Shopping In Skopje, North Macedonia – All The Best Shopping Areas! april 25, 2022 – Posted in: North Macedonia, Travel – Tags: Holiday, North Macedonia, Shopping, Skopje, Vacation
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Where to go shopping in Skopje
If you are going shopping in Skopje, you can just as well go shopping for the rest of the year. The shops all have very nice clothes to choose from – and you get a lot for your money! In the city you will find many of the bigger high street stores as weel as small, quirky shops.
Like so many other areas, Stone Bridge also divides Skopje into two shopping districts: In the Old Town you will find the classic bazaar with everything in oriental rugs and wedding dresses. On the other side of Stone Bridge there are modern pedestrian streets and shopping malls – and of course you have to see it all!
Good shopping streets in Skopje
From Macedonia Square, continue straight onto Macedonia Street, Skopje’s main pedestrian street. On the street here and in the surrounding streets you’ll find many of the known high street stores and many local shops. But otherwise it is in the shopping centers and especially in the bazaar that shopping takes place in Skopje!
Shopping centers in Skopje
There are several shopping centers in Skopje, but three of the largest must be mentioned here: Ramstore Mall, Capitol Mall and Skopje City Mall. Ramstore Mall is located right next to the old station with Skopje City Museum, while Capitol Mall and Skopje City Mall are 3-4 kilometers respectively east and west of the center.
The Old Bazaar
Also visit the hottest shopping mall of all time: the old bazaar. From Stone Bridge, a maze of narrow, cobbled streets begins. In the bazaar, which is the second largest Ottoman bazaar next to the one in Istanbul, you can make a good bargain. Here there is one quirky shop after another where you will find everything from jewelers with impressive filigree rings and shoe shops with goatskin slippers.
Many of the stores offer beautiful wedding dresses with skirts of hundreds of tulle layers. North of the small bazaar streets is a large market, Bit Pazar, selling vegetables, electronics, t-shirts and kitchen utensils.
In the bazaar there are lots of small cafes, bakeries, candy shops, bars and restaurants. Sit down at one of the kafanas where you can have a cup of coffee and a kebap or a burek.
Read more here: The Old Bazaar
What to buy in Skopje
In Skopje you will find many of the well-known brands, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger and TopShop. In Skopje, however, the prices of the branded clothing are high, and unless you see something that you just have to have, don’t buy it here.
However, you will find many local brands in Skopje with really beautiful and affordable clothes. If you buy the entire summer or winter wardrobe in Skopje, it can pay for the trip – compared to having to buy the same amount of clothes in another European country. In particular, the underwear brand Sara Fashion and the Turkish clothing shop Koton are to be recommended. The bazaar also has lots of kitchy souvenirs and beautiful, handmade things.
NB! Do your shopping in Skopje and not at the airport. Apart from perfume, sweets and wine you won’t be able to shop at the airport when going back home.
Opening hours in Skopje
Most shops are open from 9.00 to 18.00. On Saturday some places closes earlier. On Sunday, most shops are closed. The same applies to the shops in the bazaar, while the large shopping centers are open from 10.00 to 22.00 every day.
Find a great hotel in Skopje
Whether you are going on holiday in Skopje or just want to visit the city on a short weekend break, there are many lovely hotels in the city. In general, it is cheap to live in Skopje, and even a tight budget will get you far. If you want to pamper yourself, you can also get a lot of luxury for your money in Skopje.
With those words comes our recommendation for a really good hotel in Skopje that can be booked directly through Booking.com. See more hotels by performing your own search here:
Hotel Arka in Skopje – click to read more!
A recommendation: Hotel Arka
We stayed right in the middle of the old bazaar at the five star Hotel Arka. In addition to rooms and suites, the luxury hotel also has three themed rooms: one that is kept completely in white with a bathtub, another that is black and with a whirlpool and a third in classic decor, where you can take a bath overlooking the city’s roofs. As you can see on the photo, we of course chose the one with the bath in the middle of the living room and the view over the city!
The breakfast buffet is completely sumptuous and offers Macedonian specialties and freshly made omelette. On the roof terrace you will find a pool bar that is open 24 hours a day as well as the most amazing view of the city and the old bazaar. From Hotel Arka, it is only a short walk to the restaurants of the Bazaar and Macedonia Square.
Read more: Hotel Arka
See all the great hotels in Skopje here on Booking.com!
We have to show you the biggest breakfast buffet we’ve ever seen… well, this is just some of it!
How do you get to Skopje?
WizzAir is your #1 choice when flying uot to Skopje. From Skopje Airport, you can take a shuttle bus to the city during the day, and it costs 160 denars (approximately €2,5). In front of the airport there are also taxis with fixed prices. 1500 denar it costs, about €25 – and don’t save your money going in a pirate taxi. The official taxis has a sign on the roof saying ‘Park’ .
When you need to get back to the airport, the bus leaves from the train station at the eastern part of town. Buy a ticket at the train station and stand in front of ‘East Entrance’. The bus does not run in the evening, see the bus schedule here.