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
(311 Ratings)
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Nc-trex
Sep 25, 2024
Long Day but worth it! - Very pleasant surprise to get to see Skopje. However trip took 13-14 hours. Very exhausting day so be prepared! A real border crossing experience between Bulgaria and Macedonia.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wil_m
Sep 21, 2024
Convenient Way to See Skopje - We decided that a day trip to Skopje would be the best way to experience the city without going through the ordeal of finding accommodations and exchanging currency. Car hire seemed too complicated with a border crossing, so we opted for the trip. It was a good decision for us. Four hours in a van each way can be a long time, but fortunately the van was comfortable and we found our driving guide Yoan to be knowledgeable and interesting to talk to. He explained a great deal to us about Bulgaria as we had several great conversations. The handoff to our Skopje guide was easy. She did a good job as well. Overall the tour was excellent. Finally, do keep in mind that this tour is a FULL day.
Review provided by Viator
Arianameg924
Sep 20, 2024
Amazing experience - Highly recommend this (all) day trip from Sofia. We had Kiko as our driver and he was 10 star, awesome. He stopped along the 4 hr ride and gave us some nice guidance and insight. He was generous as well, bought some pastry for my husband when he mentioned he wondered what it was like. He dropped us off in Skopje and we had a woman guide. She was nice. Skopje is quite interesting; most statues in the world and a interesting religious climate there. I had no idea Mother Teresa was born there. This part of the tour was 2 hrs and then we had some free time to eat. The ride home was another 4 hrs. Despite the length of the day, it is totally worth it; who wouldn’t want to visit a new capital city ?!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ariana_c
Sep 16, 2024
Worth the visit - We went on this tour yesterday and it was amazing! Kiko (hope I’m spelling that correctly) was our driver and Bulgarian guide and we could not have asked for someone better. He made the tour special. The experience in Skopje was unique; the city is worth seeing. The tour guide there was great also. It’s a very long day but we had stops along the way and would recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Mike_k
Sep 14, 2024
Excellent and detailed. - Great overall trip. We had 2 guides. One from Sofia to Skopje, and a second who covered everything in Skopje. Very detailed information about the history of both Bulgaria and Macedonia.
Review provided by Viator
Alfia_l
Sep 13, 2024
Was interesting to see... - Was interesting to see city and visiting bazaar was fun experience . Our tour guide Lena showed us the city. Feels she loves Skopje and knows it history
Review provided by Viator
Jahanarac1982
Sep 12, 2024
A little taste of Macedonia - This is a long day trip please note, as it is 4hrs drive there, 4hrs in Skopje and 4hrs drive back. We had breaks in between the drives which was great. Our Bulgarian driver/guide and our Macedonian representative were both very lovely and friendly people. If you have never been Skopje, it's definitely worth going to have a little taste and glad this trip wasn't too long. The old bazaar area is very interesting and if we did have more time would have been nice to walk around there a little further. The 2hrs free time we had (after 2hrs walking tour) was nice to have, to relax/have lunch/have a drink. I have heard other places in Macedonia are much better to visit but definitely worth going on this trip if you want a little taste of Macedonia.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rian
Sep 11, 2024
Left a sour taste but was a valuable experience - Our Bulgarian driver was faultless throughout the trip, very funny and talked to us about the history of the region. The drive is roughly 4hrs there and back so his commentary and jokes made the time fly. He even made a stop to get us umbrellas because it was raining which he didn’t have to do. A lovely guy. When we got dropped off in Skopje we met the Macedonian guide, he was unfortunately probably our least favourite part of the tour, he quietly talked to us about where to find “a good time” in the city and gave us his contact card for more information. Once we had finished the Skopje part of the tour, he took us to a restaurant which seemed to show a commission based agreement to bring tourists past for the business. We had 2 hours of free time which we enjoyed and went for lunch at the London Inn off the centre. Would recommend visiting. Good food and drinks. Then it was time to get back with our Bulgarian guide in the van for our trip back to Sofia. Again an absolutely flawless experience. He was the highlight of our trip. I have given this 5 stars for the Bulgarian driver and for our visit of Skopje. However the Macedonian guide experience did put a sour taste on the whole trip. I would recommend going on this tour as it was a valuable experience to learn about the country of North Macedonia.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Npk92
Sep 7, 2024
Wonderful tour to Skopje from Sofia! Well worth it. - I wanted to visit Skopje and North Macedonia but without having to pay for a whole new air fare and hotel to do it. I found this Skopje day tour from Sofia and I’m glad I booked it, it was the perfect way for me to see this new destination. A big thanks to our tour guides Dimo and Lena for delivering this memorable experience that introduced us to Skopje and North Macedonia, because of them we had an amazing day! Dimo picked me up from my hotel at 8 am, introduced me to our group at and drove us about 3 and a half hours to Skopje arriving at around 11 am, we gained an hour due to the time difference. We stayed in Skopje for 4 hours, doing a guided walking tour with our wonderful tour guide Lena for 2 hours and then taking 2 hours of free time to do whatever we liked in the city. There was much to see in Skopje and I took lots of great pictures and videos, I loved my time there! At 3 pm Skopje time we met back with Dimo and he drove us back to Sofia, arriving at around 8 pm. All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this tour, I was able to see a new destination without having to pay for another airfare and hotel accommodation. If you’re in Sofia and are curious about Skopje and North Macedonia don’t hesitate to book this tour, it’s an excellent way to get a glimpse at this city and country. - Nolan
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tracie_c
Sep 19, 2024
Not my cup of tea - It is a long trip each way, but there is nothing you can do about that. The driver was great going there but seemed a little different coming back. The guide was good but I guess it wasn’t really my cup of tea after all. The 4 stars is only for people like me that may not find the whole day worth it.
Review provided by Viator
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October 2024
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