Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic center. Skopje is located on the upper course of the Vardar River, and is located on a major north-south Balkan route between Belgrade and Athens. It was known in the Roman period under the name Scupi.

The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; remains of Neolithic settlements have been found within the old Kale Fortress that overlooks the modern city centre. On the eve of the 1st century AD, the settlement was seized by the Romans and became a military camp. When the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western halves in 395 AD, Scupi came under Byzantine rule from Constantinople.

Being the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, Skopje is home to the largest cultural institutions of the country, such as the National and University Library "St. Kliment of Ohrid", the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the National Theatre, the National Philarmonic Orchestra and the Macedonian Opera and Ballet. Among the local institutions are the Brothers Miladinov Library which has more than a million documents, the Cultural Information Centre which manages festivals, exhibitions and concerts, and the House of Culture Kočo Racin which is dedicated to contemporary art and young talents.

The Skopje Jazz Festival has been held annually in October since 1981. It is part of the European Jazz Network and the European Forum of World Wide Festivals. The artists' profiles include fusion, acid jazz, Latin jazz, smooth jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Ray Charles, Tito Puente, Gotan Project, Al Di Meola, Youssou N'Dour, among others, have performed at the festival. Another music festival in Skopje is the Blues and Soul Festival. It is a relatively new event in the Macedonian cultural scene that occurs every summer in early July. Past guests include Larry Coryell, Mick Taylor & the All-Stars Blues Band, Candy Dulfer & Funky Stuff, João Bosco, The Temptations, Tolo Marton Trio, Blues Wire, and Phil Guy.

Hamburg - the Gate to the world, the City of bridges or Venice on the Elbe. Hamburg belongs to one of the ten most popular tourist destionations in Europe. With its sitizens numbering around 1,79 millions, Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany after Berlin, the eighth biggest city in the European Union and consequently the biggest city that is not at the same time the capital of a state. Hamburg is divided into seven districts and 104 city parts. Hamburg is located in the northern Germany with the warm maritime climate. The warmest month is July with an average temperature of 17.4 ° C, and the coldest month is January with 1.3 ° C. Temperatures around 28 ° C are not uncommon in summer.

Hamburg is famous for its tourist attractions:

The Port of Hamburg (der Hamburger Hafen) is the largest sea port in Germany and one of the most effcient ports of the world. For this very reason the city bears the name of the Gate to the world. Every year, up to 10,000 ships enter the port of the Hansemetropole,and their number is increasing from day to day. In total, the port, which is more than 800 years old, occupies an area of around 7,200 hectares, which is about one-tenth of Hamburg's area.

The Warehouse District (Speicher stadt) is famost around the world. Since july 2015 this legendary attraction, together with the Kontorhaus District and Chilehaus, belongs to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. It is considered to be the largest connected warehouse complex in the world that was built in 1883.

One of the most popular sightseeing spots in Hamburg is the Main church of St. Michaelis (die Hauptkirche St.Michaelis). The 132-meter-high church is the landmark of the city and one of the most important buildings in Hamburg. Among the locals the church is affectionatelly called "Michel". Since its first edification in 1647, the church has been rebuilt twice.

Another architectural as well as musical sight of Hamburg is the Elbphilharmonie. It combines tradition and modernity in such an impressively manner that cannot be compared to any other city in Germany.

If you're looking for city sightseeing in Hamburg, the you should definitely visit the Hamburg Town Hall (das Hamburger Rathaus) in the city center. The magnificent building dates from the 19th century and stands out from the typical Hamburg architecture by its extremely elaborately decorated facade. The sandstone building, which regularly houses exhibitions, evokes associations with a neoclassical castle.

If you want to explore Hamburg with children, the Zoo Hagenbeck (Tierpark Hagenbeck) is just the right choice for you. Sightseeing for the whole family is worthwhile in the largest private zoo in the world. Thezoo, which is more than 100 years old, is the first in the world to completely dispense with cages in its enclosures and to adopt a more equitable attitude which provides more freedom to the enclosed animals.

The Floating Dock (Landungsbrücken) – if the statistics are to be believed, then the St. Pauli Floating Dock is second ,ost important and famous tourist attraction after the Brendenburg Gate. As a matter of fact, the dock is always lively and there’s always something going on.

St. Pauli and the Reeperbahn - The Reeperbahn, also known as "Kiez", is and will remain Hamburg's amusement district number one. With the operetta house, numerous tabledance bars, discotheques and student clubs, there is always something to satisfy each person’s taste at the surface of 930 meters! During the day it can berather quiet,but it is the evening when the street awakens in its complete splendour.

Hamburg is a cosmopolitan and diverse city with an incredible number of sights, events and leisure activities, making it the perfect destination for a short stay.