The old bazaar district in central Tetovo is compact but lively, with a predominantly Albanian character that distinguishes it from most Macedonian market towns. Traders sell copper and brassware, fresh produce, clothing, and the kind of practical goods that bazaars have always carried. The streets are mostly pedestrianised in the core area and busy on weekday mornings.
This is not a polished tourist market but a working commercial centre — you will see more local tradespeople going about their business than souvenir hunters. That is part of the point. The mix of Albanian-owned shops, the occasional older Ottoman-era building, and the mountain visible at the end of every street north gives the bazaar a distinct feel. Spend an hour wandering before heading to the Painted Mosque on the river.