Ohrid Old Town Walking Route

The classic Ohrid walk is a loop through the Old Town of roughly 3 to 4 km. With stops, it takes about 2.5 to 3 hours. Wear comfortable shoes, and carry cash for small entry fees in Macedonian denars (MKD), at about 61.5 MKD to the euro. Guided walking tours are sold in town and online, and the route below also works on your own.

The loop in order

  1. Start at the Upper Gate area.
  2. Visit the Ancient Theatre, a Hellenistic theatre of about 200 BC. Viewing is normally free.
  3. Climb to Samuel’s Fortress for the ramparts and the view. Entry is about 60 to 150 MKD, and in autumn it closes around 16:00 to 17:00.
  4. Continue to Plaosnik, with its 5th-century basilica mosaics and the reconstructed church of St Clement and Panteleimon.
  5. Walk on to Kaneo and the cliff-top church of St John.
  6. Continue to St Sophia, an 11th-century cathedral with Byzantine frescoes.
  7. Finish at the lake pier.

Church manners on the route

St John at Kaneo, Plaosnik and St Sophia are places of worship, and St Sophia doubles as a museum and concert venue. Dress modestly, speak quietly, use no flash on frescoes and ask before photographing inside. Plaosnik can restrict access during services, so leave the interior for later if one is on.

The lakefront boardwalk

A wooden boardwalk runs along the water between the Sarajiste and Kaneo area and Kaneo beach. If you swim from the beach in July or August, stay where you can stand, since the shore drops off steeply and most free beaches have no reliable lifeguard.

Old Bazaar and the plane tree

The Old Bazaar, called Carsija, belongs on the route, along with an old plane tree that is centuries old. Only the Talev and Filev families are widely reported to hold the Ohrid pearl method, and both have shops in the Old Town. The Robevci House, part of the City Museum, sits along the old-town route.

Fees along the way

Budget for small entry fees at St Sophia (about 100 to 150 MKD), Samuel’s Fortress (about 60 to 150 MKD) and Plaosnik. The Ancient Theatre is normally free to view, and so are the grounds at Kaneo. Carry cash.

When to go

Hours at churches and museums are shorter from October to March, and the Icon Gallery is reported closed on Mondays. Tourism Attractions lists general hours. Access notes for Kaneo are on Nomads Travel Guide .

Read more: Sightseeing in Ohrid gives the details of each stop.

Booking help

Guided walks can be compared on GetYourGuide .