Skip to main content
Missions101 is part of the Adventures In Missions network.

Skopje, Macedonia

Safety

Safety in Skopje, Macedonia
What do other Racers need to know in order to be safe? Current safety protocols/precautions in place? Any relevant issues/concerns? Any precautionary suggestions?

People’s Opinions

  1. There were very few times in Skopje or Shutka that I felt unsafe. The men are very forward in Shutka, but relatively harmless. I would always travel in groups of at least 2. There is one man that followed our group of girls, always mocked us, and tried to scare us. We were told by the Shutka residents that he is harmless, so just ignore him.
  2. We stayed in a neighborhood outside of Skopje proper- Shutka- which is the ghetto, gypsy slum. Most people were nice, but at night men were very forward with their advances toward us. We never felt unsafe per se, but staying in groups/pairs is important. In Skopje proper, night life is alive and well and very safe, but Shutka is definitely sketchy.
  3. Don’t talk to men. Our TL said a friendly hello to a neighbor in the hallway of our apartment and he was aghast. I know what you’re thinking, she’s probably really good looking. That’s true, but he stopped because she opened her mouth. (It’s considered “hitting on someone” to make conversation with strangers.)
  4. It’s important to know that all International Travelers must be registered at the Police Station as guest for each place you stay. Register the day you get there, unregister when your stay ends, and re-register within 48 hours with the new place you are lodging. (This includes hostels, churches, and homes. Talk to your host about this before you go, they might need to be present also.)Make sure you bring someone with you who can write in Macedonian, because they won’t except forms written in English.You will receive a white card of registration for each person – make sure you carry it on your person in case you are ever stopped and questioned.
  5. This seems obvious, but DRINK WATER! It’s easy to go a day with drinking only a little glass of water. Make sure you drink water to avoid dehydration (headaches, dizziness etc.) and help with jet lag. If you’re a coffee or tea drinker, drink even more water! (:
  6. The majority of locals in Macedonia do SPEAK ENGLISH or some English (except for the gypsy’s). Feel free to ask for directions etc.
  7. This country is very safe from what we have heard from pastors and locals. However, always have two or more in a group when you venture out during the day or at night. Be aware of the gypsy’s in old town who will not hesitate to beg for money or reach into your pockets. (most of them are kids and mom’s) Be friendly and kind to them and politely say “No”(repeatedly). Albania men perceive direct eye contact as an “invitation”, we advise to be friendly, but don’t make long eye contact with the men if you’re a woman.

Ministry Summary

Ministry Summary in Skopje, Macedonia
Breakthroughs? Suggestions? Concerns? On a scale of 1-4 (1 being not at all, 4 being absolutely) how strongly would you recommend another World Race team go to this ministry location & why?

People’s Opinions

  1. We stayed at Toni’s church in Shutka, but Sasha (aka Aleks) is the official contact. We spent about three hours per day helping with the “soup kitchen” where about 20 very poor gypsi-Romani kids come for a meal and activities. Sasha took us to a park where we did evangelism. Prayer walks, testimony-sharing at church services, official church prayer meetings, and cleaning the church property were also common.
  2. Qiriazi Center with Dardanjan and Rina. This is a free “coffee shop” (this term is used loosely… they have a table with instant coffee and hot water on a table in the corner) for Albanian students in Skopje. We did a lot of outreach in the city handing out flyers trying to get people to come to the center. You teach English or guitar lessons, play games with the students and go on different adventures with the contact. We started social media for them (facebook, instagram, and gmail) which they will probably need help running. 

Lodging

Lodging in Skopje, Macedonia
Where did you stay? What were the accommodations (sleeping arrangements, toilets, showers, etc.)? Cost (per person per night in USD), Contact info.

People’s Opinions

  1. We stayed at Toni’s evangelical church in Shutka, which is a trash-littered/poverty-stricken neighborhood outside of Skopje proper. We were given free reign of what is essentially a rat-infested storage room. Some teammates set up their tents and slept in that room, some of us put our sleeping pads out in the sanctuary at night and then put them away each morning. There’s a shower (with hot water!) and a flushing toilet (yeaaa!) I think we paid about 300$USD for all six of us for the entire month. There is a kitchen where we definitely cooked a lot of team meals. No wifi. Toni wasn’t around a lot and gave the us the keys to the church and we had a decent amount of free time. Takes about 45 minutes to get to downtown Skopje, Toni can show you to the bus stop to catch the 19 or 20. Toni actually does speak some English, but he gets nervous around women (he’s basically this really adorable middle aged, pudgy, thick-glasses, awkward, sweet little guy). He is easier to interact with in just sets of 1-2 people instead of the whole team.
  2. We stayed at the Qiriazi Center. They have two rooms with two bunk beds in each (8 beds total). There is a well furnished kitchen, a washing machine, hot showers and a great eating space. They provide pillows, sheets & blankets as well. Rina is pretty particular about cleaning — make sure you sweep, mop and dust every day.
  3. HiSkopje is an amazing hostel. It is definitely over our budget. (8Euro pp/night) But as UH this month, we have to stay somewhere and this is THE cheapest place in Skopje. There is a well-stocked kitchen, really great free wi-fi, laundry, and hot showers. The rooms are very nice and clean. We had a private room as a team of 6. Each room has comfortable bunk beds and lockers for valuables. The staff is great. Everyone speaks English. It is a reasonable walk to the main square and grocery stores. It is also possible to store luggage on the day of check out. They are very friendly and accomodating.

