USEFUL ADVICE
According to Plus-Size-Tips.com, Macedonia has announced a ban on smoking in public places. It is forbidden to smoke in restaurants, cafes, bars, educational institutions, government agencies, cinemas and other crowded places.
North Macedonia: Money and currency of North Macedonia
Money, CURRENCY
Macedonian Denar (MKD), equal to 100 deni. Banknotes in denominations of 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 denars of two series, as well as coins of 1, 2, 5 denars and 50 denis are in circulation (they are withdrawn from circulation due to denomination).The working day of Macedonian banks usually lasts from 7.00 to 13.00 on weekdays, some large banks (Stopanska Banka) are open until 19.00 on weekdays and until 13.00 on Saturdays (Sunday is a day off). Exchange offices are usually open from 7.00 to 19.00. The only legal tender in the country is the denar. Currency can be exchanged at banks and numerous exchange offices. Traveler’s checks can be exchanged at most major Macedonian banks without restrictions and fees. Credit cards are not very common in the country, they can be used practically only in expensive metropolitan hotels and shops, but you can withdraw cash from a bank without any problems. Preference is given to means of payment in euros and US dollars.
North Macedonia: North Macedonian Cuisine
KITCHEN
As elsewhere in the Balkans, the local cuisine is formed as a result of mixing the culinary traditions of different peoples. Bulgarian, Serbian, Turkish and Greek traditions had a great influence. The country has long been famous for simple but very tasty dishes of vegetables, meat and spices. Meat dishes are prepared mainly from lamb and pork, while, as in neighboring Serbia and Montenegro, a characteristic feature is the widespread use of specially fermented milk – “kaymak” (served as a cold appetizer). It is recommended to try Turkish-style fried minced meat, layer cake with meat or cheese “burek”, beans in a frying pan “tavche gravce”, minced meat sausages “cevapcici”, various versions of “kebab”, eggplants, potatoes and tomatoes with layers of meat – “moussaka”, tomato salad with paprika and ajvar beans, Ohrid trout “pastrmka”, shopska salad “shopska salad”, traditional “tarator” and “muchkalitsa”, stewed meat “dzhuvech” or “gyuvech” with rice and vegetables, meat meatballs ” koftinya, cabbage rolls “sarma”, stuffed peppers “stuffed piperki”, meat stew “selsko meso”, smoked meat, “kebapchinya”, meat baked with vegetables and spices “turli tava”, vegetable stew “zarzavat”, chicken in mustard sauce or in kaymak, the famous dried ham “prosciutto” and dozens of other original dishes. Constantly on the table fresh bread “leb”, herbs and cheese. As a sweet, they serve “baklava”, rice pudding “sutliyash”, jams “slatko”.
North Macedonia: Culture of North Macedonia
HOLIDAYS
January 1 – New Year.
January 6-7 – Orthodox Christmas.
January 13 – Old New Year.
March-April – Orthodox Easter.
March 8 – International Women’s Day.
May 1 – Labor Day.
May 24 – Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius.
August 2 – Day of the uprising (National holiday) or St. Elijah’s Day (Linden).
September 8 – Independence Day (Republic Day).
October 11 – Partisan Day
