Ohrid · North Macedonia

Varosh - Old Town of Ohrid

old townlakeByzantine churcheshistorygoogle verified

moderate

10/10

best: morning, late afternoon

serene, historic, beautiful

A local would say...

A lake so old and clear you can see the bottom at 22 metres — and Byzantine churches on every clifftop above it.

One of the Balkans' most spectacular lakeside towns, UNESCO-listed for both its cultural and natural heritage, combining Byzantine churches, a restored 10th-century fortress, an ancient amphitheatre, and a medieval old town clustered above a lake of extraordinary clarity and depth. The tiny 13th-century church of Sveti Jovan at Kaneo perched on cliffs above the lake provides the most iconic Macedonian view. The lake, one of Europe's oldest, is visible for extraordinary depth due to its exceptional clarity.