Cheap flights to Skopje from EUR18*

Cheap Flights to Skopje

Quirky, grand and eclectic, Skopje is hard to define but easy to enjoy. The North Macedonian capital has gone through an ambitious urban makeover in the past few years and is bound to surprise visitors at every turn. Its centre feels as if it was straight out of a movie set, including gleaming Baroque and Neoclassical buildings, a Napoleon-style triumphal arch, pirate ships and palm trees, and statues literally everywhere. But the city is much more than that. It’s also home to the largest Ottoman-era bazaar of the Balkans, excellent museums, a thriving eating and drinking scene, and plenty of scenic highlights nearby. If you fancy visiting somewhere different and off the tourist radar, a flight to Skopje is always a good idea. 

Fly to Skopje, North Macedonia for:

Something old, something new and something borrowed 

Nestled at the foot of Vodno Mountain, Skopje makes for a fascinating spectacle. The ambitious building and sculpting spree of recent years, known as the Skopje 2014 project, has transformed the city into a dizzying architectural mashup of Italianate buildings, and a plethora of fountains and monuments. The scheme’s centrepiece, a huge bronze statue named “Warrior on a Horse”, towers above the main plaza, Macedonia Square (Ploštad Makedonija), complete with the city’s new triumphal arch and thick jets of water, illuminated at night. Cross the multi-arched Stone Bridge nearby and enter a completely different world. The Old Bazaar (Čaršija), in the old Turkish quarter is a colourful collection of medieval mosques, hammams and mazy alleyways, housing craftspeople’s shops and cosy bars. Above it all stands guard the mighty Kale Fortress, which has been overlooking the city since the 6th century.  

Get your culture fix in the city of statues

Exploring the city might feel like walking around a giant sculpture gallery but it’s still a good idea to venture inside some of the capital’s many museums. The riverside Archaeological Museum of Macedonia showcases exhibits collected from all across the region, including Byzantine treasures, a Phoenician royal necropolis and an impressive coin collection. If you’re interested in local art, the National Gallery of Macedonia, housed in what was once the biggest Turkish bath outside of Istanbul, is also worth checking out. Or why not pay homage to the city’s most famous daughter at the Memorial House of Mother Teresa, an unusual-shaped chapel-cum-museum?  

Tuck into slow food

North Macedonia is a small country that’s big on hospitality. Its cuisine relies on fresh, local ingredients and traditional cooking methods, which made it synonymous with slow food long before it became a buzzword. Local specialities bring together Balkan, Mediterranean and Turkish influences, ranging from grilled beef kebabs and slow-roasted lamb to stuffed vine leaves and flaky pies, as well as the ubiquitous shopska salad, made from tomatoes, cucumber, onion and crumbly cheese. 

Destan, located in three locations across the city, is an unassuming local favourite serving smoky kebabs with grilled bread, peppery ajvar and plenty of raw onions. Another great place for a meat feast is laid-back Rock Kafana Rustikana, offering simple, hearty dishes and refreshing shopska salad. For a more classy dining experience, head to Vodenica Mulino and enjoy its Italian-influenced fare and exquisite wine selection in one of the city’s most romantic settings or try Skopski Merak, a rustic, elegant affair with live music every night. 

Lose track of time in the Old Bazaar

For centuries, the charming Old Bazaar, a maze of narrow cobblestone streets, has been the place to go for shopping and people-watching. Stretching from the Stone Bridge to the Bit Pazar, an open market offering mainly fruit and veg, Skopje’s Ottoman-era shopping area is the largest in the region. It is dotted with little shops selling traditional arts and crafts, from handmade jewellery and carpets to copper coffee sets and leather goods. There are also heaps of teahouses, restaurants and bars to choose from when you need a breather from all the bustles.  

Čaršija is also a good choice for after-dark drinks. Sip beer brewed right on site at the Old Town Brewery, perched above the lively Old Bazaar, or sample the region’s firewater at Rakija Bar Kaldrma, boasting 30-odd flavours of rajika on its menu. But when it comes to nightlife, Debar Maalo, the bohemian quarter just outside the centre, has the most going for it. Its tree-lined streets house countless restaurants and boisterous local haunts, such as cheeky Sindikat, industrial-feel Vinyl Bar and Van Gogh Bar, a true Skopje institution. In recent years, nightclubs and live music venues have also started popping up all over the North Macedonian capital, ranging from local favourite Stanica 26 to laid-back Marakana, dishing out live jazz, blues and rock at weekends. 

