9 Things to Do in Ohrid to Make Your Visit Unforgettable

Lake Ohrid, with its majestic combination of mountains and clear water, is the tourist hotspot of North Macedonia. This lake is the closest North Macedonia comes to having a seaside, which is why it’s become a popular summer resort destination. It helps that there is a range of things to do in Ohrid, the lakeside city of the same name.

Increasingly, Ohrid and the other attractions around the lake, are getting noticed by more than just local North Macedonians and the occasional European traveller. Having the nickname the “Jewel of North Macedonia” and being on UNESCO’s World Heritage List seems to help. Here are some places to visit in Ohrid based on my week there, including places beyond the main city.

How to get to Ohrid

Lake Ohrid lies in the southwestern corner of North Macedonia on the border with Albania. Ohrid, its main city, sits on the more accessible northeast shore of the lake, but it’s still a fair distance from other cities in the country. Even Bitola, which looks close on the map, takes over 1.5 hours to reach by bus.

Unless you rent a car for North Macedonia, getting around by bus will be your best option for getting to Ohrid. Buses run every few hours from Skopje to Ohrid and usually take around 3 hours to get there.

You’ll find it easier coming from Bitola, with buses running more regularly every two or so hours. You also have a daily bus coming from Tirana in Albania if that works better for you.

Where to stay in Ohrid

Because Ohrid is such a popular destination, you’ll find a broad selection of accommodation options. Apartments in Ohrid make up the majority of places to stay, designed for the summer season. You’ll likely notice a lot of accommodation described as “villas” here, generally used to describe family-run guesthouses/boutique hotels.

Before you book anywhere, a word of caution about staying in the Old Town beneath the fortress. This area of Ohrid is very hilly and has narrow streets with limited parking options. Factor all of this in before booking.

To save you time trawling through looking at hundreds of hotels in Ohrid, here are some of the best-rated options:

• Villa Darki
• Villa Malezan
• Villa Stefanija
• Golden Sunset Apartments (resort south of Ohrid)

The main Ohrid things to do

The last part of planning your Ohrid visit is working out what you’ll do when you’re there. Ohrid attractions can be grouped into those in the city’s Old Town and those found elsewhere along the lake’s shore. With these things to do in Ohrid, you get a mix of both.

1. Stroll through Ohrid Bazaar

Certainly, the busiest part of the city of Ohrid is the bazaar that runs up from the waterfront and ends at the small city market. Plenty of shops and stores line this lovely pedestrian street named after St Clement of Ohrid, from cafes and ice-cream parlours to boutique clothing stores.

There aren’t too many old buildings of the bazaar still standing, but there are a few and the streets are still lined with local Macedonian marble. At the northern end of the bazaar, a small square hosts a water fountain and the historic Chinar Tree said to be over 1000 years old. Around the square are also several of the city’s mosques.

2. Explore Ohrid Old Town

One of Ohrid’s big draws is the city’s Old Town which covers the hillside west of the city centre. Here in Ohrid Old Town, you’ll come across wonderful old Ottoman houses and narrow cobbled lanes. Venturing uphill from anywhere in the Bazaar will soon bring you into the streets of the Old Town, where the crowds of tourists fade away.

Here you’ll see lovely old and quaint houses and feel a far more relaxed atmosphere. Walking about to appreciate what the city could have once been like is a nice way to spend some time.

The Old Town is also home to some significant historical landmarks. For starters, you’ll see remnants of the old city fortifications including several remaining gates. The best preserved of the gates is the Upper Gate found close to the city market. Just nearby, the Upper Gate is the city’s last ancient site, the Ancient Theatre.

The theatre is currently undergoing considerable restoration but you can still see parts that show what the theatre used to look like. There are also many historic churches as mentioned below.

3. Climb Samuel’s Fortress

Without question, Ohrid’s most dominant landmark is the mighty fortress that sits on the hilltops over the old town. Known as Samuel’s Fortress after Tsar Samuel, the fortress was the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire at the end of the 10th century. Archaeological evidence also suggests an even older fortress was built on the same spot.

Thanks to renovations in 2003, visitors can visit the fortress and climb up the steep stairs to walk along its ramparts. The views from the fortress are fantastic as you can see the whole old town and look out at the lake in both directions. You won’t find much information around the fortress, but it’s worth visiting. Entry cost 30 denari in July 2016.

Throughout Ohrid, you can visit many historic Orthodox churches in the Byzantine style. Each has its interesting aspects from the painted frescos inside the Holy Mary Perivlepta Church to the lengthy history of the Church of St Sophia.

This means that if you’d like to visit and explore some medieval churches, you have plenty to choose from. Please note that each church has an entry fee (generally 100 denari), so if money is tight, choose wisely.

The Church of St John the Theologian at Kaneo is arguably the most popular and scenic Ohrid church. This icon of Ohrid sits on the very point of the headland, concealed by the forests below Samuel’s Fortress. Following paths either coming down from the fortress or that run along the coast, you will arrive at this wonderfully picturesque church.

