Ohrid – Where World Heritage meets Europe’s oldest lake

 The visit to Ohrid was part of a press trip organized by NAITM (National Association for Incoming Tourism of Macedonia ), but as always, all views expressed are entirely my own.

I check into my hotel in Ohrid late in the afternoon, just as the light begins to soften over the city. But there’s no time to rest before dinner. The city’s most iconic view is at its finest at sunset—and if I’m going to catch it, I need to hurry.

Ohrid is North Macedonia’s most iconic destination, and in summer the city fills with visitors seeking relief in the cool waters of Lake Ohrid and wandering through alleys that seem to lead ever upward. Here, you rarely walk straight ahead—only uphill or down.

The city is often called the “Jerusalem of the Balkans” thanks to its remarkable number of churches. Legend has it there are 365—one for each day of the year. Whether anyone has actually counted them is unclear, but wherever you are in the city, a church tower is almost always within sight. And if you happen to miss one, another is likely waiting just around the corner.

Another reason for the nickname is the city’s deep-rooted history. It is considered one of the region’s oldest known settlements, with origins often traced back to around 800 BC—and in some cases even earlier, if you include archaeological remains in the surrounding area. Great civilizations have risen and fallen here, each leaving its mark. Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Slavs are among the most enduring presences throughout its long history.

The Ancient Amphitheatre That Time Tried to Forget

We make our way up the narrow cobblestone streets at a brisk pace, passing whitewashed houses and small churches of different styles and faiths. It feels as though the city has never been concerned with architectural order—each century simply allowed to build as it pleased. And somehow, it all comes together.

A little further up the hill lies the ancient amphitheatre, a reminder that Ohrid was once the ancient city of Lychnidos, an important regional hub. In its time, the theatre served as both a performance space and a gathering place for the city’s inhabitants.

Under Roman rule, the theatre was rebuilt, and its role took a far darker turn. It was used not only for gladiatorial games, but also for the execution of Christians. When the Romans left the city, this grim chapter was quite literally buried—covered over with earth and forgotten for centuries. It wasn’t until the 1980s, during a construction project, that the amphitheatre was rediscovered.

Today, the venue hosts concerts during the summer months. It’s hard to imagine a more atmospheric setting—or better acoustics—than an ancient amphitheatre by the lake, though comfort is another matter entirely. Long performances here may come with a certain stone-hard reminder of the past, especially if you’ve forgotten your seat cushion.

The fortress overlooking the entire Lake Ohrid

At the top of the hill, we see the walls of Samuel’s Fortress, one of the landmarks that gives the city its distinctive silhouette from afar. Its exact age remains somewhat uncertain, but it is known to have taken its most defined form in the late XNUMXth century, when Tsar Samuel of Bulgaria made Ohrid the centre of his power.

When I arrive, the fortress has already closed for the day—typical. When it is open, you can walk along the walls and take in sweeping views of the city and the lake, though truth be told, Ohrid offers stunning vistas in almost every direction.

Birthplace of the Cyrillic alphabet

The sun is sinking fast ahead of us and the snow-capped mountains are starting to turn pink. We approach our viewpoint and pass by the excavations. Plaosnik and Church of Saints Clement and Panteleimon which is located with unbeatable views of the lake.

The church in its current form is a reconstruction, but the site itself is much older. A church was built here as early as 893 by Clement of Ohrid, one of the most important figures in the region's early Christian history. Clement was not only a bishop but also an educator and is strongly linked to the development of the Slavic written language and the spread of the Cyrillic alphabet.

What makes the place particularly interesting is that it was not only religious, but also one of the first universities in the Balkans. But when the Ottoman Empire ruled, Ohrid changed. Churches were rebuilt, converted into mosques or destroyed. The church we see today is therefore a reconstruction. Around it lie the ruins of Plaošnik Basilica, where only piles of stones and a few marble columns remain.

The most beautiful place in Ohrid

We follow a steep path down through the forest, as the usual route to the viewpoint is closed due to construction work. Suddenly, the conifers part, and below a cliff it appears—the church that graces almost every postcard from Ohrid: St. John at Kaneo. It is neither large nor ornate, but its setting is simply unmatched.

We arrive just in time. The sun slowly sinks behind the mountains, and light drifts across Lake Ohrid until everything dissolves into a shimmer of pink and gold. The water lies almost perfectly still, as if even the lake has chosen not to disturb the moment.

I hear the voices of an English-speaking family, but most of the languages around me are local. It strikes me how few Scandinavian visitors we’ve encountered here. The place is quite a distance from both Skopje and the Albanian coast, so it takes more than a day trip to truly experience Ohrid.

Inside the church, three small children watch the lit memorial candles under the watchful eye of a nervous parent. I’m struck by how little space there is inside—surprisingly so. From the outside, the church is iconic; from within, it feels unexpectedly modest and intimate. Rather than grand services, it seems to have always hosted smaller, quieter devotions.

Beaches and footbridges

When darkness falls, I walk down the steps to the lake and follow the wooden boardwalks along the cliff edge toward the town center. The dramatic setting of Lake Ohrid, framed by snow-capped mountains rising to 2500 meters, feels more like New Zealand than neighbouring Greece. I pass a few small beaches that, despite their modest size, are packed with sun loungers in summer. But if you’re coming to Ohrid, you’re probably not here for a typical beach holiday—so you likely won’t need any larger beach.

