Negotino

(Macedonian: Неготино)

Negotino is a city in Macedonia. It's population is about 15,000. The city is a seat of the Negotino municipality.

Negotino is situated on the right bank of the river vardar. The city is about 150m above sea level. Negotino is in a vineyard region and the gates of the Tikves basin, known for its fertility are located nearby. Along with kavadarci, Negotino is well known as the home of Macedonia’s best wine and rakija (brandy). The M-1 highway leads through the city, parallel to the railway line connecting Skopje-Gevgelija-Greece.

• Number of inhabitants:
• Area:
• Geographic position: 41.29° N 22.5° E
• Climate: Sub-Mediterranean and Mediterranean
• Average temperature:
• Time zone: Central European Time (GMT +1)
• Postal Code: 1440
• Local area code: 043

This is a wine area, so you may make your choice on the basis of this fact. You may visit some of the vineries and have an easy lunch with wine testing or take your meal in some of many restaurants in the town. The two biggest are surely Restaurant Dragi, on the left side as you enter Negotino, a huge capacity for 270 guests and an open-air part and the second one is Lav (Lion) with 350 seats with every-day live music, and all kind of specialities that will satisfy the guests.

Negotino is known as a beautiful town in the Vardar valley. The settlement existed and developed in antiquity and in the 3rd century BC, under the name of Antigoneia. It was founded by the Macedonian king Antigonus II Gonatas, in the period between 278–242 BC. After conquering Paionia, he conquered the settlements around the central Vardar region. In his name, the settlement that he founded was called Antigonea.

The material data and the legends say that Antigoneia, predecessor of Negotino, was situated 12 Roman miles south from the antique town Stobi, on the road to Thessalonica, at today's place of Gradiste, by the railway station of Negotino. At this place, coins with faces of Roman emperors were found, as well as precious jewelry and other archeological findings from the period of the Roman and Byzantine period. The ancient town existed until the 11th century when it was destroyed by a disastrous earthquake which hit almost all of the territory of Macedonia along with other towns, such as Skupi, Stobi, Heraclea, Astibo, and Idomena. During the middle ages, Negotino was part of the empire of king Samuil.

As you enter Negotino, you’ll notice a lot of play-grounds of the Sport & Recreation Centre Mladost (Youth), almost always full of people. Negotino cannot offer you a lot in the mountain walks or biking, its geographic location is such that you cannot expect much in its area. Unless, if you want to see the villages around, vineyards or plantations of peaches. On the west from Negotino the road will lead you to Prilep.

• By car: 90 km on the south of Skopje, the highway to Greek border – about 1 hour drive
• By plane: www.airports.com.mk (Skopje)
• By bus: www.sas.com.mk (Skopje)
• By train: Skopje – Athens railroad.