Destinations in North Macedonia

North Macedonia campervan destinations put lakes, mountains, canyons and wine country within a few hours' drive of each other. Trips can start in Skopje, with Matka Canyon about 35 minutes away, then continue to Mavrovo, Lake Ohrid and Struga, Lake Prespa over the Galičica pass, Bitola and Pelister, and the Tikveš vineyards.

SKOPJE

Campsite: River's Fisherman Camp RV, Šiševo

Details: A small campsite on the Treska river in Šiševo, about 10 km (about 25 minutes) west of central Skopje. It has water, electricity, toilets, showers, Wi-Fi, a washing machine and waste disposal, and is open all year. A city bus stop is about a 10-minute walk away.

Reason to visit: The Stone Bridge over the Vardar links Macedonia Square with the Old Bazaar, and Kale Fortress stands above the river. A cable car climbs Mount Vodno to the Millennium Cross, which looks out over the city.

MATKA CANYON

Campsite: Matka Farm, Gorna Matka

Details: A working goat farm in Gorna Matka, about 20 km (about 35 minutes) from central Skopje, with a campervan parking area. It has electric hook-ups, water, waste disposal, toilets, showers and Wi-Fi, and serves homemade breakfast and dinner. The last stretch of road is narrow.

Reason to visit: Matka Canyon holds Lake Matka, the oldest artificial lake in North Macedonia. Boats and hired kayaks leave from near the 14th-century St Andrew's monastery for Vrelo Cave, and a path follows the lake along the canyon walls.

MAVROVO NATIONAL PARK

Campsite: None inside the park takes campervans. Stay in Skopje or Struga.

Details: The park's rules do not allow camping in its protected areas, and we found no campsite inside the park that takes campervans. Mavrovo is about 95 km (about 1¾ hours) from central Skopje, on the scenic road to Struga through the Radika valley, so it fits a day on the way to Lake Ohrid.

Reason to visit: Mavrovo is North Macedonia's largest national park. It has Lake Mavrovo with the half-submerged church of St Nicholas, the Radika gorge, the village of Galičnik and Mount Korab, the country's highest peak at 2,764 m. The Bigorski monastery is nearby.

OHRID

Campsite: Camperstop Divono, Ohrid

Details: A motorhome stop by the lake on the south side of Ohrid, about 3 km from the town centre and about 175 km (about 3 hours) from central Skopje. It has electricity, water, toilets, showers, Wi-Fi, a washing machine and waste disposal, and a restaurant next door.

Reason to visit: Ohrid and its lake are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The old town has the Church of St John at Kaneo above the water, St Sophia with its 11th-century frescoes and Samuel's Fortress, and boats go to the monastery of St Naum.

STRUGA

Campsite: Camping Rino, Kališta

Details: A family-run campsite on the shore of Lake Ohrid in Kališta, about 3 km from Struga and about 175 km (about 3 hours) from central Skopje. It has electric hook-ups, toilets, showers, Wi-Fi, a washing machine, a motorhome service point and a bar-restaurant, and is open all year.

Reason to visit: Struga stands where the Black Drin river leaves Lake Ohrid, and it hosts the Struga Poetry Evenings each summer. The Kališta monastery is on the lakeshore nearby, and Ohrid is about 19 km from the campsite.

LAKE PRESPA AND THE GALIČICA PASS

Campsite: Autocamp Oteševo, Oteševo

Details: A camp on the western shore of Lake Prespa at Oteševo, about 2 km from the Prespa end of the Galičica road and about 225 km (about 4 hours) from central Skopje. It has pitches for tents and motorhomes with electricity and toilets, bungalows and a private beach, and it is open from mid-April to October.

Reason to visit: The road over Galičica National Park climbs from Lake Ohrid and drops to Lake Prespa, with views of both lakes on the way. On the Prespa side, boat trips to Golem Grad, the country's largest island, can be arranged from Stenje and Konjsko.

BITOLA AND PELISTER NATIONAL PARK

Campsite: Camp Ambasador, Bratin Dol

Details: A campsite among trees in the village of Bratin Dol, about 8 km from Bitola and about 185 km (about 3¼ hours) from central Skopje. It has electricity, water, toilets, showers, Wi-Fi, a washing machine, a guest kitchen, a small pool and waste disposal, and it is open from March to October.

Reason to visit: Bitola has the Širok Sokak pedestrian street, an old bazaar and the ruins of Heraclea Lyncestis, founded by Philip II of Macedon. Pelister, the country's oldest national park, has trails through Macedonian pine forest and two glacial lakes at around 2,200 m.

TIKVEŠ WINE REGION

Campsite: Rock Land Camp, Demir Kapija

Details: A simple grassy campsite in the town of Demir Kapija, just off the E75 motorway, about 120 km (about 1½ hours) from central Skopje. It takes tents, campervans and caravans, and it has hot showers, toilets, a shared kitchen, electricity and Wi-Fi. It is open from March to November.

Reason to visit: Tikveš, around Kavadarci and Negotino, is the centre of North Macedonia's wine production, mostly Smederevka, Vranec and Temjanika grapes. Wineries such as Popova Kula in Demir Kapija offer tastings, and the gorge beside the town has sport climbing routes.

START YOUR TRIP IN SKOPJE

You can collect your campervan in Skopje and return it there or in Albania: see campervan rental in Skopje, North Macedonia. Distances on this page are rounded map distances from central Skopje, and mountain roads or a queue at the border will add to them.

Photos: Daciana Cristina Visan (Pexels), Stefan Petrushevski (Unsplash), Goran A. (Unsplash), Adventure Albania (Unsplash), Lon Ilesanmi (Unsplash), Sentimentalna (CC0), Sentimentalna (CC0), Sentimentalna (CC0)