North Macedonia

North Macedonia is a landlocked country in Southeastern Europe, bordering Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Kosovo and Serbia. Skopje, the capital and largest city, holds roughly a quarter of all residents. Most of the terrain is mountainous, and Lake Ohrid, Lake Prespa and Dojran Lake lie on the southern border. Lake Ohrid ranks among the oldest lakes on Earth. Its shore town, Ohrid, has Byzantine churches with frescoes, including St Sophia, Perivleptos and the Kurbinovo church, which are on the world heritage list.

Visitors come for the lakes, the churches, Roman ruins such as Stobi, and a food culture that mixes Balkan, Mediterranean and Ottoman influences. Tavče gravče, ajvar and Šopska salad are common dishes. Lake visits and swimming make summer the easy choice, and skiing is the winter draw. The Šar Mountains and the Osogovo range frame the central Vardar valley. Winters can drop to about −20 °C, and summers can reach 40 °C. In July and August, Demir Kapija and Gevgelija often go above 40 °C.