Rijeka Crnojevića, a stone bridge and five centuries of history

Rijeka Crnojevića is a tiny place, just 104 residents at the last census, yet few places in Montenegro hold so much history in so little space. It sits where the river of the same name starts to widen towards Lake Skadar, with a two-arched stone bridge reflected in the water and stone houses along the bank. For me it’s the most pleasant corner of the Montenegrin side of the lake.

Ivan Crnojević’s capital

The Cetinje tourist board says the village’s story begins with Ivan Crnojević, ruler of Zeta from 1465 to 1490. To keep out of the Turkish army’s way he built a fortress and a monastery at Obod and moved his capital here from the fortress of Žabljak, and the monastery became the seat of the Zeta metropolitanate. He would later fall back again, to Cetinje.

Traces of that period survive in the village, such as the cellar of a long-vanished building linked to the Obod printing press, where in 1494 the Oktoih prvoglasnik, the region’s first Cyrillic book, was printed. The same source says Montenegro’s first pharmacy and first weapons workshop opened here too.

A port, a bridge and fish-scale pearl

In the 19th and early 20th centuries Rijeka Crnojevića was Montenegro’s largest port and a leading trading centre. Its prized export was dried bleak from the lake, much in demand on Italian tables, and in the early 20th century the Marica factory made mother-of-pearl from fish scales.

At the entrance to the village is the stone bridge, Danilov most, built by Prince Danilo in 1853 in memory of his father, Stanko Petrović. Beside it, on the left bank, he put up a single-storey house, the Mostina, which still stands. The oldest surviving building is the house of St Peter.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Cetinje before prices climb.

The lake from the water

Rijeka Crnojevića is one of the gateways to Lake Skadar. National Parks of Montenegro lists it among the piers for lake cruises, along with Vranjina, Virpazar and Plavnica, and recommends the Komarno to Rijeka Crnojevića trail and cycle routes towards Virpazar and Ckla and towards Karuč. Entering the park costs €5 a day. The steamer Skenderbeg used to call here too, running to Shkodër for almost three decades.

To see the river from above, the Pavlova strana viewpoint is close by, over the great meander.

Eating and getting there

The Cetinje tourist board highlights the village’s fish dishes, themed walks and kayaking. According to the same source, lake cooking is built on carp, pan-cooked with prunes, apples and quince, baked on onions or smoked, and on eel, with rice or grilled.

It’s 16 km from central Cetinje and easy to reach from the Podgorica to Cetinje road. I’d pair it with Lipa Cave in the morning and lunch here, before heading back to Cetinje or on to Podgorica.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Cetinje and choose by the reviews.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Cetinje before prices climb.