Lovchen National park
A bewitching panorama of Montenegro in Lovchen National park
We suggest you to plunge into the history of the north of Montenegro and enjoy its nature...
Lovcen National Park - a mesmerizing panorama of Montenegro!
We invite you to plunge into the history of the north of Montenegro and enjoy its nature ...
Let's choose one of the clear days and take the great opportunity to see the panorama of Montenegro from a bird's eye view!
On the way to Lovcen park. Along the serpentine road from Cetinje - 51 km on the way - or from the Kotor side along a wonderful serpentine road with absolutely stunning views of the Bay of Kotor and the Tivat region - the same amount of travel time takes place. From Budva to Cetinje we drive through a tunnel through the town of Petrovac - the only road leads to the Lovcen National Park. On the 12th kilometer on the way from Cetinje to Lovcen, there is the Ivanova korita settlement, in the largest valley of the park, here you can stop for the night and relax. New comfortable and inexpensive hotels, a spring with delicious drinking water, picnic areas in the fresh air - now this settlement is a tourist corner and one of the most beautiful parts of Lovcen Park.
Interesting fact: the town of Ivanova korita received the name of the founder of Cetinje, Ivan Crnojevic. Height above sea level is 1250 meters. According to legend, an ancient stone reservoir, which collects water from the surrounding springs, was built here by the prince himself. Natural springs with icy water at the foot of the mountains gush out from the ground, filling the pools - streams of pure spring water form picturesque cascades.
You can rent bicycles and ATVs from the restaurant Monte Rosa and explore the surroundings of the town - it is cooler than on the coast, it snows often, and the slopes are covered with dense vegetation. You can spend interesting time in the city's forest rope park - Avanturistički park Lovćen, the adventure park offers entertainment for the whole family: horseback riding, paintball, trails of different difficulty levels and an obstacle course. Those who wish are provided with equipment, and tracks designed for children and adults will delight the most active. There is a camping near the hotel - camping is prohibited in the rest of the park.
If we are heading from Budva, then after 55 km, when the road goes deep into the mountain range and rises above sea level, we notice the settlement of Njeguši - 900 meters above sea level. Here is the very unique serpentine road on the R-1 road - leading to Njegushi - immediately visible on the map. Patient drivers can overcome it - the climb to the top will be remembered for a long time! At the turns of the serpentine, beautiful photographs of the valley and distant houses with red roofs are obtained.
It remains 8 km to the entrance to Lovcen, boldly follow through Njeguši (52 km from Budva). Like many towns and villages of Montenegro, this ancient tiny village (only about 700 permanent residents) will leave in your memory vivid impressions of the colorful landscapes for a long time, and will delight you with hot traditional performances with dancing. The village is waiting for lovers of delicious prosciutto; the residents make this traditional Montenegrin dish - dried or smoked pork ham - according to age-old recipes. Local shops offer an abundance of flower honey, cheese, mead and salted pork. Negus prosciutto is not only the most delicious in Montenegro, but also the most expensive. Blue smoke is smoky, especially in late autumn, when the first snow appears - a very colorful sight!
One entertaining fact: the dynasty of the rulers of Montenegro Petroviches (Njegoshi) came from Njegushi, which ruled the country for about 2 centuries. Here is the ancestral house-museum of the very same Peter Petrovich Njegush - the history museum can be of interest to travelers who are fond of the past.
Through this mountain village we follow to the park. We climb the serpentine by car or on foot along a wild scenic trail, admiring the already familiar rocky slopes of Mount Lovcen.
The closer to the top - the more beautiful photos!
Before our gaze there are panoramas of Tivat, Kotor Bay, medieval old Kotor from a height of just over 1 km above sea level. Well-equipped observation platforms with wonderful views - there are many places on the track itself where you can stay. We overcome 25 sharp turns of the serpentine road, and find ourselves on the top of the mountain. Then we will walk from the parking place to the very observation deck (1700 meters above sea level) - the long-awaited point of such a long journey.
From this highest point of Mount Lovcen, a breathtaking view of the Montenegrin distances opens. In good clear weather, foggy mountain peaks, the outlines of Lake Skadar and the famous Bay of Kotor - Boka Kotorska will be visible. Mount Lovcen has two peaks: Štirovnik (1,749 m) and Jezerski vrh (1,657 m). On the Jezersk peak there is the mausoleum of Peter II Njegos, a respected ruler, poet and philosopher in Montenegro. Peter II, one of the most revered statesmen of Montenegro, built in 1844 on the Jezerska peak a church in honor of the miracle worker Peter Cetinsky. According to his own will, this extraordinary ruler was nevertheless buried at this very place. By his own will, this extraordinary ruler was nevertheless buried in this very place - in a new tomb, which was later erected on the site of a destroyed Orthodox chapel during the time of royal Yugoslavia. Montenegro is clearly visible from the observation deck right behind the memorial complex: Skadar Lake in the east, the majestic snow-capped peaks of Durmitor rise in the north, and the Adriatic Sea turns blue in the west - in the evening, a bright circle of the sun begins to hide behind the horizon and you will get great photos. All the picturesqueness of this small Balkan country appears before your eyes. Lush blooming meadows and stunning plains are a great place to escape from the hot and bustling coastline and the abundance of tourists! It's cool in the park, 10 degrees less than near the sea. At the start of the hiking route to the tomb of Njegus, we are preparing to overcome the impressive 461 steps.
An entertaining fact: according to the idea of the creator - Croatian architect Ivan Meštrovič - both the staircase and the tunnel that followed it carved into the mountain are a metaphor for Montenegro gaining long-awaited freedom despite historical difficulties.
At the entrance to the Njegos mausoleum itself, there are caryatids in national Serbian clothes - two stately female figures greet the guests of the mausoleum. Both the tomb and the monument inside it - a huge statue of a seated Petr Petrovich - are made of black granite quarried in the Lovcen area. Inside, the black and gold splendor is striking. The vault of the ceiling, lined with mosaics - Italian smalt - is golden in color, and behind the back of the figure of Njegus, made of black polished granite, a mountain eagle stretches out huge wings. From the chapel you can get to the crypt along a small staircase, where the remains of the great Montenegrin ruler lie in a marble sarcophagus. The ever subdued light and flowers add to the deep reverence for Njegus in this place. Symbols of secular and spiritual power - a cross and a two-headed eagle - adorn the ruler's tombstone.
On the way to Lovcen, everyone can visit the only equipped and illuminated in Montenegro Lipa cave (5 km from Cetinje) in Lipa Dobrskaya, the beauty of which was recognized by the respected in the country Petar Petrovich Negosh and King Nicholas I. Below on the ground there is a whole ice hall named after Negosh - the ruler was interested in exploring the then newly discovered Lipskaya Cave.
Don't forget to wander around the abandoned Goražda fortress! The fortress is almost perfectly preserved - it is a real example of the fortification construction of Montenegro. The fortress is multi-tiered - endless narrow corridors, white stone masonry, massive walls and winding stairs. The view of the surroundings is wonderful - going up to the top of the fortress you can see the Bay of Kotor, and from it you can also see the strip of the airport in Tivat!