The Crn Drim flows out of Lake Ohrid in Struga and runs through the city. Visitors can walk along its banks. The city center can also be explored on a relaxed walking tour with several stops. Poetry, museum visits and urban history give your stay different focal points; the places below show how these themes come together in Struga.
On foot between the river and the city center
A relaxed walking tour can connect the Poetry Bridge, Poetry Park, the central park, the old bazaar quarter and the Miladin Brothers Memorial House. The route thus passes a variety of places in the city center rather than focusing on a single attraction. Visitors can also walk along the banks of the Crn Drim. The river and the city-center walk therefore offer two different ways to experience Struga on foot, without assuming that the riverside paths are part of the city-center route described here.
Poetry and festival history
The Struga Poetry Evenings take place in the third week of August. At the events, poets recite poems to the audience from a bridge located where the Crn Drim flows out of Lake Ohrid. If the festival is important to your travel plans, check the specific dates and program in advance, as both can vary.
The festival’s awards also recognize different achievements: since 1971, the Golden Wreath has been awarded for a poet’s lifetime work. The Brakja-Miladinovci Prize is awarded for the best book by a contemporary Macedonian poet; it was introduced in 1963. The House of Poetry, built in 1966, adds a library of books by festival participants to this festival history. In Struga, you can encounter poetry through readings, awards and a literary collection.
Museums: history, art and natural history
Struga’s public museum has had a history and archaeology department since 1961. Archaeological finds from the region are kept there. The museum organizes themed exhibitions across various fields, including art exhibitions in its gallery. The Vangel Kodzoman Gallery’s permanent exhibition, “Struga in the Past,” features numerous works by the painter. Another permanent exhibition at the House of the Miladinov Brothers is devoted to the poets’ lives and work. Together, these themes span regional archaeology, painting and literature.
Another museum story is associated with Nikola Nezlobinski. The Russian doctor came to Struga in 1924 to help combat malaria and founded the museum named after him. The Natural History Museum was established in 1928. Its collections include numerous birds, fish, insects and other animals from the Struga, Ohrid and Prespa regions. This natural history collection therefore covers several regions, not just Struga. If you would like to visit a particular museum or exhibition, check current access arrangements in advance.
A historical glimpse of St. George
The small Church of St. George in the center of Struga was built in 1835 over a much older church dating from the 16th century. Its building history thus brings together two clearly dated periods in one place and offers another way to explore the history of the city center.
Struga from the water
From the water, you can see Struga and the western shore of Lake Ohrid. Routes and departure times vary by provider, season and weather. If you would like to include this view in your plans, check in advance what options are available for your dates.
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