20 best things to do in Ohrid, Macedonia

24th July 2025 Last updated 5th August 2026 by Helen

This page may contain affiliate links - this means that if you buy something as a result of clicking on a link I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks!

If you’re thinking of a trip to Lake Ohrid in Macedonia but wondering if there’s enough to keep you occupied, then keep reading. In this post, I’ll tell you about the best things to do in Ohrid, with tips from my trip in June 2025. I loved my time in Ohrid and I hope I can convince you to make Lake Ohrid your next destination!

A Byzantine brick church with a red tiled roof set on a clifftop above a lake — The Church of Saint John the Theologian at Kaneo, Ohrid is just as beautiful in person as it is in photos

Contents

About Ohrid and Lake Ohrid

Ohrid is a city in Macedonia (officially North Macedonia) on the shores of Lake Ohrid. It’s the largest town on the lake, and the eighth-largest city in Macedonia. Both the city of Ohrid and Lake Ohrid are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The pretty town of Ohrid on Lake Ohrid is packed with things to do

Ohrid is famous for once having 365 churches; one for every day of the year, giving it the nickname of ‘the Jerusalem of Europe’. There aren’t quite that many churches in Ohrid these days, but there are lots of beautiful, historic churches in Ohrid’s old town to explore – along with plenty of other things to see and do.

A view of Ohrid's Byzantine Saint Sophia church with the lake beyond. It's sunset and the lake is glowing purple. — The old town of Ohrid and Saint Sofia church

Ohrid’s history

Lake Ohrid is one of the oldest lakes in the world, and the deepest in the Balkans. The area has been inhabited since at least the late Bronze age and you can see a reconstruction of a prehistoric pile village at the Bay of Bones museum a short boat ride from Ohrid itself.

The city of Ohrid also has a long and varied history, which you can see all around you when you visit Ohrid today. The city was founded in around 2000 BC by Cadmus, the Phoenician king of Thebes, who is also said to have founded Budva in Montenegro.

A castle gate with high stone towers on either side. — Samuel’s Fortress in Ohrid

The ancient Greeks left behind their magnificent theatre, while the Roman Via Egnatia ran through Ohrid, connecting ports on the Adriatic Sea with Byzantium (modern day Istanbul). In more recent history, Ohrid was part of Bulgaria, Serbia, the Ottoman Empire, Albania and finally Yugoslavia, before Macedonia declared independence in 1991.

Where is Lake Ohrid?

Lake Ohrid is in the far south-western corner of North Macedonia. About two-thirds of the lake is in Macedonia, while the other third is in Albania.

Best things to do in Ohrid

1. See the Church of Saint John the Theologian at Kaneo

If you’ve seen photos of Ohrid, then chances are you’ve seen a picture of the Church of Saint John at Kaneo (Sveti Jovan Kaneo). The image of the domed brick church sitting on a cliff above the lake is iconic, and every bit as beautiful when you see it for real.

A beautiful brick built church on a cliff above a lake, surrounded by trees — The church of Saint John in Kaneo is one of the most famous buildings in Ohrid

Nobody knows exactly how old the church is, but it’s believed that it probably dates from the 13th century.

The church is on the western edge of Ohrid’s old town and it’s an easy and beautiful walk from the centre. It’s free to enter the grounds; going inside to see the atmospheric interior costs 150 MKD (around £2/$3).

A beautiful Byzantine church built in brick against the background of a lake and mountains — The beautiful Saint John Kaneo church

Paths lead up the steep hill behind the church towards Samuel’s Fortress, and even if you’re not planning to hike up through the forest, it’s still worth going up a short distance to see the gorgeous view of the church with the lake beyond. It’s particularly lovely as the sun starts to set.

2. Walk the ramparts at Samuel’s Fortress

There isn’t actually much inside Samuel’s Fortress, but you can see the ramparts from all over the town. It costs 150 MKD (around £2/$3) to go inside and climb the steps up to the walls and tower, from where there’s a wonderful view across Ohrid’s old town and the lake.

A woman with dark hair wearing summer clothes stood on a castle ramparts — Me exploring the ramparts of Samuel’s Fortress. It was very hot but seeing the view was one of my favourite things to do in Ohrid.

There’s been a fortress on this site at the top of the hill overlooking Ohrid since at least 209 BC. The castle has been demolished, rebuilt and expanded many times, but most of the walls and the towers date back to the reign of Tsar Samoil in around 1000 AD, giving the castle the name it’s known by today.

