This magical city in North Macedonia is situated around the northeastern shore of Lake Ohrid. Its simple charm, architecture, and location make it a sought-after tourist and wedding destination.

Ohrid started off as a Greek colony called Lykhnidos, meaning the City of Light. The fortress was built by the father of Alexander the Great and later rebuilt in the late 10th and early 11th century by the Bulgarian tzar. By that time it was already referred to as Ohrid, meaning "on a hill". This was fitting since Ohrid is indeed, on a hill. 

Walking around Ohrid you might notice a significant amount of churches. That is because a total of 365 churches were built in and around Ohrid, one church for each day of the year. For this, Ohrid has at times been referred to as the "Jerusalem of the Balkans".

The city is rich in history and prides itself on its picturesque houses and ancient monuments. Its niche however turned out to be pearls. There are varying stories as to how the recipe for these beautiful pearls came to town. Mostly it is agreed upon, that a Russian soldier staying in Ohrid in 1924 knew the recipe from his hometown. Two families, in Ohrid now pass down the secret recipe for pearls that seem to surpass other pearls in their beauty and lasting durability. 

If you look past the historical landmarks of the city and its glittering gifts another significant attraction of this area spans the horizon. Making its way deep into two countries, this lake is however not known for its size but for its depth and age. The lake averages 155 meters deep and is 289 meters deep at its lowest point, making it the deepest in the Balkans and most of Europe. More significantly, its age is estimated around 3 to 4 million years old making it the oldest in Europe and one of the oldest in the world. 

In 1979 and 1980, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Ohrid is one of only 28 sites that are part of UNESCO's World Heritage that are Cultural as well as Natural sites.