On our way to Greece we stopped for one night in a small Macedonian town near the border. We went out to have something to eat and landed at a small burger place. The owner asked us if we had seen Stobi – an ancient city nearby. We had not, so we decided to be flexible, extend our stay in Macedonia and see the place.

Well, we can confirm that Stobi is a must see. Many well-known historical sites, we visited later, were unable to beat the experience. Especially considering the price. The entry fee in Stobi was 120 Macedonian Denar – approximately 2 Euro. Plus free parking. There is a small souvenir shop and toilets. There is also a cafe, but it was closed, maybe, because we came to Stobi in the middle of October. Otherwise, October was perfect to explore ancient Macedonia – the weather was warm, but not hot, and there were no crowds. Compared to many other historical cities Stobi is pretty accessible. Maybe, not exactly wheelchair accessible, but still rather flat. There is no need to climb uphill, like in Athens or in Delphi.

Although Stobi was discovered almost hundred years ago, excavations were irregular and the work is still in progress. The city existed since ancient Greek times, through Roman period. It has seen early Christians and was finally destroyed by Avaro-Slavic invasions in the 6th century .

Stobi is one of a small number of cities from the late antique and early Christian period that kept a large number of mosaics.

The peacock mosaic is a symbol of Stobi and it is now depicted on North Macedonia’s currency – 10 dinars. 

The site is not too far from Skopje – only one hour drive.