North Macedonia is a pocket sized country with bucketloads of history. The Romans, the Greeks and the Ottomans have all had a significant presence here. The capital, Skopje, is a bizarre, but enticing mix of old and new. Here’s our Gap Year pros and cons for visiting the country.
Pros:
North Macedonia is packed with historical sites and beautiful countryside. The UNESCO World Heritage site of Ohrid is astonishingly beautiful.
The country is cheap to live in, so a small budget will go a long way.
It’s welcoming destination – the people are friendly and hospitable.
The food is usually delicious and fresh, often using local ingredients. Wine is also local and cheap.
It’s surrounded by several fascinating neighbouring countries: Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Kosovo and Serbia.
Cons:
Apart from the younger generations, English isn’t widely spoken.
Public transport and roads can be poor. Buses do not always conform to Western safety standards. They are often over crowded with broken seats and seatbelts.
There can be air pollution and fog in Winter, particularly in Skopje where flights are frequently disrupted at the airport.
Pickpocketing can occur in busy tourist spots.
If you’re a non-smoker, you may find restaurants and cafes too smoky – as the confined smoking areas don’t tend to limit smoke very much.