"Macedonia" a FYR of Macedonia Travel Page by ketrinche

Ohrid ( Vo Hrid in Old Macedonia which means "in the hills"), or the ancient city of Lichnidos, in my opinion is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Of course, I lived there for a while so I might be a little biased! Anyways, there is so much to do in the country of Macedonia, but Ohrid tops all other cities as far as beauty goes. The lake is beautiful no matter what time of year it is, always crystal clear. You can visit Czar Samuil's castle while in Ohrid, it is a really interesting place, a lot of history. In the summer Macedonia holds their annual " Ohridsko leto", or Ohridian Summer Festival where there are national dancers in traditional dress doing competitions. It is really fun. The food in Ohrid is great too... from the traditional restaurants "Antika" and "Ohridija" (great to try local fish such as pastrmki and plasice) to the local pizzerias (Pizzeria Leonardo has fantastic pizza and nutella filled crepes!), its all delicious! During the summer months there is incredible nightlife and great discotheques ( try "Lapidarius" for traditional club atmosphere and "Lagoa" for more local fare). Strolling down the cobblestone streets in the evening there are many vendors selling chocolate drizzled pastries and gelato made from the local ingredients. My favorite gelato flavor ( or sladoled, as it is called in Macedonian) is lesnik (hazelnut). If you want a taste of authentic local culture, just visit the "pazar" or open air market which is held every day and your senses with be surrounded by what Ohrid and Macedonian culture is all about. There are not very many modern shops in Ohrid, but one of the best shops is "Parenzo" which sells a colorful array of modern clothing brands such as Diesel.There is so much history and so many stories in Ohrid, it is an enchanting place.

Ohrid is often called the "Jerusalem" of the Balkans because of its rich religious history. Every corner of the city speaks volumes of its past. There are 365 churches in Ohrid, one for every day of the year (or so "they" say).
Sveta Sofia is right in the center of Carsija (the center of town) in the old city, and it is wonderful to visit and hear a local orchestra resound in the old monastery. The acoustic quality is amazing. Sveta Sofia is right across the street from "Lagoa", which is a fantastic nightclub. Sveti Jovan Kaneo is another "must-see" location. Named after Saint John, the monastery is situated on a rocky cliff overlooking crystal clear Lake Ohrid ( Ohridsko Ezero). It takes a little effort to get there, but in the spring and summer it is wonderful to wander on the narrow path that leads to Sveti Jovan and be rewarded with such a picturesque view of both Macedonia and Albania (if the sky is clear). There is also a mosque in the center of town, but only muslims are allowed to enter the building. The minaret is beautiful to look at though. Although not in Ohrid, you should definitely visit Sveti Naum, which is located outside the city and is surrounded by a cool spring of water that flows into the lake. There is also a nice restaurant there, it is nice to take a daytrip and just spend the day looking at the church and lounging by the beach.