We spent three months exploring one of the most undiscovered corners in Europe: Macedonia. We didn't know what to expect before arriving, but this small, land-locked country in the southern Balkans never stopped surprising us. Whether hiking through pristine nature, fattening ourselves up on its incredible cuisine, learning about its history, or just meeting some of its famously hospitable people, we enjoyed every minute we spent in Macedonia.
Another 91 days have come to an end, and this time we're saying farewell to one of the most underrated destinations we've ever visited: Macedonia. Our decision to spend three months in this unknown corner of the Balkans was one that elicited confusion from friends and family, but as we packed our bags and prepared for our departure, we knew that the choice had been inspired.
After the first month in a new location, we always take stock of our opinions with a self-interview. And after the second month, we like to learn more about the locals. So, we set out into the streets of Skopje to interview a few random Macedonians. Given the general friendliness of the people here, we didn't anticipate any difficulties. But as soon as we pulled out the pen and paper, many would clam up. There's apparently not a lot of trust toward foreign media... but we were able to coax a few folks into talking.
The Republic of Macedonia is a small country in Southeast Europe, bordering Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania and Kosovo. Its people speak Macedonian, its capital is Skopje and, until 1991, it was part of Yugoslavia. And that was the sum total of everything I knew about Macedonia, before arriving on a sweltering afternoon in early July. My ignorance was nothing to be proud of, but not exactly unique; this land-locked Balkan country is among the most uncharted in Europe, almost entirely overlooked by tourists.
