You'll arrive in North Macedonia, pick up your car (according to the instructions you'll receive before departure), and drive to your accommodation. If you have the energy, you can head into town, or leave the exploring for tomorrow. Usually, no visa is required to enter the country if you are a citizen of the European Union, even though North Macedonia is not directly part of the European Union or Schengen. So, a passport or ID card is sufficient, but please verify the entry requirements specifically for your home country.

Your Balkan journey begins in Ohrid, a city located on the shores of the giant lake of the same name and a famous vacation destination for locals, as North Macedonia has no access to the sea.

You will follow in the footsteps of Cyril and Methodius - Ohrid was an important center of education, it was here that the Glagolitic and Cyrillic alphabets developed and then traveled further into the world.

You will go to a national park high in the mountains. Now the general fact that North Macedonia is the second most mountainous country in Europe will be confirmed. You will also visit a beautifully decorated monastery in the mountains with views and taste traditional food.

Today you will drive to Skopje - the city of statues and monuments. It is also a city where Orthodox Christians, Muslims and Catholics live together. The city is a beautiful example of the peaceful coexistence of different religious and ethnic groups.

The city center offers a mix of ancient history, Ottoman culture and modern architecture. It is relatively small, you can easily walk through it.

You will also see modern government buildings, which resemble ancient buildings with their columns and size - this is due to a controversial urban project, which aimed to give the capital a monumental and "ancient" look. Locals, however, find modern copies of ancient buildings rather laughable.

You'll visit the stunning Matka Canyon and take a boat ride to caves, some of which were discovered quite recently in the area. In the afternoon, you'll climb a mountain above Skopje, where you can stay for a beautiful sunset.

You will travel from Skopje to Sofia. The toll system in Bulgaria is different from that in North Macedonia - you need to buy an electronic vignette in advance here. You buy the vignette only after you have rented a car - the specific license plate number of the vehicle is entered into the system.

Sofia was originally the city of Serdica (now the name of a metro station in the heart of the city), a Roman settlement was here since the 1st century BC. In the city center you can see the remains of Roman baths and roads - some are right in the metro, because they were found during construction work.
Interestingly, Sofia is greener than most European capitals - more than a third of the city is covered with parkland and greenery.

You will go on a full-day trip to the city of Plovdiv. Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe, its history spanning over 8 thousand years. Thanks to its strategic location, it has become a cultural and commercial center of the Balkans, and now, thanks to its history, it has many monuments and excavations.

Today, you'll be heading back home from Sofia Airport. Return the rented car at the airport.