 is a dead ringer for Como and Garda on the looks front. Its teal waters are framed by humpback hills freckled with hideaway villas and boutique hotels. Its main town, also called Ohrid, is all crooked cobbled streets, parasol-shaded pavement cafes, waterside restaurants, al-fresco cocktail bars , and independent boutiques. However, as I discovered during my week here, while Ohrid's appearance easily equals its Italian counterparts, there are many ways this Balkan belle actually betters the Italian ones. At 358 square kilometres, Lake Ohrid is more than twice the size of Como, and its sea-like size makes it the ideal place to take a boat trip. I lost an entire day sailing along its shoreline. The balmy weather gives the waters here a chameleon-like quality and, depending on the cloud cover, they can change from steely grey to blinding blue in a matter of minutes. My trip on the lake involved a lunch stop at the Ostrovo restaurant where the tables are set on floating wooden decks at the edge of the Crn Drim River, which feeds Lake Ohrid. I ordered an Ohrid burger, a frisbee-sized patty of pepp){kind=link}
FROM George Clooney to The Beckhams, celebs love the Italian lakes – but over the years all the A-list attention has pumped up prices.
This has put holidays to the likes of Como and Garda out of reach of many travellers.
Fortunately, an alternative lesser-known lakeside destination is slowly creeping on to the radars of UK holidaymakers.
This is thanks to a range of newly released TUI flights from Manchester and Gatwick – and prices for a stay start at just £62 a night.
Located in the southwest corner of North Macedonia, Lake Ohrid (pronounced och-rid) is a dead ringer for Como and Garda on the looks front.