Pogradec/Pogradeci (pronounced "pogradetz"/"pogradetzi") has a population of around 20,000. It is the capital of the municipality of Pogradec (60,000 inhabitants). The town is 40 km northwest of Korça, 40 km southwest of Ohrid (North Macedonia) and 125 km southeast of Tirana(via Elbasan). Minibus connections to Tirana and Korça, but none to Ohrid.This border town with its gloomy architecture doesn't look like much. Since 2019, however, it has been part of a vast UNESCO World Heritage site, the "Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region". It lies on the shores of the splendid Lake Ohrid, with the remarkable sites of Ohrid (the "city of 365 churches") and the Monastery of St. Naum in the North Macedonian part. Pogradec is no match. Its churches and mosques are modern and charmless, its small museum is often closed and it preserves no real relics of its long history. The region was inhabited by the Illyrian tribes of the Encheleans and Desaretes, then passed into the hands of the Byzantines, Bulgarians and Serbs in the Middle Ages. Pogradec is a Slavic name meaning "town below", a reference to its location under the fortress hill, from where you can enjoy a beautiful panorama. There's also a long sandy beach and the pleasant Drilon Park. A great place to stop off before heading back to Tirana, Korça or North Macedonia.

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Les rives du lac à Pogradec. Céline CHAUDEAU
Le lac d'Ohrid. Julie Briard
Le lac d'Ohrid. Sasenki/Shutterstock.com
Pogradec. ollirg - iStockphoto.com
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