Skopje, North Macedonia came in as major city #58 on my Major City project and here I’ll share a few first impressions covering the city with my camera. While only a border away in Romania, I was surprised how many people hadn’t even heard of Skopje when I told them it was my next city. North Macedonia is rich with history and its capital Skopje is one of the largest cities in the Balkans. The Balkans are an interesting region to me, with Belgrade being one of the more memorable cities I’ve photographed, so I wanted to include a couple more cities here in my project. Skopje didn’t disappoint.
There’s an ancient feeling here mixed with a quirkiness that makes it interesting to explore. It’s laid-back and easy to get to know on foot, which makes it even better for street photography. Before I even knew much about Skopje, I knew about Shutka, the only majority Roma city in the world, which is located just 7 kilometers from Skopje’s center. Shutka’s unique gypsy atmosphere combined with Skopje’s own surprisingly enjoyable interest makes for a city that I’d recommend to anyone.
So here are my first impressions of Skopje, from my personal Street Photographer perspective…
7 First Impressions of Skopje
(From a Street Photography Perspective)
1. You don’t need a ton of time to get a feel for the city
While it’s not only the largest city in North Macedonia, but also one of the largest in the Balkans, Skopje still isn’t too big of a city, at just over half a million people. I walked most of it many times over, including the individual neighborhoods. This can be a good thing too, though, as you get a feeling for the city more quickly. While Skopje is a unique city, it didn’t feel too foreign after a couple days. I knew the different areas, how they felt and where I liked going, without feeling like I was missing something new by going there again. Most visitors still only hang around one small area from Macedonia Square through the Old Bazaar, but if you’re willing to walk a little and explore, you should get a real feel for the city. It’s a city that’s doable on a visit, unlike some cities that would take months to get the same feel for.
2. Old Bazaar/Market makes for a nice, compact walk
The Old Bazaar is the largest bazaar in the Balkans outside of Istanbul. It feels as much like a full neighborhood as it does a bazaar, though. More than just shops, you can also find restaurants, art galleries, museums, mosques, and more here. It’s the heart of commercial and social life in the city, as it has been for many centuries. It’s filled with Ottoman architecture, with some Byzantine architecture left mixed in.
While all the interest here makes it the main attraction for tourists, it still manages to keep its authenticity. Skopje isn’t overcrowded with tourism yet and you’ll still find plenty of local life. The cobblestone streets provide a good amount of area to explore too, while its location is perfectly in the middle of everything. I made at least one walk through the Old Bazaar every day, even if it wasn’t my destination, and each time it was enjoyable.
3. Shutka is my favorite for interest and uniqueness
Šuto Orizari, often shortened to Sutka/Shutka, is a municipilaty of Skopje. After the 1963 earthquake destroyed their homes, the Roma population moved here, making it the only municipality in the country with a Roma majority, at 80%. It’s also the only place in the world to adopt Romani as an official language. So, being the only place in the world where Roma are organised politically and economically, Shutka makes for a very interesting place to explore. Around 6 km from the center, I walked to Shutka many times, shooting along the way and finishing the day up top here, before taking the bus back to the center at sunset. Gypsies have attracted a lot of interest from photographers over the years, making their way into the work of many of the greats, including Josef Koudelka. The nomadic lifestyle, the colorful clothing, the interesting culture and more. Shutka doesn’t have the nomadic lifestyle, but it does have its own unique interest added into the mix. For one, there’s a wide mix of wealth here. Big mansions and luxury cars next to shanties and horse driven carriages. It’s an odd juxtaposition that you won’t see many places. Seeing how they form their own mini city provides a unique look at the blend of their culture into an organized town.
Of course, you still have the colorful clothing and vibrant culture you’d expect too. Many of the quirky houses are colorful too and the streets are always filled with life. During the week, the odds are pretty good you’ll get to see a gypsy wedding or two. Walking bands playing music with the wedding party and friends behind is a fun sight to see. There’s a large square where many of them have after wedding celebration and dancing too. The outfits and energy are hard to beat when it comes to weddings, just make sure you come during the week if you want to catch one, as they usually don’t have weddings on the weekends like others.
