The hook
One of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe, ringed by mountains, with a mellow old town of Byzantine churches climbing above the water and a small red-roofed chapel perched on a cliff over the shore.
01Why it's worth it
Lake Ohrid is ancient in the literal geological sense, likely more than a million years old, deep, clear, and home to species found nowhere else, which is part of why it is protected. On its northeastern shore, the town of Ohrid was a major Byzantine religious centre, and it kept a remarkable density of small medieval churches, some with fine frescoes, threaded through a steep old town of timber houses. The image everyone carries away is the little church of Sveti Jovan Kaneo, standing alone on a bluff above the blue water. You can swim, take a boat to the monastery at Sveti Naum near the Albanian border, and eat lake trout on the waterfront. It is one of the loveliest and most relaxed corners of the Balkans, and still modestly priced.
02How to experience it
Wander the old town's churches and climb to Sveti Jovan Kaneo for the classic lake view, then swim or take a boat down to Sveti Naum's springs and monastery. Eat by the water. Late spring and early autumn dodge the peak-summer crowds.