UltimateCity Guide Podgorica
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Stories from Podgorica, Montenegro

Every story, long read and guide in the ULTIMATE Podgorica City Guide, in one place.

The Montenegrin coast in style

Superyacht marinas, an island village reborn as a hotel, beach clubs and new resort towns, all within two hours of Podgorica: our guide to the luxury coast, and to the developments changing it.

Independence Square in the centre of PodgoricaIndependence SquareChristmas in PodgoricaThe bazaar and New YearPorto Montenegro and the Bay of Kotor at sunset, TivatLuxury guideThe Luxury CoastMarinas, island hotels and beach clubsSveti Stefan and the AdriaticLuxury hotelsAman Sveti StefanReopened in 2026Superyachts below the residences of Porto MontenegroThe back storyPorto MontenegroFrom naval arsenal to superyacht marinaSunset over Portonovi on the Bay of KotorDevelopmentsPortonovi & Luštica BayThe new resort towns

The far south

And at the southern end of the coast, Ulcinj and Ada Bojana: long sands and fish on stilts.

  1. Property guideBuying propertyRules, taxes and residence
  2. The deep southUlcinj & Ada BojanaLong sands and fish on stilts

History

History & heritage

How Roman Doclea, the medieval Ribnica and an Ottoman market town on the Morača grew into Montenegro’s young, green capital, the gateway to the mountains, the lake and the coast.

The Millennium Bridge over the Morača in PodgoricaHistory & heritageDoclea, Ribnica and Stara Varoš: Podgorica’s heritage where five rivers meetFrom Roman Doclea to Montenegro’s modern capitalThe Ottoman clock tower, Sahat kula, in Stara VarošThe back storyPodgoricaFive rivers, two thousand years, and a city that has reinvented…The path to the Njegoš Mausoleum on the summit of LovćenThe back storyNjegoš, poet-prince of MontenegroNjegoš asked to be buried on the summit of Lovćen, and Montenegro has…

Our advice

A city of rivers

Walk from Stara Varoš and the clock tower along the Ribnica to the Millennium Bridge in the early evening. Podgorica’s heritage is in its rivers as much as its buildings. History & heritage

The Balkans, with love

From Njeguši ham to the pelicans of Lake Skadar: the life Montenegro shares with the whole region.

Café terraces on Veliki trg in old Zemun, Belgrade, under the tower of the Church of the AssumptionThe regionThe Balkans, with loveCafés, markets, the table and the welcomeKotor’s old town and the bay from the fortress walls, MontenegroThe long readThe Balkan SoulCafés, markets, the table and the wildGrilled ćevapi with fries and kajmakThe regionFood & Drink in the BalkansThe shared table, guide by guide
  1. The regionWildlife & Nature in the BalkansPelicans on Lake Skadar, the canyons of Durmitor

Our advice

Njegoš country

Start at the Biljarda in Cetinje, where Njegoš lived and worked, then drive up to his mausoleum on Lovćen. In Njeguši, his birthplace, stop for pršut and cheese. Njegoš

Day trips

Montenegro on your doorstep

From Podgorica, the whole of Montenegro is an easy trip: the Bay of Kotor and the riviera, Lake Skadar, the old royal capital, Ostrog and the mountains of Durmitor.

The Bay of Kotor from the walls above KotorCoast guideKotor & the BayWalls, cathedral and PerastThe meanders of the Crnojević river flowing into Lake SkadarLake guideLake SkadarWater lilies and pelicansCetinje MonasteryHistory guideCetinje & LovćenA royal capital and a mountainCoast guideBudva & Sveti StefanThe rivieraOstrog Monastery in its cliffPilgrimage guideOstrogA monastery in the cliff

The coast

Along the coast, the promenade and islands of Tivat, the steps and fortresses of Herceg Novi, and Stari Bar and Ulcinj in the south.

  1. Mountain guideDurmitor & the TaraLakes, peaks and a canyon
  2. Coast guideTivat & Porto MontenegroPromenade, islands and superyachts

A city of rivers

Five rivers meet around Podgorica. Swim in the green-blue Morača in summer, walk to the old Ribnica bridge and drive up the Morača canyon.

The Morača river in its canyon north of PodgoricaSummer swimmingFive riversThe rivers that shaped the cityA Belgrade–Bar train high above a valley in the mountainsGreat railway journeysThe Belgrade–Bar railwayOver the mountains to BelgradeThe Moračica bridge on its tall concrete piers across the canyon, nearing completion, above the old roadThe back storyMontenegro’s bridgesFrom the Ribnica to the Moračica

Know your neighbourhoods

Independence Square in the centre of PodgoricaNeighbourhood

The centre (Nova Varoš)

Independence Square, the café streets of Njegoševa and Hercegovačka, the National Theatre and the best hotels.

Explore The centre (Nova Varoš) The Ottoman clock tower, Sahat kula, in Stara VarošNeighbourhood

Stara Varoš & the rivers

The Ottoman old town, the clock tower, the old Ribnica bridge and the fortress where the rivers meet.

Explore Stara Varoš & the rivers Independence Square in the centre of PodgoricaNeighbourhood

Preko Morače & the cathedral

Across the river: the Millennium Bridge, the Cathedral of the Resurrection, the Petrović Palace and Rimski trg.

Explore Preko Morače & the cathedral The dining room at Spago, with lamp-lit arched niches, rattan chairs and a brick wallNeighbourhood

City Kvart

The modern district of glass offices, apartments, restaurants and bars, where Podgorica goes out.

Explore City Kvart The Millennium Bridge over the MoračaNeighbourhood

Gorica & the hills

The wooded hills that frame the city: Gorica, which gave Podgorica its name, and Ljubović in the south.

Explore Gorica & the hills

The ULTIMATE letter

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