Northern Montenegro

The mountainous north is the beefy brawn to the coast’s polished pulchritude. Peaking at 2534m, this is the roof of Montenegro, where profound massifs, otherworldly vistas and a picturesque smattering of old-school villages offer a literal and metaphorical breath of fresh air.

The region’s main drawcards are its three national parks. Durmitor is a dizzying combination of soaring peaks and the plunging depths of the Tara River Canyon, making for spectacular skiing in winter and rip-roaring rafting in summer. The remote treks and trails of Prokletije’s Accursed Mountains are more heaven than hell for serious alpinists, while the less hardcore can catch their breath in Biogradska Gora’s gentle lakes and timeless forests.

There’s not much in the way of infrastructure outside of Kolašin and Žabljak, but don’t let that stop you. Hire a car, steady your nerves, and let the twisty, turny, white-knuckle roads take you where they will.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Northern Montenegro.

Monastery
Morača Monastery
Morača (founded in 1252) is one of the most important Orthodox monasteries in Montenegro, with some of its most accomplished religious art. Its two churches are plastered in frescoes; the Church of the Dormition (Crkva Uspenja Bogorodice) has external frescoes by the celebrated master Djordje Mitrofanović, plus beautiful doors inlaid with geometric patterns. Inside are icons by Mitrofanović as well as other masters. The monastery is located near the banks of the Morača River, 46km from Podgorica.
Canyon
Tara Canyon
Slicing through the mountains at the northern edge of the national park, the Tara River forms a canyon that is 1300m deep at its peak (the Grand Canyon plummets a mere 200m deeper). The best views are from the water, and rafting along the river is one of the country's most popular tourist activities. If you’d rather admire the canyon from afar, head to the top of Mt Ćurevac (1625m) – although even this view is restricted by the canyon walls.
Christian Monastery
Piva Monastery
Small Piva Monastery has an intriguing history: originally constructed between 1573 and 1586, it was the only Serbian Orthodox monastery to be built during the Ottoman occupation (the Grand Vizier was a relative of Piva's founder; connections have always been everything in Montenegro). It hulked by the Piva River until the late 1960s when plans for the Mratinje Dam forced it to be moved – brick by brick, fresco fragment by fresco fragment – over 12 years to its current location near Gorankso village.
Canyon
Morača Canyon
Heading north from Podgorica, it doesn’t take long before the scenery becomes breathtaking. The highway – a thrilling, spectacular stretch of road – gets progressively more precarious as it follows the Morača River into a nearly perpendicular canyon, 300m to 400m deep. If you’re driving, pull over into one of the viewing areas to enjoy it properly: this is an extremely busy and unforgiving stretch of road. The river continues after the canyon recedes; you'll find the Morača Monastery near its banks.
Gardens
Botanic Garden
With a huge, unique collection of indigenous mountain flora and medicinal herbs, this fascinating, privately owned garden has attracted botanists from around the world. The founder and keeper of the garden, Daniel Vincek, may be getting along in years, but his knowledge – and the infectious way he shares his passion for plants in excellent English – is timeless. Hours are at Daniel's whim; if you're keen to visit, ask the tourist office to give him a call, or drop him an email yourself.
Lake
Black Lake
Eighteen glittering glacial lakes known as gorske oči (mountain eyes) dot the Durmitor range. The spectacular Black Lake, a pleasant 3km walk from Žabljak, is the largest of them and the most visited part of the national park. The rounded mass of Međed (the Bear; 2287m) rears up behind it, casting an inky shadow into the pine-walled waters. An easy 3.6km walking track circles the lake.
Christian Monastery
Holy Trinity Monastery
Dating from 1537, this impressive monastery occupies a sublimely peaceful nook tucked into the hills, 1km north of the town. Ottoman-style buildings hung with flowerboxes form a backdrop to a solid church with a sumptuously painted interior and gilded iconostasis. Behind the church, a small waterfall tumbles into a pond.
Cemetery
Stećci Sites
These mysterious carved stone tomb monuments – dating from between the 12th and 16th centuries – can be found across northern Montenegro and neighbouring Bosnia. There are two extremely significant stećci sites in Durmitor National Park (both were added to Unesco's World Heritage list in 2016): the Bare Žugića necropolis, with 300 stećci, and Grčko groblje (Greek graveyard), with 49. Many of the stones at both sites are intricately decorated.
Christian Monastery
Brezojevica Monastery
Three kilometres north of Plav, Brezojevica Monastery is a study in rural tranquillity. Meadows of yellow and purple flowers line the riverbank broken by the occasional abandoned stone building. A stone gate, topped by a shiny golden Orthodox cross, leads from the highway. Inside the Holy Trinity Church (Crkva Sv Trojice) are the faded remains of original frescoes, although the only subject that’s easy to discern is the Dormition of the Mother of God over the door.