Ancient Village of Lini Becomes Major Tourist Magnet

Lini, the picturesque village on the shores of Lake Ohrid, about 22 km from Pogradec, is one of the favorite attractions not only for local vacationers but also for foreign visitors, CE Report quotes ATA.

Following the recent extraordinary archaeological discoveries, where Lini is now considered the oldest known stilt settlement in Europe, it is attracting even more foreign tourists.

The Minister of Economy, Culture, and Innovation, Blendi Gonxhja, shared photos from Lini on social media, showing numerous tourists visiting the site, taking pictures, and admiring the beauty of ancient mosaics.

"Lini, the oldest settlement in Europe, has been a magnet for tourists this summer—not only for its beauty on the shores of Lake Ohrid but also for its Paleochristian Basilica, a rare monument preserving marvelous mosaics from the 5th–6th centuries," Gonxhja wrote.

The Basilica of Lini has been visited this season by 4,735 tourists, including 3,298 foreigners and 1,437 locals.

In recent years, numerous guesthouses have been built in Lini, welcoming hundreds of tourists from around the world.

Lini, the small village by Lake Ohrid, which appears right after descending from Qafë Thana into Pogradec, boasts rare beauty and a breathtaking landscape.

Legend says that the Lini Peninsula was once a lush island. Life on the peninsula began during the early Iron Age (the period to which Lini’s famous mosaics on the hill also belong) and continued into the Early Middle Ages.
As for the origin of the name, many stories exist.

One tale claims that when Julius Caesar’s soldiers arrived at this hill, they were so amazed that they shouted "Lyhnidas", meaning "Lake of Light".