NORTH MACEDONIA
North Macedonia is the soulful, quiet heart of the Balkans that the rest of the world has somehow looked right past. Traveling there felt like a sneak peek of a place people foolishly skip (but may not for long). The first thing I noticed was the profound absence of non-European tourists. There were no photo-ops designed for social media, no streets lined only with cheap souvenir shops. Authenticity remained around every corner; it felt like we had been handed the keys to a hidden Europe.
We started in Ohrid, a town surrounding Europe’s oldest lake. It is a seamless blend of Ottoman and Byzantine history, where we spent afternoons wandering between centuries-old churches, admiring preserved frescoes, while also listening to the call to prayer from nearby mosques.
Beyond history, North Macedonia rewarded us with an incredible, burgeoning wine scene and amazing natural beauty. Following our Airbnb host’s advice, we visited Matka Canyon. It was just as spectacular as our National Parks in the US, but unlike home, we were essentially alone in this vast landscape.
A day trip to the capital, Skopje, led us to Mother Teresa’s birth home and the historic Old Bazaar (Čaršija). Walking through the old market’s vibrant maze of cobblestones and craftsmen felt like stepping into another period entirely.
North Macedonia doesn’t shout for attention or cater to mass tourism. This is a collection of moments from a country that surprised me and made me want to return.
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