Just outside the city center, north of the Vardar River in a field which borders the barracks of the Macedonian army, is an ancient aqueduct. Its state of preservation is impressive, considering that it's been neglected for centuries.
Among the Ottoman-era buildings still standing in Skopje's Old Bazaar are three Turkish trading inns and an old covered market called the Bezisten. We visited them all, to see how these ancient buildings have been incorporated into the modern city.
Located in a grand neoclassical building set along the banks of the Vardar River, the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle opened its doors on September 8th, 2011: the twentieth anniversary of the country's independence from Yugoslavia.
High on a ridge overlooking the town of Prilep are a set of medieval fortifications known as Marko's Towers (Markovi Kuli). After exploring these expansive ruins, we would set off on a hike through the hills to the monastery of Treskavec.
For four days in July, the central Macedonian town of Prilep is taken over by Pivofest: an annual celebration of beer which has become the nation's biggest festival. It's not exactly the most traditional event on the calendar, but that wasn't going to deter us from attending. We're talking about a giant beer party, after all. Tradition can wait.
Ever since it was imported from the New World in the 16th century, tobacco has played a starring role in the economy of Prilep. This humid, low-lying valley town offers perfect cultivating conditions, and the high-quality product grown here has long been exported to firms from around the world. We took a taxi to the outskirts of town, to visit the museum at Prilep's Tobacco Institute.
Found minutes outside the city, Matka Canyon is a favorite summer getaway for the heat-exhausted residents of Skopje. Though you can take a bus, there's also a moderately easy hike of ten kilometers leading to the canyon from the top of Mount Vodno. One warm Friday morning, we laced up our boots and set off.
Thought to have been built in the 6th century AD, Skopje's fortress is its most famous symbol. The Kale (pronounced "kah-lay," not like the vegetable) is located atop a hill on the northern side of the Vardar River, providing it a commanding view over the old town.
The history of Macedonia is a tricky topic, and probably impossible to handle in a concise manner. This is a land whose borders have been as amorphous as time itself, whose people comprise manifold ethnicities, and whose very name is a source of controversy. Outlining this country's history isn't going to be easy, but we'll give it a shot...
