Ohrid is Macedonia's most attractive destination, with an atmospheric old quarter cascading down a hill, full of beautiful churches and topped by the ruins of a medieval castle.
The town is notable for once having had 365 churches, one for each day of the year, and has been referred to as a "Jerusalem of the Balkans". The city is rich in picturesque houses and monuments, and tourism is predominant. In 1980, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Samuel's Fortress is one of the main touristic places. The fortress is situated in the old town center. It was the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire during the rule of Tsar Samuel at the turn of the 10th century. Today, this historical monument is a major tourist attraction and was renovated in 2003.
According to recent excavations by Macedonian archaeologists, it was contended that this fortress was built on the place of an earlier fortification, dated to the 4th century BCE, which was probably built by King Philip II of Macedon.
Antique Theater is the only visible monument from ancient times. It is also the only Hellenistic theater in Macedonia, the other three are from Roman times. Only the lower section of the theater is preserved.
Though Ohrid never was an important trade center, it also has a small bazaar consisting of just one street. It starts with the food market. After the market the bazaar begins with a small square. On the square there is a 1000 year old tree and a nice fountain. Above the square the clock tower of Ohrid stands.
As you walk down the bazaar on your left there are couple of stone stores, which is the only section of original stores in the bazaar. In the past, the bazaar was covered with grape vines, protecting shoppers from the sun and the rain. The bazaar ends with the main square that used to be the food market in the past.
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