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North Macedonia
Photo: Марјан Петковски, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A land of scenic mountains, lakes, forests, and fields sandwiched between the Povardarie region and Albania, Western North Macedonia is where a casual traveller will likely spend most of their time in North Macedonia as it houses most of the attractions that North Macedonia is known for.
Buses from Skopje depart for most, if not all, of the towns in Western North Macedonia. Some of them have a train service, too, with one particular exception being Ohrid.
Read in the guideAgain, buses will be your most likely mode of transportation in the region.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Ohrid · International · OHD
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one of the most European-flavoured cities in the country, Bitola is known for its colourful neo-classical architecture and the Ancient Macedon ruins of Heraclea Lyncestis nearby
Debar is a city in the very western part of western North Macedonia, right on the border with Albania. Debar has about 14,000 people in its city limits, with a total population of under 20,000 in Debar Municipality which includes 17 surrounding villages.
Demir Hisar (Macedonian: Демир Хисар) is a municipality located in western North Macedonia, south of Kruševo. The municipality has under 10,000 residents spread across 40 villages and the town of Demir Hisar, which is the municipality's seat.
Gostivar (Macedonian: Гостивар) is a town in the Western North Macedonia. It is the second-largest city of the Polog region, beneath the Šar Mountain range.
Kičevo (Macedonian: Кичево, Albanian: Kërçovë) is a city in western North Macedonia.
a museum-city nestled high up in the mountains of southwestern North Macedonia; it is one of the most historically significant destinations in the country as it was the site of a revolt against the Ottoman Empire; also home to great skiing
situated in a historic region home to Macedonia's largest caves
with ancient churches and flower-filled balconies in the hillside old city, and beach life down below on the lake coast, this is no doubt the "Macedonian Riviera"
home to Saraj Castle built in the beginning of the 20th century
tobacco fields, medieval monasteries, and strange rocks
on the northern shore of the lake, Struga is a smaller, quieter, cheaper, but less fun alternative to Ohrid
unofficial capital of the Albanians of North Macedonia, Tetovo is the site of one of the most distinctive mosques in the world, the Painted Mosque
Vevčani (Macedonian: Вевчани) is a village in western North Macedonia at the foot of the Jablanica Mountain. Just east of the border with Albania, it is 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) northwest of the town of Struga and Lake Ohrid.
Galičica National Park is in the Galičica mountains in the southwestern corner of North Macedonia. It occupies pretty much the entire area between Ohrid and Prespa Lakes, from Ohrid in the north to the Albanian border in the south.
Mavrovo National Park is in the Polog region of Western North Macedonia. With over 73,000 hectares it is the largest national park in the country.
Pelister National Park is in Western North Macedonia near Bitola.
picturesque village in the mountains of Western North Macedonia, just off the eastern shore of Lake Prespa.
Mariovo (Macedonian: Мариово) is a region in southern North Macedonia. This historic region consists of 29 villages spread across the southern chunk of Prilep Municipality, as well as neighboring portions of Novaci (part of the Bitola area) and Kavadarci municipalities, bordering Greece to the south.
Debarca is a municipality located in western North Macedonia, north of Ohrid and south of Kičevo. The rural municipality has over 5,000 residents spread across 30 villages.
Articles and travel topics about Western North Macedonia and North Macedonia.
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