If you’re planning a trip to North Macedonia, it’s worth thinking about taking advantage of the country’s annual festivals and booking your visit to coincide with a unique cultural event. With everything on offer from modern music festivals to traditional events that date back centuries, there’s plenty of options to suit all tastes.

In Tikveš, don’t miss...

The fantastic Stobi Antique Drama Festival is an annual summertime event that stages the works of writers such as Aristotle and Sophocles alongside contemporary works by non-Macedonian playwrights at the ancient outdoor Roman theatre at Stobi. The performances generally take place after sunset and are magical to say the least.

Each September the otherwise unassuming town of Kavadarci breaks loose and celebrates its strong connections with the wine-making industry with the annual Grape Carnival, timed to coincide with the annual harvest and more than a simple excuse to drink too much. Alongside the wine-related celebrations such as the coronation of a wine king and queen are scores of other events from art exhibitions to donkey races.