Since we bought an apartment in the small Bulgarian town of Bansko a few years ago, this place has become a holiday center for our family and friends.
Bansko is not a very big city, but a very large ski resort, the best in Bulgaria, it is even called the "winter capital of Bulgaria".
In winter, we mainly entertain ourselves with skiing and snowboarding, but in summer we are drawn to the road for new experiences.
We take a car and drive... We drive around Bulgaria, because there are a lot of interesting places in this country, both for educational tourism and in order to enjoy the natural beauties.
We go to Greece, because there is also something to see and you can swim in the sea.
In September this year we decided to visit Macedonia and Albania.
So, we flew to Sofia and arrived home in Bansko. The city, as always in autumn, met us with beauty, a rich harvest of vegetables and fruits
After hanging out for five days at local attractions (Rilski, Rupite, Dobarsko), we got into the car and hit the road.
The first goal is Macedonia, Ohrid.
We were preparing for the trip in advance, so we read on the Internet about Macedonia in general, and about the city of Ohrid in particular.
From Bansko to the Bulgarian-Macedonian border about 100 km, then another 300 km through Macedonia and we are in Ohrid.
It should be noted separately that we were pleased with the roads - the coverage is very good, for the number of cars that we met, they can be considered wide. For 100-120 kilometers we drove along a wonderful two-lane toll highway with a speed limit of 130 km, we paid about 2 euros for it, we only slowed down near the points for collecting money, we drove 6 of them, everywhere they take payment by cards, there was no need to worry about local currency.
The city of Ohrid stands on the shores of Lake Ohrid. The lake is of volcanic origin, large and deep, the water is clear, in good weather you can swim.
In Ohrid itself and its environs there are many hotels on the coast, there are good beaches.
You can take a nice boat trip. The weather upset us, it was raining, there was a strong wind, it was stormy, the boats were moored at the pier, only walruses could swim.
The city of Ohrid itself is a wonderful place that attracts crowds of tourists from different countries, which is not surprising at all. The first ancient settlements here were in the 2-3 centuries BC, then the colony was captured by the Romans, during the period of Byzantine rule the city was an important trading center on the way from the Adriatic to Constantinople, at the same time the city adopted Christianity. The ancient amphitheater has been preserved.
From the 5th-6th centuries, the city began to be settled by Slavic peoples, got its current name, was part of Bulgaria and even was the capital of the Bulgarian kingdom for 25 years under Tsar Samuil. Tsar Samuil built a fortress on a hill above the city, which has survived to this day, you can enter it and even walk along the fortress wall for a nominal fee of 0.3 euros.
Saint Clement of Ohrid, a disciple of Cyril and Methodius, lived and conducted his educational activities in Ohrid. It is believed that it in Ohrid was first createdalphabet Cyrillic .
During the Byzantine period, many churches and chapels were built in the city. Some sites report that there are 365 of them in Ohrid and its environs, I don’t know if this is true, but, in fact, a lot of them are well preserved, many are now being restored. They are also building a large cultural and religious center, which will include archaeological excavations, temples, a concert hall, etc.
For more than 500 years, until 1912, the city was ruled by the Ottoman Empire and fell into decay, but did not accept Islam, now about 80% of the population (as in all of Macedonia) are Orthodox Christians. After the end of the First Balkan War and liberation from the Ottoman Empire, it was part of Serbia, then Yugoslavia, now in Macedonia.
I also want to share some important information for tourists. Macedonia is not a very rich country, so visiting the very beautiful and interesting city of Ohrid did not cost us much.
We booked in advance two double studios in a small private hotel for 3 nights, both paid 60 euros in cash on departure.
The city is small and you can get everywhere on foot. Lunch or dinner at a restaurant on the waterfront - in the very tourist center - for 4 persons with wine, beer, cognac costs about 40 euros.
We drank very tasty local white wine "Alexandra".
The language is very similar to Bulgarian, the whole menu is written in it, i.e. Russian letters, easy to understand.
Everyone who communicates with tourists speaks English, there are no problems with communication.
Mother-of-pearl and pearls are mined in the lake and pretty jewelry is made, simpler - 5-20 euros for a bracelet, earrings, necklace, in good handmade silver - from 70 euros to "how much you don't feel sorry for yourself."
