Travel and transport agencies Northern Macedonia

Paris-Skopje. There are no direct flights between France and Macedonia. From Paris, four companies provide weekly connections for Skopje with correspondence in Ljubljana (Adria Airlines), Vienna (Austrian Airlines), Belgrade (JAT) and Budapest (Malev). Other flights are possible through Prague, Zagreb, Zurich, Rome, Milan and Istanbul. But the journey can be long (sometimes more than 12 hours) and expensive (rarely below 300 euros). The most economical is to fly to Thessaloniki, Belgrade or Sofia and complete the bus or train journey to Skopje (from 4 to 6 hours).

From Switzerland and Belgium. Weekly flights from Zurich, directly with MAT and Helvetic Airways, via Ljubljana and Vienna with Swiss and Adria Airways. From Brussels, no direct flights: connections in Budapest, Belgrade, Ljubljana, Prague, Vienna, Zagreb and Zurich with the Adria Airways, Autrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Czech Airlines, JAT, Malev and Swiss airlines. Note that the Macedonian charter company Skywings International sometimes provides direct connections to Brussels-Skopje.

Taxis. The airport is located in Petrovec, about twenty kilometers east of downtown by motorway. At the beginning of 2011, no buses connected him to Skopje. A regular line was scheduled for the summer of 2011. If this is not the case, then taxis must be taken back. Two possibilities: white taxis chartered by the company managing the airport, the price of which is displayed, or private taxis at much more random rates. Coming from Skopje, the best thing is to order a taxi by phone, at 15188 for example. Count about 1,500 MKD (25 €). Be careful, if you take a taxi on the street, ensure that the meter is connected and tell the driver the direction "aerodrom vo Petrovec" and not "aerodrom" only (read below).

Rental vehicles. At the airport, notice offices are found (02 256 1847), Europcar (07 020 5546), Hertz (07 021 7881), Sixt (07 544 8902), Sharr Express (04 435 0902) 380), Inter Ways (02 3062 484) and National (02 311 9019). If you rent your car elsewhere in the country, the tenants of these companies generally accept that you go to the airport. Please note that the airport is very badly indicated from Skopje. On the one hand, we must be suspicious of the signs "Aerodrom Municipality" in Skopje. They actually designate a district of the city located on an old airport. On the other hand, since no sign gives direction to the real airport (!), you must take the motorway towards Athens (!), then after the toll (30 MKD), Veles. It is only at the last moment that the airport is finally indicated…

Duty free. The airport is being expanded with a second terminal planned for 2014. At the moment, there are only two shops in the airport, including one in the boarding area. It is better to avoid shopping, especially in wine, at the time of departure. There are several reasons: the choice is limited, the tariffs are considerably higher than those in the city and, finally, as Macedonia is not part of the Schengen area, a search of cabin baggage is carried out in the event of correspondence in the EU. Therefore, even if your alcohol bottles are sealed in Skopje, they will be refused by customs at the airport of call.

By choosing Clio, you are opting for an original and enriching travel concept. The success of Clio trips is based on three principles. We propose an itinerary to help you discover the different facets of a country, a town or a region. We provide you with the information you need to better appreciate its history and heritage during a trip to an exhibition or a music festival. And we put you in a small group of people united by their common taste for cultural discovery.

Created in 2011, this cable car (Жичара Милениумски Крст/Žičara Mileniumski Krst) allows you to reach the top of Mount Vodno in just over 4 minutes. Built by the Austrian company Dopelmaer and operated by the transport company JSP Skopje, it consists of 28 cabins for eight passengers and two cabins for four passengers that make a 1,600-meter-long journey between 570 and 1,060 meters above sea level. See also "Millennium Cross Gondola (arrival)".

This bus station (Скопска Автобуска Станица/Skopska Avtobuska Stanica) has numerous connections to all towns in the country (Ohrid, Bitola, Tetovo, Prilep, Kruševo, Strumica..) and also to Serbia, Albania, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Zurich and Bern in Switzerland, Istanbul in Turkey and Thessalonica (Солун/Solun) in Greece. Timetables and fares on the website. On site: ticket offices, toilets, lockers, waiting room, cafés-restaurants and shopping arcade.

This agency, run by a Frenchman based in Albania, offers holidays in Northern Macedonia, from tailor-made itineraries to group tours with English- or French-speaking guides. The program includes visits to Skopje and the country's major cities, national parks, lakes, churches, monasteries, mosques and tekkés, monuments from the socialist period and archaeological sites, as well as hiking, lounging and more. Forays into neighboring countries, notably Albania, are also possible.

This team of Asian connoisseurs and enthusiasts presents a 9 or 11-day guided tour in Japan: "Splendours of Japan". A classic but well-crafted itinerary that will take you to Tōkyō, Hiroshima, Kyotō, Nara and Osaka. Visitors can also choose from a wide range of tailor-made stays with modules such as the one available at Tōkyō

For 60 years, Arts et Vie, a cultural association for travel and leisure, has been developing tourism open to knowledge and cultural and human discovery. The spirit of the trips is part of an associative tradition characterized by a friendly atmosphere, rich in encounters, heritage and civilizations of the world. All the tours are led by passionate guides, trained by the association, anxious to share their enthusiasm with the travellers. Five continents... sixty countries... to each his own!

