Seeking some travel advice

Thessalonika airport(Northern Greece) could be an option if they are flights from Dublin/Belfast,certainly would be from one of the London airports but it would be handy if it is direct,not sure there.

Don't think so.

Fly from DUB and connect in Vienna (VIE) or Rome (FCO).

Thank you for the reply lapsy. The only two options I could find were flying to luton from belfast and then a direct flight to Skopje from there. Or Belfast to Vienna and then to Skopje. The problem with both those ways is the choice between cutting it fine between flights and risking a delay or settling for a long stay over at either airport to guarantee making the connecting flight. A direct flight to anywhere near Skopje from Ireland would work out better if the airport was close enough to arrange transport by road. I think it would be fairly cheap to arrange a coach and there is a group going together so the cost would be split.

Skopje is a hub for Wizz Air.

From skopje they fly to;

Basel/Mulhouse, Beauvais, Bergamo, Charleroi, Cologne/Bonn, Dortmund, Eindhoven, Gothenburg-City, Frankfurt–Hahn, London-Luton, Malmö, Memmingen, Stockholm-Skavsta, Treviso

So it should be easy to find a timely connection through one of those.

Ireland to rome and then direct to skopje was an option but a more expensive option than the others.

I personally would not mind a stop over anywhere. But others in the group would not be so keen. Its a wedding I am thinking about going to but it would be more of a holiday for everyone in the group. Plans wold be to stay for an extra week on a place called lake orchid in Macedonia, near the border with Greece.

Yes Ozzy, I had checked whizz air direct from luton to skopje.  So far it seems the best way. Flying into sofia would have been possibly a better way if there were direct flights from Dublin/Belfast. I looked online and could not find any which surprised me.

I have no idea about getting across the border but there is direct flights from the UK into Thessaloniki or Thessalonica as some would call it. I nearly moved to northern Greece before but i ended up in southern Greece and from speaking to the Greeks about Nothern Greece it sounded a bit of a wilderness but that could be incorrect. If i was you mate i would go as direct as  possible to Skopje but i would go via a big city that flies direct into it. Go to Skyscanner, i see you can go via Rome, Istanbul or Belgrade, i certainly would not be on for travelling through Kosova, Albania, Macedonia on my own, would rather go to one of those cities mentioned and then go direct.

Be handy alright to get directly into Skopje airport rather than the hassle of travelling for hours after a flight. Ireland to UK flights are generally very good these days with timekeeping. Lads above would know more about the relevant sites, sure ye will have a great craic there.

Thank you Rocket for your post. I will look into that option. Yeah, agree travelling through some of those countries you mentioned might not be a good idea. Just thought looking at a map than sofia might be an option as its very close to Macedonia and Bulgaria might be more traveller friendly than those other countries.

If you check the Skopje airport site you will see which airlines fly in there plus whereto and from. Via Bergamo or Venice Treviso also an option

Just for your information paddletoe the Greeks would think very highly of the city of Thessaloniki/Thessalonica or at least then did back then but outside of that i got the idea you were in the sticks. Anyway, good luck on your travel.

Btw anyone been to Macedonia. One of the Balkan countries is somewhere I have always been interested in going to but I have always thought about the more well known places such as Dubrovnik. Macedonia just happens to be the venue for a family wedding next summer. Not one I would be obligated to go to but it would double as a holiday so probably will go if travelling is not too difficult. My wife and our little boy who is three will be going. Don't want anything too hard on their feet for them.

Thank you Rocket. Appreciate greatly your help. I had looked at travelling via Greece as an option but only thought of Athens which is at the bottom end of the country. I do know the place called lake orhid in Macedonia where I would be intending to spend a week after the wedding is only 50 miles or so from the Greek border.

Is that Ohrid Lake?, just looked it up on "tripadvisor", sounds stunning if its that.

having driven from Athens to Budapest via Macedonia, my advice is don't consider driving, its 3 hours from Athens on desperate roads. outside of Albania and some of the ex soviet blocks, I rate the fyrm as the biggest kip in that part of Europe...you have an odds on chance of your group being victims of hotel theft. be careful.

kernel of advice, organise your trip so that you fly into skopje....and spend the minimum time possible in fyrm.

Yes la papsy, the place is called lake ohrid. I spelt it wrongly in previous posts.

Ohrid has an international airport: St Paul the Apostle (IATA: OHD).

Looks like Dublin/Brussels with Aer Lingus then Jetairfly onto Ohrid may be the way to go ?

Check with these for further info
https://www.jetairfly.com/en/destinations/macedonia/lake-ohrid

I travelled to Skopje for Ireland game a few years ago. We flew into Thessaloniki and organised a minibus to Skopje. Think it worked out about €25/30 return. It's a 4 hour drive through some very impressive countryside. I'd have no problem doing trip this way again.
Skopje was a very impressive looking city and lots of building and construction was going on at the time. Always said I'd go back in less 'hectic' circumstances of an Ireland match but I haven't had the opportunity since!