The Old Skopje Bazaar is the most authentic for tourists, who usually return to, after the tours around the capital city of Macedonia, Skopje, while the Matka Canyon is one of the most beautiful attractions in the country. The tourists are surprised, and most of them are delighted with Skopje.
This is the impression of young David Trajkoski, who has been working as a tour guide with groups of tourists from the Central European country of Poland for several years.
According to Trajkovski, most people who visit Skopje for the first time are unfamiliar with the city beforehand, they do not prepare, and they had not read much about Macedonia. Despite this, Trajkovski continues, "they are mostly positively surprised, they like this seemingly new and small country."
"A tour of Macedonia is not possible without the beautiful Ohrid and its surroundings. But on the way, I try to pass through Mavrovo by Radika, to visit the monastery of St. Jovan Bigorski, sometimes Vevcani and Kalishta. We don't miss having a coffee on Shirok Sokak and visiting Heraclea. I often find myself staying in the Tikves region for a wine tasting at one of the wineries. I am especially glad when I have the opportunity to show them something from the eastern part, such as Kratovo, Kuklica or Kokino," Trajkovski explains.
The tourist guide for Skopje.IN explains that tourists do not have any prior knowledge about Macedonia. Most often, he explains that the country is associated with the recent history associated with the former Yugoslavia and the period of unstable Balkans.
"They are positively surprised by our hospitality and warmth with which we welcome tourists. They cannot resist our delicious food. The untouched nature and the clean Ohrid Lake is what leaves them breathless," he says.
Trajkovski is also involved in the Polish project "Guides Without Borders" (Polish: Przewodnicy Bez Granic) which started during the coronavirus pandemic. He says that it was a great initiative for the guides to find themselves in the new reality when they found themselves in a quite hopeless situation.
"New alternative ways to show our cities to tourists, through interaction with images, video, and online tours that went live. This is a group of over 60 Polish-language guides from around the world. The latest thing we will present ourselves with will be the tourism fair in March, in my Wroclaw, where I will have a live broadcast from Ohrid and I will again try to present the beauties of Macedonia," Trajkovski points out.
The tourist guide, who comes from a mixed family, both from Macedonia and Poland, says that these two peoples are quite close, assessing that his opinion is perhaps a little subjective.
"But I think we have a lot in common, that Slavic warmth and hospitality. Poles are very well received here and they feel it, of course they reciprocate as well. There is the Rakija or a glass of good wine together with our good cuisine that brings us together even more", Trajkovski is decisive.
Asked about what connects the two nations, Trajkovski says that "it may be funny, but I know to say that our surnames are the same, they end with 'ski'".
"To some extent, the difficult and turbulent history of the two nations brings us together. The great help for Skopje from the Polish side, after the earthquake in 1963. In recent years, the Poles are one of the most numerous tourists in Macedonia, which means that they support the development of tourism", Trajkovski says.
The tourist guide is determined that Macedonia is an interesting and warm destination for them, somewhat exotic, with all the oriental influences.