Lake Ohrid, Macedonia

Lake Ohrid is one of the most amazing places on earth, upon which shores lies the city of Ohrid, both under UNESCO protection. It is one of Europe’s deepest and according to most experts the oldest lake in Europe, preserving a unique aquatic ecosystem with more than 200 endemic species that is of worldwide importance.
(if you're bored with statistics, skip the next paragraph)
Lake Ohrid is the deepest lake of the Balkans, with a maximum depth of 288 m (940 ft) and a mean depth of 155 m (508 ft). It covers an area of 358 km² (138 sq mi), containing an estimated 55.4 km³ of water. It is 30.4 km long by 14.8 km wide at its maximum extent with a shoreline length of 87.53 km, shared between the Republic of Macedonia (56.02 km) and Albania (31.51 km).
The Ohrid and Prespa Lakes belong to a group of Dessaret basins that originated from a geotectonic depression during the Pliocene epoch up to five million years ago on the western side of the Dinaric Alps. Worldwide, there are only a few lakes with similarly remote origins with Lake Baikal and Lake Tanganyika being the most famous. Most other, short-lived lakes have a life span of less than 100,000 years before they are eventually filled up with sediments. It is believed that in the case of Lake Ohrid this process was delayed by its large depth and small sediment input from filtered spring inflows.
The real beauty of the lake lay in it's crystal clear waters and long sandy beaches. The tempretature of the water in summer reaches 26 degrees celsius, under meditteranian influence while overall the climate is much cooler compared to the entire aera, which makes it a great place for vacations and holidays. The cultural life in Ohrid in summer especally is rich, counting almost everyday another event, while the night life is great. The historic site and monuments in the old city are astonishing.
Since tourism in the area isn't at it's peak, there are always available vacancies at the hotels and private accomodation as well.

Photos by Silfiriel Copyright©2009