Day trips from Ohrid

Manastir Sveti Naum(Sv. Naum)

A monastery from 905 AD at the southern tip of Lake Ohrid, a few hundred metres from the Albanian border. Sveti Naum, disciple of Sveti Kliment and a co-founder of Slavic literacy, is buried in the altar — visitors press an ear to the tomb and swear they can hear a heart beating. Around the monastery: peacocks roaming freely, the springs that give birth to the river Crni Drim, and rowboats threading through them.

What to see

• •The church of Sveti Naum, its frescoes, and the saint's tomb
• •The Crni Drim springs — rowboats through a maze of green water (€2–3)
• •Peacocks wandering freely through the monastery courtyard
• •Sveti Naum beach — sandy, one of the prettiest on the lake
• •Views across to the Albanian shore (the border is 1 km away)

Tips

• 💡The boat from Ohrid is the loveliest option — 1h30 cruising past Trpejca, Peštani, and Bay of Bones.
• 💡Entry to the monastery is free; the rowboat through the springs is €2–3.
• 💡Pair it with lunch at Ostrovo, beside the springs — trout straight from the water.
• 💡Bring your passport just in case — the Albanian border is in plain sight, and some visitors cross over.

Galičica Nacionalni Park(Nacionalen park Galičica)

The mountain ridge between Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa — both UNESCO. The road climbs in switchbacks to a pass at 1,500m, where both lakes come into view at once — one of the most striking panoramas in the Balkans. Hiking trails of every length, endemic flora and fauna, and Macedonian brown bears (you'll seldom see one).

What to see

• •The 1,500m viewpoint over both lakes
• •The Magaro Peak hike (2,254m) — a full 5–6 hours, for fit walkers only
• •Easier trails: lake-view loops of 1–2 hours
• •Endemic flora — over 1,100 plant species, many found only here
• •The lakeside village of Trpejca — drop down for a fish lunch on the way back

Tips

• 💡A car is essential — there's no public transport into the park.
• 💡Loveliest early in the morning (8–10am) — low cloud lingers around the peaks and the scene turns magical.
• 💡Bring a windbreaker — it's 10°C cooler at 1,500m than down below, and the wind is fierce.
• 💡Park entry is free; trails are marked but not perfectly — download maps.me offline before you go.

Struga

A small town 15 km west of Ohrid, where the river Crni Drim flows out of Lake Ohrid and heads north. Every autumn it hosts the famous Struga Poetry Evenings — the oldest poetry festival in the world, running since 1962. The mood is more relaxed than Ohrid, the beaches better, with a market every morning. Ideal as a half-day trip or a breather from the Ohrid crowds.

What to see

• •The bridge over the Crni Drim — fishing boats below for the photo
• •The riverside promenade — a slow afternoon, local cafés
• •The morning market — cheeses, ajvar, homemade rakija
• •Drim beach — longer and sandier than anything in Ohrid
• •The 19th-century church of Sveti Đorđe Pobedonosac

Tips

• 💡Buses from Ohrid to Struga leave every 30 min — the simplest day trip going.
• 💡Check whether you'll catch the Struga Poetry Evenings (late August) — an event far bigger than the town itself.
• 💡The market wraps up by 1pm — don't be late if you want cheese and ajvar.
• 💡Drim beach is less touristy and sandier than the beaches in Ohrid.