Ancient structures and a relaxing boat ride in Ohrid

Ohrid is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It’s located in North Macedonia, a small landlocked country bordered by Greece, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Serbia and Albania.

I was on an exploration or more like an introduction of the Balkan region with a tour company and after Greece, we were just allowed a few hours to explore Ohrid unfortunately. North Macedonia was totally unknown to me in the sense that I’d never met anyone from there and was not required to do any sort of research or got an introduction during my school days. In my country, regarding History, the focus is normally on the Caribbean region and to a lesser extent South American countries. 

What to do in Ohrid?

Lake Ohrid is a UNESCO-listed world heritage site and is one of the oldest lakes in the world. It is also the deepest lake in Europe and a boat ride is something not to miss. 

Apparently, Ohrid was once home to 365 churches or a church for each day of the year. If you google this city the most popular image that appears is of the church, St. Jovan Kaneo with the breathtaking background of Lake Ohrid. I just had to visit and after a bit of exploration boarded the boat for some relaxation on the lake.

The Republic of North Macedonia is old, it was founded in the mid 7th century BC and was called the Kingdom of Macedonia. There is an actual ancient theatre in Ohrid that was built in 200 BC and is opened to the public. It’s in excellent condition and offers panoramic views of this beautiful little city; some modern features were added including a stage for concerts and such activities hosted here.

The commercial part of the city has lots of shops and restaurants. Definitely worth visiting and there are quite a number of restaurants by the lake so one can take in the splendid views while sipping wine or indulging in the drink staple of the Balkans, Rakija.

Get acquainted with the history! Do you know that North Macedonia was invaded and occupied by different forces? The population is ethnically and religiously diverse. It was occupied for over 500 years by the Ottoman Empire, mid 14th century to 1912. 

A top attraction in Ohrid is the Church of Saints Clement and Panteleimon. During the reign of the Ottoman Empire, it was ruined and converted into a mosque a few times but in 2002 it was reconstructed into a church again.

Ohrid is breathtakingly beautiful with lots of stuff to do. From relaxing on the lake to getting your full dose of face-to-face history from the ancient structures that were constructed thousands of years ago yet remain in pristine condition for the young to learn from. North Macedonia was unforgettable and a country I’d definitely want to revisit.