Why to visit Ohrid

Before you visit Macedonia, it is important to know that Macedonia is not part of
the EU or the Schengen area. You can enter Macedonia only with your passport. If you’re
coming from outside of Europe, then I advise you to check the official government
site to see whether you are required to get an entry visa or not.
Macedonia is a very small country and it has only two airports. You will save some
money if you fly with the lowest flight, that’s why I recommend you to fly by Wizz Air.
You will most probably land in Skopje and if you don’t have a friend picking you up, I
advise you take the bus because taxi driver ripping off foreigners coming from the
airport is not an uncommon thing. As for traveling around the country, It’s better if you
go with the bus. The best part is that a one-way ticket to the two most distant places in
the country will not cost you more than €8.
When you come in Macedonia, you better visit Ohrid. Ohrid had 365 churches:
one for every day of the year but during the Ottoman era, many of them were destroyed.
Ohrid has the oldest Lake in Europe, estimated to be more than 4 million years old and
it’s also one of the deepest lakes in Europe with a maximum depth of 287 meters.
In your place, I will start walking tour of Ohrid Old Town – Church of Sv.
Bogorodica (Holly Mother), Ancient theatre, The Cathedral church of St. Sophia (built
between 11th and 14th century-once the seat of the Archbishop). I recommend you to
visit the small church of St Jovan – Kaneo-standing alone on a rock in the lake giving a
spectacular view of the lake and the surrounding mountains, Ohrid fortress, City
Museum.
Also, you should visit some art galleries and workshops of the famous Ohrid pearl
and the only workshop for handmade paper- a craft which remained unchanged since II
century B.C.
There are very good restaurants. You can get a decent meal for 3-5 euros and in
average, a cup of coffee won’t cost you more than 1 euro. You should go in a fish
restaurant – opportunity to taste the famous Ohrid trout. In the afternoon, I advise you
to drive along the lake coast. A recent addition to the town’s tourist attractions is the Bay
of Bones museum on water. Then, you should visit Monastery complex of St. Naum. After
the visit of the monastery and the chapel of St. Petka, I recommend you to take a boat
ride in the lagoon of the springs of River Crn (Black) Drim.
Also, If you are a fan of hiking, you should visit Galicica mountoun, near to Ohrid.
Macedonia might not have Mt. Everest or Mt. Blanc but the country is completely
surrounded by mountains. There are 34 mountain tops higher than 2,000 m.
 Nevertheless, there are so many more places to see in Ohrid. I recommend to
everyone to come and see Ohrid, and best time to visit, in my opinion, is during the
spring.