UNESCO: Must-sees of Ohrid Town

The town of Ohrid lies on the Southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia, on the banks of the lake with the same name. Both the city with a population of more than 42,000, and the lake (the oldest in Europe) have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1979 and 1980 respectively, the only site enlisted from Macedonia. Although we merely had a couple of hours to visit it, I am so glad that we managed to see so much of the city (and also sad that we couldn’t swim a bit in the lake, or take a boat trip – but there’s always next time!). Here are some of the must-sees of Ohrid Town:

1.) Churches

In the 17th century the city had an astonishing 365 churches (!!!), one for each day of the year, and thus has been referred to as the Jerusalem of the Balkans. Today this number is significantly lower, but still the existing churches are in great condition:

St. Jovan Kaneo Church, Ohrid

St. Jovan Kaneo Church, Ohrid

Church of Our Lady Perivlepta

Church of St. Sophia

entrance to the Church of St. Sophia

details of the Church of St. Sophia

2.) Ancient Theater of Ohrid

The Ancient Theater was constructed in 200 BC, making it the only Hellenistic-type theater of the country. From an acoustic point of view, it is located ideally between two hills, which protect it from winds. I was deeply impressed by this awesome structure, even though I’ve been in other similar theaters (such as the one in Ephesus)

Ancient Hellenistic Theater of Ohrid

3.) Samuel’s Fortress

Unfortunately, the fortress only opened its gates when we were getting ready to leave, so we couldn’t go inside. But the edifice built in the 4th century BC is majestic from the outside as well, looking over the city and protecting it for thousands of years. If you can, go inside and tell me all about it, but if you can’t, at least take a couple of minutes to admire its awesomeness!

Samuel’s Fortress, Ohrid

Samuel’s Fortress, Ohrid

Samuel’s Fortress overlooking Ohrid Town

4. The Streets

Yup, the streets of Ohrid, complete with the old Ottoman architecture and cobblestone roads are a real gem, whether you’re walking around late in the evening or early morning when the fog is just lifting:

Streets of Ohrid at Night

Streets of Ohrid in the Morning

5.) The Lake

Lake Ohrid, the oldest lake in Europe is an absolute must-see! Don’t hesitate to jump on a boat to take a stroll around the lake (it is very cheap, and I am really sad we didn’t have enough time to enjoy a boat trip), or explore on foot!

Ohrid Lake

PS: I am honored to have been chosen as one of the 16 bloggers to watch in 2016 by Trivago’s blog, Checkin. Be sure to read the post, because the other bloggers are true rockstars!

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