Known in antiquity as Enchalon, a name linked to the Greek word for eel, Struga today is above all a town of poetry. It was the birthplace of the 19th-century brothers Dimitar and Konstantin Miladinov, celebrated collectors of folk songs, and since the early 1960s it has hosted the Struga Poetry Evenings each August. The festival’s Golden Wreath award has gone to poets such as W. H. Auden, Pablo Neruda, Joseph Brodsky and Seamus Heaney, and readings are traditionally held on the bridges over the Drin.
Outside festival time, Struga is a relaxed place to stroll. Cafés line the riverside promenade along the Drin, which leads down to the lakeshore and its beaches, while the old bazaar, mosques and churches such as St George reflect the town’s mixed heritage. Nearby, the lakeside monastery of Kališta and the village of Radožda are known for their medieval cave churches.
Quieter than Ohrid, it makes a pleasant base or an easy half-day trip around the lake.