Shutka’s fame had reached me years ago after watching a documentary on this one-of-a-kind Roma city so I’d been looking forward to checking out. Luckily, it didn’t disappoint. While the documentary makes everyone out to be a larger than life character, I wouldn’t expect anything that exotic or exciting, but for unique interest in Skopje, you’ll find plenty in Shutka. The main street provides much of the interest, but I enjoyed exploring the back streets too for a look at more of the neighborhood life.
4. Macedonia Square is nice too
Macedonia Square is the main square of Skopje, and the largest in the country. Just across the river from the Old Bazaar, this wide open square is always lively. It’s dominated by the gigantic “Warrior on a Horse” statue of Alexander the Great, but below, the elaborate fountain of water jets attract the most attention. Its constant display of timed jets provide entertainment for locals, visitors and even dogs, who all like to run through it when it’s hot out. While Skopje isn’t the only city to have a water fountain like this, it is one of the more elaborate and active I’ve seen. It’s usually worth a stop with your camera to find some interest.
Many pedestrian streets lead here, including the famous Stone Bridge, and you’ll find plenty of shopping and restaurants nearby. The square is more impressive than most, while having a more modern look compared to the rest of the city, as recent city projects have built the City Shopping Centre and a number of modern business buildings surrounding the square. It’s also maybe the most tourist filled spot in the city, but it’s one to come for guaranteed activity and open light in the heart of the city.
5. A good city to just walk around and find interest in random places
Outside of the main square and old bazaar, you’re not going to find too many places that visitors venture. There’s definitely more to discover, though, and luckily Skopje’s size makes it easy to do. I was able to walk this main area almost every day, multiple times, while also exploring the rest of the city on foot too. Much of the time, I just found interest in random places and rarely got bored, even if it’s not a crowded city. Many of the different neighborhoods can be interesting and while a place like Shutka looks far out of the city, it’s really only 7km from the center, which makes everything else feel especially close. If you’re tired of the bazaar and main square, I’d just keep walking and see what you can find. Skopje is a quirky city, so there’s bound to be something random found, while not being too far away from getting back home. Walking as much as I did, especially during the 7km treks to Shutka, really gave me an inside look around the city.
6. The neighborhood between old bazaar and shutka provides great local life interest
Since I walked to Shutka instead of taking transportation, I went through many of Skopje’s northern neighborhoods. The life and atmosphere up here has an older, very local feeling. It’s not like the south, which is trendier and more expensive to live in, but also quieter during the day. It gives a real neighborhood feeling that probably hasn’t changed as much over time. The people are also very friendly here and you’ll find more life outside compared to some of the quieter neighborhoods. There’s a few main commercial streets with shopping activity, but I enjoyed the winding side streets and parks more. My favorite was the section between Boulevard Nikola Karev and John Kennedy, but you can find interest continuing north to Shutka too. It’s not packed activity like the Bazaar and main square, but it provides a different, more local atmosphere with its fair share of activity in spots. And its off the beaten path where tourists don’t go, which can be good for street photography.
7. Back in time in a Balkan city
Skopje is a major city in the Balkans that takes you back in time to a different atmosphere. Around Macedonia Square and some of the south, it feels more modern, but outside these parts you can get an interesting feel for the city. Not just around the castle walls and bazaar, but the rest of the city has this dry, older scenery that feels less touched by change. There’s a ton of history here since the days of Alexander the Great, but North Macedonia doesn’t grab the attention that other ancient places do. This leaves it feeling less polished and more authentic. Some streets are more quiet, but all over there’s little quirks to discover. You’ll see statues all over the city, from larger squares to random little spots. Even the built-up area around Macedonia Square has taken on this atmosphere in its own way, with gigantic statues and buildings looking down upon you. While exploring most of Skopje, it could be many years in the past and you wouldn’t know the difference. Its old, quirky balkan charm mixed with a little neglect makes for an interesting and relaxing city to walk with your camera.
If any of you have been to Skopje before, tell me about your experience and impressions of the city and country in the comments below! And stay tuned for more on Skopje, including some of the best Street Photography shots I captured while there.
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