Pogradec — Albanian shore of Lake Ohrid, koran fish, Drilon springs

Pogradec lies on the Albanian shore of Lake Ohrid, one of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe and a UNESCO-protected natural and cultural site shared with North Macedonia. It is a gentle, unhurried town — a lakeside promenade, fishermen's boats, cool mountain air — that Albanians have loved as a summer retreat for generations. The water is famously clear, and the lake, more than three million years old, holds species found nowhere else on earth.

The lake and the koran

The town's signature is koran, a prized trout endemic to Lake Ohrid, traditionally grilled or pan-fried and served with a squeeze of lemon at lakeside restaurants. Because the fish is protected and seasonal, treat it as a special-occasion plate rather than an everyday one. The lake itself invites slow days: swimming off the pebble shore, a lakeside coffee, and long views to the Macedonian mountains across the water.

Drilon and Tushemisht

A few kilometres south, the Drilon springs feed a green park of clear channels, weeping willows and rowing boats — a beloved spot for a walk and a meal. Neighbouring Tushemisht, a stone village with a restored waterfront, is one of the prettiest lakeside corners in the country and a lovely place to stay.

Pogradec was also the home town of Lasgush Poradeci, one of Albania's greatest poets, who wrote the lake into the national imagination.

When to go and getting there

Summer is the classic season, when the town fills with Albanian families; late spring and early autumn are quieter and just as lovely, with mild days and swimmable water into September. Pogradec sits on the road between Korçë and the highlands, and is an easy stop en route to the North Macedonia border and Ohrid town. Come for a slow lakeside evening rather than a rush.