Ohrid is a fantastic addition to any Macedonia itinerary and while you’re in Ohrid, you have to take a day trip to St. Naum. You’ll get a chance to cruise along the beautiful Lake Ohrid as you make your way to the Bay of Bones and onward to the Monastery of St. Naum where you’ll have some free time to explore.
A day trip to St. Naum is a wonderful way to spend a day and is sure to be a highlight on your trip to Macedonia. Here’s everything you need to know about planning your day trip.
Where to Book Your St. Naum Boat Tour
You can book an excursion to St. Naum online through sites like GetYourGuide and Viator, but you’ll be paying a massive premium to do so. So instead, wait until you are in Ohrid to book your trip. Walk down to the boat dock and you’ll find people wanting to take you out to St. Naum.
There’s two ways to do this. The first is the cheapest and it’s to walk down the main dock to the larger boats. At the time of writing, this costs 900 MKD (or 15 euros) and could be paid in cash or with a card. This tour includes a stop at the Bay of Bones as well as time at St. Naum. These typically leave at 10:00 am (sometimes with an afternoon departure at 1:00 pm). I traveled in late September and had no problem buying my ticket the morning of my trip.
The second option is to take one of the smaller catamarans. These cost 30 euros and have a very similar itinerary. The benefit is that it’s a smaller group, but since you’ll still be at St. Naum with the larger boats, this isn’t a huge benefit in my opinion.
What to Expect on a St. Naum Boat Tour
I chose to take a tour on one of the larger boats because it was much more economical. Here’s what that experience is like.
Sailing to the Bay of Bones
Your day will start off by sailing from Ohrid to the Bay of Bones. I purchased my ticket the morning of my departure and then boarded my boat to wait. I recommend coming early simply because that gives you the first choice of seats on the boat. My boat departed at 10:00 and I boarded around 9:30. There were so many seats to choose from.
So what is a good seat? Anything on the left side of the boat. On my boat we departed Ohrid and then made a quick pass by the Church of St. John of Kaneo. This gave everyone on the right side of the boat a good view, but it was their only good view of the trip. All of the other views on the way to St. Naum can be found on the left side of the boat. From the right side, you’ll just see the lake. From the left side, you’ll see the mountains and the small towns dotting the coast.
From Ohrid, it’s about a 50 minute ride until you reach the Bay of Bones.
Visiting the Bay of Bones
The Bay of Bones is the first stop on your St. Naum day trip, but it’s not a long stop. You’ll have thirty minutes here where you can get off the boat and visit the Bay of Bones Museum. Or if you don’t want to visit the museum, you can just stretch your legs and walk to get a few views of Lake Ohrid.
So what is the Bay of Bones? It’s a museum that showcases prehistoric homes from the area. None of these buildings are originals and have all been recreated for the museum. It’s up to you whether you pay the entrance fee to visit. At the time of writing, it costs 150 MKD to visit.
I had read a few reviews online the day before and based on those, the Bay of Bones just didn’t seem like something that personally interested me, so I opted to skip it. I did get off the boat and walked up the hill for some views which were nice. It also gave me a look at the museum from above. I don’t feel like I truly missed out on anything, but I can’t say for certain.
What I can say is that if you want to visit the museum, head there first. The stop at the Bay of Bones is only 30 minutes and you don’t want to miss the boat and be left behind.
Sailing to St. Naum
After the Bay of Bones, it’s another 30 minutes of sailing to reach St. Naum. There’s more views (so again, sit on the left side of the boat) and enjoy the ride. Hopefully the sun is out and it’s an enjoyable day for a boat ride.
Exploring St. Naum
Finally, you’ll arrive at St. Naum. You’ll have three hours of free time here and it’s up to you how to spend it. But, I have a few suggestions.
The first is to visit the St. Naum Monastery. That’s the big reason for taking this trip rather than any other boat trip offered in Ohrid. It’s a short walk up a hill from the boat dock to reach the monastery and it’s here that you’ll find the church. Entrance tickets are 150 MKD but I can say that it looked pretty easy to sneak on through without paying. I don’t recommend that, but it’s surprisingly easy to walk in without paying your fee. Pay attention and watch for the booth.
