Day 12 Intrepid: Ohrid

The town is said to have once been home to 365 churches earning it the nickname ‘the Macedonian Jerusalem’. It certainly wouldn’t surprise me because everywhere we look, we see a cross piercing the sky.

We get up early to walk to the fortress and the Macedonian Orthodox Church of Sveti Jovana Kaneo, situated on a rocky outcrop above the town, overlooking the lake. We had hoped to see inside the church but it wasn’t open at 8 a.m. (as suggested by Google).

But the walk there - along the lakeside promenade and then the boardwalk - was just so lovely especially in the cool of the day. Lots of photos!!

We got back for breakfast after a coffee down by the lake and set off for a 2-hour excursion by boat across the lake to close by Vila Biljana which is a complex of state villas of the president of North Macedonia, the villa of the prime minister, and other big-wigs. In the communist period, the complex was owned by Tito. 

Afterwards we embarked on a trek around the woodlands surrounding the fortress: the scenery is so beautiful. Lots of photos … 

And we returned to the tiny 13th century Saint Kaneo church to have a peek at the frescoes.

It is hot now. We make our way back to the centre of town via the ruins of the Church of St Sophia (Sveta Sofija). A quick look at the National Workshop for Handmade Paper - and finally an icecream (yum!!). Then back to the hotel for a siesta whilst the sun blazes down outside. 

So far we have walked 15 kms.

Dinner out in the Old Town. Tasty food although the service was somewhat haphazard. Yummy dessert: Ohridska Torta.

  

Walked 18 kms in total today.