Food / Meals

Food / Meals in Skopje, Macedonia
What did you eat? Where did you get the food? Cost (per person per day in USD)? Contact info (if applicable).

People’s Opinions

  1. We went into the city often for our ministry, so we always bought our groceries at Vero at the Vero Center. Since Toni’s church had a large kitchen we cooked most of our meals. We did eat out occasionaly; here are some of our favorite places: Asian Cuisine: In a small side street by the City Center and the statue of Alexander. The restaurant is by a London Pub. They serve DELICIOUS Asian food, and every serving is for two people. The prices are a tad high compared to the rest of the country, but not at all unreasonable. It’s a great treat. Every time we went we always had great service and great food. Mafiglia: Also very close to the city center, but a bit past the Asian Place. It’s a small restaurant that serves a wide variety of dishes. Every time we went we were never disappointed. Prices, food, and service were all great. Buru: A cheap fast food place close to the apartment the bible school is in. A cheeseburger and fries here cost about 150 dinar, or $3 USD. The burger is HUGE. Donuts: There’s a delicious little donut stand in the city center right by where Mother Teresa’s house was. There are 40,50, and 60 dinar options.
  2. The Green Market is the bomb! Only a 5 minute walk from the Qiriazi center, we went there almost daily to get fresh fruits and veggies. We also went to Vero (the grocery store) for any additional needs we had. Very easy to eat on budget.
  3. K8! We actually became really great friends with the OLD owners. They are changing the locations in June of 2014, but I’m sure if you google it… you can still find it!K8 has REALLY great American desserts. Are you missin’ your mommas homemade cookies? Come to K8’s! How about that strawberry cheesecake? They got that too!The prices are great. They have wifi! Great Staff!
  4. Looking for a good BIG burger? Well we have just what you’re looking for!The Macedonian name for it is… Жу Жу Бургер. It’s right around the corner from the BIG arch entering into New Town.The address is: Порта Македонија, 1000 SkopjeCan I just say that this was REALL STINKIN’ GOOD! You can totally share this! It was 140 for the biggest burger of your life & fries!Share, Care, and all is Fair! 🙂
  5. Want some BBQ? We found an amazing place called “Ljuc”. It is one of the oldest restaurants in Skopje. They serve traditional Macedonian BBQ and they do it really well.Ljuc is located close to the Urban park and it’s a 5 minute walk from City Ramstore.The address is: Железничка б.б., Skopje, Macedonia (FYROM)(Show THAT to your cab driver. Chances are he knows that better than anything you will ever speak in English.)Prices range from 120-200. I got a chicken Kbob for 120.Robyn got 3 RIBS for 150.Fries are 40.It may be over budget, but for those who are missin some good ole’ smoked BBQ. This is the place!
  6. Even with a small Food budget it is possible to eat within the budget here in Macedonia. Your best bet is to go to the supermarket/Grocery Store. We have been told by people living in Macedonia that the prices are really cheap here for being in Europe.A few notes:*Ram store Supermarket is not the cheapest place to go even though it is convenient. There are lots of little supermarkets around with cheaper prices. So just look around.Meat is very expensive here. We usually buy a package of meat and split it between 2 meals. Example) If your making stir fry one night and Burritos the next night, it works really well and saves you money.
  7. Most restaurants, coffee shops etc. Do not have MENUS or ICE. If you order an iced drink ask for extra ice, typically they put one ice cube in it. Also, be prepared that some of these places can’t break big bills of ($den).
  8. BETEPA is another great cheap place to eat! It is located right next to La Puerta burrito place. They have all sorts of “hot pockets”. Breads with hotdogs in them, ham and cheese etc. (45-55den)
  9. The burrito place is called La Puerta (fast food boutique) talked about below.
  10. Gallery 7 is a Turkish restaurant the locals enjoy in oldtown! (look up online for directions). We ate the Turkish pizza. It’s a thin crust pizza, with meat, a little sauce and cheese. It comes with lettuce, tomato and a lemon slice on top. So good! The yogurt salt drink is good with it because the hot sauce is crazy hot (comes on the side), or the yellow soda (jelly bean cream soda) is good with it too. Not sure what any of these foods are called in Turkish, but the workers do speak some English so just describe the foods and they will know what you are talking about. Prices: 110 din for a pizza and soda. 80din for pizza.
  11. Water is safe to drink here! Drink it out of the faucet and even out of the water fountains!
  12. We ate at a lovely burrito place here in Macedonia. We were able to purchase chicken burritos with rice, refried beans, pico, sour cream, cheese, lettuce and some spicy sauce for about 100 dinar. It was very filling and good. The place is located in downtown skopje (SKOPE E AH) to the left of the arch (if you’re facing the arch) about two or three stores down. They also sold nachos and cheese for around 70 dinar. It was a great break from the bread and pastries that are commonly served here.