Enjoy fresh-air pursuits 

In Skopje, you don’t need to go far to enjoy breathtaking views and lush landscapes. Take the cable car, opened in 2011, to the Millennium Cross standing at 1,066 meters on top of Vodno Mountain, and gaze down on the bustling city, taking in the surrounding mountains. There’s also a network of trails if you fancy a hike. Try to make time for a visit to Canyon Matka, a stunning oasis of calm, located just a 30-minute bus ride from the centre. Take a walk along the steep canyon walls, then go for a dip to cool down. You can also jump in a boat or hire a kayak to admire the treasures of nearby Vrelo Cave and explore the gorge’s deep blue waterways. 

If you want to venture further afield, Mavrovo National Park, doubling as a ski resort in winter, offers some of the best scenery in the country. Highlights include Mount Korab, Macedonia's highest peak, deep gorges, lush forests and a lovely lake, as well as iconic monasteries such as Sveti Jovan Bigorski, and quaint villages like Galičnik and Janče. Or head to Kratovo to the east, a small town with medieval bridges and poking towers, built in the crater of an extinct volcano. While there, make sure to check out the mystical rock dolls of Kuklica, too. Local lore has it that they were created when a complete wedding party was turned into stone by a betrayed bride’s curse. 

Skopje airport

Situated 17 kilometres southeast of the capital, Skopje International Airport is one of the fastest growing airports in the world (according to 2019 data). It has one recently renovated terminal, which is easy to navigate. For food before your flight, there’s a fast food restaurant, cafés and a pastry shop. Skopje city centre can be reached by bus in about 40 minutes. Taxi and car rental services are also available. 

Skopje weather

Skopje has a continental climate, with great seasonal variation in temperature. The North Macedonian capital has four distinct seasons: chilly winters, hot summers and crispy springs and autumns. The best time to visit is from April to early October. In summer, temperatures often soar well into the 30s, so if you prefer a bit cooler weather, choose the shoulder season of April-May or September-October. In colder months, day temperatures usually stay above freezing point but after dark, they may drop significantly, so wrap up warm!  

FAQs for booking flights to Skopje

How to get cheap flights to to Skopje?

Use FareFinder to compare fares and discover the cheapest Skopje flights for the next 6 months, helping you to plan ahead and save. Frequent flyers can save even more by joining the Wizz Discount Club, which gives you and your companions access to an instant €10.00 discount on fares from €19.99 and further discounts on checked-in baggage purchased online.

When is the best time to visit Skopje?

Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, features a continental climate with four distinct seasons, making it a city with a wide variety of temperatures and conditions throughout the year. Winters are quite chilly, with temperatures often falling below freezing after dark. Summers can get really hot, often heating up to 30°C.

Those who prefer more temperate weather will find the best times for a visit are the shoulder seasons—April to May and September to October—when temperatures are milder and crowds are less than in the heat of summer. If you happen to visit during the cold months, be sure to dress warmly, especially at night. On the whole, the period from April to October is the best for visiting Skopje, when the city's rich history, colourful markets, and beautiful landscapes are best experienced without extremes of the winter cold or summer heat.

How to get from Skopje Airport to Ohrid? 

Skopje International Airport, located 17 kilometres southeast of the capital, is one of the world’s fastest-growing airports as of 2019. The city centre is accessible by bus in about 40 minutes, with taxi and car rental services also available. To get from Skopje Airport to Ohrid, you have five options: the recommended way is to take a bus via Struga, which takes about 3 hours and 28 minutes.

The cheapest option would be a direct bus to Ohrid, which will take around 4 hours and 1 minute. Alternatively, one can use a taxi or drive a rental car and reach your destination in about 2 hours and 46 minutes. The town cars are also on hand for about the same time. Bus options provide affordable ways to travel to Ohrid, and taxis get you to your destination fastest.

How do I offset the carbon emissions of a Skopje flight?

As part of our commitment to reduce carbon emissions, we've launched a carbon offsetting scheme. Input the details of your Skopje flight into our travel footprint calculator to calculate your carbon emissions. You can choose to offset your emissions by making a payment supporting two verified carbon-reducing projects. You will receive a certificate in return, recognising the offset emissions.