The cliff-top church is comparatively small compared to some of Ohrid’s other churches, but its view can’t be beaten. The best spot to view the church at Kaneo is from the small lookout point directly above the church, allowing you to capture the classic shot of the church over the lake.

5. Sunbathe and swim at beaches

The most obvious activities for tourists in Ohrid are swimming in the lake and basking by the shore. And you don’t need to go far from the city centre to find places for this. Several small public stone beaches between the Port of Ohrid and Kaneo Church are probably the most convenient.

If you’re visiting in summer, it should come as no surprise that the city beaches will be quite busy. At the beaches closer to Kaneo, some floating pontoons for sunbathing and swimming are a little quieter. Generally, the further you get from the city centre the quieter things will be.

Many hotels have pools if the lake is too far. Resorts on the shores of the lake provide the possibility for another level of relaxation. Head south down the shore from Ohrid and you’ll have more self-contained resorts to choose from. Most are on the outskirts of Ohrid, but there are more further south in small villages like Peštani and Lagadin.

6. Dine by the waterfront

With so much waterfront at its disposal, it only makes sense that there are plenty of places to eat at by the water. That’s not to say there aren’t decent restaurants away from the shoreline like Restaurant Belvedere, but it’s nice to sit by the shore at least once.

A comfortable dining option that I tried for dinner was the Restaurant Kaj Kanevche right near the Church at Kaneo. Although the wind had really picked up and was whipping the waves in, it was nice sitting over the water and looking out across the lake.

The restaurant had a homely atmosphere and personable staff. While a little out of the way, it was worth the walk. I also tried the Kaneo Beach Bar and Restaurant for lunch one day with a nice iced coffee and sandwich.

7. Visit Struga from Ohrid

For those looking to get away from the tourists, the nearby city of Struga offers a look at the more ordinary side of Macedonian life.

Struga sits at the northern end of Lake Ohrid just 15km away from Ohrid. The city seems to have been far less affected by increased regional tourism. This is likely because the city lacks the landmarks and architecture of neighbouring Ohrid.

The lakeside is also different around Struga. Two long stretches of sandy beachfront sit right near its city centre. Not far from them are large clusters of reeds, which I found quite interesting with how they change the environment’s look.

The city is centred around the Black Drin River which flows out of Lake Ohrid and is lined by pleasant boulevards. Here you can find plenty of cafes and bars where many locals spend time catching up.

Following the river, you soon reach the city centre and several monuments. Crossing the river away from the monument, you will soon reach the city’s bazaar and market which offers a little insight into the way of things here.

To get to Struga from Ohrid, you can take a bus from the city centre for 40 denari (price not updated) but it’s also possible to take a shared taxi for roughly 100 denari (price not updated).

Waiting at a bus stop is likely where you’ll find a shared taxi looking for more people going to Struga. While this way is more expensive, it’s a far quicker alternative and still a cheap ride.

8. Enjoy St. Naum and Ljubaništa

By far the most popular day trip from Ohrid is the boat ride down to the Monastery of St Naum. Wedged right against the border with Albania, this little spot is surprisingly full of things to do. This may be surprising when you consider that there isn’t even so much as a village here.

The main building is indeed the monastery, which also doubles as a quite upmarket hotel. The monastery itself is quite scenic as it overlooks the lake, with a beautiful old church and manicured gardens. It won’t take long to visit the monastery, which leaves you free to do a variety of other things before heading back on the boat in the afternoon.

St Naum happens to have one of the most popular beaches on Lake Ohrid, with many people coming there simply for the beach. Like up at Ohrid, this is a public beach so there aren’t reserved areas or anything like that.

Just off the beach are restaurants ready to service tourists’ needs. Expect generally higher prices than you would find in Ohrid due to St Naum’s isolation.

There is also the beach at Ljubaništa, said to be the best on the lake, several kilometres up the shore. To get there, it’ll take you 30 to 40 minutes to walk or you can hire a taxi. The beach is at the campground, a popular spot with Macedonians.

For more sightseeing while at St Naum, consider visiting the local springs – the source of Lake Ohrid. You have the options of walking through the bush up and seeing them or taking the far more leisurely boat ride. Either way, you’re bound to see some beautiful nature and gain some appreciation for how something so small can create such a grand lake.

Organise your boat cruise the day before at the harbour or just book a tour online.

9. Watch the sunset from the port

In my opinion, the best place to watch the sunset is by the pier on Ohrid’s waterfront. From here, you can see the sky change colour over Ohrid’s old town and Samuel’s Fortress. Every night I was there, the sky simply glowed with some remarkable colours. What more can you ask for before heading to dinner nearby?

Have you visited Lake Ohrid before? If not, which of these would you most like to do at Lake Ohrid? Please share in the comments below.

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.