- Lake Ohrid - 08.30 am our guide and driver will pick you up at the hotel and drive to Ohrid. Starting from your hotel in Tirana, driving to Ohrid for about 2.5 hours, for a full day tour with licensed tour guide. What follows is a tour of the church of St Sophia which dates from the 11th century and then go up to the Roman amphitheater which dates back to the 3rd century BC. Then we continue walking to the Icon Gallery, which shows a range of some of the most famous and valuable icons in the world right after the ones on Athos and in Russia. In the vicinity of the gallery is the church of Sveta Bogorodica Perivleptos (St Clement’s Church of the Holy Mother of God Most Glorious) which dates from the 13th century and possesses some of the most beautiful and valuable frescoes from the 13th century not only in our country but in the Balkans as well.
- Ohrid - After that, carry on walking to Tsar Samoil’s Fortress which was named after the first tsar of the Macedonian Slavs, who having conquered Byzantium, brought most of Macedonia under his rule. Then walk to Plaoshnik, the place where we visit the newly built St Clement’s Monastery Church which is dedicated to St Clement (the patron of Ohrid) and St Pantelejmon, and which stands beside the original site of St Clement’s University, the first university of the Macedonian Slavs started in the 9th century AD. Inside the church you can also see the tomb with St Clement’s relics. Beside the church you can see the foundations of the 5th-century basilica with beautifully preserved mosaic floors and some swastikas also discovered on the floors. From here head towards the Church of St Jovan at Kaneo, which was built at the end of the 13th century, and is one of the most frequently visited churches in Ohrid because of its beautiful location on the cliffs directly above the lake.
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Expert tour guide
- Lunch
- All fees and/or taxes
Situated in the southwest corner of North Macedonia, on the northeastern shoreline of Ohrid Lake, lies the city of Ohrid. This location and its encompassing lake are one of the premier tourist hotspots in North Macedonia. Due to a vast number of churches and monasteries, the city of Ohrid has been recognized as both the Jerusalem of the Balkans and Europe. Often referred to as the ‘City of Light’, this name is a direct translation of its former name, Lychnidos. The area of Ohrid is recognized on the UNESCO World Heritage list. One popular tale, documented by the Miladinov Brothers, depicts how the Ohrid fortress was named. Allegedly, Emperor Justinian ascended the hills where the city resides, admired the stunning surroundings, and exclaimed ‘oh-hill’, symbolizing ‘a splendid hill.’ From then on, the city was known as Ohrid. The modern city of Ohrid is ancestral to the ancient city of Lychnidos. Historical facts indicate that the city was first chronicled 2,400 years before the modern era began. Lychnidos was situated along the Via Egnatia—the most important and oldest Roman transit route in the Balkans.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
