We had visited Tetovo before in 2009 and 2021 as daytrips, but in 2026 we stayed for 10 days and used Tetovo as a base for several hikes in Shar Mountain National Park, and to do some more sightseeing in the city and surroundings. We stayed at L&L apartments a bit outside the busy center of Tetovo. The apartment was an excellent choice, because of widely avaialble free street parking, good accessibility to the main roads and, not least, the exceptionally friendly hosts Zoran and his wife.
The Albanian minority of Macedonia is the majority in Tetovo. The most beautiful mosque of Macedonia is located in Tetovo, the Sarena Mosque, also called Colorful Mosque, Painted Mosque, Pasha Djamija (Prince’s Mosque) or Motley Mosque. For many people this mosque is the main reason to visit Tetovo. Allegedly 30,000 eggs were used to produce the paint. The mosque was built in 1459 and the two women who paid for it are buried in a turbe (grave) on the site. The mosque was renovated in 1833 and 1991.
The bath house (aman) on the other site of the river Pena used to be part of the complex of the Sarena Mosque. The bath house now houses the Tetovo Art Gallery.
Just about 100m from the Sarena Mosque you will find this old stone bridge over the river Pena.
Mehmed Bey’s Mansion
A beautiful Ottoman residential building that is often overlooked in Tetovo is the Mehmed Bey’s Mansion from the early 19th century. The exact construction date is not know. It is also known as Konaku Palloshi, after the family who currently owns the house. It used to be fortified, with high stone walls and watchtowers. It is now on private property, behind a wall and gate, but you’re welcome to visit if the gate if open.
It may even be possible to arrange a visit through the Tetovo museum to admire the interior, something we unfortunately did not try. It’s supposed to be impressive from the inside! The house is situated close to the Sarena Mosque. Location.
Arabati Baba Tekke
A bit further there is the Arabati Baba Bektashi Tekke. A Tekke is the Muslim equivalent of a monastery. It is considered one of the best conserved Tekkes in Europe. The present structure is from the late 18th century but the site dates back to 1538. It is a walled complex with an impressive gate. A nice place to to escape the busy traffic of Tetovo for a moment, although part of the complex seemed to be used as a car parking. Location.
Tetovo Kale Fortress
On a hill above Tetovo near the village Lavce is an old Ottoman fortress (kale) from the year 1820. It is not so well known as the Kale Fortress in Skopje or Tsar Samoil’s fortress in Ohrid, and it is certainly in a worse state. The fortress and the mosque that used to be there were damaged in the 1912-1913 Balkan Wars. There used to be a tunnel system leading to the Ottoman houses in the town, allowing the defenders of the fortress to get behind enemy lines if the kale was besieged.
Efforts were undertaken to renovate the fortress when we visited for the first time in 2009. At that time they were even building a museum on the site. So we were full of expectations when we revisited in 2026. However, to our dismay, we found the Tetovo Fortress in a terrible state. The buildings that should be proud cultural heritage are used as stables for cows and are literally full of shit. There is graffiti everywhere. What a shame!
Nevertheless, if you are able to see through all the mess it still is an interesting ancient site to visit. There’s also a church on the site dedicated to St Athanasius. It was closed when we were there.
The Kale Fortress site also offers good views of Tetovo and surroundigs. Location.
Museums in Tetovo
Remarkably, the main building of the Tetovo Museum is not a museum. In 2026 it was just the administrative building. Allegedly due to lack of funding it is not possible to have exhibitions here. If you find the other two branches of the museum closed, you can go to the administrative building to inquire about opening times or try to arrange somebody to open them for you. Location.
We found the small Museum of the Communist Party open and got a private tour by a very enthusiastic archeologist. Note that the entrance is NOT through the wooden doors, but through an iron gate a bit further down the road.
The museum has only a few rooms, in one of the rooms the first session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Macedonia was held in 1943. The other room has a some etno items on display.
The court yard has a small theater for educational purposes and there are some old objects to see. The pictures above basically summarize the museum, in case you find it closed. Location.
We found the Memorial Museum of the National Hero Goce Stojčevski closed, although we were there during the supposed opening-hours. When we called the museum administration, they actually send somebody over to tell us that the museum was closed and that the person with the key had left. When we came back a couple of days later, the museum was open.
