City Tour of Ohrid

Known as the cultural, art and educational centre in the Slavic world, Ohrid has its roots from the 14th century BC, in the area known as Desaretia.

In the ancient times, known by the name Lichnidos (the City of Light), it was an important trade centre. It has always held a fascination for various conquerors and the city was fought over by Romans, Ostrogots, Crusaders, Byzantines and others.

In the 9th and 10th century AD, Ohrid became a centre of Slavic literacy, when St. Kliment of Ohrid organized the First Panslavic University in Europe and created the Cyrillic Alphabet. By the end of the 10th and beginning of the 11th centuries, Ohrid became the centre of the Samuel Empire.

As an important Christian centre, it became a place where new styles of fresco and icon painting (appearance of the first Rennaissance elements in 1295) and a specific sacral architecture (St. Kliment, St. Sofia, St. Jovan of Kaneo and more) were found.

In the medieval times, Ohrid was the Seat of Ohrid Archbishopric.

Ohrid is a city where there were 365 churches in the 19th Century. Today, there are more than 50 active churches. It is a city built on the shores of one of the most phenomenal natural beauties - the Ohrid Lake.

Without a doubt, Ohrid is a central Macedonian tourist destination and the second most important administrative centre, after Skopje, the capital of Macedonia.

The tour will take the participants through Lower Gate to the archeological museum - The Robev Family House, where there is an ethnological exhibition and where artefacts of the ancient period, such as the statue of the Goddess Isis, are presented. 

The tour will proceed to the cathedral church St. Sofia (Holy Wisdom, 11th century), the Ancient Theatre (2^nd century BC), the gallery of Icons and the church of the Holy Mother of God Beautiful (St. Mary Perivleptos, 13^th century). 

Samuil Fortress, offering a fantastic view of the Ohrid Lake from the fortification's ancient walls, is the next destination.  Descending to the location of Plaosnik (a crossroad of civilizations at the Ohrid Hill) and visiting the burial place of St. Kliment and the newly reconstructed church of St. Pantelejmon are next on the agenda.

This will be followed by a visit to the Early Christian Polyconchal Basilica (5^th century AD), with its breathtaking mosaics, and to the church of St. Jovan Kaneo (13^th century), one of the trademarks of Ohrid.

The final leg of the tour includes a visit to the fisherman settlement of Kaneo, where a boat trip will facilitate further sightseeing from the lakeside.

The tour will end at the Ohrid central port.