LAKE OHRI

 Inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List, Ohrid, the birthplace of the Cyrillic Alphabet, is arguably one of the most beautiful places to visit in the Balkans (our other favorite is Kotor), with Europe's deepest and oldest crater lake. It makes you feel soft with its houses like trinkets lined up on the hillside and the mountains embracing the lake 360 degrees.

Not in a House wrote to us as follows; “Make sure to swim in Lake Ohrid. You will hear a crystal sound under the water. It is said that my mussels, which are afraid of people entering the lake, are the sound of closing. It is the most beautiful music in the world.” While reading, one can jump into the water without taking off their clothes. 😊 Moreover, Ohrid is one of the cleanest lakes in the world. We couldn't swim due to the weather conditions, anyway, we learned as a result of our research that that sound was the sound of underground spring waters. It would be nice to swim, but… Make sure you have a swimsuit with you.

Ohrid is Macedonia's 8th largest city, but perhaps the most touristic place in the whole country. In fact, if they say that you have the right to see only one place in Macedonia, we call it Ohrid without hesitation, so we keep this small but lovely Balkan city apart. Since it was under Ottoman rule for 500 years, Ottoman influences can be seen in city planning and civil architecture. Most of the houses in the historical city center, full of Safranbolu-like historical houses on its narrow streets, are from the Ottoman Empire. Even the street lamps are in the form of houses, as these houses have become symbols of Ohrid over time. In addition, there are about 10 mosques from the Ottoman period in the tiny city. Take a sweet getaway from shops selling traditional Balkan sweets and ice cream at its bazaar in the historic centre. After all, the signature delicacies of the Balkan cuisine are desserts and dairy products.

Tsar Samuel Fortress, a medieval fortress overlooking the city, dates from the 1st Bulgarian Empire. It is not known exactly by whom it was built, but the general opinion is in the direction of Tsar Samuel. Since it was built on the hill of a small peninsula about 700 meters above sea level, it has an exquisite view of the city on one side and the sea on 3 sides. Let's remind those who will visit the castle, the castle is closed on Mondays. Click for location. Number 1 on the map.

Lake Ohrid is the oldest and deepest crater lake in Europe. It is also one of the cleanest lakes in the world. In fact, the water was completely changed every 3 years. For this reason, all the Balkans, which are far from the Aegean, flock to the lake in summer. If you are here in the summer, do not miss the experience of swimming in the lake. Since we were here out of season, the weather did not smile on our faces. Unfortunately we couldn't swim, but you can take it out for us now 😉

Kaneo Beach is one of the best spots to enter the lake. You can also find sunbeds, piers, umbrellas, and food and beverage services here. Click for location. Number 2 on the map.

Another swimming point is Cuba Libre Beach – Bar. This is one of the places that serve with the daytime beach and night bar system. Not shabby like Kaneo, but a little more sophisticated.