Lake Ohrid is one of Europe’s oldest and deepest lakes, at around two million years old and up to 2 metres deep. This is no shallow, child-friendly lake—it drops off quickly into serious depth. Thanks to its isolated location, it is also home to several species found nowhere else on Earth.

Out on the lake, seabirds gather in flocks for the night while the tourist boats steam back toward the harbour. The air is crisp, and as the sun disappears, the cold settles in quickly. In Ohrid, evenings turn chilly, and a jacket is essential—even in summer.

Down in the harbour, evening lights begin to flicker on as people stroll in search of dinner. The day doesn’t end with sunset. Even though it’s past 18 p.m., there’s no rush or bustle—life here on the shores of Lake Ohrid simply shifts into a slower evening rhythm.

I continue to walk along Old Bazaar Street before dinner, the city’s main artery where everything seems to happen at once—souvenir shops, cafés, the call to prayer, and church bells all layered together. As I pass, many of the shops begin switching off their lights and locking up, though surprisingly plenty don’t even think about closing until around 21 p.m., with some staying open until 22, regardless of whether it’s a weekday or weekend.

The beautiful Ali Pasha Mosque on the main street glows in the evening darkness, its minaret shimmering with thousands of tiny lights against a fiery yellow sky. Islam arrived in Ohrid during the Ottoman era. Although Orthodox Christianity is the dominant religion in North Macedonia today, the country still has a significant Muslim minority, making up roughly 30–35 percent of the population.

Architecture that gives you a Japanese feel

The next morning, I head out before breakfast to explore the city before it wakes. Everything is still and quiet. Apart from the cries of seabirds and the occasional barking dog, no one is yet stirring. There’s something about seeing a city like this—it feels easier to understand. Ohrid is not only an ancient city; it has long been a centre of culture and architecture. With the streets still empty, I finally have time to slow down and really take in the buildings around me.

The white houses with dark brown window frames feel unexpectedly minimalist, almost with a subtle Kyoto-like elegance. These are the characteristic Ohrid houses, with their large lake-facing windows and upper floors that jut out slightly over the street. The entire city is built on a slope, and as you wander through the streets, the houses seem to stack on top of one another like Lego bricks.

Morning at St. John at Kaneo

I pause a little longer by the water’s edge. Restaurant owners are scrubbing the paving stones outside their open-air cafés, dog owners are out with their four-legged companions, and a tired father is exercising with his small son. At one café terrace, a golden retriever lies resting peacefully. It wears an ear tag, marking it as a vaccinated and neutered street dog—never entirely alone here, even if the sight still tugs at my dog-loving heart.

The walk to St. John at Kaneo along the wooden boardwalk is much quieter today. Although it’s a well-trodden path, I have to watch my step—some planks are missing from the pier, and rocks have fallen from the cliffs overnight. I keep my eyes on everything at once as I make my way along the water.

Lake Ohrid is so clear that I can see schools of fish moving beneath the footpath. The lake practically never freezes due to its depth, yet it never truly warms up either. In a good summer, the water can reach around 25°C, but it’s far more common for it to stay near 20°C—even on days when the air temperature climbs to 35°C. For residents of Skopje, Ohrid becomes a refreshing summer escape, especially since temperatures in the capital are significantly higher.

I walk all the way to Sankt Johannes, but the views are not nearly as beautiful this morning. Don't get me wrong – it's incredibly beautiful here – but compared to the sunset the night before, this is not as spectacular.

Beads of fish

I take a detour through some of the narrow alleyways and come across several small shops selling pearl jewellery. The famous Ohrid pearls are crafted here in the city, part of an old tradition whose secrets are passed down through generations. They are not true pearls formed in mussels, but man-made pearls created using an extract from fish scales sourced from Lake Ohrid. A glass bead is coated in this delicate material and then polished by hand until it resembles a natural pearl. The process is painstaking and time-consuming, and the price reflects that craftsmanship. The almost unbelievable idea of “fish-made pearls” may well add an extra zero to the price tag.

On my way back to the hotel breakfast, I try to put my finger on what is so appealing about Ohrid. Is it the city or is it the lake? Or the combination? The historic city with its churches, alleys and viewpoints, or Lake Ohrid with the snow-capped mountains and sunsets. Maybe it's just that they belong together. The city probably wouldn't have existed without the lake. Together they form a landscape where history, nature, beauty and everyday life meet. A vibrant city that has not yet been destroyed by tourism.

As I leave Ohrid after breakfast, I’m still not sure what I became most attached to. The only thing that’s clear is that I would have liked more time to explore. This UNESCO gem, despite its uniqueness, still feels remarkably undiscovered.

Where is Ohrid located?

Ohrid is located in southwestern North Macedonia and Lake Ohrid is located on the border between Albania and North Macedonia.

There are no direct flights from Sweden to Ohrid, so you have to travel there using a combination of flights and ground transport. The most common option is to fly to Skopje and then take a rental car for 3 hours (or a bus for 4 hours).
Alternative travel route is flight to Tirana and rental car for 3-4 hours. NOTE – Keep in mind that you are crossing a land border outside the EU and that not all rental cars are allowed to cross land borders.

Learn more about World Heritage Site Ohrid on the UNESCO website.