Lake Skadar is the perfect place to enjoy a day trip or few days in nature in Montenegro. There are so many things to do here and it's so close to the capital and coast that you can even make it a relaxing base for your whole stay in Montenegro. 1. Skadar Lake Boat Tours from Rijeka Crnojevica The best thing to do in Lake Skadar National Park is to get out on the lake. A lake boat tour is the most effortless way to do it and there's just something so relaxing about puttering through canals lined with water lilies watching the dragonflies and birds. You can take a cruise taking anywhere from one to eight hours. An hour’s ride takes you to cruise the horseshoe bend at Pavlova Strana, one of the most famous sights of Lake Skadar. As well to see the famouse Amazon tour, or the fantastic Junbgke tour. But in my opinion you need at least three hours to see the best of the lake. Longer cruises take you to island monasteries, to see pelicans, to lunch in lakeside villages and wim in the lake on a very hot day.  2. Kayaking lake Skadar Another great way to get out on the lake is by kayak. In a kayak you can drift long the shallow lilypad-lined waterways, bird watch and get up close to the wildlife. You can also stop wherever you like to swim and relax on freshwater beaches.  3. Lake Skadar Winery and Gastronomy Tours The area around Lake Skadar is some of the most fertile in Montenegro and it’s a key wine producing region. In fact, the largest single-area vineyard (belonging to Plantaže wineries) in Europe is in nearby Podgorica. There are lots of family-owned, boutique wineries around the lake and you can book wine and food tastings. As well as wines you can try rakija (grape brandy) which is a staple in the Balkans. There are also other flavoured liquors like plum and cherry, which is my favourite. You can also try some traditional cuisine with your wine tasting, I always recommend having some food with wine tastings here – that brandy is potent! Plus, most of the produce you’ll try is organic, locally grown and absolutely delicious. The food you try depends on what’s in season, but it will usually include things like prosciutto, cheeses, nuts, olives, carp from the lake, seasonal salads, pies and homemade breads.  4. Lake Skadar Cycling There are five bike trails around the lake that are suitable for all abilities. You can hire bikes and maps in Virpazar and ride through some stunning scenery around the lake. This is a great way to explore the lake at your own pace. Stop wherever you like and take a closer look at old fortresses and lake villages. 5. Lake Skadar Hiking Lake Skadar National Park: Best Things to Do There are several trails around Skadar Lake. You can take guided hiking tours like the Waterfalls and Springs of Walnut Valley above, or you can explore some of the trails around the lake on your own. 6. Pavlova Strana Lake Skadar National Park: Best Things to Do Pavlova Strana is Lake Skadar’s most famous viewpoint. It actually a bend in the Crnojević River (Rijeka Crnojevića) and not part of Skadar Lake, but it is part of Skadar Lake National Park To get to Pavlova Strana you’ll need to head towards the small town of Rijeka Crnojevića and you’ll find it on the road between the town and Podgorica. Address: Pavlova Strana Viewpoint, Montenegro  7. Žabljak Crnojevića Before Cetinje became the capital of Montenegro, Skadar Lake was the capital of Montenegro. Žabljak Crnojevića was once the capital of Zeta, which was ruled by Ivan Crnojević until he was conquered by the Ottomans in 1478. You can explore the ruins of the 15th century castle that once stood on top of the hill. The views from here are breath taking.  8. Grmožur Island - Do not do! Grmožur is the biggest tourist trap in Montenegro as they call it 'Montenegrin Alcatraz’ (but so is Mamula Island at the entrance of the Bay of Kotor and that is worth it). It’s also known as Snake Island. The island has the ruins of a mini fortress on it that was built by the Ottoman Turks in 1843. Its just a joke since not only the trip to it is boring (just open water with nothing interesting) but as well the island itself is 50m in diameter, can not hget accessed and you just see some old walls - which we have million more interesting in Crna Gora. Do not go there but see Monastery Kom or Žabljak Crnojevića - those are worth a visit. 9. Lake Skadar Monasteries View from Kom Monastery There used to be around 60 monasteries, fortresses and churches around Lake Skadar. The area has always been the heart of the Montenegrin state so there are lots of centuries-old sites to explore. The Montenegrin capital was usually here or close by when invading armies pushed them back. Kom Monastery – 15th C. You can visit Kom monastery on a 3 hour boat tour, which is my favourite tour. The monastery was built on Andrijska Gora island between 1415 and 1427. Inside you’ll see 15th and 16th century frescoes. In the centre of the church lie four gravestones of the rulers of the Crnojević Dynasty. The monastery is a lovely place with stunning views over the lake. The only thing that interrupts the silence is birdsong and the sounds of the farmyard animals that call the island home. Beška Monastery – 15th C. There are two churches at Beška Monastery on Beška Island. The larger church, St George, was founded towards the end of the 15th century. The smaller one, the Church of the Holy Mother of God, was built in 1439 by Jelena Balšić and she’s also buried on the island. Starčevo Monastery – 1377. Starčevo is the oldest church of the Balšić churches. Its Church of the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God and monastery lie in Starčeva Gorica. Moračnik Monastery – 15th C. This monastery was built by Balsa III and the church is the Holy Mother of God. Prečista Krajinska – 11th C. The remains of this monastery lie near the settlement of Ostros in Krajina. The monastery was built by Duke Jovan Vladimir of Zeta but was destroyed by the invading Ottoman Turks. Vranjina, a Monastery for Princesses ‘What should I do with all these daughters?’ King Nikola, the last Montenegrin sovereign, wondered. There were eight princesses (another had died at three months old) and three princes in the Petrović household. A foreign diplomat once asked the king ‘What can you export from this completely poor country?’ to which the king replied ‘You underestimate my daughters.’ All but two of his surviving daughters were married and became valuable diplomatic assets. Zorka married the Serbian crown prince, Milica and Stana married Romanov dukes, Ana married into the German court and Jelena became the Queen of Italy. Ksenja and Vjera were banished with their parents to France, where they stayed and never married. Marica died at 16. But just in case his daughters weren’t married, in 1882 he started repairing Vranjina Monastery so that the princesses could live as nuns. The work was all done in secret and his daughters, and even his wife, Queen Milena, never knew about it.  10. Lesendro Fortress As you pass over the bridge from Vranjina to Virpazar, you can’t miss Lesendro, a ruined fortress on the lake. The fortress was built in 1843 to ward off the invading Ottoman Turks on what was originally an island. The island was captured by the Turks in 1843 and further fortified. King Nikola Petrović-Njegoš wanted it back so badly that now there’s a saying in Montenegro: ‘to long for something, like the bishop longs for Lesendro.’ He tried to take it back several times and finally succeed in 1878. The island became a peninsula when the bridge was built for the railway that links Belgrade (Serbia) and Bar on the coast. Now you drive across this same causeway when you drive this route from the coast to Podgorica. It’s difficult to explore the ruins of the fortress because there’s nowhere to pull over on the bridge. There’s also no safe walking path along the side of the road and railway tracks. If you want to explore it, the best way is to take a boat cruise or this kayak tour 10. Festival of Wine and Bleak The Wine and Bleak Festival is held every year in Virpazar. During the festival people gather from all over Montenegro to try dried and fresh grilled bleak (a lake fish) and wines from local producers. As well as the wine and fish you can try local olives, olive oil, honey and cheeses. The Crmnički region here produces excellent award-winning wines and this is a great chance to try and buy some. Montenegrins love a party and live music tops off the lively festival atmosphere. You can find out the latest about the festival on their Facebook page. How to Get to Lake Skadar Self-Drive Virpazar The worst cos mass-touristic place to explore Lake Skadar from is Virpazar, a quaint town on the shore of the lake. This is where you’ll find boat, kayak and bike rentals, wineries, cute konobas (traditional restaurants), a supermarket, atm and accommodation. And millions of tourist and no parking space. There’s a good chance you’ll be very aggressively pitched for boat tours as you drive into town. Our clear favorite: Rijeka Crnojevića Better is to get to the lake from Rijeka Crnojevića and you’ll find boats and kayaks for hire as well as restaurants here. It’s important to know that Rijeka Crnojevića is part of Lake Skadar National Park and really montenegrin village with a beautiful harbour promenade. Distances to Rijeka Crnojevića: Kotor: 65km (40mi) Budva: 43km (27mi) Podgorica: 29km (18mi) Recommended Boat tours: Half day tour Perfect to see all highlights in one tour Day Tours Skadar Lake Boat Cruise from Podgorica Starting in Podgorica, this tour takes you to Rijeka Crnojevića, Pavlova Strana and to a boutique winery. Private Wine Tour around Lake Skadar: This intimate tour takes you to boutique wineries to experience the wine and culture of Crmnica, Montenegro's premier wine-making region. Multi-Day Tours Multi-day tours or 'organised adventure' tours are a great way to experience the best Montenegro has to offer. All your travel arrangements and activities are done for you, which saves you a lot of time, and usually works out cheaper than if you'd arranged them yourself. You'll find a huge range of tours available that include group tours, private tours, activity tours like cycling tours and tours that include neighbouring countries like Croatia! Montenegro Essentials 5 Day Tour: This affordable group tour takes you to all the highlights including Lake Skadar, Budva, Lovćen National Park and the Bay of Kotor. Comfortable Montenegro Discovery: Starting in Budva, this 7 day tour is a relaxed and in-depth tour around all of Montenegro's top beauty spots and cultural attractions. |
