Lake Skadar: Rijeka Crnojevića, Virpazar and boats among the water lilies

Lake Skadar: key facts

When you're no longer in Montenegro, but it won't let you go)
Montenegro isn't just about mountains, the sea and beaches. There's more to see here. For example, Lake Skadar — the largest on the Balkan Peninsula and one of the most picturesque lakes in Europe. Lying on the border of Montenegro and Albania, it's a unique combination of natural beauty, rich history and all sorts of activities. I'm a huge fan of Lake Skadar and I'm convinced you have to visit it at least once. Preferably in spring, when it's at its fullest and the water lilies are in bloom. I've already written about one of the options, Rijeka Crnojevića, and soon I'll write about the second one, Virpazar. In the meantime, a few facts about this amazing lake.

📍 Geography and size
• Area: from 370 to 530 km² depending on the season
• Depth: average around 6–7 m, maximum up to 45 m
• Length: about 44 km
• Width: up to 14 km
• Coastline: roughly 170 km
The lake is fed by underground springs and rivers, including the Morača and the Rijeka Crnojevića, which I've already told you about. Its shape resembles a dolphin, whose "head" is in Albania, and whose "body" and "tail" are in Montenegro.

🕰 History
• Ancient times: The first settlements on the lake shores appeared in prehistoric times. Archaeological finds point to the presence of Illyrians, Romans and other peoples.
• Middle Ages: Many monasteries and churches were built around the lake, including Starčevo, Beška and Moračnik, many of which have survived to this day.
• Ottoman period: In the 15th century the region was conquered by the Ottoman Empire. Fortresses such as Žabljak Crnojevića and Grmožur, were built to defend the territory.
• Recent history: During World War II the lake became an arena of resistance against the fascist occupiers.

🐦 About nature
Lake Skadar is home to more than 280 bird species, including pelicans, herons and cormorants. It's also home to about 50 species of fish, some of them endemic. In 1983 the Montenegrin part of the lake was declared a national park, and in 1996 it was added to the Ramsar Convention list as a wetland of international importance. It's an absolute paradise for birdwatchers.

🏞 Tourism and sights
• Virpazar: The main tourist centre on the lake, where boat tours depart from. Prices differ for group or private trips. Out of season, for a 2-hour trip we were charged 30 euros per person plus a national park fee of 5 euros per person. You can also rent kayaks and SUP boards here.
• Monasteries: Visiting the island monasteries, such as Beška and Starčevo, is one of the main sightseeing routes.
• Fortresses: Exploring historic fortresses, including Žabljak Crnojevića and Grmožur, known as the "Montenegrin Alcatraz".
• Hiking and cycling routes: We met a lot of cyclists here, especially from France. There are also interesting hiking routes, for example along the viewpoints around the lake. The landscape there is incredibly picturesque, with lots of vineyards, ruined fortresses and old estates, and the lake itself looks fantastically beautiful from above, especially in spring!

🛶 How to get there
Lake Skadar is easy to reach from Podgorica, Bar or Budva. The main access point is Virpazar, which you can get to by train, bus or car.

More photos in the comments

Published 8 May 2025 · Open post in Telegram ↗

Rijeka Crnojevića: little boats and the first printing house

A guide to Montenegro it is! 🗺️ Kicking it off - Rijeka Crnojevića, a must-visit place, especially if you're travelling by car.
Rijeka Crnojevića is a picturesque little spot in Montenegro, set on the river of the same name, not far from Lake Skadar. In the 15th century it was the capital of Prince Ivan Crnojević and an important cultural centre: it was here, in 1494, that the first printing house in the Balkans started work, printing books in Cyrillic.

Today Rijeka Crnojevića is a tourist spot with numerous cafés where you can grab a bite of freshly caught fish, and from where travellers set off on boats to explore the river and Lake Skadar. The symbol of the village is the stone arched bridge built in 1853 by Prince Danilo. It looks especially picturesque at dusk.

🚤 Should you take a boat ride?
Absolutely yes, otherwise there's no point in visiting this place. Just remember: the boats are very fast, and I don't know about summer, but in spring it's cold on them — you'll need a jacket and even a hat.
There are lots of route options, with prices starting from 40 euros per boat. Plus, if you head towards Lake Skadar, you'll pay a national park fee of 5 euros per person. We chose the Amazonia route, 85 euros. And it was the right call — it was incredibly beautiful: in places we sailed through narrow channels surrounded by reeds, trees, water lilies, stunning mountain views and, of course, loads of birds. I just didn't know which way to look — grey herons here, cormorants there, swans, and so many unfamiliar birds of every kind. You can also spot pelicans here, but we weren't lucky this time.
Near the boat launch, cheerful families of ducks and geese paddle about; they're quite tame, take food right from your hands, compete for attention and hiss loudly at each other.

And for those who've read this far 🔥! The viewpoint - Pavlova Strana - with an absolutely insane view of the river bend and Lake Skadar. You won't believe your eyes, it's that beautiful! At the local café you can have a coffee or a prosecco and, if you're lucky enough to grab front-row seats, watch this incredibly beautiful show put on by nature itself.

It's the perfect half-day route: the recommended order is the viewpoint, lunch and a stroll along the river, then a boat trip at sunset.

