The theatre of Heraclea Lyncestis

Heritage guide · about three hours from Skopje

Bitola & Heraclea Lyncestis: Our Favourites

Bitola’s Širok Sokak and old bazaar, the mosaics of Heraclea Lyncestis, Pelister National Park and the Manaki Brothers Film Festival.

North Macedonia feature

Bitola: the city of consuls

Pastel façades, an evening stroll and a Hellenistic city with mosaics of paradise.

A mosaic floor in the Great Basilica at Heraclea
A mosaic floor in the Great Basilica at Heraclea
Read the full storyClose the story

Join the evening walk on Širok Sokak, see the mosaics at Heraclea in the morning, and hike in Pelister. Combine with Ohrid, an hour away.

Read the full back story below, then plan your trip.

The back story

  1. The back story

    Bitola and Heraclea: the back story

    Bitola·In depth: history

    The city of consuls, its elegant pedestrian street and café life, a Hellenistic and Roman city with glorious mosaics, and a mountain national park above town.

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What to see

  1. The wide street

    Širok Sokak

    Bitola·Pedestrian street

    Bitola’s elegant pedestrian street, lined with 19th-century façades and cafés.

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  2. The heart of old Bitola

    Clock tower & old bazaar

    Bitola·Clock tower & bazaar

    The Ottoman clock tower on the main square and the old bazaar with its covered market.

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  3. Mosaics of paradise

    Heraclea Lyncestis

    Bitola·Archaeological site·€

    The ancient city founded by Philip II, with a Roman theatre and early Christian mosaics.

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  4. Local history

    Bitola Museum

    Bitola·Museum·€

    The city museum, with archaeology and local history.

    Sv. Kliment Ohridski 18Explore View on map

  5. The oldest park

    Pelister National Park

    Pelister·National park

    The mountain park above Bitola, founded in 1948, with Molika pines and glacial lakes.

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  6. Each autumn

    Manaki Brothers Film Festival

    Bitola·Festival·€

    An international festival of cinematography in Bitola, held each autumn.

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Where to eat

  1. A bohemian favourite with a view

    Restoran Tref

    Bitola·Restaurant·€€

    A Bitola restaurant with one of the best views in town, long a cult meeting place for the city’s bohemians.

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Where to stay

  1. On Širok Sokak

    Hotel Epinal

    Bitola·Hotel·€€

    A large hotel at the end of Širok Sokak.

    Širok Sokak 62Explore View on map

  2. Central

    Hotel Premier Centar

    Bitola·Hotel·€€

    A central hotel near Širok Sokak.

    Stiv Naumov 12Explore View on map

  3. A boutique house

    Tokin House

    Bitola·Boutique hotel·€€

    A small boutique hotel in Bitola.

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  4. On Širok Sokak

    Hotel Milenium

    Bitola, Širok Sokak·Hotel·€€

    A baroque-styled hotel on Bitola’s Širok Sokak, 200 m from the clock tower, with 22 rooms, four suites and a restaurant.

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Getting there

  1. About three hours

    Getting to Bitola

    Bitola·Travel options·€

    Buses and slow domestic trains from Skopje; about an hour by road from Ohrid.

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