Transportation

Transportation in Skopje, Macedonia
What transportation did you use to enter the country? Where were you coming from? What transportation was used to move throughout the country? Be sure to include the cost per person in USD and contact info if applicable.

People’s Opinions

  1. Whenever we needed a taxi from Toni’s church he called a friend of his for us, who always gave us a discount. If you’re hailing a taxi from the center, make sure it’s a legal taxi by checking for a radio. If you tell them you’re going to Shutka they’re usually a bit skeptical, but if you guide them to the church you’ll be fine. The bus line is also a good option. The 19 bus leaves from Shutka and drops off by Vero Center and later by Sasha’s apartments. The 19 runs until 11, but if it was after 10 we always took a taxi. There is a 10 minute walk to the church from the last bus stop in Shutka.
  2. Other people have listed good taxi services already, but this one is specifically a guy who speaks really good English and knows where Toni’s church is in Shutka (which is basically impossible to explain if you dont know where it is already). I told him to expect more missionaries needing his services, so he’s ready for you!
  3. If you ever need a driver, lupcho is the man. He is a believer and so so incredibly kind. He drove our team to Thessaloniki, Greece which is about 3 hours away. He has an 8 passenger van and a larger 16 passenger van. His son Martin is 25 and speaks awesome English. They went above And beyond to take care of us. His number is 070602092
  4. Your ideal source of transportation should be the local buses or walking. Buses run every 30min and will take you all over the city. 30-35den per ride.
  5. Taxies are GREAT, but always be careful!If the taxi is public, it won’t be as expensive. But if it is private it will cost more.ALWAYS make sure they start the timer on “40.00.” I’m not sure why, that’s just what we have been told a lot.Don’t make the mistake of getting ripped off like we did when we first got here. What should of been 200 D, was 1000. It’s okay to let them know that they will not be ripping you off.A great taxi service we have been using is called “Taxi.” Their number is070 515 180070 215 180078 415 180

Medical

Medical in Skopje, Macedonia
Information on local hospitals / doctors / pharmacies. Where would someone go in a medical emergency? (addresses and contact info).

People’s Opinions

  1. Asked if getting tattoos is okay to do here. They said they aren’t quiet up to hygiene standards. So they recommend that we not do that. Use your discretion. 🙂
  2. I couldn’t locate that statistical data but there is a very high prevalence of tobacco consumption.Every time I turn my head, I inhale second hand smoke from someone walking down the street. If you are an asthmatic, be sure to stock up on inhalers if you are coming here. It is illegal to smoke inside of a building but there are several outdoor areas where you’ll most likely be where you’d be around smoke. There are even areas in less popular cities that do not regulate smoking inside coffee shops, etc.
  3. We have been advised by locals that the public hospital is not safe or healthy. However, private hospitals should be fine.

Communication

Communication in Skopje, Macedonia
Did you have cell reception / Internet service? Where? Carrier / Provider, where did you get phones / SIM cards, cost? Country code?

People’s Opinions

  1. Hey everyone! Team Nuria has been here doing Unsung Heroes so we had lots of time to sit and talk to others. We sat and spoke with a man regarding sharing the gospel to Youth in Macedonia. He informed us it was “illegal” to share the gospel to a minor without parental consent. If you are planning something here ( i.e. sports events or concerts, etc) it is important that if you are going to share the gospel of Jesus Christ that you have permission beforehand. He says you can get into much trouble here if you do not follow those rules. Just a heads up! 🙂
  2. Wifi is pretty common in Skopje. For cell phones we were able to visit the mall and get SIM cards from ONE Network for 99 Denar. The Sim included 150 Denar worth of minutes also.

