Millennium Cross (Mileniumski Krst)

The basics

You can either ride a cable car or hike up to the Millennium Cross from Skopje. If you decide to take the cable car, you’ll spend 10 minutes enjoying the mountain’s scenery on the ride up and then have at least a 30-minute wait before being able to head back down. Hikers can expect to spend half to a whole day on the mountain depending on how they choose to climb up. Outdoors tours from Skopje often combine the Millennium Cross with Matka Canyon.

Things to know before you go

• There is a mountain cabin up by the cross that serves hot drinks, snacks, and alcoholic beverages.

• Cable cars only depart for the first 30 minutes of each hour, so schedule your visit accordingly.

• Wi-Fi and portable toilets are available for use.

How to get there

To take the Millennium Cross Cable Car, first head to the Middle Vodno station at the bottom of the cable car, which is a 15-minute drive from the city center or a 20-minute bus ride on the 25 bus from the bus station. For people hiking up, the quickest hiking route to the Millennium Cross takes roughly 2 hours from the foot of the mountain.

When to get there

The best time to visit the Millennium Cross will depend on how you go up. The hike up will be considerably harder on a hot summer's day or snowy winter’s day, and the cable car does not operate on Mondays. For both approaches, it’s best to visit early to avoid the rush for the limited parking spaces at the cable car station or to give yourself plenty of time for the hike.

Hiking up Vodno mountain

Hiking to the Millenium Cross can be a challenging activity for travelers looking to stretch their legs. The most common trailhead is the one for the Slovenian Path at a signboard near the Hotel Panoramika Design & Spa. The Slovenian Path covers the 40-minute walk from the trailhead to the base station of the cable car at Middle Vodno. From there, you have a choice of different routes up to the Krstovar peak and Millennium Cross.