The back story
Wild Podgorica: Five Rivers and Lake Skadar
River canyons, Lake Skadar’s pelicans and Durmitor’s lakes: wild Podgorica.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsThe natural side of Podgorica, the city of five rivers, from the Morača and the Cijevna to Lake Skadar, one of Europe's most important bird habitats, and Durmitor National Park, with a directory of the places in our guide and our regional long read on Balkan wildlife.
Podgorica is often called the city of five rivers, and they still shape its life. The Morača runs through the middle of the city in a deep, rocky bed, its water an astonishing green-blue, and south of the city lies Lake Skadar, the largest lake in the Balkans, shared by Montenegro and Albania.
This is a short, honest guide to Podgorica's natural side: the rivers, the canyons and the great lake. For Durmitor and the wildlife of the whole region, see our guides and our Balkans long read.
Rivers and canyons
In summer, locals climb down to the pebble beaches of the Morača to swim; swim only where others do, as the current can be strong. The Cijevna, a tributary, runs through a canyon so narrow in places you could jump across, just four kilometres from the centre. North of the city, the Morača cuts a deep, dramatic canyon through the mountains, and the road to Kolašin follows it above the green water.
Feature: Lake Skadar
Lake Skadar, the largest lake in the Balkans, is one of the most important bird habitats in Europe: more than 270 species have been recorded there, among them the Dalmatian pelican, which nests on the lake. Boat trips into the reed beds and water lilies are the way to see it; spring and autumn are the best seasons for birds.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © peterichman · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsDid you know? More than 270 species of bird have been recorded on Lake Skadar, among them the Dalmatian pelican, which nests on the lake.
Half an hour from Podgorica, Dalmatian pelicans nest on the largest lake in the Balkans.
Our advice
Our advice: take a boat on Lake Skadar early in the morning in spring or autumn, and keep a respectful distance from the pelican colonies; swim in the Cijevna on a weekday morning in water shoes. In the canyons, drive with care, and take your rubbish home.
Why it's on our list
- Rivers and canyons
- Feature: Lake Skadar
- Our advice
Location
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