In July and August, there are a lot of tourists, you just can’t push through, but the weather is good.
We also managed to visit the monastery of St. Naum, which is located on the other side of Lake Ohrid, about 40 km from the city of Ohrid. Now the monastery is not functioning, but used to be a major religious and educational center. Revered as a holy place, there are unique icons in the altar of the katholikon of the monastery.
The lake tram goes to the monastery from the city of Ohrid several times a day, but it was also nice to ride along the road along the lake. On the territory of the monastery there is a very beautiful new church of St. Petka, near which a healing spring with holy water flows.
This was the end of our stay in Macedonia and the Macedonian-Albanian border was already visible ahead.
The second goal is "terrible" Albania.
Most of our fellow citizens still retained the “Soviet” idea of Albania as a wild and hostile country, and young people do not know at all that such a country exists, because almost no one sells tours to Albania in Russia, and geography is a problem in schools. Albania frightens, like everything unknown.
When we told our friends that we were going to rest in Albania, people twisted their fingers at the temple and looked at us like we were crazy. Articles on the Internet about Albania were also not encouraging - the people are wild, Islam is strong, there are no roads and all that. But we are already on the way, the hotel is booked, there is no turning back.
Having gained pleasant impressions in the monastery of St. Naum and having drunk delicious coffee there, we entered the territory of Albania.
And it began ... On an unthinkably old, narrow road without a single sign, we pass through a certain city, the navigator works as a dotted line, they look at the woman behind the wheel as the eighth wonder of the world. After the city, the road leads us along the Ohrid Lake from the Albanian side, the asphalt gets worse and finally ends completely, the road turns into a direction.
The company quieted down, I focused on avoiding potholes and potholes.
Everyone thought that the worst predictions had already come true and that 200 km to the city of Durres - our vacation spot - we would get in this mode for a day.
After 15 kilometers it was necessary to turn from the lake into the mountains, and my husband suggested that I get out from behind the wheel so as not to risk our lives. And then, lo and behold, we went to quite a decent new track. It turns out that we were just driving along a stretch of unfinished road. On the way, we came across another such section, 5 kilometers, and that's it. All in the sense that it was the only unpleasant place not only on the roads of Albania, but throughout our journey.
And the quality of the Tirana-Durres highway (from the capital to the largest port in the country) can be envied by Kutuzovsky Prospekt even after reconstruction.
It turned out that Albania is a normal country, and the Albanians are normal guys.
The Italians know this very well, so they prefer to relax here. The level, of course, is lower than in Italy, but only by one order of magnitude, and the price is five orders of magnitude lower, and the sea is the same.
Almost all restaurants are focused on Italian cuisine and seafood, the portions are large, the price is small. For lunch or dinner, you can fit in 20-30 euros for four, fruits for dessert are brought by default and are not included in the bill, when you visit the establishment again, they are treated to something, mainly local or personal alcoholic drinks.
There is a mosque in Durres, which the Egyptians built as a gift to the city, it is positioned in all guidebooks as an attraction, but nothing special with two minarets. This is perhaps the only reminder that the main religion in the country is Islam. There are no women in specific clothes on the streets, calls to prayer have never been heard, it seems that the whole country is “unbeliever”. Everything is quiet, calm, something like this:
We also had a good shopping experience. The thing is that some factories of famous Italian brands are located in Albania. Because of the cheap labor force, they don’t even write on clothes that they are sewn in Albania, everything is “made in Italy”, they sell part of their products here at Albanian prices, i.e. blouses up to 30 euros, shoes up to 40, we bought good checkered cotton shirts for 150 rubles, like a sale. New shopping centers in Durres itself and on the highway to Tirana are beautiful and comfortable.
As for the rest itself, then to say: “Super, quickly everything to Albania”, of course, is impossible, but it is quite acceptable.
The hotel fund is very diverse, the international criteria for star rating of hotels in the country are not accepted, therefore they draw stars for themselves on hotels by the amount of paint.
Best of all, small private hotels - hospitality and the desire to please tourists is beyond. They speak English poorly and rarely, they know Italian, they are willing to explain themselves in sign language, it is always possible to agree.
