hours, with the guy moving at a speed that you can enjoy what you are looking at. The tour guide said that the Mother Teresa place should take you only 5 minutes, and yes, he kept pushing people to move fast out of the place in 5 minutes !
Review provided by Viator
Arjun_r
Jul 1, 2024
Long day but enough time to see Skopje - It’s a long long day in the car. At least 8 hrs and then 4 hrs in Skopje. Plusses: 1. Safe drive 2. Knowledgeable guide in Skopje 3. Lots of lunch options in Skopje Minuses: 1. Not much info from the driver/ guide on history 2. Too expensive compared to other tours in the Balkan (other countries) for just 4 hrs of sightseeing which includes an hour lunch.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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