Backpacking in North Macedonia: Ohrid Needs to be on your Bucket List

Posted: October 7 2020 | Tagged: The Balkans

Ohrid, North Macedonia on the shores of Lake Ohrid at 690m asl.

Why you should be putting Ohrid on your #BucketList

Saint John the Theologian in Ohrid North Macedonia

The reason to visit Ohrid is the Old Town with the cute cobbled streets with the Samuel's Fortress 100m up on the hill for stupendous views.

There are many churches within the Old Town, my favourite being the Macedonian Orthodox Church, Saint John the Theologian, Kaneo (Свети Јован Канео | Sveti Jovan Kaneo) more commonly: Saint John at Kaneo.

Ohrid at the end of a season wracked by Corona is super quiet. A great place to think. The weather turned on my last day. Just a cold front going through.

I went up to Samuel's Fortress 100m above Lake Ohrid. It's open every day from 9 am until 4 pm. Entrance fee is 60MD, just less than 1€.

Samuel's Fortress in Ohrid North Macedonia

Ohrid was the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire during the reign of Tsar Samuel back in the 11th Century.

Stunning vistas all around! I came up here with a breakfast of bread, salami and smetana!

The Old Town in Ohrid is stunning. Steep cobbled streets, quaint buildings. Make sure you put Ohrid on your bucket list!

The weather was great. I walked a lot. One day I took the bus to Struga and for want of something to do, I walked back. It's 14km. Plenty of time for thinking. I made 2 short videos:

In Struga there is a long pedestrian street with lots of cafes and either side of the river are lots of bars. But I am on 'dry October'!

Where to stay in Ohrid:

I stayed at Ivanovi Apartments and Rooms, which is about 20 minutes on foot from the Old Town. It's in a quiet neighbourhood, there is a supermarket within 5 minutes.

This is October 2020. Many of the hostels listed on booking dot com disappeared from the search results for October. One 'hostel', still listed and the cost in Albanian was 1,200 Leke but at the top of the list for 'cheapest' was Ivanovi rooms, especially with my 15% Genius discount. 470MD/ 7.65€ a night. Pay cash on arrival!

I have a double bed, a balcony with table and chair and cables for hanging out my washing. I have a kettle and a camping gas stove for Turkish coffees. Teabags, Nescafe sachets and sugar is provided. And I have use of a microwave if I need it, and a fridge.

I bought a Tupperware box and a veg knife so I can prepare my salads. Am being very healthy these days.

A restful place except on the last night. Street dogs barking. But that happens everywhere here.

Morning coffee on my balcony:

drinking coffee at Ivanovi apartments Ohrid

My room at Ivanovi Apartments after I've been here a week:

Ohrid: Getting there and away

There is the main bus station and across the road is an agency:

To Bitola, from the main station, I was quoted buses at 06:00, 12:20, 13:30 and 18:00. Fare 210MD. From the agency across the road, 06:00 and 15:30. 190MD.

There are of course more connections to Skopje. Best ask as the times I was quoted for Bitola were not as the printed schedule pasted on the wall/ticket office!

Mini-buses/Combi vans run to Struga every 20 minutes, 50MD, pay on entry and they run down the road 7 mi Noemvri past the bus stations and then up Goce Delchev, the road Ivanovi Appartments is off of. Bus stop right across the road! Very convenient!

Previous Post: Zustava Automobiles in Ohrid North Macedonia

Next Post: Backpacking in Bitola | North Macedonia