Macedonia Travel Guide
Republic of Macedonia (Републи к а Ма к едони а) is located in the middle of the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe, with an area of 25713 square kilometers. It is a mountainous landlocked country. It borders Bulgaria to the east, Greece to the south, Albania to the west, and Serbia and Montenegro to the north. Majestic peaks, beautiful lakes and soaring waterfalls are the unique tourist resources of the Republic of Macedonia. Outdoor activities such as travel, skiing, swimming, and a rich cultural landscape along the way can add a lot of fun to the journey. The inaccessible Orthodox monasteries and ancient mosques are also dotted with scenery during the trip. You can also stroll through the dazzling array of oriental markets.
Cultural Geography The ancient Macedonian Empire rose in the Balkans, and it successively belonged to the Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire.
After the Balkan War in 1913, it was divided into Yugoslavia, Greece and Bulgaria. The main cities in the region are Thessaloniki and Skopje. Geographically, Macedonia now belongs to three countries. The Republic of Macedonia is called Vardar Macedonia, the part belonging to Bulgaria is called Pilin Macedonia, and the part belonging to Greece is called Aegean Macedonia.
After World War I, Vardar Macedonia was merged into the Serb-Croats-Slovenia Kingdom (renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929). After World War II, the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia was established, and Vardar Macedonia, which originally belonged to Serbia, became one of the constituent units of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and was called the Republic of Macedonia.
On November 20, 1991, Macedonia officially declared its independence. However, Greece believes that Macedonia is a geographical concept, its scope includes the northern region of Greece, and firmly opposes using "Macedonia" or derivatives of "Macedonia" as the name of Macedonia. On April 7, 1993, Macedonia joined the United Nations under the provisional name "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". Although Bulgaria recognizes Macedonia's independence and establishes diplomatic relations with it, it does not recognize the Macedonian nation or the Macedonian language.
Visa the mainland of China citizens holding private passports must obtain a visa before entering the country. China citizens holding private passports hold a valid Class C multiple Schengen visa with a visa validity period of more than 5 days than the expected stay in Macedonia, and are in compliance with Article 11 of the Macedonia Aliens Law.(That is, you must hold legal and valid travel documents, provide documents and insurance related to the purpose of travel, are not included in the Macedonian ban list and do not endanger Macedonian public order, public health, national security and international relations), you can enter Macedonia. The duration of each stay cannot exceed 15 days, and the total duration of entry within 6 months cannot exceed 3 months. This regulation will be repealed until Macedonia formally joins the European Union.
Any foreigner who has valid travel documents from a third country and needs to apply for a Macedonian visa to enter the country, if he has permanent residence in a member state of the European Union or a Schengen Agreement country, can enter the country directly without applying for a Macedonian visa. The visa fee is 60 euros.
Office of the Embassy of Macedonia in China: 1-32, Sanlitun Diplomatic Apartment, Beijing City.
Tel: 010-65327846.
Fax: 010 65327847.
E-mail: beijing@mfa.gov.mk (also the visa consultation mailbox).
站图片位置Entry and Exit Macedonian customs allows individuals to bring 200 cigarettes (or 100 cigarillas, or 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco leaf or appropriate amounts of other tobacco-like products), 2 liters of wine and 1 liter of spirits (or 2 liters of non-spirits), 50 ml of perfume and 250 ml of eau de parum when entering the country. Goods or articles carried for non-commercial purposes may not be declared if the amount does not exceed 350 euros, but tobacco, alcohol and perfume products must not exceed 350 euros and cannot exceed the above quantity limit. Foreigners can each bring 10,000 euros or 120,000 denars into the country, exceeding which must be declared. Drugs, weapons, animals, plants, vegetables and seeds must be declared, and the customs will check relevant invoices and certificates.
Transportation Turkish Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and British Airways operate flights from Beijing to Skopje. Austrian Airlines and Turkish Airlines have flights from Shanghai to Skopje.
