Skopje- the capital of Macedonia. Here one can find sleek modern hotels above cobblestoned Ottoman streets, stately neoclassical homes right around the corner from grand old Yugoslav-era buildings, chic cafes, shopping malls and brightly-coloured new offices, red-bricked Byzantine churches and rounded Turkish mosques.

Skopje today entices visitors, offering a great variety of things to see and do and constantly reminding of the city’s storied past. Chief among sights to see is the Stone Bridge crossing the River Vardar, the Ottoman-era Old Town Bazaar (Stara Charshija), and the Kale Fortress walls. In the meandering narrow streets of Old Town Bazaar one feels the spirit of the old city, with its little shops, mosques with their ceramic tiled interiors, and the outdoor bazaar and hamam that survive from Turkish times.

   A Short climb up to the Kale Fortress is well rewarded; from this hilltop where Skopje’s masters ruled for centuries one enjoys a commanding view of the city and its environs.

The world’s best cities all contain at least one secluded natural escape. Skopje has two – a long, tree-lined park along the river, and the forested hills of Mt. Vodno, which overlooks the city from the southwest and offers excellent hiking and wilderness serenity within walking distance of downtown Skopje.

The summit of Mt. Vodno is also crowned by the enormous Millennium Cross that presides over the city. From here one gets even more magnificent views of Macedonia’s capital.