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Day Trip to Ohrid N. Macedonia from Tirana
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12 Hours
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Max People :
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Pickup: 08:30 AM
Description
Quick answer: This is a single-day, 10-hour guided tour from Tirana crossing into North Macedonia to visit Ohrid one of Europe’s oldest cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site followed by a drive through Galičica National Park to the clifftop Saint Naum Monastery on the shores of Lake Ohrid, and a final stop at Drilon National Park on the Albanian side of the border, all from €55 per adult. The tour departs daily, children travel free, and the itinerary covers four distinct stops across two countries in a single outing.
Who This Tour Is For
Ohrid is one of the most remarkable cities in the Balkans a compact old town of Byzantine churches, medieval fortifications, and cobbled lanes set on the shore of a lake so ancient it is classified as a natural heritage site in its own right. It was a major centre of Orthodox Christianity and Slavic literacy from the 9th century onward, and the density of churches, monasteries, and cultural monuments within its small old town is extraordinary even by Balkan standards.
Saint Naum Monastery sits 30 kilometres down the lake from Ohrid, at the point where North Macedonia meets Albania. Perched on a rocky promontory above the water, surrounded by peacocks and spring-fed pools, it is one of the most photogenic religious sites in the region and a complete contrast in mood to the busier streets of the Ohrid old town.
This tour is built for travelers who want to cross into North Macedonia without the logistics of organising their own transport, border crossing, or itinerary and who want to see both the UNESCO city and the monastery lake setting in a single well-paced day. It suits culture and history lovers, first-time visitors to the region, and anyone based in Tirana who wants to make the most of the country’s proximity to one of the Balkans’ most celebrated destinations.
Tour Highlights
• Samuel’s Fortress, with panoramic views over Lake Ohrid and the surrounding mountains
• The Plaoshnik Academy Complex site of the first university in the Balkans
• The Church of Saint Sofia and its Byzantine frescoes
• The Church of Saint John the Baptist (Sveti Jovan Kaneo), perched above the lake
• A scenic drive through Galičica National Park
• Saint Naum Monastery, with its clifftop setting, spring-fed pools, and resident peacocks
• A final stop at Drilon National Park on the Albanian shore of Lake Ohrid
• A cross-border day trip covering two countries in a single, guided outing
Good to Know Before You Book
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Duration |
10 hours |
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Departure time |
8:30 AM |
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Starting price |
From €55 per adult |
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Children |
Free of charge |
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Departure |
Daily |
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Departure point |
Tirana |
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Countries visited |
Albania and North Macedonia |
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UNESCO sites |
Ohrid Old Town and Lake Ohrid (UNESCO World Heritage) |
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Best for |
Culture and history lovers, first-time visitors, cross-border explorers |
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Group Size |
Price |
Per |
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2 Persons |
€90 |
Per person |
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3 Persons |
€70 |
Per person |
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4 Persons |
€55 |
Per person |
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5 Persons |
€55 |
Per person |
Notes
Tour price:
Tour price currency is set to pay in Euro. The price is quoted per person per tour all inclusive and is always updated to ensure you get the best price, we are 100% guarantee it.
Children Policy:
0 - 05.99 Free of Charge.
6 - 11.99 pay 50% of tour price.
12 & + pay full tour price as an adult person.
If your tour includes flight tickets, then an extra charge for child rate may apply.
Deposit and Payment:
A Full payment is required at the time of confirming your booking and can be paid by credit or debit card (Visa/Master card) via a payment link will sent to you.
Tour Voucher:
After confirming your tour, we will email you Liberty Travel voucher with final confirmation and contact details of your tour manager, customer care and additional information for your convenience. Please print this voucher and bring with you.
Cancellation Policy:
Liberty Travel doesn’t charge a cancellation for tours and excursions cancelled for force majeure or reasons beyond control. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund minus any administrative fees.
