National holidays
| January 1 | New Year’s Day |
| January 7 | Christmas Day |
| --- | Easter Sunday and Monday |
| May 1 | International Workers' Day |
| May 24 | St Cyril and Methodius Day |
| August 2 | Day of the Republic |
| September 8 | Independence Day |
| October 11 | Revolution Day |
| October 23 | Day of Macedonian Revolutionary Struggle |
| December 8 | Saint Clement of Ohrid Day |
Firmly locked in the heart of the Balkans, Macedonia is one of the smallest European countries at the same time inhabited by one of its oldest nations.
Numerous ancient and medieval monuments and sights prove the long line of history here. From churches and monasteries, ancient towns and fortresses, megalithic remains and rocks called Stone Dolls, to Romans baths and Ottoman bazaars every nook and cranny of the country is a proof of its rich cultural and historical heritage.
Magnificent country of wild mountain peaks, fruitful farmlands and big beautiful lakes. The country is emerging fast as a popular destination for leisure travellers after having dropped of the Balkan sentiment relatively recently.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Natural and Cultural heritage of Ohrid Region, three national parks Pelister, Mavrovo and Galicica as well as caves and waterfall provide plenty of activities to fill your day in this marvellous country.
National holidays
| January 1 | New Year’s Day |
| January 7 | Christmas Day |
| --- | Easter Sunday and Monday |
| May 1 | International Workers' Day |
| May 24 | St Cyril and Methodius Day |
| August 2 | Day of the Republic |
| September 8 | Independence Day |
| October 11 | Revolution Day |
| October 23 | Day of Macedonian Revolutionary Struggle |
| December 8 | Saint Clement of Ohrid Day |
Electricity
The plug of choice is 220 Volts, AC, 50 Hz, two-pin socket supply.
Money
On 5 May 1993, the currency was reformed, with one new denar (MKD) being equal to 100 old denari (MKN). No coins were issued for the first denar. In May 1993, coins for the second denar were introduced in denominations of 50 deni, 1, 2, and 5 denari. 10 and 50 denari coins were introduced in November 2008. The 50 deni coin was withdrawn in 2013.
Credit cards
Macedonia is mostly a cash society, and although debit and credit cards are on their way, at the moment only some hotels and restaurants accept them. There are plenty of banks and exchange offices for exchanging cash, but ATMs are widespread and generally the best way to get denars as the interbank rate is better than those for cash transactions..
Religion
The most common religion is Orthodox Christianity.
Safety
Violent crime is rare, but keep track of your belongings against the pickpockets and the bag-snatchers. The best advice may be to employ your common sense.
Smoking
The habit of smoking in Macedonia is widespread, however, the non-smoking sections have been shyly emerging as of recently.
Visas
Citizens from most European countries, New Zealand and the USA and a handful of others don’t need a visa for stays of generally up to 90 days. All others, including Canadians and Australians, need to apply for a visa in advance at one of Macedonia’s embassies abroad.
Highlights
Ohrid
Ohrid is the lakeside city and with its Old Town and major attractions, all within walking distance, offers the opportunity to mix history, culture and relaxation, all against imposing mountains and shimmering waters. Since 1980 the Ohrid Lake and Ohrid are on the UNESCO’s World Heritage list as a cultural and natural monuments. Among those monuments, some of which are thousands of years old, stands out Samuil's Fortress from the 4th century BC. Solid walls and tower, long three kilometres, surround the complex and provide a view over Ohrid and its surroundings.
National Park Galicica
Galicica National Park is located between mountains Galicica and the two biggest Macedonian lakes: Orhidsko and Prepansko. The park deserves an extraordinary status because of the outstanding natural beauty and rich flora and fauna. When it comes to the plants in this area, here are almost all representatives of plant species in Macedonia, some of which are species-specific for the region Galicice. The park also has 26 endemic species of animals registered, and it is interesting to mention the 1,644 species of butterflies which is a high concentration in such a small area.
Ancient Megalithic Observatory Kokino
At the Ancient Megalithic Observatory Kokino the oldest archaeological finds date from about the 19th century BC, corresponding to the early European Bronze Age. The Kokino "megalithic observatory" should be distinguished from the wider Kokino archaeological site. It is located near the village of Kokino in the municipality of Staro Nagoricane in Macedonia, at an altitude of 1013 m. Due to its characteristics, in 2005 the US space agency NASA ranked it 4th (out of 15) in the list of such observatories.
Stone Dolls
The stone town called the Stone Dolls of Kuklica consists of over 120 naturally formed stone pillars located in the village of Kuklica. This small village is located on the right side of the valley of the river Kriva Reka. Aside from being called Stone Dolls of Kuklica, locals also call it ''Happy wedding''. Thanks to its truly magical appearance, the local population for centuries recounts the legend of their origin. But aside from mystic stories and legends surrounding the formation of the strange pillars, the earth pyramid in Kuklica was formed as a result of natural erosion processes in the Holocene.
Tikves wineyards
Tikveš is the centre of the Macedonian wine production which has been cultivated for more than 120 years. What makes this area ideal for wine production are Mediterranean climate of the valley of the river Vardar, numerous thermal and mineral springs, rich soil and wealth of lakes which with the help of the uplifts limit the impact of cold winds. In the vineyards are mainly grown different varieties such as cormorants, muscadine, smederevka, chardonnay, riesling and many others.
Heracclea
Heraclea Lyncestis is an ancient Macedonian town which ruins are situated 2 km south of the present-day town of Bitola. It was founded by Philip II of Macedon in the middle of the 4th century BC, after he had conquered the surrounding region and incorporated it into his kingdom of Macedon. The city was named in honor of the mythological Greek hero Heracles. Today, only a small fraction of Heraclea Lyncestis is unearthed, including a theatre, two fountains, courthouse, baths, bishop's palace and two basilicas. There is also a small museum with only a few items and a scale model of the city from the time when Heraclea was in full force.