The sea is sandy and shallow at 100-150 meters, to swim you need to take a pedalo and pedal, almost all hotels have their own free beach with sunbeds and umbrellas, many have their own pedal boats and give them for symbolic money.
The water near the shore warms up to the temperature of fresh milk, which is good for vacationers with children. The beaches are dirty, you have to be careful, you can step on a fragment of a bottle, hotels are obliged to monitor their beaches themselves, but they do not always do this.
We were in the second half of September, it was not hot, there were few people, we decided that the season had already ended.
Entertainment is a problem. You can mentally walk along the waterfront. We didn’t go to the city center in the evening, it’s about 10 kilometers from the beach area, you can’t get there on foot, we didn’t see public transport, and on the beach strip the main evening entertainment is a restaurant, but that suited us.
Of course, the biggest plus is the price of the issue. Sometimes there was a feeling that we were brought to the Black Sea coast of Russia, only everything is cultured, quiet and five times cheaper.
I want to thank everyone who read to the end, I hope it was interesting.
To new places, friends!
Russia Moscow
Well, here's an article. I will definitely use Julia's advice. I hope you find them useful too.
P.S.: Guys, there are a few hours left before the deadline for accepting entries ... I'm waiting for this moment!
On the fifth day of our journey, we said goodbye to Serbia and returned to Macedonia later than expected, and drove it from northeast to southwest in complete darkness. In the next two days that we spent in Macedonia, the weather did not improve, and we had to move between cities in the afternoon and evening. Therefore, we did not happen to see the mountain beauties of this country, but we were lucky to catch the beginning of winter and the first snow - first admiring it on the mountain peaks from afar, and then driving through snow-covered mountain passes. We were glad that we took winter tires;)
Macedonia is very different from Serbia, but it is difficult for me to immediately formulate what exactly. A cursory acquaintance with the country from the car window left mixed feelings and impressions: undoubtedly impressive landscapes even at dusk (it’s hard to convey this in half-blurred photos, unfortunately), more deserted (compared to that part of Serbia that we saw) terrain, more gouging and less infrastructure, broken roads in non-central areas (it is especially exciting to drive on such roads in the pouring rain and in the mountains :), uncomfortable Albanian mountainous areas, contrasting with the Macedonian ones. I really hope to be in this country again, in better weather and without haste to go around all the most interesting places where we did not get, or which we only glimpsed. One way or another, Macedonia hooked, sunk into the heart :)
Shall we ride?
Now fast forward a few days. We went to Serbia and returned, and made a difficult journey in complete darkness from Leskovac to Bitola through mountains, rains and heavy fog (visibility was sometimes only a few meters - unforgettable sensations on the serpentine! the map downloaded to the phone with the nafigator helped a lot)
The sixth day of the trip was marked by acquaintance with the town of Bitola, where we arrived late in the evening the day before, and moving to Ohrid on the shores of the lake of the same name. The distance is short, but the road is zigzag, although of quite satisfactory quality compared to the serpentine, on which we were shaking in the fog the day before :)
5. On the way from Bitola, we admired the harsh November landscape and snow on the tops of the mountains.
6. The Nafigator's seat next to the driver was taken by a friend of my husband, and I was finally expelled into the back seat, so the pictures turned out to be more and more defocused. But it even suits the mood of a foggy cold autumn, when the fields are compressed, the groves are bare :)
9. Some kind of reservoir flashed between the hills, it was not possible to identify it.
14. And suddenly a new turn, and the water surface shone before us under the rays of the sun miraculously breaking through the clouds.
15. Apparently, it was Lake Prespa, past which lies the road to another lake, Ohrid.
16. And again autumn colors in the indescribable half-light under the low sky...
19. Unexpectedly, we found ourselves in a very cozy alley, which reminded us of the surroundings of Leskovac ...
21. Then a series of short tunnels...
23. And so we ended up in Ohrid, and spent a wonderful evening and half a day there. We left early, because on that day it snowed not only on the sky-high peaks, but also in Ohrid itself, to say nothing about the mountain passes in the Kichevo region and on the approach to Tetovo, which we had to overcome on the way to Skopje.
24. Until it got dark, I managed to take a look around a little.
33. We climb a little higher into the mountains, and here it is, our first snow!
The length of the North Macedonia public road network is 14.182 km. Of these, highways - 242 km.