A view from Samuel's Fortress in Ohrid. There's a sweeping view over the town and lake, with mountains beyond. In the foreground, you can see the stone battlements of the castle. — The city of Ohrid and Lake Ohrid seen from Samuel’s Fortress. The castle sits on top of the highest hill in Ohrid.

Samuel’s Fortress covers the top of the hill, and the fortifications once extended all around the old city, all the way to Ohrid’s port. You can still see parts of the wall at the Upper Gate and at Lower Gate Square.

Old stone fortifications at the old Ohrid city wall — Ohrid’s Upper Gate is at the top of the old town, near Samuel’s Fortress

3. Enjoy Ohrid Boardwalk

A more recent addition to the list of things to do in Ohrid is the boardwalk which connects the old town to Potpesh Beach and the path to Saint John’s church at Kaneo.

A romantic wooden boardwalk over a blue lake, with cliffs and a weeping willow tree — The lovely Ohrid boardwalk leads from the heart of the old town to Potpesh Beach and towards Kaneo Beach

The wooden boardwalk lets you walk over the lake, underneath cliffs and weeping willow trees to the little beach and restaurant at Potpesh, then along narrow streets to the restaurants at Kaneo beach and Saint John’s church beyond. If you look down as you walk across the boardwalk, you’ll see hundreds of little fish in the clear water.

Looking back along the boardwalk towards Ohrid old town from Potpesh Beach. There's a high cliff above the boardwalk. — Looking back along the boardwalk towards Ohrid old town from Potpesh Beach

To find the boardwalk, head from the centre of town to the Church of Saint Sophia, then turn left towards the lake. The boardwalk starts at the end of Ilindenska street.

4. Explore the old town

I loved walking through the streets in the old town. The traditional houses hang over the stone paved streets, and every so often there’s an ancient church, a section of the old city walls or a view of the lake. The authorities discourage driving in the old town, so there aren’t many cars and it’s all just gorgeous in an understated, stripped-back way. I knew that Ohrid was a UNESCO World Heritage site, but I wasn’t expecting it to be quite this pretty.

Black and white traditional three-storey Ohrid houses, which get wider as they go up — One of the narrow streets in Ohrid – this one is open for cars but you’re braver than me if you decide to drive here!

A street in Ohrid old town, with overhanging buildings and colourful flowers — A street close to the lake in Ohrid’s old town

There are lots of bars, restaurants and shops all over the old town, and while there are lots of AirBNBs and digital nomads, it does still feel like a real neighbourhood.

One of my favourite things was the street lights. They’re all in the shape of a white Ohrid house, with the characteristic three storey shape. The house they’re modelled on is across the street from the Saint Sophia church.

An old Byzantine church in Ohrid. There's a streetlamp in front of the church, and the lamp is in the shape of a three-storey black and white Ohrid house, with the storeys getting bigger as the house goes up, like an upside-down pyramid. — Saint Sophia church and one of the many Ohrid house street lamps

The house the Ohrid street lamps were modelled on. It's a thin black and white house, with three storeys getting bigger as they go up, and a curved roof. — The Krapche House near Saint Sophia Church was used as the model for Ohrid’s quirky streetlamps. It’s one of the oldest houses in the city.

5. Go shopping on old Bazaar street

Old Bazaar Street is on the eastern edge of Ohrid’s old town and has a different vibe to the peaceful narrow streets around Saint Sophia. Here the street is wide, vibrant and full of shops, restaurants, coffee bars and places to get a snack. There seemed to be lots of locals as well as tourists, and it’s a fun place to sit and watch the world go by.

Old Bazaar Street is an atmospheric and busy shopping street in Ohrid

There are several mosques in this part of the city, including the magnificent Ali Pasha Mosque, which is believed to be one of the oldest in Macedonia.

A large white mosque with minaret — Ali Pasha Mosque on Old Bazaar Street is believed to be one of the oldest mosques in North Macedonia

6. Go to the beach

Lake Ohrid doesn’t have many sandy beaches, but there are plenty of places where you can rent a sun lounger by the water for the day.

Of the beaches in Ohrid itself, Potpesh Beach was my favourite, as it was a short and picturesque stroll along the Ohrid boardwalk from our apartment and the bar was nice with a lovely view of boats going back and forth. You can rent kayaks and paddleboards if you fancy exploring the coast.

A boat sailing on a lake on a sunny day, with sun loungers and umbrellas in the foreground — Potpesh Beach was my favourite beach in Ohrid

If you walk a little further towards the Church of Saint John you’ll come to Kaneo beach, which is a little quieter.

