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eMontenegro
The white Upper Monastery of Ostrog built into a vertical cliff face above green woods

Central Montenegro

Photo: Jocelyn Erskine-Kellie · CC BY-SA 4.0

Central Montenegro is the plain and karst between the coast and the mountains, where almost half of the country lives. Podgorica, the capital, has 179,505 residents in its municipality (28.78% of the country) and sits at 44.5 m on the Zeta plain, 12 km from its airport and 19 km from Lake Skadar. Nikšić (municipality 65,705) is the second-largest town, an industrial and university centre; Cetinje (14,494) is the Old Royal Capital at 672 m under Lovćen; Danilovgrad (18,617) lies in the Zeta valley between the two big towns. Tuzi (12,979) and Zeta (16,071) are the two newest municipalities, split from Podgorica in 2018 and 2022. Most visitors pass through on the way between the airport, the coast and the north; the places worth a stop are below.

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What to come for

Two national parks. Skadar Lake, the largest lake in the Balkans with 281 bird species and boat tours from Vranjina, Virpazar and Rijeka Crnojevića; and Lovćen, with the Njegoš Mausoleum at 1,657 m, about 20 km from Cetinje. Ostrog. Ostrog Monastery, built into a cliff about 900 m above the Zeta valley in Danilovgrad municipality, is the most visited shrine in the country; 37.6 km and about an hour from Podgorica to the Lower monastery. Cetinje. The old royal capital holds the National Museum of Montenegro and the Cetinje Monastery; see museums. Around Podgorica. Roman Doclea 4 km from the centre, the Cijevna canyon in Tuzi, fly fishing on the Morača inside the city, and the Mrtvica canyon, about 1,250 m deep, on the road north. Nikšić. The Bedem fortress, the Carev most bridge of 1894 and the small Vučje ski area 20 km towards Žabljak.

A wide green valley with hazy mountain ranges beyond, seen past the white wall of Ostrog Monastery
The Bjelopavlići plain from OstrogPhoto: Dragan Jankovic Faza…, CC BY-SA 3.0

Getting around

Podgorica is the hub: the airport is 12 km away, the bus and railway stations stand side by side near the centre, the Bar-Belgrade line runs south and north, and a second line goes to Nikšić. By road from Podgorica: Cetinje 35.8 km (about 45 min), Nikšić via Danilovgrad on the main road, Kolašin 75 km with about 30 minutes on the Podgorica-Mateševo motorway, the coast 60 to 65 km to Bar or Budva. The boat points for Lake Skadar at Virpazar and Vranjina are on the Podgorica-Bar road. Buses, tolls and the ferry are on the transport page.

A stone ruin on a green knoll above the winding river at Rijeka Crnojevića, with marsh, hills and distant mountains
The Rijeka Crnojevića valley towards Lake SkadarPhoto: Miomir Magdevski, CC BY-SA 4.0

Common questions

Is Podgorica worth a stop?

For half a day, yes: Doclea, the Ottoman clock tower in Stara varoš, the City Museum (Tuesday to Saturday 10:00-18:00) and Lake Skadar 19 km away. Summers are hot: the city's record is 44.8 °C, on 16 August 2007.

How far is Ostrog from Podgorica?

37.6 km and about an hour by car from Podgorica to the Lower monastery, on the Podgorica-Nikšić road via Bogetići; from there most pilgrims walk the last 3 km through the forest to the Upper monastery.

Where do the Lake Skadar boats leave from?

Lake Skadar is 19 km from Podgorica; the boats leave from Virpazar and Vranjina on the Podgorica-Bar road and from Rijeka Crnojevića below Cetinje.

Sources