A week in Montenegro, from the bay to Durmitor

If you ask me how long Montenegro needs, I say a week. With less you’ll see the coast, which is lovely, but the real country begins when you climb into Durmitor. Here’s a seven-day route by car with four bases, running from the Bay of Kotor to the northern mountains.

Days 1 and 2, the Bay of Kotor

Land at Tivat, 8 km from Kotor, and spend the first afternoon in the old town and up the walls, which climb 4.5 km to St John’s. On day two, Perast in the morning, about 14 km away, with St Nicholas church and its islands, and the cable car from Dub up Lovćen in the afternoon, 11 minutes. You can manage these two days without a car and pick one up afterwards.

Day 3, Cetinje and Budva

Drive over Lovćen and through Njeguši to Cetinje, the old royal capital, about 48 km from Kotor. Cetinje monastery, the Biljarda (Njegoš’s residence, whose relief map of Montenegro was made by Austro-Hungarian engineers) and King Nikola’s palace fill the morning, then it’s down to Budva, about 27 km more, for an afternoon in its old town. Stay in Budva.

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Day 4, Sveti Stefan and the lake

In the morning, Sveti Stefan from the beach. In the afternoon, head down to Bar and up to Virpazar beside Lake Skadar, a national park since 1983. Sleep by the lake or in Podgorica, about 31 km away. Lake entry is €5, and the park also hires kayaks if you’d rather paddle than take a boat trip.

Day 5, the lake and Ostrog

An early boat from Virpazar, then north. On the way, Ostrog monastery, which the National Tourism Organisation places at about 900 m, with churches carved into the rock, 17th-century frescoes and a 3 km climb through the forest for pilgrims. It’s about 52 km from Podgorica to Nikšić, then about 74 more to Žabljak. Sleep in Žabljak.

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Day 6, Durmitor

The big day. In the morning, Black Lake, at 1,418 m and 49.1 m deep according to MONSTAT; National Parks rents rowing boats at €10 an hour, and park entry is €5. In the afternoon, the 76 km scenic ring taking in Trsa, Pišće, Nedajno and Mala Crna Gora, on your own or on the park’s €20 tour. Everything on the park is in Durmitor.

Day 7, the Tara bridge and home

Before heading down, stop at the Đurđevića Tara bridge, completed in 1940 with five concrete arches over 365 m, at the junction for Mojkovac, Žabljak and Pljevlja. Then back to Podgorica, about 121 km from Žabljak and nearly two and a half hours, for your flight. If you’ve three more days, the north continues in Montenegro in ten days.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Žabljak for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.