The new-renovate Skopje is a wonderful surprise coming from the Balkans. It is nothing like Paris or Istanbul but some resemblances are easy for any tourist to spot. Well I must confess, I find the city a lot more pleasant than Paris but that it's only my perspective. Anyway, for those who never been there or simply don't know the city, after a devastating earthquake in 1963 Skopje needed a new masterplan and was largely rebuilt accordingly to Kenzo Tange's design. Tange's plan was completed in 1980, partly executed by local architects of the Modern Movement and supported by the United Nations. Even though the Masterplan was a creature of its time, the actual Macedonian Government wants to remove all traces of this plan and transform the capital as an historic city with roots in antiquity. This political attempt of fabricate an ideal past has changed Skopje's centre into a common European one, with many Roman-Greek-made monuments and an endless amount of statues. Like Istanbul the city is divided in two sides - a now faked modern European and the old town with Arabic roots. The difference is quite astonishing just by crossing the Vardar River and the old Stone Bridge, still a relic of the past. On the other side, you'll get to find the Old Bazaar and the Kale Fortress, ruins of a 6th-century hilltop stone fortress overlooking the city and perfect for panoramic views. Although the city is nothing like what it was before, and has been through many adjustments (for the best I must say), I found it totally romantic and in some way a game-changer for tourism.
Tip: try the docked boat-restaurants next to the Stone Bridge.
Tip: try the docked boat-restaurants next to the Stone Bridge.
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