Financial

Financial in Skopje, Macedonia
Location of banks or ATMs, notes about transaction fees, best places to exchange money, and other money related advice.

People’s Opinions

  1. You will be able to use your credit card at most grocery stores and places in the mall, but will need cash for transportation, restaurants, and small town stores.
  2. ATMs are newer to Macedonia, but if you go to the updated parts of town like the Square or malls, you won’t have any trouble finding several. We have not run into any trouble with using the ATMs, but use common safety practices.Also note that the ATMs will give you larger bills, like 1,000d, which a lot of vendors and restaurants don’t like to take.

Translators

Translators in Skopje, Macedonia
List any local translators – name and contact information, languages spoken

People’s Opinions

  1. Most any young person you run into will know English and will be happy to help you!

Off Days / Fun Activities

Off Days / Fun Activities in Skopje, Macedonia
What activities did your team experience? Recommendations? List locations/contact info. Any locations to be avoided? Any extra safety tips for off days?

People’s Opinions

  1. There are SO many things to do around Skopje. There are museums everywhere you look, and they’re almost all free. We went to the Holocaust Museum here (free), and in all honesty it wasn’t incredible. However, it’s free so there’s that. There’s an art museum, an archaeological museum, and the museum of the Macedonian Struggle to name a few.
  2. We took a charter-ish bus (had wifi!) to Ohrid (pronounced Oak-Rid) one day, cost about 750 denar per person for two way transportation. It’s basically a really big, clear lake. Lots of european tourists were there. The water was warm and amazing. We left on the 7am bus which was good b/c it takes about three hours each way, last bus leaves at 7pm. The bus left from the international bus station in Skopje. When you arrive in Ohrid, stop at the bus station ticketing center to confirm your return seat reservations. Best day off everrrrrrr.
  3. If you are a history nut we have just the place for you! Holocaust Memorial Center for the Jews of Macedonia is just over the Old Stone Bridge on your left.Free admission & very interesting!
  4. Canyon Matka is a great place to spend a day if you are an outdoorsy person. It is located about 45 minutes on the bus from Skopje (we took the local 60 bus at the main bus station in Skopje and Matka is the last stop). It is a beautiful canyon with a beautiful river running in the middle. It’s truly breathtaking. Make sure you pay 400 dinar to take a boat ride to view the inside of the cave. The cave is small and you don’t see much, but it is still worth the experience riding along the river for nice pics and video. We just saw bats in the cave, though.There are also restaurants that are located off of the canyon with beautiful views but are a bit on the expensive side. I’d recommend taking some lunch and eating on the benches near the ticket booth to pay for boat rides.Also, make sure you sign the impressions book by the hotel and restaurant. It is a huge book that looks like a reservation stand. You are free to write whatever you want in the book. 🙂
  5. The Mother Teresa Museum is a must see. It is a small house museum and is FREE. Located in Newtown. It is a humbling experience to read her letters about how in love with Jesus she was and to pray in the chapel located upstairs. Please note the chapel is a place of SILENCE. We got in trouble for talking to loud and singing worships songs. (:
  6. Not that my team has done it, because we can barely keep our eyes open past 9PM. WE have been told by many locals that the night life here is very fun! A lot of night events don’t start until 1AM. But, we have been told by American missionaries that it is okay to walk at night. It’s an extremely safe city. Obviously groups of two or three, but no need to worry. A lot of people in this city don’t even lock their doors.Obviously use discernment, but know that you are safe!
  7. The Main Square and Old Town are worth visiting. There are several coffee shops and restaurants in the Old Town that serve traditional fare and typical (tiny) tea and coffee.

Other Important Contacts

Other Important Contacts in Skopje, Macedonia
Additional ministry opportunities, local pastors, etc. Relationship & follow up suggestions

People’s Opinions

  1. Pastor Brian Richards–International church of Skopje. English service at 10 am!

Tips

People’s Opinions

  1. If you’re staying at Toni’s church, you’re super lucky and get to have a microwave! However, the microwave only works on the potato setting, so make sure to watch the food you’re cooking. Also, if you open the door, you have to unplug the microwave, replug it in, and press the potato setting again.
  2. Leave a little tip at restaurants! For example, if your tab is 600din as a group leave a 10din tip. Though tipping can be uncommon for locals, servers do expect tourist to leave little tip.
  3. If you are an American or Canadian world racer, note that all the locals and tourist will know that you are automatically. Always be kind and respectful. Be aware of talking loud in restaurants, dress modestly, and don’t altar food items you order if possible.

Additional Info

Additional Info in Skopje, Macedonia
Anything we’ve left out? Any additional suggestions to make travel easier for others?

People’s Opinions

  1. Comment