Regrets in North Macedonia: If only we knew...😔

Get our Newsletter 👉 swiy.co/Wander...
📣 Our Slow Travel project Nomadicabundance.com is getting close to launch 📣
🌏✨ Welcome back to "The Wandering Hartz" channel - Your guide to an Abundant Life Abroad through Slow Travel! 🛤️🌟
📖 We are living an abundant life with travel. Will you Join us?
🏩 In this episode we delve into our time slow traveling in North Macedonia. Our journey started in Tirana, Albania and took us to Ohrid and Skopje over the next three weeks. These are our opinions based on our experience as bloggers and content creators.🌄
🎙Our podcast, Nomadic Abundance, has a full playlist on KZbin! ▶ • Nomadic Abundance Podc...
👋 Happy Wandering! 🌟
💬 We love hearing from our community!✨ Comment your thoughts and queries about long-term travel. 💭
🟪 Slow Travel • Slow Travel
==================================
🔗 Useful Links mentioned in the episode:
==================================
Schengen Area • 📣Schengen Zone CHANGES...
==============
🙌 Support Our Journey: If you resonate with our content and wish to support our quest for globe-trotting knowledge, like and share this video!
============
🍷 Consider Buying us a glass of wine:
buymeacoffee.c... or via PayPal: swiy.co/PayPal...
🟦 eBooks & Merch Store: swiy.co/MerchS...
===============
📝Apps & Tools 📝
===============
🚗 Car Rentals rentalcars.tp....
🚎 Bus & Trains omio.tp.st/5Ac...
🚘 Rideshares invite.bolt.eu...
📶 E-Sims for International Data:
Airalo airalo.tp.st/3...
Jetpac circleslife.px...
BNESIM bnes.im/EVV7 Use HARTZ20 for 20% first purchase!
🔐 The VPN we use to Stay Safe Online & Avoid Travel Restrictions swiy.co/GetSur...
🧭 Tours & Experiences: swiy.co/BookTo... swiy.co/BookTo...
=============
Travel Insurance:
=============
⚕ Travel Medical Insurance swiy.co/NomadI...
✈ Flight Ins: compensair.tp....
===========================
Recommended Travel Accessories:
===========================
🧺 Perfect Travel Laundry Detergent amzn.to/3MvGKsz
💳 Favorite Travel Credit Card swiy.co/Sapphi...
👜 PacSafe Mini swiy.co/PacSaf...
🎒 PacSafe Backpack swiy.co/PacSaf...
🎒 Joel’s Camera Bag amzn.to/444yJk1
==============
Accommodations:
==============
🏡 Book your stays with Flatio.com swiy.co/Flatio
🏤 Book your stays on VRBO tinyurl.com/St...
🏩 Book your stays on Hotels.com tinyurl.com/St...
🛌 Book your stays with Booking.com tinyurl.com/St...
===============
👍Let's connect✔️
===============
Our website with Travel Guides, Articles & More! wanderinghartz...
Instagram / thewanderinghartz
Threads:
X (Twitter): / wanderinghartz
Facebook: / thewanderinghartz
Pinterest: pintrest.com/w...
========================
Gear Used to Make This Video
========================
📷 Stills Camera: amzn.to/3O5vJ0j
📹 Backup Camera: amzn.to/3AbmjdV
🎥 Action Camera: amzn.to/3G8bVrn
🛒 Wide Lens: amzn.to/3WWVCUc
🛒 Main Lens: amzn.to/3GtdqAH
🛒 Travel Zoom Lens: amzn.to/3NZsibE
🎤 On camera Mic: amzn.to/3hF5FNk
🎙Wireless mic: amzn.to/3TstPYV
🛒 Travel Tripod: amzn.to/3EsX5Ky
🛒 Graphics & Music: Envato Elements 1.envato.marke...
🛒 Complete Gear List: wanderinghartz...
=============================
Chapters:
=============================
0:00 Intro
=============================
Affiliate Links:
=============================
Some of the links may be affiliate links or partners links, which means if you purchase something using one of those links we may receive a small referral commission at no additional cost to you. We are a part of the amazon affiliate program.
Licensing Footage Requests: Email Us
© Joel Hartz All rights reserved.
#slowtravel #europe #northmacedonia #digitalnomad

[@mark1232546]

🔆 Macedonian here 🖐 - The go to taxi app is Wizi (ex Cammeo) - We go to Aegean Macedonia (which is now part of Greece) during our summer holidays to cool off in the sea 😄 - The neighborhood your friends stayed in is Debar Maalo, which is where the youth and nightlife thrives, filled witb Bars, the City Park, Clubs and of course, Kafanas 😄. Beautiful but loud (and most expensive rent) Thank you for your stay in 🔆Macedonia🔆 She welcomes you any time. Best regards~

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Thank you so much! Great information! We can't wait to come back!

[@jovangjorgiev1314]

We are Macedonians, not north Macedonians. PLEASE

[@TheWanderingHartz]

I appreciate where your coming form. BUT... we will get so much 💩 from all sides, either way. We default to the UN recognized country name, as decisive as that is.