Toll roads
In North Macedonia, there is a toll for the use of motorways depending on the distance traveled. The amount of payment for the use of motorways is the same for drivers with local and foreign registration.
Vehicle categories
The amount of the fee depends on the category of the vehicle.
Map of paid sections
Fares for 2020
| Fee Station | Road section | The amount of payment depending on the category of the vehicle | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IA | IB | II | ||
| Romanovce | A1: Kumanovo-Miladinovci | MKD 40 (€ 0.50) | MKD 60 (€ 1.00) | MKD 80 (€ 1.50) |
| Sopot | A1: Petrovec Veles | MKD 50 (€ 1.00) | MKD 80 (€ 1.50) | MKD 120 (€ 2.00) |
| Stobi | A1: Veles-Gradsko | MKD 40 (€ 0.50) | MKD 60 (€ 1.00) | MKD 100 (€ 2.00) |
| Gevgelija | A1: Gradsko-Gevgelija | MKD 60 (€ 1.00) | MKD 100 (€ 2.00) | MKD 160 (€ 3.00) |
| Kadrifakovo | A2: Stip-Sveti Nikole | MKD 30 (€ 0.50) | MKD 50 (€ 1.00) | MKD 80 (€ 1.50) |
| Poroj | A2: Sveti Nikole-Miladinovci | MKD 40 (€ 0.50) | MKD 70 (€ 1.50) | MKD 100 (€ 2.00) |
| Miladinovci | A2: Miladinovci-Skopje | MKD 20 (€ 0.50) | MKD 40 (€ 1.00) | MKD 60 (€ 1.00) |
| Glumovo | A2: Skopje-Tetovo | MKD 20 (€ 0.50) | MKD 40 (€ 1.00) | MKD 60 (€ 1.00) |
| Zjelino | A2: Skopje-Tetovo | MKD 20 (€ 0.50) | MKD 40 (€ 1.00) | MKD 60 (€ 1.00) |
| Tetovo | A2: Tetovo-Gostivar | MKD 20 (€ 0.50) | MKD 30 (€ 0.50) | MKD 40 (€ 1.00) |
| Gostivar | A2: Tetovo-Gostivar | MKD 20 (€ 0.50) | MKD 30 (€ 0.50) | MKD 40 (€ 1.00) |
| Petrovec | A4: Skopje-Petrovec | MKD 20 (€ 0.50) | MKD 40 (€ 1.00) | MKD 50 (€ 1.00) |
North Macedonia has an open toll collection system. Those. You will have to pay at each payment point through which you have to pass.
The most popular route from the border of Serbia to the border of Greece (170 km), passing along the A1 "Prizhatelstvo" motorway, for a passenger car will cost MKD 300 (€ 5.50).
Payment Methods
Payment for roads in North Macedonia is made at the payment points in cash in local currency (MKD) or by bank card. Euro cash is also accepted, including 1 and 2 euro coins and 50 cents. Coins of 10 and 20 cents are not accepted. Change can be issued both in national currency and in euro.
Tariffs in euros are fixed, and not MKD recalculated at the rate of the Central Bank. Therefore, paying in euros is not profitable. The amount of payment will be 10-15% higher than when paying in local currency.
It is necessary to keep the receipt (fiscal receipt) in the vehicle for the entire time of driving on the road and be ready to show it to persons authorized to exercise control of the Law on Public Roads. In the absence of a check - a fine from MKD 100 to 300 (€ 1.60 - 4.90).
Road map of North Macedonia
Basic traffic rules in North Macedonia
Speed Limit
Standard speed limits in North Macedonia (unless otherwise indicated on signs).
Cars and motorcycles:- in built-up area - 50 km/h
- on the road - 100 km / h
- on the motorway - 130 km/h
- in built-up area - 50 km/h
- outside the settlement - 80 km/h
- on the road - 80 km/h
- on the motorway - 80 km/h
Drivers with less than 2 years of experience are allowed to drive at a speed of no more than 60 km/h outside built-up areas, 80 km/h on motorways, and 90 km/h on motorways.
