From Tirana: North Macedonia, Lake Ohrid and Saint Naum Tour

From Tirana: North Macedonia, Lake Ohrid and Saint Naum Tour

34 Reviews

Tours Culture & history Art Day trips Day Trips From Day Trips To Nature & adventure Sightseeing Tours Cruises & boat tours Photography Tours

An immersive journey to North Macedonia from Tirana, Albania enjoying the serenity of Lake Ohrid and city, a visit to Saint Naum Monastery and ancient churches, with a stop at the Bay of Bones Museum.

Our Top Experiences and Tours in Albania:

If youʻre booking your trip to Albania last minute, we have you covered. Below are some of the top tours and experiences!

View All Experiences

Highlights

Admire Europe's second oldest lake that borders both North Macedonia and Albania
Visit the well preserved Ohrid city once known as 'Jerusalem of the Balkans'
Explore the Old Town, its local stores and take in its breathtaking panoramas
Fall in love with the quiet and magnificent Saint Naum Monastery
Immerse yourself in the artifacts of the Bronze age at the Bay of Bones Museum

Description

Discover Europe's second oldest lake that borders the southwestern part of North Macedonia and eastern Albania. Drive along Lake Ohrid which inspired NASA in 2010 to name Titan's lakes after it, and its unforgettable serenity no matter what season you book your tour! One of Balkan's best kept secrets maintains its picturesque identity thanks to being declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979, with its Albanian side also being designated world heritage status in 2019. We will depart from your Tirana hotel early in the morning with an air-conditioned vehicle, tracing the same itinerary as the Romans did, when they traveled towards the Constandinopole. We will have a quick coffee break by the Shkumbin River (15 minutes), prior to reaching the Albanian-North Macedonia border - two hours after leaving the capital of Tirana. In our full-day tour we will first visit the Ohrid city once known as 'Jerusalem of the Balkans' for having 365 churches, one for each day of the year. Tourism is predominant in this pristine old town which is one of only 28 sites worldwide that is part of UNESCO's World Heritage as both a Cultural and Natural site. The first mention of Ohrid was 2,400 years before the new era, when the town was called Lychnidos, probably meaning 'city of light' or literally 'a precious stone that emits light'. We will walk were Via Egnatia road once passed - the most significant Roman traffic route of the Balkans, and visit the Ancient Macedonian Theatre of Ohrid, the Church of Saint John the Theologian, and the Byzantine Church of Holy Mary Perybleptos build in 1295 and renown for its elaborate wall murals. There will also be a chance to find among the well preserved cable stones windy roads, original freshwater pearls jewelry that are locally made - a perfect gift for your loved ones. In those three hours, there will be pleanty of time to explore the Old Town and take in its breathtaking panoramas. You will also have the chance to take fantastic photos and enjoy local food and free time, prior to heading to the quiet and magnificent Saint Naum Monastery. We can stop briefly at the Bay of Bones Museum - a reconstructed village of stilt houses that displays Bronze & Iron Age items recovered from Lake Ohrid. You can take photos, and if you wish to visit it - there will be 30 minutes time, but tickets are not included. Then we will have one hour time to enjoy the unspoiled beauty of The Monastery of Saint Naum, an Eastern Orthodox monastery named after the medieval Bulgarian writer and enlightener Saint Naum, who founded it in 905. St. Naum of Ohrid who is buried in the church was one of the Seven Apostles of the First Bulgarian Empire, and is associated with the creation of the Cyrillic script. Following the visit to this iconic destination that still operates as a school, we will head back to the Albanian border in late afternoon, and then you will be dropped off in the Tirana hotel that you were picked up from.

Includes

Round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle Hotel pickup and drop-off Guided tour of Ohrid Lake and Old Town Guided tour of St. Naum Monastery Professional Guide

Important Information

Please bear in mind that there may be waiting time at the border due to traffic and security checks. The gorgeous vistas along the way and our comfortable car make up for the driving hours this tour requires. The pick-up place and hour will be agreed upon discussing with customer prior to departure. The official currency in North Macedonia is Macedonian Denar, but Euros are accepted as well.