Safety in North Macedonia: what overland travellers should know

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 18 August 2026.

Safety

Crime — Serious common crime is rare, but there are sporadic robberies, pickpocketing and theft. Take more care where visitors gather — the main square Plostad Makedonija, the Trgovski Centar shopping centre, the old town and the nightlife areas. Card fraud has also been reported, so use cards carefully.
Terrorism — Like other countries in the Balkans, North Macedonia is particularly exposed to infiltration by people ideologically close to jihadist extremism, and a number of fighters killed in the Syrian conflict were ethnic Albanian Macedonian citizens. The authorities consider the risk of hostile action on national territory to be elevated, have arrested people over the years for preparing attacks, and have raised the alert level in crowded places in Skopje and the main towns, particularly around periods such as Ramadan.
Earthquakes — The country shares the region's seismic risk and Skopje, which sits on a tectonic fault, is hit frequently. The strongest recent shock in the capital was magnitude 5.3 in September 2016, the largest since the 6.3 that destroyed the city in 1963, and the last clearly felt event was the magnitude 6.5 of November 2019 centred on Durrës in Albania, which caused no particular damage.
Wildfires — From April to October the hot dry climate can set off dangerous fires, so be careful in the countryside, make sure cigarette ends are properly out and light fires or barbecues only in designated, signed areas. The government issues specific rules on access to forest and wild areas in the summer months when the risk peaks, and fines for ignoring them are severe; report a fire on 112.
Winter air pollution — Air pollution worsens periodically, especially in Skopje and the north of the country. From November through to March or April official readings systematically show high CO2 and fine particulates in Skopje and in Kumanovo, Tetovo, Bitola, Gostivar and Kicevo, reaching up to ten times the EU limit of 50 micrograms per cubic metre, and the government advises the most exposed groups to stay off the streets during weekday daytime hours.
At the border — Travel documents must be valid, intact and clearly legible: Italians have been turned back at the border with documents in poor condition, and leaving Italy on such a document does not guarantee entry here. Keep the document you entered on somewhere secure and carry a second identity document plus copies of both. Protests by transport associations at some Balkan land crossings can cause considerable delays, so check local media before a cross-border leg.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 18 August 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for North Macedonia before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.

Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 18 August 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.