Negotino is not just a town, but a root, a silence scented with vineyards, a song sung from the heart, a place where the sun rises more beautifully and life flows with its own calm rhythm.
It lies in the central part of Macedonia, in the heart of the Vardar Valley, on both sides of the Vardar River, occupying a significant portion of the Tikveš Basin. Its climate and soil are ideal for growing grapes and making wine.
Negotino is an ancient town — a place that has survived everything yet never surrendered. Every stone speaks, every path carries a story.
The name Negotino is the Slavic form of the ancient settlement Antigonea, founded in the 3rd century BC by the Macedonian ruler Antigonus Gonatas (278–242 BC) after he conquered Paeonia. Antigonea was a strategic stronghold with imposing temples, marble palaces, and carved stone fortifications. It existed until 518 AD, when it was destroyed by a catastrophic earthquake that struck much of Macedonia, devastating cities like Scupi, Stobi, Heraclea, Astibo, and Idomena.
The modern town of Negotino formed in the late Middle Ages as a crafts settlement. After the Ottoman arrival in 1385, Ali Pasha of Ioannina reactivated the fortress, as the Skopje–Thessaloniki trade route passed nearby along the Vardar River. At the Demir Kapija Gorge crossing, his troops collected customs duties from traders passing through.
Negotino celebrates November 8 as its official day — the date of liberation from fascist occupation in 1944. The greatest growth of the town came in the second half of the 20th century.
Agriculture is the foundation of Negotino’s economy. The municipality produces 20–25 million kilograms of grapes annually. Other important crops include tobacco, opium poppy, vegetables, and cereals.
Negotino is home to the second-largest winery in Macedonia — Povardarie. Nearby is the Negotino Thermal Power Plant (TEC “Negotino”).
Negotino is famous for its rich table and even richer wine. Here, food is not only nourishment but memory and tradition:
Wine is the soul of Negotino. Wineries such as Bovin, Dalvina, Mi-Da, and many boutique cellars craft wines that carry the taste of Tikvešija. Among them, Bovin Winery stands out internationally, producing wine of world-class quality, an ambassador of taste and Macedonian pride.
Rakija is another tradition. Made mostly from local grapes like Smederevka and Vranec, distilled with centuries-old recipes, it remains a symbol of pride and celebration.
In Negotino, sport is pride, dedication, and tradition. The town’s main club, FK Vardar Negotino, carries decades of history and passion, with fans filling the stadium in support.
Sports life here also thrives through basketball, handball, karate, wrestling, and youth sports schools that develop future champions.
For those in America, Australia, Canada, or Europe — every roasted pepper, every glass of wine, every Macedonian song brings back Negotino.
And in Negotino itself, the streets still wait, the people remember, families are ready to embrace you, and the vineyards still whisper the stories of your homeland.