[@jovangjorgiev1314]

The country unfortunately it is now called that, but we are Macedonians and don't worry to call us Macedonians because that is what we are. Thank you for your understanding.

[@renatostamatovski2129]

​@@TheWanderingHartzDistinct country name drom the narion ... in North Irland the poeple is Irish, not 'nortirish". If you make an effort to gther info about the country, you should at least know that it doesn't exists "notlrth macedonians" even according to the Prespa agreement.

[@Roman_Kowalsky]

​​​@@TheWanderingHartz Guys, chill out Macedonians are people, North Macedonia is the country official name. Let me simplify for y'all: u r not Theunitedstatesamericans , u r Americans. Its easy to understand IF you want , U see, if the official name is THE USA, ( people forget that proper , UN and Constitution name starts with "The"😊) , what could You be? Now, I believe u r good people. Just check Passports. In Your passports u have "american"... In macedonian passports they have "macedonian" . And that clears all foggy days , stay well , be safe❤

[@TheWanderingHartz]

👍

[@MacedonianGrace]

I love Macedonia a beautiful place and people.

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Us too!

[@angelawood2978]

I was there a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@IramisandGerry]

Watching from the Beginning❤🎉

[@carolinacadabra8278]

If only we knew the truth about Ohrid The temperature was torrid, And the sunset was florid. We certainly weren’t bor-ed We decided that Ohrid wasn’t horrid.

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Yes indeed!

[@Minecraft_mobvotes]

I hope you did not missed to visit St.Naum in Ohrid and the boat tour on St Naums springs..right after you pass the border from Albania...also Matka in Skopje, where is the deepest water cave Vrelo in the world

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Those look to be very lovely places! Great suggestions.

[@georgeiotzov3948]

Macedonia is a region spreading around three countries- Greece, Bulgaria and Republic North Macedonia. Greetings to all North Macedonians.

[@RistoLozanoski-be7ix]

Поздрав до вас. Ме радува што ви се допаѓа Македонија. Секогаш ќе бидете добродојдени. Охрид освен туризам нуди и уникатно духовно искуство со чуство на олеснување од материјалниот свет. Затоа е Македонија уникатна. Името и потекнува од Ма мајка природа и нејзиниот син Македон и е природна елементарна, култура со природни услужливи луѓе. Штета што во главниот град се изгради многу и запрља природноста, и не доаѓа до израз пејсажот на планините околу Скопје. Поздрав и се најубаво.

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Thank you, it's a beautiful country.

[@mkoschara]

Another great video. I love listening to y'all as I work on my house in Costa Rica. It's the rainy season here so there is always something to do.

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Ah Thanks! It has been quite dry in the Balkans! Wouldn't mind a touch of rain, probably not Costa Rica levels though 😉

[@AndrejNikolov-xw2gi]

If you come to Macedonia, a thing to learn is to NEVER use "north". Its extremely disrespectful It's like you are guests and you need to respect the culture inside the country. Everyone knows only the politicians changed the name, but the Macedonians declined the "name change".

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Duly noted!

[@pennyh2993]

I will be there soon & thank you so very much for letting me know this

[@dika999msn]

Good travel review, though not the best. 1. Ohrid is pearl of Balkans, deserve more attention in every review We spent these season three times by ten days in hotel Granit, Ohrid, avoiding hot Skopje weather. 2. Apropos taxis: Global is very good and legal 3. Any way, liked the chanel and subscribed. Keep going. 4. Cheers, Micheal, Toronto-North York.

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Thanks for the info about the taxis!

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Thanks! We tried Global with no luck in Skopje the drivers kept canceling on us. Perhaps it was a fluke.

[@pennyh2993]

Hi, great video. I’m following your footsteps so can you please tell me what is the eSIM or any cell phone provider that you are using? Thank you so much for your time.

[@TheWanderingHartz]

We have been using a few to see which works best for us. I was mainly using the BNESIM bnes.im/EVV7 in Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria with good results. It is also very affordable. You can use our code HARTZ20 for 20% your first purchase.

[@livingworkingoutsidebox]

Great breakdown. Definitely on our list to visit 😊

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Thanks for watching!

[@arteqify]

Great!

[@DnIiMkEo]

Thank your visiting our country, and making videos of it. Im glad you liked it and you're more than welcome visiting any time! Just asmall remark even thougj the country is known as North Macedonia, the people are macedoniana.

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Thanks for politely correcting us. A lot of the other comments have not been so cordial.

[@Nikolovski1]

Love from Macedonia. You are welcome 🤗

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Thank you! 😃

[@warrentrout]

The bus options become little to none in the winter

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Good info! We were wondering about that. Thanks for sharing!

[@Sandy-v7x]

Great tips and insight. We’ll be in North Macedonia for one month starting in February 2025. This was super helpful. Thanks!

[@MakedoniaMK]

Its only Macedonia

[@ASMRJusTravelz]

Very nice video...new sub here❤

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Thanks and welcome

[@joeshmooo5327]

You guys are so chill!

[@TheWanderingHartz]

@joeshmooo5327 Thanks, I am glad we come across as chill. Lol. Filming always puts Joel on edge 😄

[@georgiacampbell8260]

@@TheWanderingHartzI’ve noticed.

