Bradt's North Macedonia remains the only standalone English-language
guidebook to this increasingly popular destination available outside the
country. Originally written by Thammy Evans, a political analyst who
lived there for five years, this new edition has been thoroughly updated
and restructured to make it even easier to use by Philip Briggs,
arguably the world's most experienced guidebook writer.Coverage of
national parks has been increased and hiking information has been fully
integrated to make it more accessible to casual users. Introductions to
many points of interest have been expanded to give more of an overview
of what the attractions are and there are several new and redrawn
maps.Of all the new countries formed following the break-up of
Yugoslavia in 1991, North Macedonia was the only one to attain
independence without bloodshed. This is a small land that offers huge
variety to travellers, from the oldest lake in Europe to soaring
forest-swathed mountain ranges and from the millennia-old Neolithic rock
observatory at Kokino and Roman mosaics at Heraclea, to dozens of
historic and actively-used mediaeval monasteries and mosques. North
Macedonia's urban centrepiece and main port of entry is the capital
Skopje, now home to a wealth of Ottoman buildings, a lively culinary
scene, and several world-class museums, while the main tourist hub is
the pretty lakeshore town of Ohrid, a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks
to its wealth of medieval churches and other architectural gems. A trio
of national parks provide refuge to brown bears, grey wolves, the rare
Balkan lynx and a wide variety of birds. And wherever you go, welcoming
family-run tavernas and lively pavement cafés serve authentic
traditional cooking and locally produced wine that ranks as probably the
most affordable anywhere in the European Balkans. Wherever you go and
whatever your interest, this is a country that offers countless rewards
to independent-minded travellers and those who want to get away from the
crowds. And with Bradt's North Macedonia, you'll find everything you
need for a successful trip.
