We chose to visit Ohrid in autumn because of the nicer weather. Ohrid is an old city in northern Macedonia.
The city has many places to visit and for every taste. If you like to visit churches, Ohrid is the right place for you. Ohird once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year. It was called the Jerusalem of the Balkans.
We didn’t want to visit churches. Our main goal was to see Ohrid Lake, walk the promenade, visit the fortress, Bridge of Wishes, and walk Old Bazaar Street.
Our journey to Ohrid from Belgrade was an adventure in itself, as we boarded the bus Galeb Ohrid.
Ohrid Lake Promenade and Fortress
Since we arrived early in the morning, we couldn’t go directly to the accommodation. We booked the accommodation on Booking, which was totally okay, but the communication with the person wasn’t quite effective. Ohrid is cheaper for accommodations and shops than Serbia.
When we arrived at the Ohrid main bus station, we made a reservation for the returning tickets. The main bus station is about 2 km away from the Ohrid Lake.
After many hours of traveling, we then walked to Lake Ohrid to sit and relax. The great thing about the lake surrounding it is that it has many spots for sitting. It is quite nice to sit and look at the ships and the lake. After sitting, we decided to go to the Bridge of Wishes, where you need to walk by a promenade for about 10 minutes.
The Bridge of Wishes is a wooden structure above the water that connects the promenade with Potpesh Beach. This bridge is interesting for taking photos.
On our way back to the center, we pass the Church of Saint Sofia and the Robevci Family House. The Robevci Family House is a museum that represents city architecture and is a protected cultural monument.
In the second part of the day, we visited Tsar Samuel’s Fortress. Since this fortress is closed on Monday, we chose to see it later that day (Sunday).
The path to the fortress is hilly, so we took a taxi and went back walking. If you need to take a cab in Ohrid, the advice is to first research the reviews and prices online. Please do not take a taxi driver that does not have an official sign or one that is mainly for airport transport. They will charge you double the price. The fortress is small, but it has a great view of the Ohrid Lake and the city from both sides. Entrance fee is 150 MKD Denars. Tsar Samuel’s Fortress is the largest medieval fortress in Macedonia.
On our way back to the city center, we walk by the ancient theatre. This theatre was used in history for gladiator races and sacrifices. Today, it is used for cultural manifestations and concerts.
Above the center, you can see the old city’s motives and constructions—specifically, narrow, steep streets with house windows exposed to the street.
Ohrid St. Naum and picnic area
On this day, we plan to visit St. Naum. At first, I wasn’t quite interested in visiting the monastery, but after researching, I found out that it is mainly a place with restaurants and a walking area.
You can get to this place by bus or taxi. The bus station is across the Halk bank on the main Boulevard Turistichka. There is a bus ride plan, but I found online that the ticket prices aren’t fixed. We wanted to get the bus at 11 a.m., and we first went to Zobi Bakery for breakfast. This place is great because it has various pastries options and accepts cards as payments.
After we arrived at the station, a man asked people to drive them to the monastery for 150 MKD denars. This vehicle accommodated seven people, so we decided not to wait for the bus and go with this option. A ride to the monastery St. Naum takes about 40 minutes. Roads are narrow in some places, with people who drive bicycles, so the driver must be cautious. The other not-so-good thing is that in Macedonia, you can find many furious drivers.
The driver left us at the large parking lot, a hub for various activities, and the waiting area for the return transport to Ohrid. As you step through the main gate, the area initially appears to be a place for swimming, running, and dining at the nearby restaurants. It’s only when you notice the signs at the main gate that you realize there’s a monastery here.
We planned to spend the half day here and walk the whole area. I looked on the Internet and found a trail to Black Drim’s Springs, so I’ve planned for us to go there as well. The entire spot is generally clean, and there is an available toilet after the entrance. The toilet is not free.
There are many restaurants, but the most interesting is the one by the Black Drim’s Springs. Prices at this spot are generally higher than in Ohrid. From that restaurant, you can take the boat to the Black Drim’s Springs, which I think are very interesting in the spring. We found a great hidden place with a bench under the bridge “Saint Naum”, on which we later had our lunch.
We walked by the monastery of Saint Naum and saw that you must pay for the entrance. The other person who was with me eventually didn’t want to go. One specific thing about Ohrid is that they charge the entrance for every church in the city, no matter how small the church is.
After a short walk by the promenade, we start the trail to Black Drim’s Springs. The trail is a circle and about 4km long. It is a flat dirt road, and half of it is in the woods.
I wonder if this trail is well known because people mainly go to the monastery. But it was nice to take a walk in the quiet woods and listen to the birds. During the walk, we walk by a couple of churches, but there weren’t places to sit.
This trail is also good if you want to run, so I’ve used one part to have a run. One of my goals is to run a little when I visit a new place. The promenade in Ohrid is full of people, and for two days, I saw a few people running. Eventually, this is the reason I chose to run here. Luckily, I also had a person to wait for me and look after my backpack.
After finishing the trail, we go back to sit and have lunch. We didn’t want to pay for an expensive lunch, so we went back to the place by the lake. The pie with cheese from the Zobi Bakery that we packed was an excellent choice.
It was about 4 p.m., and we decided it was time to wait for the transport to Ohrid. There were many agency buses with tourists in the parking lot. The driver who drove us to Saint Naum was waiting for additional passengers, but eventually, he decided to go back to Ohrid. The price for the drive was the same: 150 MKD denars. I can not say that the drive was safe for the whole ride, but we arrived at Ohrid.
For the days of our stay and food preparation, we went to the local stores, but the best was Market Ramstore. Public toilets are a problem in the main city of Ohrid. Some cafes charge 100 MKD denars if you only want to go to the toilet. If you are their guest, you don’t pay; you need to ask the waiter to let you go through the ramp.
Day III
We left the accommodation early in the morning. We planned to be outside until late in the evening when we had a bus for Serbia.
I planned for us to take a walk in the new part of the lake promenade. The day was great, and again, it is great that there are many sitting spots available. We walked 2km from the center promenade. In that part, the Kaj Moston is interesting because it is very steep. In the new part of the promenade, there are many beaches and sports options. There are spots for volleyball, paragliding, or skateboarding. Also, the view of the Ohrid from this distance is great.
After going back to the city center, we decided to go to the beach in Saraiste again. We found out about this place on the first day, and it is another quiet place where you can sit by the lake. It is interesting when you travel and have a chance to talk with people from another country. However, I didn’t have an opportunity to speak to someone from Macedonia because I don’t understand their language, and they mainly don’t speak English. Again, I have a person from the generation who understands the language, so we’re okay.
For rest and something sweet to eat, we chose the Kadmo Lounge Bar. This place was quiet, and you sat by the lake. The service was good, the baklava with cherry and ice cream was tasty, and the prices were fine.
After relaxing, we walked to the main bus station. We were surprised to find that the toilets there cost only 20 MKD denars. There were many places to sit at the station, so we had no problem waiting until the bus arrived.
Overall, our visit to Ohrid was good. It definitely has a different culture than Serbia, although some Serbs told me that we are the same. I don’t know; maybe they go there regularly and are used to the culture. The prices for the accommodations, shops, and bakeries are lower than in Belgrade. The downside is that you need cash to pay for most things.
I’m glad that we visited Ohrid Lake and the lake promenade. I’m an outdoors person, so I wouldn’t say I like to do indoor activities. Again, it is great that you can sit anywhere by the lake and enjoy the view of the Ohrid Lake.
