There are few places where life and art become one, where the artist doesn’t know where the canvas ends and where the streets begin. And yet, despite its deeply impressionistic flair, so few have heard of this small city in the heart of the Balkan peninsula, making Skopje potentially one of Europe’s most underrated cities – and criminally at that!
But as if someone had painted over a city with a surrealist, Neo-classical watercolor, the capital of North Macedonia imbues a sense of awe and disbelief, with every picturesque façade, building, and statue. And boy are there a lot of statues – probably more per capita then any place in the world!
So what exactly makes Skopje one of the best kept secrets on the European continent? There are truly too many reasons to name, but here is just a taste of what North Macedonia’s capital city has to offer!
#1: Incredibly Quirky Architecture
There are very few places on Earth in the modern era where one can walk around a city center, and be instantly transported back to the times of the Ancient Romans and Greeks, albeit fused seamlessly together with waves of polished steel and reflective glass, before being stared right in the face by a truly unbelievable amount of statues, at every turn.
And yes, though the many beautifully constructed buildings in Skopje’s main core may have been built as recently as ten years ago in some parts, the overall design ultimately still manages to come off as far more tasteful then kitschy – Caesar’s Forum in Las Vegas this is not – although if you do like to gamble, never fear, for Skopje has plenty of new casinos and betting parlors as well!
In fact, part of what inspired this massive rebuild of Skopje was its infamous 1963 earthquake, which in some estimates destroyed up to 80% of the entire city. Though some might argue that state funding could have been spent on different, more practical infrastructure projects throughout the country which only gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, there can be no denying the spectacular, bordering on absurd, architecture that pervades every corner of one of Europe’s most underrated cities.
#2: Unbelievably Great Food
Another thing you’ll notice every block or two is the vast amount of diverse, incredible cuisine offerings, and all of them are amazingly good! In fact, I’d argue that North Macedonia might just have the best food in the entire Balkan region, hands-down, and Skopje is at the center of this culinary revolution taking place in this former foothold of the Yugoslav peninsula.
From the incredibly mouth-watering grilled Turkish and Albanian meats that would have you believe you were right in the heart of Istanbul or Tirana, to the unbelievably great international flavor at the capital city’s Greek, Mexican, and even American restaurants, you can and will find whatever your heart and stomach desires (they even have a Breaking Bad theme restaurant – it’s tight, tight, tight!). Oh, and of course if you want the local Balkan fare of borek, pljeskavica and cevapi, it’s all here too – and unforgettably satisfying.
#3: Right in the heart of Nature
Perhaps even more satisfying is being able to walk outside almost anywhere in the city to catch a glimpse of the incredible hills and mountains that surround the Skopje skyline. Perhaps the most noticeable being Mt. Vodno, the highest peak in the city making itself known with it’s imposing illuminated cross on its summit – it’s even larger than Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro!
However, being surrounded by mountains, and bisected by the pleasantly peaceful Vardar River only offers a taste of the natural sights that Skopje has to offer, as only half hour away lies the majestic Matka Canyon, which has often been compared to the Grand Canyon in the United States. With its plethora of camping, kayaking, and hiking possibilities, it wouldn’t be out of question to believe that Skopje might just be an adventure-seekers paradise, but such is its place as one of Europe’s most underrated cities.
#4: Great Diversity of Culture
Ultimately, what brings it all together in this city nestled in the mountain valley’s of this tiny corner of the Balkans is its truly vivacious and diverse culture, bursting out everywhere you can look. Having been both the conqueror and the conquered over several millennia, the very fabric of daily life here in Skopje has been affected in every single way by the succession of Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, Bulgars, and Serbs, to only name a few.
This kind of cultural cacophony can be felt everywhere in the city, though not least of all in Skopje’s Old Bazaar, where in one instant you could be talking to friendly Albanian shopkeepers, snacking on some Greek baklava, while hearing the ethereal call to prayer from one of the local mosques, only to walk not ten minutes away to be awash in some of the last surviving ex-Yugoslav brutalist styled buildings. The mutli-ethnic fabric of this city is truly and neatly woven, and always leaves me awash in delight, begging for ever more.
Destination: Skopje, easily one of Europe’s Most Underrated Cities!
Many empires have come and gone, but the one built long ago by Alexander the Great himself still echos outwards today in what some might still assume is only a tiny, unassuming little remnant of a once proud nation. However, the doubters would be mistaken – for I’d argue anywhere, anytime that despite the years of subjugation, hardship, and pain that the people of North Macedonia might have experienced over the course of their history, the hope of a better future remains deeply alive in the souls of this proud, warm people today.
Indeed, it just might be that the soul of this nation’s citizens is what really puts Skopje on the map as one of the most complex, interesting, and beautiful cities in the Balkans, as well as easily one of Europe’s most underrated cities by far.