The Millennium Cross is one of Skopje’s biggest tourist sites, and the biggest cross in Europe! A trip to Skopje wouldn’t be complete without seeing it! This post will tell you exactly how to plan your visit.
What exactly is the Millennium Cross? In short, it’s a large cross structure atop one of the mountains surrounding Skopje.
And I’ll be honest: the view we had of it from our AirBnb was pretty underwhelming. I didn’t have much of a desire to see it up close. I thought: “Well we can see it from our window…and from what I can see, I’m good!”
Thankfully, our local friends who had invited us to Macedonia had planned for us to visit. And I’m glad they did, because when we got to see it up close, it was something else entirely!
The view from the mountaintop was breathtaking, and we were lucky enough to be up there during a gorgeous sunset. Furthermore, the cross structure is much more beautiful to behold up-close.
That being said: definitely don’t miss this experience while in Skopje! This post will share all the information you’ll need to plan your own trip to the Millennium Cross.
Transport to the Millennium Cross
To get to the Cross, you’ll either want to take a bus, or call a cab.
From what we learned, Bus #25 runs from the main city, and takes you directly to the Cross site. Bus fare shouldn’t be more than a few euros.
Taxis can also take you there, though they’ll cost more. Expect to pay between 20-30 euros for a ride up the mountain, maybe more depending on weather and traffic factors.
By cab, it should be around 30-40 minutes to get to the Cross. I have no idea how long a bus takes, but I’d assume it’s much longer, due to the constant stops, and perhaps twisting route through Skopje.
How Much Time Should I Spend at the Millennium Cross?
Honestly, we were there for like a total of 20 minutes, because we were REALLY late and the cable car was almost closed. And we didn’t have time for hiking.
I could have spent about an hour or more on the mountaintop. Plus there was a park at the base, where the cable car station was, where we could have killed more time.
We were late because we spent the morning and afternoon at Matka Canyon, which could have easily been a whole day trip in itself!
However, since our time in Skopje was so limited, we fit both the Canyon and the Millennium Cross into one day, and honestly, it was quite comfortable.
So if you’re in the same boat, a quick trip to the Millennium Cross will both check the box and let you experience it’s beauty. I’d recommend making a trip here a half day AT MOST, even if you’re swimming in time.
Fees for Visiting the Millennium Cross
Tickets for the cable car were less than 2 USD (1.5 euros) per person. We had to pay in denar, the local currency, and it was 100 denar per ticket.
If you want to hike up to the top instead of taking the cable car, it takes about an hour one-way. Doable, but depending on your time, it may be worth the 100 denar for the cable car.
Entry to the Cross was free! So aside from the fees to get there, as well as the cable car, it’s a pretty inexpensive tourism opportunity.
When TO Visit the Millennium Cross
We went to Macedonia in August, and honestly I thought the weather was perfect. The days were hot, but the temperature in the evenings was perfect. We went to the Millennium Cross around dinnertime, so it was cool.
If you visit in the winter, you’ll want to be prepared with your winter coat, warm shoes, and so on. From what I understand, Macedonia experiences all four seasons fully, but not to the “extremes”.
We got to see the Cross around sunset, and the sun rays were just glorious! Honestly, I would totally recommend going later in the evening.
The only thing was that the cable car stops at 7:30pm, and the last car departs from the mountaintop around 7:20. So we had to keep an eye on the time to make sure we didn’t miss it.
Summary
Visiting the Millennium Cross is pretty simple and straightforward. It’s a low-cost event, especially if you take the bus, and so worth getting out of the city for!
The view of Skopje is so lovely, and the structure is worth beholding up-close, even if you’re not so sure from far away. Trust me: you’ll be glad you went, so just go!
I hope this post gave you a super comprehensive view of what it takes to plan a trip to the Millennium Cross! Still have questions about your Skopje plans? I’m super happy to chat in the comments!
You may also like:
Macedonian Currency: What to Know Before You Go
Matka Canyon and Millennium Cross: Macedonia Day 2 Travel Blog
Skopje Airport and Beyond: Macedonia Day 1 Travel Blog
Skopje Hotels: A Quick Guide for Tourists