Thanks for visiting my first Wales football blog of 2025! The destination was North Macedonia, which is a new country for me and I think the 49th in total, with the day trip to Kosovo being number bloody five-zero!
Macedonia, officially North Macedonia (we’ll come on to that) is a Country in the Balkans, formerly part of Yugoslavia. It is landlocked and bordered by just the five countries; Greece, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia and Bulgaria. It has a population of 1.8 million with around a third of these living in the capital Skopje. It is not in the EU and has the Denar as its currency.
The trip was Monday to Friday with the football match on Tuesday.
Costs
I travelled with my friend again for this trip who was designated planner (give me a break I’ve already been to 4 places in France and Istanbul since Christmas). He did a splendid job sorting return flights from Heathrow for £212 each. We did have to stop at Frankfurt going and Zurich coming back but that did break up the otherwise 4 hour flight.
The four-star Queens Hotel costs around £150 each for 4 nights including a simple but satisfactory breakfast. It was around 15 minutes walk to the main square, opposite a bus stop and had a supermarket underneath.
Public transport was cheap. The one time we caught the bus it cost about 40p. A ten minute taxi was around £3 but the city sights are all within walking distance of each other.
Food at restaurants was very good value. A bottle of local Skopso beer was £1.50 or £2.50 centrally. Cigarettes £3 a pack. I went a whole bloody week without fast food so couldn’t price up a Burger King or KFC, but that does lead me in to my first fun fact: there are no McDonald’s in the country!
Ummm, what else? We caught Flixbus to Heathrow and the taxi from Skopje airport to centre was 1000 denar, thirteen quid to you and me. The ticket cost for the game were either £4 or £13. What a nice surprise.
Important health update for fans
Avid readers or those who tripped over my recent Istanbul blog in February will remember my foot had been a proper five digit fuckhead since January which almost ruined Turkiye for me. I still struggled the week leading up to this trip but you’ll be delighted to know my right Plantar Fascia was okay. I took my walking stick… FML… with me most days but it was 90% precautionary and in total over the full three days I probably achieved 50,000 steps.
Itinerary
Day One – Home to Skopje
I’ll keep days 1 and 5 short as we’re all adults who know what an aeroplane is and what a twat the whole process can be.
9:30am bus to Heathrow, fully recovered from the electrical outage the Friday before and quieter than my usual experience.
We flew with Lufthansa and had spare seats next to us on BOTH legs. An absolute dream! Just a quick note about Lufthansa. Obviously having a spare seat next to me was paradise beyond the airlines control, but how nice to have a complimentary bottle of water and mini Lindt chocolate bar! I’d be a kidney lighter having that on WizzAir…
It didn’t feel like a long day but we arrived at our hotel at 11pm and there is only an hour time difference. That didn’t stop us bumping into a couple of other Welsh fans who easily tempted us to go for a beer in a bar just up the road. The local lager hit the spot. One turned into three but all very sensible.
I already mapped out that food was unlikely, so felt proper chuffed with myself unpacking a Bombay Badboy Pot Noodle out of my bag for supper!
Day Two – Skopje and match day!
Instead of scheduled rain it was a lovely sunny morning as we enjoyed breakfast on the roof terrace, heading out around 10am to ensure I had ample time for getting drunk after the touristy stuff!
Before we could catch the bus in to the centre we had to get cash from an ATM and then get some change. Easy with a supermarket and soft drinks nearby.
Fun fact: I was horrified that my otherwise fabulous “Nothing” brand of phone was not compatible with an eSIM. The plan was to get a card over there, but as the morning went on I didn’t bother. Then as the week went on it, my point is that it was actually rather liberating not to have notifications every two minutes. I did have the odd catch up in restaurants and Pete had his hotspot for emergencies, but I did honestly enjoy putting my phone away throughout most of the day!
Anyway. Bus. A very old, stinky, busy scrap of metal but did get us to where we wanted to go! Still, it was the first and last of the trip!
The Old Bazaar (kinda like a market area) was a must visit although very quiet first thing in the morning, bearing in mind it was still Ramadan. The plan was to pass through here and walk up hill to Skopje fortress in the hope of some good pictures.
It certainly didn’t disappoint as even before the entrance one could see the stadium in all it’s glory and looked very impressive. We’ll be seeing you again later.
The fortress was not exactly Kings Landing but it was free and useful to map out other parts of the city centre. There was also a small bar here that slowly filled up with Cymru fans having the same idea of a midday beer or two. Lovely.
We continued back through the Bazaar, now much busier, and to the main square, passing not one but two statues of Alexander the Great.
