Sleep in the history

The most attractive part of Skopje for tourist is the old town, built during Ottoman empire and full of bars and restaurants, but also few mosques and a magnificient Orthodox chapel and some public institutions. The small streets paved with stones and the lovely squares are the ideal setting for a relaxing walk in the history. That part is called ”čaršija” that means a meeting place.

There are the market and a lot of crafts shops, but the most important ones are the jewelers, because if you know how to recognize the good one, in Macedonia you can do great business buying gold. One of the pearls of the old town is on the top: the Church of the Ascension of Jesus. It was build in 16^th century, but completed in 1867. The icons and the wood decorations are simply marvellous.

Going a bit more up you find the fortress, there are only the walls, but walking on them you can enjoy a beautiful panorama on the city. The old part has as well the National Gallery of Macedonia, the Čifte Hammam and other interesting museums to discover the art and the history of the country. Sometimes to stop and dring a Turkish tea or a salep and have a lunch or a dinner to taste the specialities is a must.

I tired for you a five-stars hotel located in the old town, at the border with the university area. It is called Hotel Arka, a modern and tall building with a special place on the top. Guests can have breakfast around the covered pool watching the great view of the city. Just going out you can explore the čaršija walking, because you are already inside the old part of Skopje.

I slept in a Junior Suite, a spacious room with a big lounge with a desk to work and a sofa to relax, a big bed in the bedroom and a quite huge bathroom. The view is very nice also from the room and inside the customer can find a good equipment, from the flat screen TV to the mini bar, passing by the sleepers for the night, the toothbrush and the toothpaste and of course the toiletries.

The luxury accoodation has high standards and the staff is very kind, from the waiters to the receptionists. The are always ready to organize for you a transfer or what you need and to answer to your requests. This is for sure an added value for the stay. It is important anyway to know that close to the hotel there is a mosque and during Ramadan time you can hear the prayer for Muslims, they start very early in the morning and the volume is quite high.

Anasa