Lake Ohrid - North Macedonia

Lake Ohrid & North Macedonia – A Beautiful Place to Explore

Lake Ohrid is one of those destinations that feels both wonderfully authentic and increasingly popular. We stayed in Peštani, a small village on the edge of Lake Ohrid, and found it to be a fantastic base for exploring the area.

Peštani is smallish but has a good selection of friendly, reasonably priced restaurants and everything you need for a relaxing stay. We stayed at Villa Pegasus, a lovely bed and breakfast that was clean, well located and offered a decent breakfast. The ladies who run it were incredibly friendly and welcoming. The villa is just a short, level stroll from the pebble beach and restaurants, making it an easy and convenient place to stay.

And the lake itself is gorgeous. The beach is pebbly, but the water is crystal clear and incredibly inviting.

Hiring a Kayak for the day (0930-2100): 25 Euro for double - explore at your own pace along the lakeside - great way to experience the beautiful, crystal-clear waters, plenty of super cute water snakes and birds.s

Exploring by Car

I would definitely recommend hiring a car for a few days. It gives you the freedom to explore beyond Ohrid and take in some spectacular scenery.

One highlight was driving through the mountains of Galičica National Park. Make sure you stop at the Two Lakes viewpoint — the views over Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa are fantastic.

Lake Prespa feels like a completely different world. It is much quieter and more peaceful, with shallow, beautiful water, although it isn‘t nearly as clear as Ohrid. There are some lovely little authentic villages dotted around the lake, where you can stop for refreshments and experience some genuinely warm hospitality.

Trpejca – A Little Gem

A drive to Trpejca is definitely worthwhile. This super-cute former fishing village has a wonderful mix of Cornish seaside village and Greek-island vibes. Spend half a day wandering around, enjoying the scenery and having lunch beside the lake.

One word of warning: parking isn‘t straightforward, so be prepared to have a bit of a hunt.

The Bay of Bones Museum is also worth a stop. It's relatively small, so you can have a quick look around, and the entrance fee is inexpensive. It makes for an interesting addition to a day of exploring.

Saint Naum

We also drove down to Saint Naum Monastery. If I'm honest, we were a little disappointed because it was incredibly touristy when we visited. That said, the setting is beautiful, and the monastery is still worth seeing — just go with realistic expectations, particularly during busy periods.

From there, we continued into Albania, and the border crossing was surprisingly easy, taking only a few minutes. If you're planning to do the same, make sure you plan your route and stops beforehand so you can make the most of the drive.

Ohrid Old Town

Ohrid Old Town itself is stunning and packed with character. There are beautiful historic buildings, churches and monasteries to explore, with plenty of restaurants stretching along the waterfront.

It's a lovely place to wander without necessarily having a strict itinerary — just take your time, explore the little streets and stop for food or a drink when somewhere catches your eye.

Overall Impression

Our overall feeling was that, although the area is definitely becoming more touristy in places, it still retains a genuine and authentic feel. There are plenty of quieter corners and places waiting to be explored beyond the obvious tourist spots.

Lake Ohrid and the surrounding area offer a really nice combination of beautiful scenery, history, great food, friendly people and relatively good value.

We'd happily recommend North Macedonia as a destination for both couples and families, particularly if you enjoy exploring at your own pace rather than spending the whole holiday in one resort. Hiring a car and getting out into the mountains and surrounding villages really adds to the experience.

Beautiful lake, fascinating history, friendly people and plenty to discover — we'd definitely go back.