For the past 40 years, Voyageurs du Monde has been building a world totally dedicated to tailor-made, individual travel, thanks - among other things - to the expert advice provided by qualified specialists in their destination of choice or origin. You'll benefit from their help not only in preparing your trip, but throughout the entire duration of your stay. All tours are suitable for children, as it's all a question of pace. We also offer a website with rich, inspiring content and a tailor-made mobile application.

This agency is the reference in theme and adventure tourism: small group trips for nature and tradition lovers, wine and home cooking and longer stays. Thanks to a network of guest houses and small hotels of traditional charm but also with a deep knowledge of the neighboring countries - northern Greece, northern Macedonia, the Danube on the Serbian side and its delta in Romania, one is sure to receive the best of the current offer, advice from people who love their country. All in French!

This agency organizes mountain bike tours in the Skopje region (downtown, Matka Canyon and Mount Vodno) and in the rest of the country, including Mount Jakupica in the central part of the country. It also offers mountain bike rentals. Alternatively, Rent a Bike Skopje (rentabikesk.mk) can deliver a city bike or mountain bike directly to your hotel. Other bike rental companies in Skopje: BikeStop (bikestop.com.mk), MS Energy (rentabikeskopje.business.site) and Outdoor Adventure Macedonia (oa.mk).

Agency specialized in bird watching, wildlife observation and photo safaris (acquisition of skills). It offers an excellent service, very professional, and fortunately since the tours offered are quite expensive. Many types of stays in Bulgaria are regularly proposed where you will join a group, usually from 4 people: photographing flowers, birds, observing nature while having access to the spa at the end of the day. In short, you should find what you want on the website.

Adeo... latin for "I'm going towards". To other places, other countries, but above all to others.

Specialized in Croatia since 1985, this tour operator also offers excursions in some other Balkan countries. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, it is possible to make a nine-day/eight-night tour by car starting from Split (Croatia) and ending in Dubrovnik (Croatia) with three nights in Mostar, three nights in Sarajevo and two nights in Trebinje. In the catalog there is also a tour of Herzegovina, Dalmatia and Montenegro as well as a trip to the Mostar region included in some Adriatic coast trips.

Notice has only two agencies in the country: one in Skopje (Ramstore shopping centre), another at the airport. Call rates on small roses are competitive (less than € 30/day).

Suspended above the city, this huge concrete station (Железничка Станица Скопје/Železnička Stanica Skopje) was the focal point when the city was rebuilt after the 1963 earthquake. It is little used today. Two small national lines run from here to Gevgelija (Greek border) via Veles, Negotino and Demir Kapija and to Kičevo via Tetovo and Gostivar. Timetables and fares on the national railway website (mzt.mk).

The island of Golem Grad is relatively close to Konjsko (4 km, approx. 30-minute crossing). But as this hamlet is rather difficult to reach by car, it's more convenient to embark at Stenje. Here, several fishermen and small boat owners offer the crossing, which takes 1h30. Once there, allow at least an hour for the visit. Allow 5 or 6 hours for the trip from Stenje, and 2 or 3 hours from Konjsko. Finally, it's also possible to visit the island from Dupeni beach, on the eastern shore of Lake Prespa.

With Terres de Charme, go on a tailor-made or organized trip to discover the wonders of Myanmar, in "the footsteps of Buddhism" and according to your desires. A stay in 13 days and 10 nights where you will travel through Burma through the usual more or less traced path. From Yangon, to the marvellous plain of Bagan, its temples and ruins. Then of course, the Inle Lake, its acrobatic fishermen and floating gardens, before coming to seek the calm of the Bay of Bengal on the superb beach of Ngapali for a few nights.

This border post (Граничен Премин Стење-Горица/Graničen Premin Stenje-Gorica, Vendkalimi Kufitar Goricë-Stenjë) allows you to cross into Albania. The first village crossed by SH 79 is Dolna Gorica (Долна Горица, Dollna Gorica). Situated on the shores of Lake Prespa, it is part of the municipality of Pustec (Пустец, Liqenas), which has around 3,000 inhabitants, 97% of whom are Macedonians. It is home to the Prespa National Park information center (prespanationalpark.gov.al).

The North Macedonian Railway Company (Македонски Железници, Hekurudhat e Maqedonisë së Veriut) operates four passenger train lines: 1) between Skopje and Gevgelija (Greek border) via Veles, Gradsko, Negotino and Demir Kapija; 2) between Veles and Kočani via Štip; 3) between Veles and Bitola via Prilep, between Skopje and Tabanovci (Serbian border) via Kumanovo; 4) between Skopje and Kičevo via Tetovo and Gostivar. International connections with Thessaloniki (Greece), Pristina (Kosovo) and Belgrade (Serbia) are currently suspended.

The arrival station of this cable car (Жичара Милениумски Крст/Žičara Mileniumski Krst) is located at an altitude of 1,060 m, right next to the summit of Mount Vodno and the Millennium Cross. The surrounding area is furnished with cafes and a viewing platform offering great views of the Skopje region. The gondola is designed to carry bicycles and is closed for maintenance on the first Tuesday of the month. See also "Millennium Cross Cable Car (departure)".