Inside the church you’ll see centuries old frescoes. If you’ve been reading any of my other posts about my travels in the Balkans, you’ll probably know that I’m a bit burnt out on frescoes in orthodox churches. More than two months of ancient frescoes will do that to you. But I still recommend stepping inside to see the church. In a wing off of the main church, you’ll find the grave of St. Naum. Here’s where all of the tourists bend down to try to listen to his grave to see if he will speak any wisdom.
As a note, if you head to the St. Naum Monastery as soon as you get off the boat, don’t be surprised to be sharing it with all of the other travelers. This is where everyone heads first so for a more enjoyable experience, wait and visit the St. Naum Monastery toward the end of your visit. There’ll be less crowds and it will be so much more enjoyable. Trust me.
Near the St. Naum Monastery, you’ll see a small church. Nearby that church is a walking path that takes you passed two more small churches and a lovely viewpoint of the river springs. I passed two other people while on this path (along with one family picnicking) and it was such an enjoyable experience. I didn’t realize that it was here so I didn’t track it, but I’d say it took me about 20-30 minutes to walk the full loop. It was a highlight of my day and I recommend it as a way to get away from the tourist crowds.
Back along the lake, you’ll find a handful of restaurants and since you have three hours here, it makes sense to grab some lunch (though budget travelers can pack a picnic from Ohrid to save some money). Restaurant Ostrovo had the best reviews on Google Maps, so that’s where I went. The food was good, but I don’t think it was the best food I’ve had in Macedonia. While I had no issues at this restaurant, reviews mention reviewing your bill carefully to make sure there’s no unexpected charges.
If you’re not sick of boats, you can hire a boat to go on the River Springs. I was happy with my walk and didn’t want to spend more money, but I want to mention that it is an option while you’re here.
And that’s really it. There’s not a lot to do at St. Naum, but it’s still a worthwhile visit in my opinion. The three hours you have is just enough time to see everything, grab some lunch, and relax just a little bit before boarding the boat to return to Ohrid.
Sailing Back to Ohrid
At 3:00, the boat departed back to Ohrid. There’s no stops on the way back so it’s just an hour and a half of cruising along the lake and then you’ll be back in the city.
I don’t know if it was just the weather on the day I traveled or if it’s always like this, but it was incredibly windy on the way back. Temperatures were pleasant during the day and the wind didn’t seem that bad. However, on the way back, the sun dipped behind the clouds and the wind was strong and I was freezing. This is why I recommend bringing layers on your day trip.
As a note, if you want the views of the coastline, sit on the right side of the boat on the return journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long is a St. Naum Boat Excursion?
The day trip to St. Naum takes about 6.5 hours to 7 hours. We left shortly after 10:00 am and arrived back in Ohrid around 4:30 pm.
Is a St. Naum Boat Excursion Worth It?
I think a day trip to St. Naum from Ohrid is worth it. If you’re visiting Ohrid, it’s well worth getting out on the lake and a day trip to St. Naum is one of the easiest ways to do it. I highly recommend building in one extra day in Ohrid so you have time to take the day trip.
What to Bring on a St. Naum Boat Excursion
I recommend bringing layers on your St. Naum day trip. Even if the sun is out, it can be cooler on the boat. When I did this tour, it was actually cooler in the afternoon than it was in the morning thanks to the strong winds on our return journey. I was very thankful that I had a jacket with me.
More in Ohrid, Macedonia
Ohrid is a lovely city to explore and it absolutely deserves one full day in your Macedonia itinerary. You can wander through the Old Town and visit some of the historic churches. The Church of St. John of Kaneo offers some of the most iconic views, but I also really enjoyed the Church of Saints Clement and Pantelemion.
Beyond churches, stroll along the boardwalk and pedestrian promenade. Enjoy some delicious Macedonian food. Or take some time to relax on one of the beaches in Ohrid.
Final Thoughts
Ohrid itself is lovely and you should absolutely spend some time in the city, but in my opinion, no trip to Ohrid is complete without visiting St. Naum. A day trip by boat is not only easy, but it’s a fun and beautiful way to experience this part of Macedonia. Whether you take the larger boat or one of the smaller catamarans, don’t skip the boat trip to St. Naum.
