24 Hours in Ohrid, North Macedonia: Our Full Day and Every Price

We spent 24 hours in Ohrid, North Macedonia, to see if it's really Europe's most underrated town. This is our full day in order, from morning coffee to ice cream in the main square, with every price we paid. The whole day cost about $90 for the two of us, not counting our room.

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Morning: coffee, churches and the boardwalk

1. Coffee at Roastery

We started at Villa Elena, our home for two nights, and walked through the empty old town for coffee at Roastery. It was 45°F that morning, so we were in puffer jackets. Roastery has outdoor seating, and we got their Guatemalan coffee. You can also take your cup next door to Liquid, where the deck sits right over the lake. Coffees in Ohrid ran $1.50 to $3.

2. The Church of St. Sophia

From there we walked to the Church of St. Sophia on Tsar Samoil street, one of Ohrid's oldest churches. The night before, we had dinner right next to it at Pizza Via Sacra, which has a perfect view of the church: pasta, pizza, a beer and an appetizer came to about $20.

Most places in Ohrid take cards, but we'd still carry a little cash in denars just in case.

3. The Lake Ohrid boardwalk and Rock Beach

Next we followed the famous boardwalk along the water toward Kaneo. The water is so clear you can see straight through it, and some gaps between the boards are big enough for a foot, so watch your step.

Keep walking a little further and you reach Rock Beach, which has its own beach restaurant. From there it's a lot of stairs and steep streets up toward the church.

4. The Church of St. John at Kaneo

The climb leads to the view of Ohrid you've probably seen all over Instagram: the Church of St. John at Kaneo on a cliff above the lake. Nobody knows the exact year it was built, but written records from 1447 confirm it was already standing. It's dedicated to John of Patmos, the author of the Book of Revelation. We left around 10:50 am, before it got busy.

Midday: breakfast, a grocery run and a strudel under $1

5. Old town square and breakfast at Plate Bistro

We walked back to the main square, full of outdoor cafes, shops and souvenir stands, then went for a late breakfast at Plate Bistro, our favorite food in Ohrid. Alex got the all-in breakfast, an omelet with bread and butter, and Megan got the chicken bowl. Bowls run 240 to 320 denars, and Alex's cappuccino was the best he had in North Macedonia. Each meal with a drink was about $6, and the whole breakfast came to $11. They serve breakfast until 12 pm.

6. A grocery run at Kipper

Next was Kipper, a grocery store that's set up almost exactly like an Aldi back home. We grabbed a bag of local snacks from the snack aisle, and the whole haul cost $3.68. Trying a local grocery store is one of the best ways to taste a country for almost nothing.

7. Strudel from a bakery

On the walk we passed a local bakery cafe with a line out the door, so we stopped. We got a flaky strudel with a raspberry filling for 45 denars, a little under $1, and it was an easy 10 out of 10 for the price.

Afternoon: the semi-submarine

8. A semi-submarine tour on the lake

We realized on our walk that you can take a semi-submarine tour, so we messaged the operator on WhatsApp and booked a private trip for that afternoon. It was the most fun thing we did in Ohrid. The boat sits half in the water: you climb down into a cabin with big windows below the waterline, and you can move between downstairs and the top deck whenever you want.

It takes about 20 minutes out along the shore, past St. John at Kaneo, and 15 minutes back to the port. Down below you pass a treasure chest and a sword set on the lakebed. We paid 1,200 denars (about $22) for a private tour, just the two of us. More details are in our Lake Ohrid guide.

9. Taste-testing our grocery haul

Back at the villa, we taste-tested our Kipper haul:

• Milk and cocoa wafer: crispy, with a chocolate and vanilla filling. Alex gave it an 8 out of 10, Megan a 10.
• Sesame crackers: round and salty, a bit like everything bagel crackers, about 50 cents.
• Choco Flips: chocolate with cereal underneath, crunchy and then soft.

Evening: trout at Fisherman's and ice cream

10. Dinner at Fisherman's

For dinner we walked about 7 minutes to Fisherman's. Part of the walk runs along a cliff with only a few lights at night, so use your phone's flashlight. It was the nicest restaurant we went to in North Macedonia. Alex had the trout fillets with a potato side and a salad of fresh tomatoes, onions and olives, and Megan had the Monte Carlo pasta, both with cold Skopsko, the local beer. Both were 10 out of 10. Dinner for two came to $48, the biggest spend of our day.

11. Ice cream in the main square

Back in the main square, we finished with ice cream: dark chocolate for Alex and tiramisu for Megan. A scoop was 80 denars, under $2. The shop told us their record is 30 scoops on one cone.

What our 24 hours in Ohrid cost

Real prices for the two of us from October 2026, about 55 denars to $1:

Our room at Villa Elena was about $70 a night on top of that. See what everything else cost in Ohrid.

Is Ohrid worth visiting?

Yes. Lake Ohrid is absolutely worth a visit, and you can see the main sights in a single day like we did. If you can, stay 2 to 3 days: the best part of Ohrid is slowing down with a coffee by the water.

Where to stay in Ohrid

We stayed at Villa Elena - Dolni Saraj and paid $140 for two nights. It's a short walk to coffee and food, about 5 to 8 minutes to the harbor, with great parking and a view over the rooftops to the lake.

Check prices at Villa ElenaAffiliate link

Want to compare other hotels for your dates? Use the hotel map in our Lake Ohrid guide.

FAQ

Is one day enough in Ohrid?

Yes for the main sights. In 24 hours we saw St. John at Kaneo, the Church of St. Sophia, the boardwalk, the old town and took a semi-submarine tour. Stay 2 to 3 days if you want to slow down by the lake.

How much does a day in Ohrid cost?

Our 24 hours in Ohrid cost about $90 for two people in October 2026, plus coffee, not counting our room at about $70 a night. The biggest costs were dinner at Fisherman's ($48 for two) and a private semi-submarine tour (1,200 denars).

Can you walk everywhere in Ohrid?

Yes. We did the whole day on foot. The old town streets are steep and cobbled, so wear comfortable shoes.

What is the best thing to do in Ohrid?

The semi-submarine tour was the most fun thing we did. It shows how clear Lake Ohrid is from below the waterline. The Church of St. John at Kaneo is the view you shouldn't miss.

More from Lake Ohrid

• Lake Ohrid Travel Guide: Things to Do, Where to Eat and Stay
• Where to Stay in Ohrid: Best Areas and Top-Rated Places
• Skopje Travel Guide
• Bitola Travel Guide
• North Macedonia travel guide