Discover Shtip: Isar, churches and Četrse

Shtip brings together archaeological sites, religious buildings and cultural traditions. Its landmarks range from Isar Hill and churches in Shtip and Novo Selo to the UNESCO-listed Četrse ritual. When choosing a hotel, it is worth considering your main interests and travel dates together: sights and cultural events offer different starting points for planning.

Isar-Kale and the Acropolis

The archaeological site of Isar-Kale lies between the Bregalnica and Otinja rivers and rises 100 to 150 metres above the bed of the Bregalnica. The Isar Acropolis preserves four sections of the defensive wall, five towers and a late medieval church. There are also two cisterns and the foundations of utility and residential buildings. Thus, the remains of fortifications and traces of different uses come together on Isar. The path to the fortress leads along the eastern side of the hill to the Church of St Michael the Archangel.

Churches, icons and local history

The Church of St Nicholas was built on 10 May 1867. The icon gallery in the church presents visitors with a rich collection of icons and sacred objects. In Novo Selo, the Church of St Mary is considered a work by the Macedonian master Andreja Damjanov; its interior includes a richly decorated wooden iconostasis. The single-nave Church of St Sava is traditionally believed to have been built in 1369 by Voivode Dimitar. These dates refer to different kinds of historical attribution: 1867 is the construction date of the Church of St Nicholas, while 1369 is the traditional attribution for the Church of St Sava.

Local history also includes the Archaeological Exhibition in the Anevi–Gocevi family house, which opened in December 2005, and the Museum of the VMRO for Štip and the Štip Region (1893–1934) in Novo Selo. The church, exhibition and museum offer visitors different cultural focal points.

Četrse and cultural events

The Četrse ritual is inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. On 22 March, the religious feast of the 40 Martyrs, people of all generations in Shtip climb steep Isar Hill and greet at least 40 people along the way. The fixed calendar date and the climb give the ritual a distinctive character. If you would like to plan your trip around it, 22 March is a specific point of reference for your plans.

The Štip Cultural Summer reached its 41st edition in 2026. At Pastrmajlijada 2025, visitors could sample freshly prepared pastrmajlija on the Vančo Prke promenade. These examples represent different kinds of cultural events: a festival and an event centred on preparing and tasting food.

Getting there and other information

Shtip is accessible via the M-5 highway; the R-601 regional road connects the city with the Plachkovica Mountains. The two roads serve different purposes for orientation: the M-5 is the named highway connection to Shtip, while the R-601 provides a link to the mountains.

The Kežovica and L’dži thermomineral springs are associated with a bath with pools and a rehabilitation centre. If this destination is part of your plans, check that it is currently operating before visiting.

Discover more destinations: Štip, Debarca, Dojran, Podgorci, Bogovinje, Valandovo, Studenichani, Strumica.

For the broader travel overview: Macedonia.