Fun fact: Alexander the Great is not Greek. In fact don’t mention the G word. He is Macedonian, at least according to the locals. Apparently the statue upset Greece, which leads me on to another…
The centre of Skopje is truly bizarre! A previous leader had an idea of Project Skopje 2014 and turn the place into a tourist hotspot, by erecting new buildings but making them look old. In total he placed dozens of statues and 13 buildings. This REALLY pissed off the locals given the cost and considering the Macedonian public services could have benefited immensely instead from this cash. If you don’t laugh you’d cry and whilst I don’t think I have any great photo’s, they did indeed look bloody ridiculous. Ten year old buildings trying to look like 100 year buildings!
In sympathy, to maybe see where he was coming from, Skopje was flattened in the 1960s by an earthquake, which saw a huge 80% of it’s buildings collapse. I just think the unjustified cost of his plans leapfrogged any good intentions.
Walking over the old Stone Bridge, which I believe is older than say, a fortnight (lolz), we bumped into a friend at the main square before collecting our match ticket from a nearby hotel.
I left the lunch decision to Pete. I just fancied a burger at most before getting on the beers, I felt rather “meh” about going to a nice Macedonian restaurant but OH MY GOD it was so good I’d end up having exactly the same meal the next day! The place is called Old House (link).
A T-bone pork joint with fries, salad, garlic bread and a drink came to about 16 quid. Just look at the size of it….
Miraculously by the time we made the short walk back in to the centre, plus a few Marlboro Gold’s, I could stomach a beer and as Pete went back to the hotel for his regular match day siesta I went in search of some booze!
I was blessed not only to meet up with some fellow Newportonians but also newfound friends from gogledd Cymru and really enjoyed many a beer and a few sing songs before the game. One of the best parts, so I take very few photos!
Roll on three hours. I did lose said pals on the way to the ground in search of some cigarettes, but after 12 pints or so the independent walk to the ground was a mix of an experience, both quite fun and challenging (no mobile data for maps remember). I’m not naming names but if this was another Balkan country or two I’d be shitting myself. It’s a good job my wife never reads this stuff…
Watching the football match was never in doubt and I re-joined Pete before kick off for the anthems, and a minute silence for the poor souls that lost their lives in a Macedonian night club fire just a few weeks prior.
The game itself, at the time I thought was very disappointing for a match I took for granted Wales would win.
The game to life right at the end of the game after Joe Allen, the living Jesus, of all people, gifted a Macedonia goal, only for Wales through Dai Brooks to comically equalise in the 90th plus whatever minute (highlight link).
I need to comment on the ABSOLUTELY SHIT hospitality in the ground. No beer, no food, not even bottled water! This was in the posh seats.
Fun (depressing) fact: I STOLE a bottle of open water off a stewards desk at half time, I was that parched. I wonder how such occurrences can be allowed (not the stealing bit) but that’s UEFA for you…
Feeling knackered after a long day, twinned with being trapped in the stadium with zero facilities, loo roll inclusive, I didn’t really have the mantra for beers after the match. Therefore, Peter and I walked back to the hotel in search of food, that was not forthcoming. You’ve got 30,000 people in a stadium and food outlets closed and hour beforehand. FML. 24 hour shop for crisps and chocolate and bed. I could have murdered another Pot Noodle…
Day Three – Vodno Mountain and Lake Matka
After a chilled breakfast we headed back to the fortress before our half-day trip in the afternoon. We had time to kill so wandered around the vicinity. I took a great interest in a nearby caravanserai named Kursumli An, as I had been playing the Assassin’s Creed Mirage video game set in Iraq where they were prominent. A caravanserai is kind of like an old fashioned motel and service station.
This building dated back to the 16th century and had since been a prison before just left to dilapidate. I thought it would make a great hotel and in such a prominent location.
What made it more frustrating to allow such a dwelling to fall into disrepair, was the fact that the “Museum of Macedonia lay only 100 metres away, in this concrete eyesore of a building that was supposed to resemble some type of old v modern middle-ground. The museum itself was closed, well, I assume it was because we couldn’t even find it, just a smattering of office workers walking around at lunchtime.
Time to go on our day trip I think.
We booked through Viator (link here) a half-day tour to Matka Canyon and Vodno Mountain. At £25 each, this was great value for money. I think we had to pay about a quid for the cable car (£24 cheaper than Dubrovnik and 3 times longer) and around €9 for a boat trip at the canyon/lake to visit the Vrelo Cave.
The three minibuses was full with other Welsh supporters and it took a good 30 minutes to meander up the mountain to reach the point where we could catch the cable car. The guide was really good too, giving a history of Macedonia, why to them it is NOT North Macedonia and why they are not that fond of the Greeks.
