Macedonia

Tour Home Click on any picture to see a larger version of it. Hubcat Home

Ohrid Our only stop in Macedonia was the small, southern town of Ohrid. Getting to and away from Ohrid both turned out to be rather large challenges, but in the end, Ohrid was well worth a visit. Our only regret was not being able to spend longer in this lovely, lakeside village. We left early because the easiest way to get out of Ohrid is to fly, and unfortunately since it was low season, there was only one flight a week that made any sense for us to take. As far as we could tell, even in high season, there are only 5 total flights a week from Ohrid, 3 to Ljubljana, 1 to Vienna and 1 to Zurich. We ended our too-short visit with a flight to Vienna.

Ohrid has just about everything you could want in a place to visit. The town sits on a very large lake surrounded by lush hills. There are lots of walking trails for us outdoor types. In high season, there is also a fair amount of water activities. The "new" part of town consists of modern shops and a vibrant agricultural market in a quaint pedestrian area with cobblestone streets. The town square boasts a 900 year old tree. The old town is home to Roman ruins, (there is a well-preserved Roman amphitheater overlooking the lake), parts of a medieval wall around the city, the ruins of an enormous citadel on a hill, the foundation from a 4th to 6th century Basilica that still has an elaborate, mosaic floor, and a neat looking old church. We spent most of one day just wandering the small but interest-packed old town. If we'd had more time, a second day in the old town could also have been well spent.

There are also several monasteries near Ohrid, and again, if one had enough time, there are plenty of day-trip activities outside the town proper. Of course, since it is such a great destination, it isn't cheap. We had a restaurant meal that nearly rivaled western European prices. But our room was still reasonable, and was literally right on the lake. So next time you're in Greece (which seems to have the easiest access to Ohrid, but was in the opposite direction of where we were going next), stop in Ohrid and have a look.

The lake view from our balcony. We really needed a panoramic camera for this.

The Roman ampitheater Not a bad view from the seats! Part of the medieval city wall. This used to be the main entrance.

The citadel sits on a hill overlooking the lake and the new town. The lake in the background (barely visable through the clouds). Ohrid's new town from the citadel.

The foundation of a 4th century basilica. The original mosaic floor is still intact and covered in sand for protection. The shell of Ohrid's oldest church with the courtyard ruins in front.
The basilica and church are in a lovely park below the citadel. This church separates the new town from the old town, and used to be a mosque. This 900 year old tree sits in the new town center.

The lake view from our balcony.	We really needed a panoramic camera for this.
The Roman ampitheater	Not a bad view from the seats!	Part of the medieval city wall. This used to be the main entrance.
The citadel sits on a hill overlooking the lake and the new town.	The lake in the background (barely visable through the clouds).	Ohrid's new town from the citadel.
The foundation of a 4th century basilica.	The original mosaic floor is still intact and covered in sand for protection.	The shell of Ohrid's oldest church with the courtyard ruins in front.
The basilica and church are in a lovely park below the citadel.	This church separates the new town from the old town, and used to be a mosque.	This 900 year old tree sits in the new town center.