Lin, Pogradec and Lake Ohrid

Before long, we were driving through Albania’s beautiful landscape. Gentle hills, wide fields and tall mountains accompanied us. The roads were in much better condition than we had expected.

Along the way, we stopped at a rustic restaurant where the staff were very warm-hearted but spoke no English. Even Google Translate wasn't particularly helpful, so we just ordered by feel. It was a lot of fun to be surprised like that. The food that was eventually served was varied and delicious. Everything was included—from soup to salad, meat and side dishes.

Shortly afterwards, we reached the destination of today – Lin on Lake Ohrid.

Lin is a charming little village that seems very sleepy and mostly consists of old brick houses. Tourists rarely stray here, which gives the place a special sense of originality.

Our beautiful guesthouse was located right on the shore of the fascinating lake, its crystal-clear waters sparkling in the sunlight. A romantic garden with loungers, comfortable chairs, tables and a jetty that led directly into the lake completed the picture. We felt as though we had arrived in the Garden of Eden.

We spent the afternoon by and in the lake. The water was incredibly refreshing in the day’s heat. For hours we gazed out over the lake—on the opposite shore lay a land completely unknown to us.

In the evening, we ate delicious fish with tasty vegetables in the garden of the guesthouse. We enjoyed deep red Albanian wine while the sun slowly set over the lake, creating magnificent colours.

Later, we rounded off the day with a coffee in a nearby café. Then it was time to go to bed.

The next morning, our hosts served us a wonderful, traditional Albanian breakfast.

Then we set off for Pogradec. The route followed the lake the whole way. The views were breathtaking throughout.

Pogradec is a lovely small town that, like Lin, lies right on the lake and even has several beaches. Numerous restaurants and charming cafés line the promenade, making you feel as if you were by the sea.

What I especially liked was that there were hardly any tourists in this town. Everything felt very authentic. You get a wonderful insight into the everyday lives of the residents, who are very friendly, helpful and attentive.

We strolled through the cosy alleys and streets for hours, drank coffee, bought snacks and enjoyed the beautiful atmosphere. Once again, all my expectations had been exceeded.

We spent the afternoon relaxing again in the garden of our idyllic guesthouse, swam in the lake and enjoyed the warm rays of the sun.

Later we wandered through the romantic, narrow alleys of the charming village.

The old stone houses, the romantic narrow lanes and the silence made the place unique.

We enjoyed our dinner again at the guesthouse—there was no better place to eat anyway.

The next morning, we enjoyed the rich breakfast one more time, then it was time to say goodbye. Ahead of us lay the panoramic road to Gjirokaster, which we had been looking forward to for a long time.