Ooooh, maybe I can introduce a new section. A history lesson, but by me? A Christory lesson if you will. A really to the point, citations probably needed, half-arsed couple of sentences to cover centuries of historical importance.
Christory lesson: Why is Macedonia called North Macedonia and not just Macedonia, or where is south Macedonia?
Well kids, the area of Macedonia is actually a large area that covers North Macedonia and a large section of Greece. Today, Macedonia is a former administrative region in Greece that includes the prominent city of Thessaloniki. In fact, the region is considered to include parts of six countries, namely all of North Macedonia, large parts of Greece and Bulgaria, and smaller parts of Albania, Serbia, and Kosovo.
When admitted into the United Nations in 1993, Greece kicked off about the use of “Republic of Macedonia” which resulted in the place called “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” before the two sides both agreed on The Republic of North Macedonia in 2019.
I did make some notes about some other interesting bits, but as I’m writing this part in June, I’ve since deleted them. Top blogger.
The top of Vodno mountain provided a superb panorama of the city and we were told that on a clear day Greece, Albania and Kosovo are all in view. Still no sign of my dignity though after pinching that bottle of water last night.
Built in 2002, at 66 metres high, the cross is one of the largest of it’s kind in the word according to Wikipedia. What that doesn’t tell you is that you can actually see the cross lit up from as far away as the Kosovo border some 20 plus kilometres away. You’ll see a really shit photo as proof if you keep scrolling to tomorrow…
In progress was a new eyesore next to the Millennium Cross. I was very interested in how on earth they can build such a structure up here. To be honest though, I did think it got in the way of the main attraction. After some research, this monstrosity is going to be the Antenna Tower of the Agency for Electronic Communication, which will be the tallest building in Macedonia at 155 meters. twice the hight of the cross.
The mountain top views did not end there. Peter called me over to peek over the… peak… towards the south facing side, to be treated with perhaps my pick of the trip photos.
Before heading to the canyon we had a quick pitstop at the Church of Saint Panteleimon up in the hillside, a small 12th-century Byzantine monastery constructed in 1164. I didn’t choose to go inside, instead entertaining the sheep outside (not like that lads) but a fun fact is that the Church is on the back of the Macedonian Denar banknotes.
45 minutes drive from Vodno, our drop off location to access Lake Matka was a good mile away and whilst I didn’t necessarily need my walking aid I wasn’t gutted that I brought it with me! The route was flat albeit with an incline to rise to the top of the dam. I don’t see many dams and concluded that I find them rather impressive. Hoover Dam will be ticked off at some point I’m sure, fingers crossed.
As the lake opened up there was an opportunity to take a boat ride to some caves, or stay in the restaurant. Pete opted for coffee and cake whilst I headed out on to the water with most of the other tourists in our minibuses. It would have been great if the weather was a bit nicer but nevertheless the 20 minute ride was quite relaxing, in preparation for undoubtedly some going up and down at the cave.
Once we departed the boat we had to wait for the driver to power up a generator that would light our path in to the cave. There were some 100 steps to the cave entrance, 100 down in to the cave and vice-versa on the way back. The cave was quite cool but something that could be missed if you can’t be bothered with the steps or confined spaces. Whilst a very low budget experience this positional lighting made a difference. 9 Euro was about right.
A relaxing cruise back to the restaurant later and the mile-long trek back to the buses (which felt like three know the fun concluded).
Once back in Skopje, my preference was to revisit the restaurant we had lunch at yesterday. I had exactly the same meal, with the addition of some baklava to finish. Two massive plates of food, sharing salad, side of garlic bread, two desserts, one beer, two cokes and a shot of vodka for forty quid. Diolch yn fawr Bois.
Day Four – Kosovo Day Trip
27th March 2025 was the day that I reached my 50 country milestone. It was really annoying that I assumed I was on 49 until the journey home to Wales, thinking that my upcoming trip to Kazakhstan or a neighbouring country would take the acclaim. I forgot the wonderful country of Slovenia off my list, even more annoying as it does have its own blog post!
To book our day trip, we used the same company Skopje Daily Tours as we did from yesterday’s trip, albeit by contacting them directly to save a few quid. We perhaps could have squeezed them a bit more as they wouldn’t have to give Viator a sizeable cut, but we were content paying £90 each for the bonus of a tour guide and a comfortable people-carrier, enjoying the day with two other Welsh fans and without my bloody walking stick!
There are several daily public buses/coaches that make the journey to Pristina and I priced these up at £20 each return. If I were travelling alone I would have chosen this option, but the organised trip was significantly less hassle. As a corollary, the tour guide and second stop at Prizren were additions I would have otherwise have missed.