[@georgiacampbell8260]

Stay longer, in Lake OHRID it is a very beautiful place. So safe and relaxing. Skopje was ok for a few days, not that interesting

[@gsjackson34]

Thank you for the most informative reports I've seen on a country that is on my radar. Saw you guys last summer in Bansko,, which to my mind (as a solo traveler) is a little too small and not enough going on in the off season. Does Ohrid have more the feel of a larger city with more options for eating, nightlife, etc.? Do you think it would be dead in the winter? Lord knows it's cheap for longer-term leases -- Numbeo has a 1-BR outside the center (how far away could that be?) at $154/mo. Also, are there any sand beaches on Lake Ohrid, or is it all rocks? Thanks.

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Glad it you found it helpful. Oh we love Bansko! We stay quiet in Bansko during the summer, however we are working too. Ohrid is a lot like Bansko only bigger. Winters in Ohrid are going to be cold and from what we have been told also pretty quite. We are not sure about the nightlife there other than some pubs and casinos, especially in the winter. Not sure about pricing that inexpensive around Ohrid. We can only stay for 90 days so I doubt access to those prices for us at least. Not sure about sandy beaches, certainly not in Ohrid, maybe you can find one near one of the resorts? Cheers

[@dragracechannel7397]

Ohrid offers a good variety of options for eating out and nightlife, but it doesn't match the level of activity you'd find during the summer months. The best times to visit, especially if you prefer fewer crowds, are at the beginning of June or the end of August. If you're into lively atmospheres with lots of events, mid-July to August is when the city is bustling with music festivals and vibrant crowds. As for the feel of the city, Ohrid is more like a charming, smaller town rather than a large city, so the options for dining and nightlife are present but more limited. In the winter, the city tends to be quieter and less active, which some might find peaceful, while others might see it as "dead." If you're considering a longer-term stay, the low cost of living is certainly a plus, and even locations outside the center aren’t far off, given the town's relatively small size.

[@nikokatos]

All the supermarkets in North Macedonia are owned by German and Greek companies so they are very similar to those countries.

[@TheWanderingHartz]

That makes sense. Thanks!

[@TovcheMK]

Which ones are German?

[@AllenMacCannell]

My family refuses to travel light so I have to book mini vans, which are €350 Sofia to Skopje and another €300 Skopje to the Montenegro coast 😮 I try to tell them to keep it to two heavy suitcases per person but it ends up being 4 each. That puts us on Ramen noodles for weeks thereafter 😢. On the bright side, since they bring everything but the kitchen sink, there's a big savings on what doesn't need to be bought at the destination. Irons, ironing boards, comforters, a space heater, extra forks and spoons and pots, food for the Sunday arrival when stores are all closed, clothes racks, children's books, clothespins... you can shave off at least €150 off the mini van cost for all that savings. Plus you can't easily square bus schedules without staying overnight for instance for €80 in Sofia for a two bedroom place. So even if you had just two bags per person, there's a cost for ridiculously incompatible bus schedules that a minivan obviates. Another big counter savings for a traveling family with kids, besides not paying for extra bus seats, is the door to door aspect. Let's break this down: in Sofia it's about €15 per car to the main bus station from the nice southeastern neighbourhoods but €30 per car (day) to €50 (night) if you're arriving in Sofia by bus, because nasties tend to prey on bus passengers as they do everywhere. My big family needs two taxis to go anywhere with baggage. Arriving in Skopje by bus means you should only pay $7 per taxi but we got con artists who charged €50 for the total of two cars needed to transport all our luggage. You'll get cheated the most if it's a late night arrival with lots of bags and crying children (mean people know they have you over a barrel). There's only one decent bus schedule to get to Montenegro from Skopje and it involves arriving at 4AM in the inland capital of Podgorica. Getting two taxis to load a family with lots of bags at 4AM would cost €50 per car and a 5AM arrival on the coast would necessitate fancy footwork in terms of getting into a place you're staying. So Sofia to Budva by minivan would be €650 minus €150 worth of stuff you won't have to buy, minus at least €300 in bus tickets for a family of four, minus €150 in taxis you'd have to take anyway (you'll have to stay overnight or several days in Skopje where the kids will love the zoo and the adults will love the world renowned dentists and doctors). So you end up paying only €50 more to go by minivan than if you tried to haul a family across the Balkans by bus only to have to buy tons of things you abandoned or stored at the other place. And God forbid you arrive without a bag or two of groceries with you on a Sunday!

[@TheWanderingHartz]

@@AllenMacCannell 🤯 That reminds me of my film production days! That's a lot of stuff. Ironing boards?

[@dika999msn]

Absolutely the best advice. Rent don’t use public transport.

[@markoilovski1828]

No North Macednians Only Macednians

[@kire1202]

From the video I have the impression that you liked your stay in North Macedonia. So I dont get the title of the video!?🤔

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Yep we loved it, our biggest mistake was that we didn't stay longer! 😄

[@salentija]

It's enough with that political name, WE ARE MACEDONIA, AND ONLY MACEDONIA, it's easy if you want to be kind.

[@TheWanderingHartz]

Thanks for sharing