Ten places worth the drive — all reachable in a normal car, no off-roading required. Pick a route, we'll have the car ready.
Every stop below is a paved-road drive from Podgorica — here's how to get to each one, and why it's worth it.
Bay of Kotor
Stone lanes, Venetian palaces, a cat at every corner, and mountains rising straight out of the water. Climb part of the old city walls for the view everyone photographs, or just get lost for an afternoon.
By car: A straight run down the coastal highway from Podgorica — park just outside the old town walls and walk in.
About 1h15 from Podgorica
Bay of Kotor
A single row of Baroque palaces facing two tiny islands — one of them built up over centuries by sailors dropping a stone every time they came home safe. Boats to the island church leave right from the waterfront.
By car: A scenic ten-minute drive along the bay past Kotor — the road hugs the water almost the whole way.
About 1h25 from Podgorica
Budva Riviera
Montenegro's liveliest coastal town — a walled old quarter of narrow stone streets by day, restaurants and bars spilling outside by night, with some of the country's best beaches on either side.
By car: The main coastal highway runs right into town, with paid parking a short walk from the old walls.
About 1h from Podgorica
Budva Riviera
A fortified islet turned five-star resort, joined to the mainland by a strip of sand — one of the most photographed views on the Adriatic, especially from Miločer beach at sunset.
By car: A short stop right off the coastal road just south of Budva — a small roadside car park sits above the viewpoint.
About 1h10 from Podgorica
Central Montenegro
A monastery built into a sheer cliff face, visible for miles before you arrive — one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the Balkans, for any faith or none.
By car: Paved the whole way off the main Podgorica–Nikšić road, though the final stretch narrows into switchbacks with a couple of one-car tunnels. Most guests park at the lower monastery or the upper car park and walk the last short climb.
About 1h from Podgorica
Lovćen National Park
Montenegro's spiritual high point, literally — a mausoleum at 1,657m reached by 461 steps through a mountain tunnel, with a panorama over half the country from the top on a clear day.
By car: The gentler paved approach is from Cetinje; the famous 25-hairpin serpentine road up from Kotor is the more dramatic (still fully paved) option for confident drivers.
About 1h from Podgorica via Cetinje
Durmitor Region
Europe's deepest canyon, spanned by a 1940s concrete arch bridge 172m above the river — walk out onto the bridge itself, or ride the zipline across the gorge for the view from mid-air.
By car: The main road to Žabljak crosses the bridge directly, and the Ćurevac viewpoint is a short, well-marked walk from its own car park nearby.
About 2h from Podgorica
Žabljak
Glacial peaks over 2,500m ringing a still, forest-lined lake — the easy loop trail around Black Lake takes under an hour and is one of the most rewarding short walks in the country.
By car: Paved roads run all the way to Žabljak and into the park; a small per-vehicle fee applies at the entrance, then it's a couple of minutes to the lakeside car park.
About 2h30 from Podgorica
Lake Skadar National Park
The Balkans' largest lake, seen from above at its most photographed bend — a river doubling back on itself through green hills, best around sunrise or sunset when the light softens.
By car: The direct road is narrow with switchbacks; if that's not your thing, a slightly longer route via the M2.3 road to Rijeka Crnojevića is wider and just as scenic.
About 50 minutes from Podgorica
Northern Montenegro
One of Europe's last primeval forests, wrapped around a glacial lake so still it mirrors the trees. A flat, shaded 3.5km path circles the whole lake — no serious hiking required.
By car: A paved road between Kolašin and Mojkovac leads straight to the lakeside car park, with a small entrance fee per person.
About 1h30 from Podgorica