Meeting in central Skopje for an early 9am start, we were told the border crossing can get busy at times but thankfully the queue for cars was flowing and it took no more than ten minutes, noticing the queue for 50+ lorries were very close to blocking access to the roundabouts leading up.
It would have been a wasted opportunity not to get close to the national stadium, should I not come here to watch Wales in the future, so I was delighted when we parked up in the vicinity of the stadium. The tour guide was certainly perplexed over our interest in the paltry 14,000 capacity Fadil Vokrri Stadium.
Next up was, what I believe to be, the number 1 tourist attraction in Kosovo, the Newborn monument. Although it is by far the greatest spectacle, its meaning bears much more weight, being unveiled on 17 February 2008, the day that Kosovo formally declared its independence from Serbia. To give it a bit of jazz the artwork is changed every year on the anniversary. As of 2025 Kosovo is the second newest country in the world (after South Sudan, 2011).
Just a few meters up the road from the Newborn monument was a statue of Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State for the second term of Clinton’s presidency 1997-2001. She advocated for NATO intervention to protect Kosovo Albanians from the violence perpetrated by Serbian forces under Slobodan Milošević. It’s safe to say without this intervention, the country may not exist today, with over 90% of the population ethnic Albanians.
Next we made a visit to the Cathedral of Saint Mother Teresa. It was only a couple of Euro to visit the left bell tower.
The next two photos I think show a good contrast of pre and post independence. A cluster of high-rise buildings populate one area of the City with more continuously being constructed, with plentiful American investment. The other picture shows the old town, which is where we’d be heading shortly.
That very strange building to the right of the photo is actually the National Library and not something from a Crystal Maze zone. We did pop in there but unfortunately it didn’t look anywhere near as interesting on the inside. Just past the library is a church that was never finished. It doesn’t look far off I’m surprised it’s just left there, although it was meant to be a Serbian Orthodox Church… so in that case I’m surprised it’s still there at all!
Walking to our next stop we passed several mosques, many of which make up the oldest buildings in the City. I did find it bizarre why you would have three places of worship within 150 metres of each other, but then within a half-mile radius of my workplace back home there must be at least a dozen Churches.
Writing this part now four moths after the visit, I had to do some digging to find out where we went to next. Thankfully I’m quite good at using maps to retrace my steps and can tell you that we visited the small Ethnological Museum. In the museum, tools and items related to lifestyle from the Ottoman Kosovo period are on display. It was very St. Fagan’s like and although the ten minute tour was interesting, it was not something I would make a detour for.
By the time we walked back to the car, through the main street of bustling shops and cafe’s (desperate for a wee, thanks Burger King) it was time to head out of the city. Another peculiar top-tourist spot in the city was a stature of the aforementioned Bill Clinton, that I just managed to snap whilst passing in the car.
It was a 90-minute drive away to Prizren. This is the second largest City in Kosovo but seemed significantly small when parking up in the old town. The four of us enjoyed a banquet lunch that consisted of a huge meat platter that we couldn’t finish. I recall being quite agitated in the restaurant, the name of which I won’t bother mentioning. I had a nap in the car on the way here, thus groggy, was rushing to make the most of the Wifi and message my wife, both of which were exacerbated by the waiter taking the piss because I didn’t want a beer with my lunch. I know turning down a beer is not my usual mantra but this geezer really wound me up!
Resting bitch face been and gone, we walked along the river and a few buildings and monuments important to the history, but truth be told there weren’t a great deal to do. You can see a Citadel at the top of the hill but that wasn’t part of the day. The amount of plastic running down the river certainly took away from the picturesque nature of the area and the weather was now miserable as we made it to a café just in time before the heavens opened.
The drive home was without incident and the tour guide was nice enough to drop us off at the hotel. For our final dinner of the trip, at a place within walking distance from our hotel, I thought I would be a smartarse and order some fish for a change. As someone who prefers their fish boneless, battered or in a tin, it ticked none of the boxes and I’d still be picking the skeleton out now if I didn’t give up half way through. The salad and chips were nice though, as was the live music. For me though, I was ready to go home after a very pleasant few days.
Day Five – Skopje to Home
This will be quick. Our flight was at 9am so we were out of the hotel by 6:30am. Two hours to Zurich. Hour transfer. 90 minutes to Heathrow. Zurich airport was a bit shit efficiency wise (thought they are supposed to be good at that stuff??) but no qualms.
Flixbus home. Pint in the local. The end.
Thanks for reading!
ANOTHER trip to Brussels awaits in June…
How Not 2 Life 