Travellers usefull tips

Things to know about the Republic of Macedonia

Capital: Skopje

Official language: Macedonian. In the country, people also speak Albanian, Turkish, Croatian and Serbian.

Climate varies according to geographical zones. It ranges from temperate to subtropical. Macedonia has warm summers and cool winters. Precipitations regularly fall during the year. It rains more often in the south, than in the north. Tourist season begins in early May and lasts till the end of September. During summer, Macedonia receives a minimum number of precipitations.

The average temperature:
October +20°C
November +12°C
December +5°C
January+7°C
February +9°C
March +14°C
April +19°C
May +22°C
June +29°C
July +30°C
August +32°C
September +28°C

Currency: Official currency of Macedonia is denar (MKD). It is subdivided into 100 deni. Circulated banknotes are in denominations of 10, 50, 100, 500 1000 and also 5000 denari, as well as coins of 1, 2, 5 denari and 50 deni.

Means of payment: All large shops, restaurants, and hotels accept national currency, American dollars, and euros. Credit cards aren’t widely spread in Macedonia. You can get cash from ATMs almost everywhere.

Currency exchange: you can convert currency either in banks or exchange offices. Besides, you can withdraw traveller’s cheques in all large banks without any commission. On weekdays, Macedonian banks are open from 7:00am until 1:00pm. Some big banks work till 7:00pm on weekdays and till 1:00pm on Saturday. Currency exchange offices are open from 7:00am to 7:00pm.

Calls to Macedonia from other countries
To make a call from a landline phone, you should dial +389 (area code) X-XXX-XXX;
For example, +389 (30) X-XXX-XXX.

Calls from Macedonia to other countries
In all big cities, you can find public telephone boxes, which allow you to call within the country or abroad. To make a call, you need to have a special card, which is sold at kiosks and post offices. To call to other country, you should dial an exit country code (99) before a number.

Useful phone numbers in Macedonia:
Police – 92
Ambulance – 94
Fire Department – 93

Time zone:
UTC (CET) +1 (GMT)
Local Time (summer time): UTC +2
Daylight saving time: the last Sunday of March at 1:00am.
Daylight saving time: the last Sunday of October at 1:00am.

Customs
You can bring into Macedonia duty-free:
- 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars;
- 250 gr of tobacco;
- 1 litre of spirits and 2 litres of wine;
- 50 gr of perfumery;
- 250 ml of cologne or toilet water.
There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency you can bring in, but importation of national money is officially prohibited.

Shopping in Macedonia:
Most shops are open from 8:00am to 8:00pm on weekdays, and from 8:00am to 3:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Transport in Macedonia

a) Public transport
1. Taxi is the most popular kind of transport among travellers. Fare isn’t high, but you’d better discuss it with a driver in advance. Cost of your trip depends on distance that you overcome. One kilometer usually costs 1 dollar. In the evening and during holidays, you should expect a double rate.2. Bus is the most convenient and safest kind of public transport. The fare should be paid by coupons, which you can buy from a conductor or at kiosks.3. Bicycle. Most hotels offer you to rent a bike. Such service costs about 10 euros per day.

b) Long-distance transport
1. Bus. You can get to any city of the country by bus. Tickets are sold at bus stations, but you’re advised to buy them beforehand. Besides, it’s easy to go to nearby capital cities, such as Belgrade, Istanbul, Sofia and others.
2. Train. Railway system isn’t well-developed. There are only two lines in Macedonia. However, it’s impossible to get to local sights by train, because they are located too far from train tracks.
3. Aircraft. Due to the small size of the country, Macedonia doesn’t have domestic flights. However, the country has two international airports, which are located in Skopje and Ohrid.

Car rental: There are many car rental companies, which offer rental service. To hire a car, you must have international driving license, pay a mandatory insurance charge, which depends on car value.

Traffic rules
Macedonia determines such speed limits:
- in the city – 60 km/h
- out of the city – 80 km/h
- highways – 120 km/h
If you exceed speed limits, you will pay a fine – minimum 200 American dollars.
- Parking violation or driving without seat belts are punished strongly.
- Macedonia has several toll roads. You should pay a toll at certain turnstiles at the entrance to a highway.
- Allowable level of alcohol in blood is 0.5 per millilitre. For drivers with driving experience less than two years such level is 0.0 per millilitre. Passengers under the influence of alcohol are not allowed to travel in the front seat.
- Using of studded tires is prohibited in the country. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to sit in the front seat.
- The use of a mobile phone even with a hands-free system while driving is prohibited. Car must have: a first aid kit, a tow rope, a fire extinguisher, a warning triangle, and a reflective vest.

Water transport is usually used by tourists. Pleasure boats run across Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa. Macedonia doesn’t have its outlet to the sea, that’s why there are no international transportations by sea.

Hotels: All hotels are classified by the international five-star system. Most hotels are located in large cities and resort areas. It is difficult to find accommodation in small towns; however, local resorts have many spas and apartment hotels.

Tipping in Macedonia
In local restaurants and cafes, the usual deal is to tip 10% of the total. You’re advised to leave the same amount a driver in a taxi.

National Holidays in Macedonia:
1 January – New Year
7 January – Christmas
8 March – International Woman’s Day
1 May – Labour Day
2 August – Day of the Republic
8 September – Independence Day
11 October – Revolution Day

Behaviour rules in Macedonia
Smoking in public places is strictly prohibited in Macedonia. The country has a very low crime rate, so you should not worry about losing your luggage. You’d better avoid speaking about disintegration of Yugoslavia and about territorial disagreement with Greece. In general, the Macedonians are quite affable and friendly people; they are ready to help any tourist. Travelling around the country, it is necessary to know that in Macedonia, as in Bulgaria, gestures are applied vice versa. Talking about religion, you are free to wear clothes you like.

Visa: Visa is not required for citizens of countries of the Schengen agreement and also of such countries as Russia, Ukraine, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Canada, the USA, Hong Kong, Mexico, Singapore, the New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland and some other countries in South-East Asia and Latin America.