Saraiste Beach is a small stretch of pebble beach in the middle of the old town. It didn’t have the relaxing vibe of Potpesh and the water didn’t look as clear, but it’s very convenient if you’re staying in the old town.

A beach on a lake, with yellow sunloungers — The beach at St Naum, at the southern end of Lake Ohrid

If you don’t mind a walk or taxi to get there, Gorica Beach to the south of Ohrid city centre is pretty with lovely sunsets. The best beach I saw on Lake Ohrid was at Saint Naum which is at the southern end of the lake but easily accessible on one of the many boat tours from Ohrid.

7. Visit the Church of Saint Sophia

The Church of Saint Sophia in Ohrid is one of Macedonia’s most important monuments, although it’s a little overshadowed by its more strikingly-situated neighbour the Church of Saint John.

A Byzantine church in a beautiful garden — Saint Sophia church in the centre of Ohrid old town

The Church of Saint Sophia was built in around 850 AD and rebuilt in the 10th century. It was a mosque during Ottoman rule but if you go inside (and you really should!) you’ll see beautiful frescoes from the 11th, 12th and 13th century. It’s surprisingly light inside and the frescoes really are gorgeous.

A pretty lawned garden, with benches, old stones and trees. The garden is surrounded by white houses. — The garden at Saint Sophia church. Look out for the resident (native) tortoises!

The gardens around the church are really pretty and there are benches in the shade, as well as a drinking water fountain. Look out for the resident tortoises – they’re Hermann’s Tortoises, a species that’s native to this part of the Balkans. I also saw them plodding around in Saint Naum.

8. Visit Plaosnik

The Plaosnik site is just below Samuel’s Fortress and is made up of the Byzantine Saint Clement and Panteleimon Church and surrounding archaeological site. It’s believed that Saint Clement taught Christianity and Cyrillic alphabet here, making it the first Slavic university.

A view through stone castle ramparts down to an ancient Byzantine church — The Plaosnik site seen from Samuel’s Fortress

Like the church of Saint Sophia, Saint Clement and Panteleimon Church became a mosque during Ottoman rule. At the Plaosnik site, the mosque was built on top of and around the old church, and the Saint Clement and Panteleimon church has only been revealed again over the last 30 years.

Other things you can see at the Plaosnik site include the remains of an even earlier church and traces of Roman occupation.

9. National Workshop for Handmade Paper

The National Workshop for Handmade Paper is on one of the old town’s prettiest streets, but I have to confess that I’d walked past it a few times before I noticed it!

A cat sat on the doorstep of the Workshop for Handmade Paper

The little workshop has one of only two copies of the Gutenberg Press anywhere in the world, and you can also see how paper is made in the traditional Chinese way by pressing and drying wood pulp. There are always demonstrations going on and you can buy souvenir prints made on the Gutenberg press.

10. Ancient Theatre of Ohrid

The ancient Greek theatre set into the hillside below Samuel’s Castle is over 2000 years old and is the only one of its type in Macedonia. It’s just off the street that leads down from the Upper Gate to Saint Sofia Church and the boardwalk, and you can just wander in for free, sit on the stone seats and imagine all the events it must have seen.

The Ancient Greek theatre in Ohrid, Macedonia. The semicircular theatre's stone seating is built into the hillside, with traditional white houses above. — You can just wander in to the ancient Greek theatre

The theatre was excavated and restored in the 20th century. If you visit Ohrid during one of the summer festivals, you might be able to catch a performance there.

11. Have a meal overlooking Lake Ohrid

There are loads of cafés, bars, restaurants and beach clubs lining the shore of Lake Ohrid. One of the most popular and romantic is Kaneo restaurant on Kaneo beach, near the church of St John.

Lakeside restaurants with tables and chairs on a promenade. A little boat is moored on the quay. — Lakeside restaurants near the harbour in Ohrid

If you eat meat and fish you’ll eat very well for very reasonable prices in Ohrid. There are lots of local specialities to try, including trout from the lake, grilled meat, stews and a baked bean and sausage dish that you’ll see everywhere. A lot of the food is very hearty, which feels a bit odd in the summer heat but makes a lot more sense when you realise that Ohrid does get cold and even snowy in the winter.

A restaurant in a rustic stone building with tables and chairs outside. There's a menu saying that they serve traditional Macedonian food. — Restaurant Antica in Ohrid old town is a good choice for vegetarians and vegans

If you’re vegetarian like me then things get a bit more challenging (I ate a lot of pizza and burek!), and if you’re vegan then it can be very difficult to find something to eat. Antiko Restaurant doesn’t have a lake view but it does serve Macedonian dishes, several of which have been adapted to be vegetarian or vegan.

