Macedonia – Ohrid

Pearl of Macedonia

This time we are going beyond the borders of Albania to visit another Balkan country – Macedonia.

Lake Ohrid, the destination of our trip, is the oldest lake in Europe, and one of the three oldest lakes in the world. The crystal clear water of the basin is home to endemic Plashica fish, whose scales are used – according to a closely guarded recipe – to produce unique Ohrid pearls.

The city of Lychnidos, one of the first European settlements, was founded on this unique reservoir during the times of the ancient Greeks. Now known as Ohrid, the city was once the cradle of Slavic culture thanks to St. Klemens, co-creator of the Slavic rite and promoter of Christianity. He also founded the first Writing School in Ohrid, considered to be the first Slavic university.

During the golden age, the medieval city of Ohrid had 365 churches, which is why it was called the Jerusalem of Europe. Both the city of Ohrid and Lake Ohrid are included on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List.