On the way you can stop by to see a striking example of Yugoslav brutalism.

in the comments: routes and an example of how to dress properly for a boat ride)))

Published 29 April 2025 · Open post in Telegram ↗

Virpazar — the gateway to Lake Skadar

Today I'll tell you about another lovely little spot in Montenegro -
Virpazar — a tiny town spread out where the Crmnica and Orahovštica rivers meet, right on the shore of Lake Skadar. Just a few little streets, stone houses with tiled roofs, a couple of bridges — and the feeling that time flows more slowly here than in the rest of the world.

📜 History and origins
• The first mention of the settlement of Vir (from the Slavic for "river mouth") dates back to 1242.
• The name "Virpazar" appeared at the end of the 15th century, when the Turks came here: the Turkish word pazar ("market") was added to the old name.
• The Turks built the Besac fortress on the hill — its ruins can still be seen today.

Besides Lake Skadar, the town is famous for its monument, its bridge and the cat that sleeps on the bridge.
🌉 The main symbol of Virpazar is the stone arched bridge, built in the early 20th century. It links the banks of the canals and leads to the market square, where boat tours set off.
🗿On Virpazar's central square stands a monument to the uprising of 13 July 1941. The bronze figure on a watchtower embodies the heroism of the partisans and the townspeople. It was right here, in Virpazar, that the first shot of the largest anti-fascist uprising in occupied Europe rang out. Locals, together with people from the surrounding villages, attacked the Italian garrison and liberated the town. Since then, 13 July has been celebrated as Montenegro's national holiday.

🛶 From Virpazar you can head out on your own by kayak/SUP. Or choose a boat tour. There are plenty of options, from short trips to long routes visiting island monasteries and fortresses. Don't forget that Lake Skadar is a national park, so you'll also be charged a fixed fee for visiting it.
Hiking fans will love the trails leading from the waterfront up into the mountains and to the viewpoints. My favourite viewpoint. In spring there's an incredible view from here, and the hill itself is covered in a carpet of flowers.

As for other entertainment – the town has plenty of cafés, konobas and souvenir shops. I recommend the souvenir shop of the local artist, Lilia Knyazevich. The menu must include fresh lake fish: carp (krap), bleak (ukljeva), eel (jegulja). I advise trying fried carp at the konoba "Demicana"(Plavi 1) – the portions are huge, and the taste is 🔥.
Another local delicacy is dried bleak (suva ukljeva), served with cornbread and a glass of Vranac wine. And of course, you can't leave without trying the homemade wine and grape rakija from Crmnica.

By the way, parking in Virpazar is a sad story; in high season it's better not to waste time searching and just park at the entrance to town, past the bridge.

As you've probably gathered, life in Virpazar is simple and unhurried, and its rhythm is set by the lake: fishermen heading out in the morning, quiet boat trips, lively wine and fish festivals. In summer the town square turns into one big table, and no guest leaves without being treated. And acquaintances here often begin with the phrase: Ajde, popij jednu — "Come on, have a drink." Of course, you can't say no, because This is the Balkans, baby!

Here's the post about Lake Skadar

Rijeka Crnojevića, a Montenegrin must-have

More photos (menu, routes) in the comments

Published 11 August 2025 · Open post in Telegram ↗

🪷Suvenirnica, Lilja Knežević

🧚If you find yourself in Virpazar, don't walk past the small but magical shop of local artist Lilja Knežević.

Lilja works wonders with recycled glass: at a temperature of 800 °C she turns colourful bits of glass into tiny fish, funny pelicans, delicate water lilies and even octopuses. All these magnets and trinkets aren't just souvenirs, but little shards of Lake Skadar you can take home with you.

There are at least three reasons to drop into her shop:
Firstly, it's a rare case where souvenirs are genuinely worth it — they carry the atmosphere of the place and are handmade by someone in love with the lake.
Secondly, the shop's owner is hospitality itself. Lilja will happily show you around her workshop and tell you how she creates these glass wonders. Her range isn't very big, because tourists buy everything up, and the artist only has two hands.
And thirdly, everything else around is generic Chinese mass-produced stuff, while Lilja's works are alive, warm and real.

🪷On my fridge at home there's a pelican and a water lily from Lilja — and every time I look at them, I remember the trip on the lake, the sea of water lilies and the warm sun over Virpazar.

Published 18 August 2025 · Open post in Telegram ↗

The famous cat on the bridge in Virpazar

Kot śpiący na moście

I accidentally found out something amazing. It turns out the cat on this channel's avatar is a celebrity — you could even say one of Virpazar's sights. Virpazar is a small town in Montenegro on the shore of Lake Skadar. It's actually where the boats and kayaks of lake explorers set off from.
Well, for some reason this cat is always sleeping on the bridge at the most touristy spot in town. Happily poses for photos. Offers an ear for scratching. And what else do you need to become a famous cat)) and now cat lovers from all over the world come specially to see this poser. "This is my bridge and I'll lie on it" — says the Cat!
If you can be bothered, the link has "reviews" of this wonderful cat and videos of him.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/m8nRG2BpkahFP81P9?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

Published 24 February 2025 · Open post in Telegram ↗