12. Take a boat trip across the lake

Trust me, when you get to Lake Ohrid you’ll be longing to get out on the water. You can go out under your own steam on a kayak or paddleboard, or take one of the taxi boats to explore the coast around Ohrid.

Looking back at Ohrid from a boat trip. The sky and the lake are beautifully blue, and you can just see the red roofs of the old town. — Looking back at the old town from a boat trip on Lake Ohrid

Taxi boats and excursion boats of all sizes from little rectangular catamarans to big lake cruise boats leave from the dock in front of Ohrid City Park.

13. Visit Saint Naum Monastery

One of the most popular things to do in Ohrid is to take a boat trip to Saint Naum Monastery on the south coast of the lake. The journey takes around 90 minutes down the eastern shore of the lake and passes by Lake Ohrid landmarks like the Bay of Bones and Villa Biljana, which was once the summer retreat for the Yugoslav president. If you don’t fancy the boat, there is a bus from Ohrid.

An old monastery complex on a wooded hill above a lake. There's a wharf below where another boat is docked. — The picturesque St Naum monastery is one of the most popular day trips from Ohrid

Once at Saint Naum, you can relax on the beach, go for a meal at one of the restaurants (I loved the ‘floating’ Restaurant Ostrovo) or go and visit the beautiful monastery and little churches in the area.

Don’t miss going inside the church of Sveti Naum. It was rebuilt in the 16th and 17th century and is full of moody frescos and the tomb of St Naum. A legend says that if you put your ear to the tomb you can hear the saint’s heart beating over 1000 years after his death.

The church at St Naum. An old Byzantine church with plants and flowers around the outside. — The church at Saint Naum

Outside, you can see worshippers lighting slender candles, admire the rose garden and meet the peacocks.

Slender prayer candles at St Naum church — Prayer candles at St Naum church

A peacock stood on a red tiled roof — One of the peacocks at St Naum monastery

14. See the Black Drin Springs

Saint Naum is also famous for the beautiful Black Drin Springs, which emerge in the woods behind the monastery and are beautifully clear. You can either take a rowing boat trip along the river, or walk a circular route past three other little churches to see the source of the springs.

A rowing boat on clear river water. Taking a rowing boat to see the Black Drim springs is one of the top things to do in Lake Ohrid — Taking a rowing boat to see the Black Drim springs is one of the top things to do in Lake Ohrid

I chose to walk to see the springs and it was very pretty, with lots of birdsong and colourful dragonflies. The walk is less popular than the rowing boats and we had the path to ourselves for most of the route. The actual source of the springs is in an area where the rowing boats can’t go, and it was very beautiful and peaceful. I highly recommend wearing insect repellent though!

A clear spring water pool underneath trees. You can see the bottom of the pool. — There’s a pretty, circular walk from St Naum Monastery to see the Black Drim springs

15. Visit a winery

Did you know that North Macedonia produces wine? The mountainous landscape offers lots of opportunities for growing local and international varieties of grapes, with the vranec grape being one of the most popular.

There are several wineries in and around Ohrid where you can try local wines, including one at a monastery and others where you visit family-owned vineyards, see how the wine is made and sample the finished product.

16. Go back in time at the Bay of Bones

The Bay of Bones is a museum complex on the shore of Lake Ohrid, where they’ve recreated a Bronze Age village built on stilts over the lake. There were several of these prehistoric settlements around the lake and archaeologists have recovered over 6,000 piles, along with ceramics, stone tools and animal bones.

A cluster of wooden and straw houses on a wooden platform in a turquoise lake — The Bay of Bones outdoor museum is a recreation of Bronze Age pile houses

For a small entry fee, you can wander around the reconstructed village houses and see how the inhabitants would have lived. There’s a small museum displaying some of the objects that have been found, and when I visited it looked like the visitor centre was undergoing improvements. There’s a reconstructed Roman fort a little further up the hill from the prehistoric village.

Wooden and straw houses on a wooden platform in the lake. It's connected to the shore by a wooden bridge. — You can explore the houses at the Bay of Bones to see how people used to live here

A wooden and straw house — One of the reconstructed houses at the Bay of Bones museum on Lake Ohrid

I visited the Bay of Bones by boat on the way to St Naum. Many of the boat trips to St Naum make a short stop at the Bay of Bones but it’s worth checking that the one you’re planning to take includes a stop here.

