Stop flying to Prague – this ‘hidden gem’ has no crowds | Europe | Travel

If you’re pondering a getaway to a European destination that is a break from the norm, you may wish to consider a city that one experienced traveller has described as the “most underrated” on the continent.

Beck Hassen, who documents his adventures across the globe on social media, guarantees “you have probably never been” to the destination in question as the country “often ranks in the bottom five European countries” based on number of tourists.

After stepping off the plane, he said he “knew he was in for an experience” after his taxi driver claimed to be “convict from Kosovo”. The location? Skopje – the capital and largest city of North Macedonia, home to a population of around 525,000 people.

Situated in the north of the country in the centre of the Balkan peninsula, the city is approximately halfway between Belgrade, Serbia and Athens, Greece. 

Skopje is often considered a hidden gem alternative to more popular and crowded Balkan and Central European cities.

Just like hotspots including Prague and Budapest, it offers quirky architecture, bridges, and a lively café culture.

Alternatively, if you’re a fan of locations such as Athens in Greece, it is a brilliant alternative for those interested in ancient history and archaeological sites.

Or if you’re looking for vibrant nightlife, riverfronts, and a mix of old and new, Skopje offers a similar experience to Belgrade in Serbia.

However, the destination tends to be a fraction of the price and with fewer tourists, making it a wonderful place to visit on a budget.

“One thing about Macedonia is they built so many grand statues and other installations in an effort to engineer a cultural identity,” Beck explained as he showcased a scene from the city centre.

He continued: “In typical Eastern European fashion, I stayed in a hostel that’s located in an extremely scary communist building, but it’s actually really nice once you get inside.”

The best thing to do in town? “Go to the Old Bazaar,” Beck recommended. “It’s not like the old towns you see in a lot of European cities and you can really sense the Islamic influence here.”

Beck’s clip continued, highlighting several bars and restuarants which appeared to be relatively quiet in the evening. 

“You can find some amazing food,” he said, noting Pivnica An, Medo, Kolektiv and Pcella as particular places to dine in style.

And as for sweet treats, he pointed out “strange flavours” of ice cream the city has to offer – including Red Bull.

Heading away from the city, Beck suggested Skopje Fortress as a location to take in both history and scenic views of the surrounding landscape, before he ventured further to a mountain.

“On my first night I spotted a cross floating in the sky,” Beck revealed, as he detailed how to get an ever better view of Skopje.

“I thought I was in an episode of Paradise, but it turns out it’s on a mountain and you can actually get up there. While there is a gondola, it is closed on Mondays so I chose to hike.”

The Millennium Cross is a 66-metre tall structure, built on top Vodno Mountain in 2002 to commemorate 2,000 years of Christianity in Macedonia.

He continued: “I saw a grand total of two people around the entire thing and I’m being 100% serious when I say this was my absolute favourite moment of any of my travels throughout the world.”

After enjoying drinks at the location, Beck closed with a glowing summary: “I really can’t recommend this place more. It is extremely cheap, has such good food and there is so much to see.

“It isn’t overrun by tourists and the people were so friendly and curious to know why I would even want to visit. But hopefully now you understand.”