The plaque next to the door says:
“At the very dawn of the struggle, here, on 10 April 1941, in this Gore-Čučki House, a meeting of the Communists of Tetovo was held. Decisions and conclusions were adopted to mobilize all forces for resistance against the occupier. Following the guidelines accepted at this unforgettable meeting, the fighters from this region continued the course of the People’s Revolution“.
On the top floors there is an exposition with traditional clothing and some archeological findings. Also in this case, the pictures give you a pretty good summary of the museum in case you find it closed.
Churches and Mosques in Tetovo
The Eski Mosque (meaning Old Mosque) is considered the oldest mosque in Tetovo, dating back to the first half of the 15th century. Although it is overshadowed by the Painted Mosque, it is one of the oldest and most important Ottoman monuments in Macedonia. Unlike the spectacular Painted Mosque, Eski Mosque has a much more restrained appearance, reflecting the functional style of early Ottoman religious buildings before the more elaborate decorative traditions developed. Over six centuries the mosque has experienced numerous renovations, some of which unfortunately obscured the original architectural details. Location.
The construction of the St Cyril and Methodius Cathedral started in 1885 but it was consecrated only in 1925. Location.
The Church of St Nikola is found in the north-west part of Tetovo, north of the river Pena and on the way to the village Lavce and the Tetovo Kale Fortress. The church was built three times: around 1300, 1842, and 1901 It was consecrated in 1848 and burned down in 1872, laying in ruins until 1901. Location.
The Church of St Bogorodica lies in the north-west part of Tetovo, south of the river Pena. The current church is from the early 20th century. Location.
Tetovo Post Office: Modernist/Brutalist architecture
The Post Office and Telecom buildings in Tetovo are among the city’s most notable examples of late Yugoslav modernist architecture. Although they are much less famous than the iconic telecommunication complex in Skopje, they belong to the same period (roughly the 1970s–1980s).
The Post Office in tetovo is a good example of Late Modernism with Brutalist influences, although it is considerably more restrained than the famous Skopje post office.
Restaurants in Tetovo
In 2026 we stayed for 10 days in Tetovo in the self-catering L&L Apartments, but we also visited three restaurants. Restaurant Paradox was the best, a modern restaurant with inside and outside seating. I had Karadjordje steak filled with Kajmak, a Serbian dish which was really good. Paradox is located a bit outside the center of Tetovo, but very close to the apartment where we were staying. Location.
Restaurant Bela Mia is more traditional restaurant in a very nice building with a small courtyard inside. It doesn’t look that good from the outside so the interior was a real surprise! It was really quiet when we were there on an early afternoon, but it is one of the most popular restaurants in Tetovo so you may even need a reservation if you plan to go in the evening. Location.
The last restaurant where we had dinner was restaurant Lezet. Located on a busy street, in fact not far from restaurant Paradox. We actually planned to eat in another place, which turned out to be closed. We had passed Lezet on our way to the other restaurant and decided to give it a shot. The food was decent and reasonably priced, although the prices on the menu were apparently outdated and didn’t match the bill. Location.
Miki’s Souvenir Shop
Tetovo is not considered to be a major tourist destination, so finding Miki’s Souvenir Shop was a bit of a surprise. The shop does not seem to be located at a very touristic location either, although it is near the Museum of the Communist Party and the St Cyril and Methodius Cathedral. So let’s see if we can give this small business a little boost! But please keep the door closed because there was a pet bird on the loose inside. Location.
Shara Mountain Info Center
Because we were hiking in Shar Mountain National Park, we paid a visit to the Shara Mountain Info Center. This is the office of Mountaineering Club Ljuboten, one of the oldest and best-known hiking clubs in Macedonia. It also serves as an information center for the Shar Mountains, where hikers can obtain trail information, maps, and advice about hiking conditions in the national park.
Hristina from the info center gave us a lot of information, including all the maps for the High Scardus Trail that passes through Shar National Park. They have a small shop were you can buy mountain-related souvenirs, and they can bring you in contact with local craftsmen. Location.
We also visited the official office of the Shar Mountain National Park (right picture). We talked with some very enthusiastic employees. But their core business seems to be running the National Park and providing educational activities, rather than serving as a tourist information center. For example, at the time of writing (July 2026), the address on their website still refers to their old building. If you want to pay them a visit, they are located here.
Outside Tetovo
While you are in Tetovo, do not miss the Monastery of Leshok. Leshok is a village a few kilometers northeast of Tetovo.
The nearby mountain village and ski-resort Popova Shapka, 30 minutes driving from Tetovo, offers good hiking possibilities.
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