Ohrid To Athens: A Two-Day Scenic Journey

Getting from Ohrid to Athens isn’t as straightforward as one might think. While the distance in kilometers isn’t vast, historical conflicts between Greece and North Macedonia have left transport options between the two countries fairly limited.

We chose the shorter route via Bitola and Florina instead of the longer one through Skopje. Both options required an overnight stay along the way, but the first route involved less time on buses. Either way, we needed to spend a night in Thessaloniki before continuing to Athens, which we were quite happy about since it’s a city we absolutely love.

The journey involved several legs: a bus from Ohrid to the Macedonian border town of Bitola, a night in Bitola, a taxi or private car from Bitola to Florina on the Greek side, a bus to a small Greek town, and then a train to Thessaloniki. After a night in wonderful Thessaloniki, we took a train to Athens.

Here’s what those two days of travel looked like:

We started bright and early on a day that promised to be another scorcher. Our bus from Ohrid was scheduled for midday, and it was too hot (and too far) to walk with our backpacks. Thankfully, our lovely host arranged a taxi to take us to the bus station.

After a bit of a wait and a terrible cup of coffee, we were on our way. The bus took us across the scenic mountain range to the border town of Bitola, a journey of about two hours. The countryside was beautiful, making for a pleasant trip.

Bitola turned out to be a delightful surprise. Border towns often have a dubious reputation, but Bitola broke that stereotype. Dating back to ancient times, the town has a rich history of being ruled by various nations, reflected in its architecture and layout. Its pedestrian-only street, lined with cafés, restaurants, and bars, was particularly charming. We enjoyed pre-dinner drinks overlooking the square and later savored delicious pide at a restaurant nearby.

The next morning, after a simple breakfast of coffee and burek, our driver arrived to take us across the border to Florina in Greece. In this region, a private car is the only way to cross the border. The hour-long trip was straightforward, and the border crossing was hassle-free.

At Florina’s train station, we discovered that part of the train journey had been replaced with a bus due to disused tracks. With a couple of hours to kill, we found a nearby café where the friendly staff welcomed us to stay as long as we needed, serving us coffee and delicious Greek cakes.

When it was time to continue, we boarded the bus and began the next leg of our journey to Edessa. The route took us through stunning countryside, past endless orchards—primarily peaches—and around the picturesque Lake Vegoritida. Tractors hauling ripe peaches to packing centers were a common sight. We also passed through the quaint town of Aridaia before finally reaching Edessa.

At Edessa, a train was waiting to take us on the third leg of our journey to Thessaloniki. We climbed aboard and enjoyed the relaxing ride, arriving in Thessaloniki by evening.

After a long day of travel, we checked into a hotel conveniently located near the train station. It was a simple place but perfectly fine for a night. Later, we ventured into the heart of Thessaloniki in search of dinner—and perhaps a cocktail or two.

Thessaloniki is a vibrant, fascinating city with an incredible food, café, and bar culture. We found an excellent bar for pre-dinner drinks and then had a fantastic meal at a nearby restaurant. Every visit reminds me how much I love this city. Next time, we plan to spend more time exploring it.

The next morning, we were up early and back on the train for the fourth and final leg of our journey to Athens.

Next up: Athens!