Vehicles are prohibited from driving on motorways, the speed of which, according to technical characteristics, does not exceed 60 km/h.
Alcohol
Maximum legal blood alcohol level 0.5‰.
If the blood alcohol level is from 0.51 to 1.0 ‰ - a fine of € 225 and deprivation of the right to drive a vehicle from 3 to 6 months.
If the blood alcohol level is from 1.01 to 1.50 ‰ - a fine of € 275 and deprivation of the right to drive a vehicle from 6 to 9 months.
If the blood alcohol level is from 1.51 to 2.0 ‰ - a fine of € 325 and deprivation of the right to drive a vehicle from 9 to 12 months.
If the blood alcohol level is more than 2.0 ‰ - a fine of € 375 and deprivation of the right to drive a vehicle for 12 months.
For drivers whose driving experience is less than 2 years, the permissible blood alcohol level is less than 0.1‰.
If the level of alcohol in the blood of such drivers is from 0.1 to 0.5 ‰ - a fine of € 200 and deprivation of the right to drive a vehicle for 3 months.
dipped beam
Dipped beam is required 24 hours a day all year round. Fog lights should only be used in foggy conditions or when visibility is limited.
In the absence of low beam in the daytime - a fine of € 15.
In the absence of low beam at night - a fine of € 35.
Transportation of children
It is forbidden to transport children under the age of 12 in the front seat of a car.
In a passenger car, a child under the age of 5 years can be transported in the back seat in a special child seat, which is attached to the vehicle seat with a seat belt or other suitable method.
A child under the age of 2 years old can be transported in the front seat of a passenger car if the car does not have a protective airbag, or if the airbag is turned off and the child is transported in a special rearward facing child seat.
A special child seat must be secured to the vehicle seat using a three-point seat belt.
The fine is € 35.
Seat belts
Use of seat belts Necessarily for front and rear passengers.
It is forbidden to transport in the front seat persons who are clearly under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other psychotropic substances.
The fine is €40.
Talking on the phone
It is forbidden to use a telephone device while the vehicle is in motion, even if it is equipped with a technical device that allows hands-free negotiations.
The fine is €40.
Toning
Windshield tinting is prohibited. The degree of light transmission of the front side windows must be at least 70%.
The fine is € 300.
fines
Fines are issued by a police officer at the scene of the violation. They must be paid at the post office or at the bank. If the fine is paid within 8 days, then 50% of the fine will be charged.
Fines in Macedonia are "pegged" to the euro. When paying, there is a conversion into Macedonian denars at the rate of the Central Bank.
Penalties for traffic violations in North Macedonia:| Violation | Fines (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Increasing the speed of your vehicle while another vehicle is overtaking it | € 25 |
| Failure to signal before moving, changing lanes, turning, turning or stopping | € 30 |
| Failure to comply with the requirement to give way to a vehicle enjoying the right of way | € 35 |
| The driver is obliged to maintain a distance from other vehicles or road users so as not to create danger or interfere with other road users | € 35 |
| U-turn or reversing on the motorway | € 35 |
| Parking Violation | € 45 |
| Reducing the speed of a vehicle to such an extent that its vehicle is an obstacle to normal traffic | € 50 |
| Violation of the rules of overtaking | € 150 |
| Departure to the lane intended for oncoming traffic | € 250 |
| Stopping, U-turning or Reversing in a Tunnel | € 250 |
| Driving through a red traffic light | € 300 |
| U-turn or reversing in places where such maneuvers are prohibited | € 300 |
| Overtaking vehicles that have stopped or are stopping to give way to pedestrians at a crosswalk | € 300 |
| Departure to a railway crossing with a closed or closing barrier, or with a prohibitory signal from a traffic light or a crossing attendant | € 300 |
Helpful information
Petrol
1.07 1.10 0.94 0.52 as of 11.02.2020
Unleaded petrol (95 and 98) and diesel are available in North Macedonia. Gas stations (LPG) are available.
Average prices for all types of fuel by state as of 11.02.2020 :
Macedonia
- BMB-95 – MKD 65.50 (€ 1.065)
- BMB-98 - MKD 67.50 (€ 1.098)
- Diesel – MKD 57.50 (€ 0.935)
- TNG – MKD 32.00 (€ 0.520)