Petrovac Airport in the capital Skopje provides a large number of international flight services, and ticket prices are relatively expensive. Fares from London start at about US$550, so you can check flights to Thessaloniki, Greece, and then spend another 10 euros. You can take a train from there to Skopje.
Currency Macedonian currency unit is Denar, 1 US dollar is approximately 42.5 Denar, 1 euro is approximately 61.5 Denar, and 1 RMB is approximately 6.6 Denar (July 2011). There are more than 20 banks in Malaysia, mainly the People's Bank of China (NBRM) and the three major commercial banks, Komercijalna, Stopanska and NLB Tutunska. RMB cannot be exchanged in Malaysia. China citizens need to convert it into euros or U.S. dollars domestically in advance and carry it to Macedonia.
Communication/Network The main telecom operators in Macedonia are T-mobile, Cosmon, One, etc. GSM mobile phones made in China can be purchased directly in Malaysia for use with mobile phone cards. The mobile phones of China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom can generally be used for roaming in Malaysia. Macedonia's international telephone area code: +389, the capital Skopje area code: 02. Local calls can be directly dialed (more than 0 needs to be added in hotels). International long distance calls are: 00+ country code + area code + telephone number. For example, Beijing: 00+86+10+ telephone number. Domestic calls in Malaysia are cheaper, and international long-distance calls vary depending on the destination country. And hotels in Macedonia generally provide Internet services.
Accommodation The main accommodation facilities in Macedonia include hotels, baths, small private hotels, car camps, etc. The star-rated hotels in the capital Skopje mainly include Best Western Hotel, Holiday Inn, and Alexandar Palace. The prices are relatively expensive, and the price of standard rooms exceeds 100 euros/day. There are several small Chinese restaurants in Skopje, which are more expensive.
Hotels in Skopje are expensive, but campgrounds and rental agencies in Ohrid and Skopje make frugality possible. The International Youth Hostels Association member hotels in Skopje are open all year round and summer student dormitories are open to the public. If you are sightseeing around the country, the cheapest accommodation is in monastery dormitories, especially the Sveti Jovan Bigorisk monastery near the Mavrovo National Park and the Treskavec monastery in Prilep.
Renting a house or apartment in Ohrid is your best choice. Both Generalturist and other local travel agencies can provide this service at a cost of approximately 400-600 denars per person. In the old city, room prices are higher.
Food The diet in Macedonia follows the eating habits of the former Yugoslav Federation. Due to the civil war and economic recession, the diet is relatively simple. Macedonians mainly rely on pasta in their diet, which has a heavy taste and is not afraid of greasy food. They also like to eat spicy food. Most people like to drink Turkish coffee, while others like to drink black tea, wine, fruit wine and mineral water. Macedonian bread and wine are well received.
Most goods need to be imported from abroad for shopping, and the prices are higher. Macedonia is more famous for its wine, and Tikves in Macedonia is the main grape producing area. Cash payments in Dainars, euros or U.S. dollars are accepted in Malaysia, and credit cards such as American Express, Diners, Visa and Mastercard are accepted by large merchants or large consumer venues.
Tips (1) There are supermarkets of varying sizes in major cities in Macedonia, and daily necessities can be guaranteed. Macedonia is rich in agricultural products, such as vegetables, fruits, meat, dairy products, etc. Since Macedonia's manufacturing industry is underdeveloped, most goods are imported from abroad, so prices are high. If special goods or large quantities of goods are needed, reservations must be made in advance.
(2) Working and living in Macedonia must abide by local customs and habits. Macedonians are hospitable. If they are invited to a private home, they should not be late, and it is understandable to be 10-15 minutes late. When sending flowers, pay attention to the odd number to express joy. It is impolite to visit or call people before 5 p.m., Macedonians like to spend nightlife in restaurants, bars, and cafes. They usually have to entertain until late before resting on weekends.
(3) Electric voltage: Power plugs are unified European standards, and domestic electrical appliances generally must be equipped with separate plugs. The voltage is 20 volts.
(4) There are hospitals, medical stations and private clinics in all cities and towns in Macedonia, and pharmacies can be seen everywhere, but the medical infrastructure is generally average.