17. See inside the Robevci Family House

Note: the Robevci Family House is currently closed for renovation work

If you’re as intrigued as I was by the traditional three storey houses in Ohrid’s old town, visit the Robevci Family House. Built in the 1800s as a pair of houses for the families of two wealthy brothers, the Robevci Family House is a museum where you can see the restored interior along with artefacts telling the story of Ohrid.

18. Enjoy a sunset cruise on Lake Ohrid

The old town in Ohrid has a lovely setting, but it does lack a beautiful sunset. The sun sets behind the Samuel’s Fortress hill, meaning that it isn’t visible from the town itself.

The North Macedonian flag flying from a boat on Lake Ohrid. The sunset in the background is shining across the lake and lighting up the flag. — My sunset cruise on Lake Ohrid was so relaxing

To see the sun set, you can go to St John’s church, go further round the bay to the east or take a sunset cruise. I took a 90 minute sunset cruise with Armada Cruises which took a route by St John’s church and Kaneo Beach, then out into the middle of the lake to see the sun set behind the mountains on the western side of the lake. We were welcomed on board with a glass of Champagne and the whole experience was really nice.

19. Explore Galicica National Park

Not to be confused with Galicia in Spain, the Galicica National Park in Macedonia covers the mountainous area between Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa.

The shore of a lake, with wooded mountains rising steeply up in the background. — The mountains of Galicica National Park rise up between Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa

If you’re into hiking or mountain biking then you’ll be in heaven, with with spectacular views across the two lakes. If you fancy a more exciting day out you can book a tour where you drive through the mountains in all terrain vehicles (ATV), and you can even go paragliding to see Lake Ohrid from above.

20. Take a day trip to Albania

Around a third of Lake Ohrid is in Albania, so crossing another country off your list can be as easy as crossing the border near Saint Naum Monastery. The Albanian capital Tirana is just 2.5 hours away by car and there are multiple coaches each day making the journey from Ohrid bus station to Tirana.

Tirana’s main city centre attractions are all within walking distance of each other so definitely doable as a day trip or overnight stay. Alternatively you could fly into Ohrid and out of Tirana, or vice versa.

The lively Albanian capital Tirana is full of history

If you just want to get a taste of Albania, you can take a day trip to see the Albanian side of the lake and learn a little more about this mysterious country. Unlike Macedonia, Albania was not part of Yugoslavia and was actually closed off from the world for nearly half a century. On a day trip to Albania from Ohrid you can see some of the bunkers that cover Albania and hear more about the fascinating history of the region.

How to get to Ohrid

By plane

Ohrid has a tiny international airport around 20 minutes from the old town on the way to Struga. I flew direct to Ohrid from Manchester with TUI Airways. TUI also have package holidays to Ohrid.

A small airport terminal with the name written in Cyrillic text above the doors — Ohrid’s tiny airport is around 20 minutes’ drive from the city centre

Ohrid St Paul the Apostle Airport is also served by flights from Turkish Airlines, Wizz Air and Chair Airlines.

If your local airport doesn’t have flights to Ohrid, the next nearest airports are the Macedonian capital Skopje and Tirana in Albania.

There’s no real arrivals area at Ohrid Airport, so if you’ve booked a taxi, you’ll meet your driver outside by the coffee bar. There are no buses between the airport and the city so a taxi is your only option.

A small departures area at an airport. People are sat on seats. There's a small Duty Free shop and a little bar. — The departures area in Ohrid Airport

The departures area is very small with nowhere to buy food, so you should either bring something to snack on or eat before you get here. The little duty free shop does have some Macedonian specialities and a single variety of Pringles if you get desperate. There’s a very limited bar for drinks.

Even though departures is tiny, you should still get to the airport in plenty of time as you’ll need to pick up a boarding pass (digital boarding passes aren’t accepted). Latecomers will struggle to find somewhere to sit while you wait.

By bus from Skopje

There are multiple buses each day from the Macedonian capital Skopje to Ohrid. The journey takes around 3 hours. Buses arrive at Ohrid’s bus station (Google Maps link) on the edge of the city.

Grand modern buildings by a river — Ohrid is around 3 hours by bus from the North Macedonia capital Skopje

By bus from Tirana

I hadn’t realised quite how close Ohrid was to Tirana in Albania – I should really have made it an open-jaw trip and flown in into Tirana and out of Ohrid. There are daily buses from Tirana to Ohrid taking around 3 hours.