Price Includes
Return transport from Tirana
Guide throughout
All stops as listed in the itinerary
Price Excludes
Meals and drinks
Museum and site entrance fees (paid on site)
Gratuities
Personal purchases
Itinerary
The tour departs Tirana at 8:30 AM, heading east and then north through the Albanian highlands toward the North Macedonian border. The drive follows a route that rises through mountain terrain before descending toward the lake basin, arriving in Ohrid in time for a morning guided tour of the old town.
The guided visit to Ohrid begins at Samuel’s Fortress, the medieval citadel built by the Bulgarian Tsar Samuel at the end of the 10th century on the ruins of an earlier Hellenistic fortification. The walls enclose the highest point of the old town and offer sweeping views across Lake Ohrid and the surrounding mountains. From the fortress, the tour descends to the Plaoshnik Academy Complex, the site of the church of Saints Clement and Panteleimon and one of the most significant early Christian and medieval sites in North Macedonia. Saint Clement of Ohrid established a literary and theological school here in the 9th century that is widely regarded as the first university in the Balkans. The walk continues through the old town, taking in the Church of Saint Sofia an 11th-century cathedral whose interior frescoes are among the finest surviving examples of Byzantine art in the region — and the Church of Saint John the Baptist (Sveti Jovan Kaneo), the iconic 13th-century church perched on a cliff directly above the lake, one of the most photographed landmarks in the entire Western Balkans.
After the old town visit, the tour follows the western shore of Lake Ohrid south through Galičica National Park a mountainous protected area straddling the border between North Macedonia and Albania, known for its biodiversity and its dramatic views over both Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa simultaneously from its higher ridges. The drive through the park is scenic throughout and offers some of the best lake panoramas of the day.
Saint Naum Monastery sits at the southern tip of the North Macedonian shore of Lake Ohrid, on a rocky headland just a few hundred metres from the Albanian border. Founded in the 9th century by Saint Naum of Preslav, a contemporary and colleague of Saint Clement, the monastery’s setting is genuinely extraordinary: peacocks wander the courtyard, spring-fed pools of crystal-clear water emerge at the base of the cliffs below, and the lake stretches north toward Ohrid under the mountains. The current church dates largely from the 17th and 18th centuries and contains well-preserved frescoes and the tomb of Saint Naum himself.
The final stop before the return journey is Drilon National Park, a small but beautiful park on the Albanian shore of Lake Ohrid near Pogradec. Fed by underground springs and surrounded by old plane trees, Drilon is a place of calm after the busier monastery visit a chance to sit beside the water, enjoy the lake views, and take in the quiet before the drive south back to Tirana.
Location
FAQs
Ohrid was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for both its cultural and its natural significance one of only 28 sites in the world to hold both designations simultaneously. The old town contains over 800 Byzantine-era icons and more than 365 churches within a remarkably compact area, while Lake Ohrid itself is one of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe, estimated to be between 2 and 3 million years old and home to dozens of endemic species found nowhere else on Earth.
Yes. The tour crosses an international border, so a valid passport is required. EU and most Western citizens can enter North Macedonia without a visa for short stays. It is advisable to check the entry requirements for your nationality in advance of the tour.
Museum and site entrance fees at all stops including Samuel’s Fortress and the churches of the Ohrid old town are paid on site and are not included in the tour price. Your guide will advise on the amounts at each stop.
No. Meals and drinks are not included. There are restaurants in the Ohrid old town and near the Saint Naum Monastery where most travelers choose to have lunch during the free time built into the itinerary.
Drilon National Park is a small protected area on the Albanian shore of Lake Ohrid, near the city of Pogradec, fed by underground springs that emerge as clear pools amid old plane trees and riverside gardens. It is a calm and scenic final stop on the return journey, offering lake views and a peaceful contrast to the busier sites visited earlier in the day.
Yes. The walking through Ohrid old town involves some uphill sections on cobbled streets, but nothing strenuous. The monastery and Drilon park stops are gentle. Children travel free of charge, making this an accessible option for families.
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