Lake Ohrid

Introduction

Lake Ohrid is the centerpiece of Macedonia and together with the beautiful town of Ohrid, the natural and cultural heritage of the lake and its surroundings form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of Europe's oldest and deepest lakes (up to 288 metres) and a popular attraction, especially during the warm summer months. The lake is located in the central west of the country and forms a natural border with Albania. The total shoreline is about 87 kilometres, of which the majority lies in Macedonia (56 kilometres).

Getting There

By Plane

Ohrid airport is open year-round but most airlines only fly during the summer, so check with your travel agent or airline for most current information. It is a very small airport and it sees at most a few flights per day. There are two food options at the airport: one cafe in the parking lot and one sandwich shop at the gates. Both are overpriced.

Flights are operated between Ohrid and several European cities including Amsterdam, Basel/Mulhouse, Belgrade, Brussels, Eindhoven, London, Sofia, and Zurich, as well as Tel Aviv in Israel.

By Bus

Ohrid can easily be reached by bus from Skopje and other Macedonian cities and towns. There is a regular bus service from Bitola. Frequent local buses and shared taxis to Struga. Both should cost 100 MKD.

From Albania, there is a bus line from Vlore (passing Durres and Tirana). Departure time from Ohrid to Albania: 04:30 and 05:40 am.
It's a little bit trickier to get to Ohrid from Greece. From Thessaloniki, the easiest way is to take a train to Skopje and then hop on a bus to Ohrid.
If you want to reach Ohrid and Macedonia from Montenegro there is an overnight bus (operates only on Sundays) from Herceg Novi to Skopje via Albania, passing through Kotor, Budva, Bar and Ulcinj. Ticket price vary from place in Montenegro and most expensive is from Herceg Novi and cost around €25.

By Boat

There is a daily boat to Pogradec in Albania, leaving Ohrid at 10:00.

Eat/Drink

External Links