Flights from Podgorica to Skopje: Beauty on the Vardar

Skopje, a city celebrated in countless songs, with its Vardar River, Old Bazaar and Oriental-style buildings, draws plenty of visitors looking for beautiful monuments, good food, even better wine, wonderful music and exceptionally friendly people. A Podgorica – Skopje flight, a place to stay, a city map and a good mood are all you need for a few days of fun in Skopje.

BEAUTY ON THE VARDAR

FLIGHTS PODGORICA – SKOPJE

Skopje is the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, a city in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, at the crossroads of major routes, with a tradition stretching back 2,000 years. Skopje is a modern city of almost a million people and the country’s largest political, economic, educational and cultural center. It is also a very attractive travel destination, with fortresses, cultural and historical monuments, archaeological sites, sports arenas, caves in the Treska River canyon and Lake Matka… With its beautiful riverfront along the Vardar and the narrow streets of the Old Bazaar, the largest in the Balkans, the city is ideal for exploring, with the 1,500-year-old Kale Fortress, the Monastery of St. Panteleimon with its fresco “The Lamentation of Christ,” showing the first signs of the Renaissance, and Islamic monuments such as the Sultan Murad (Hünkar) Mosque and the Daut Pasha Hammam. A Podgorica – Skopje flight gets you to the Macedonian capital quickly and comfortably

TRAVELING TO SKOPJE

Over its 2,500 years of existence, the Macedonian capital has worn many different faces. All of them – from Roman to Byzantine, from Ottoman to Yugoslav – have left lasting marks on the city, as Skopje’s diverse architecture and blend of cultures show. Besides being the capital of the modern Republic of Macedonia, Skopje has always been a seat of power coveted by various empires. It lies on the banks of the Vardar River, a vital trade route used by the Dardanians in the 3rd century BC, who built a city here known as “Scupi.” Under Roman rule, Skopje became the administrative center of the province of Dardania. The city’s prestige began to grow when it became an episcopal seat during the early Byzantine era. Over the following centuries, Byzantine Skopje remained an important mercantile center at the crossroads of Balkan trade and communication routes. After the fall of Byzantium, Macedonia came under the rule of the Ottoman Turks. Over the centuries, the city’s skyline changed with the construction of many mosques, Turkish baths, bridges and other buildings that confirmed the new Oriental influence. Today the Ottoman heritage remains visible in Skopje’s architecture and lives on among its Muslim minority. After Macedonia was freed from Turkish rule in the early 20th century, it became a Yugoslav republic. However, in 1963 a terrible earthquake destroyed much of the old city. An international competition to redesign the city was won by the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. Skopje was reborn in an imaginative, futuristic style. His creations, such as the National Theater with its slanted concrete roof, shaped Skopje’s modern skyline. To this day, the clock on the remaining wall of the old railway station is stuck at 5:17 – the moment the earthquake struck.

Some of Skopje’s best-known attractions are:

The Millennium Cross, 66 meters tall, on top of Mount Vodno in Skopje. It was built to commemorate 2,000 years of Christianity in Macedonia and the world. Construction began in 2002 and was funded by the Macedonian Orthodox Church, the Macedonian government and donations from Macedonians around the world. The cross stands on the highest point of Mount Vodno, at a spot known since Ottoman times as “Krstovar,” meaning “Place of the Cross,” because a smaller cross once stood there. In 2011 the Millennium Cross cable car opened. The cable car is three and a half kilometers long. At night, the cross shines over the city. If you head up to the cross, don’t miss a visit to one of the most important Orthodox monasteries in the Balkans – St. Panteleimon. Within the monastery complex you can also refresh yourself at a restaurant serving good Macedonian food and wine, to the sound of T’ga za jug…

The Old Bazaar is the largest bazaar in the Balkans outside Istanbul. It lies on the eastern bank of the Vardar River, stretching from the Stone Bridge to Bit Pazar and from Skopje Fortress to the Serava River. The Old Bazaar is a protected national landmark. The earliest documented sources indicating a trading quarter on the site date from the 12th century. Under Ottoman rule, the area quickly developed into the city’s main economic and commercial center, as shown by its roughly 30 mosques, numerous caravanserais and other Ottoman buildings and monuments. Most of the buildings once used by travelers (inns, or hans) have been turned into museums and galleries, now used for art exhibitions, concerts and other cultural events.

Skopje Fortress, or simply Kale, is a historic fortress on the highest point of the city, overlooking the Vardar River. The fortress appears on Skopje’s coat of arms, which in turn is part of the city flag. According to available records, the first fortress was built in the mid-6th century on land that had been inhabited during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, or roughly 4000 BC. It was built of yellow limestone and travertine, which, together with fragments of Latin inscriptions, supports the idea that the fortress was built from the Roman city of Scupi. The fortress is believed to have been rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Justinian I and expanded in the 11th century

The Memorial House of Mother Teresa was opened in honor of this remarkable woman, a tireless humanitarian the whole world has read about, whose charitable work was recognized with the Nobel Peace Prize. The museum’s location was not chosen by chance. The old Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus once stood on this spot. It was here that Mother Teresa, then Gonxha Bojaxhiu, was baptized just one day after she was born, on August 27, 1910. This place had great importance and influence on the development of her character and her desire to help the poor. From childhood, she sang in the Catholic church choir and took part in charitable organizations.

If you’d like to explore the surrounding area, be sure to take a drive to Matka – a gorge where you’ll find a rich complex of medieval buildings, including churches, monasteries and the remains of a fortress (the medieval town of Matka). There are also dozens of caves and a large number of endemic plants and animals. It’s also worth noting that the Matka Canyon is home to 77 species of small butterflies endemic to the Balkans, 18 of which are new to science. Another interesting spot is the Treska Canyon, in the Suva Gora massif. The area around the Treska Canyon has dozens of caves, the most beautiful of which are Vrelo, Kristalna and Ubava. The caves are filled with countless stalagmites, stalactites and columns. The variety of dripstone formations is highlighted by well-placed lighting. Tours are run by official guides. The Treska Canyon is the most important mountaineering center in northern Macedonia.

You’re sure to enjoy Skopje, whether for the beauty of the city and its surroundings, its local specialties or the famous Macedonian wines. And your memories will be made even better by the friendly, hospitable Macedonians

FLIGHTS PODGORICA – SKOPJE

Flights from Podgorica to Skopje are available with a connection or, on certain dates, as a direct flight – check our search for current flights and prices. Add to that the fact that a Podgorica – Skopje ticket costs about 140 euros, and the offer is sure to appeal to you… Podgorica – Skopje tickets are available in combination on every day of the week. If you are searching for Podgorica – Skopje deals on your own, the airport code is SKP.

Skopje Airport is named after the great Greek hero and ruler Alexander the Great, whom the Macedonians would gladly claim as their own. The airport is 17 km from the city center, but there is an excellent bus connection with Tav Skopje buses right to the center. Check the airport bus timetable at this link http://skp.airports.com.mk/default.aspx?ItemID=491