By car

If you’ll be arriving in Ohrid by car and are staying in the old town, I highly recommend parking outside and walking in. Yes, you’ll have to carry your luggage to your accommodation but the old town streets are exceptionally narrow and trying to navigate them in a hire car is a sure-fire ticket to stress-induced arguments and losing your insurance deposit. Strongly do not recommend.

A narrow, stone-paved street with cars parked up — One of the main streets in Ohrid old town – I wouldn’t fancy driving here!

The newer part of town is a bit better but still busy. Some accommodation comes with allocated parking either on site or in public car parks.

Where to stay in Ohrid

The best place to stay in Ohrid is either in the old town or around the port. Accommodation in the old town is mostly self-catering apartments but there are hotels on and around the lakefront promenade leading south from the port.

A wide lakefront promenade — The wide lakefront promenade in the newer part of Ohrid

I stayed in the penthouse apartment at Villa Varosh near the Church of Saint Sophia and the boardwalk, and I couldn’t recommend it more highly. The view from our terrace over the church and old town rooftops towards the lake was absolutely stunning, and we had bonus views towards Samuel’s Fortress and the port.

An open plan loft apartment living room with doors leading out to a terrace — The living room of our apartment at Villa Varosh led out to a lovely terrace

A sofa with a view of the lake — I loved sitting on the sofa watching the boats go by on the lake

A beautiful view over the red tiled rooftops of Ohrid towards the lake — The view from the terrace was incredible

The bed was comfortable, the kitchen was well-appointed and I loved the spacious living area. Villa Varosh is absolutely one of the best places I’ve ever stayed.

I did push the boat out a little to stay at Villa Varosh, but Ohrid is still very affordable. My 4 night stay in the penthouse apartment cost around £100 per night, but I could have got an apartment elsewhere for only a little more than £100 for my whole trip.

If you or someone you’re with struggles with steps or hills, try to stay within a street or two of the lake, and no further west than Saint Sophia church. Beyond this point, the hill starts to rise up steeply towards Samuel’s Fortress. The newer part of town is much flatter.

A narrow, stepped street in Ohrid old town, with white buildings where the top floors are wider than the ones below. — A narrow street on the way to Kaneo from the main part of the old town

How long to stay in Ohrid

As you’ve seen in this post, there are plenty of things to do in Ohrid. I stayed for 4 nights and had 3 full days in Ohrid, which was just right for me.

On days 1 and 2 we explored the city and did a sunset cruise, and on day 3 we did a day trip to St Naum, the Black Drin Springs and the Bay of Bones. If you’re visiting in summer and love the beach, you could easily add on a few beach days.

A red semi-submarine on a lake — There’s even a submarine trip you can take to see under the lake

I see lots of people only spending one day in Ohrid on their way from Skopje to Tirana and the Albanian Riviera. In my opinion that isn’t quite long enough to do justice to this lovely part of the Balkans.

While Ohrid is compact and you can see most of the major sights in one day, it’s also beautifully relaxing and it’d be a shame just to rush round the attractions. It’s the perfect antidote to the relentless energy of the Albanian and Macedonian capitals.

When to go to Ohrid

You can visit Ohrid all year round. Since it’s a working town rather than a resort, shops and restaurants stay open all year, although some hotels may close over the winter.

Little boats on a bright blue lake — My trip was in June, and summer is a lovely time to visit Lake Ohrid

Ohrid has a Mediterranean climate in the summer and a cold, mountain climate in the winter. It can snow during the winter and the mountain road in the Galicica National Park is closed, but all the other things to do in Ohrid are still open.

The peak summer months can be very hot, but it’s lovely beach weather and you can cool off in the lake. Summer is also when Ohrid comes alive with festivals, from folk music to classical and dance music.

The shoulder seasons (May and June, and September and October) are the perfect time to visit Ohrid. The weather is warm enough to enjoy being outside but not yet too hot to climb Ohrid’s many steep hills!

Is visiting Ohrid worth it?

If you’re looking for a lake trip that’s a little different to the ordinary Italian lakes or Swiss destinations, with lots of charm, gorgeous scenery, good food and plenty of things to see and do, you should definitely give Lake Ohrid a try.

I really enjoyed my trip to Ohrid; it was the perfect combination of relaxation and activities. Whether you visit Ohrid as a one-stop destination or as part of a wider Balkans trip, you’ll love your trip to this lovely part of Macedonia.

If you found this article helpful, you can support my site and see more of my travel guides in your Google results by adding Helen on her Holidays as a preferred source on Google.