Cetinje

Understand

Cetinje is a town of 19,000 in the small valley under Lovćen Mountain. It was founded in the 15th century by Ivan Crnojevic. His son founded the first printing house in the South Slavs - about the time the Columbus sailed to America! Due to the strategic nature of Montenegro, it being an independent state on the border of the Ottoman Empire, all of the major European powers had an embassy in Cetinje. For this reason, the town has a continental style old town 1,600 km away from any of the continental cities that the architecture is representative of. It is very much the spiritual heart of Montenegro.

Get around

Cetinje, especially the historical centre of the city, is small enough, and everything is within walking distance.

See

There is a cumulative €20 ticket that allows you to visit all the museums in Cetinje plus the Mausoleum of Petar II Petrovic-Njegos in Lovcen National Park.

Do

Visiting Cetinje is really about understanding Montenegro and its history.

Buy

If you are looking for a genuine Montenegrin souvenir - Cetinje is the town! Other than that, Cetinje is not really a shopping resort, leave that for coastal towns or Podgorica.

Eat

Cetinje is the right town to try out traditional Montenegrin cuisine. Despite the name of the country, make sure you try the excellent Adriatic fish and seafood.

Excellent fish and seafood

As in the rest of former Yugoslavia, you can try njeguški pršut (smoked ham) and njeguški cheese. The main courses are boiled lamb, lamb cooked in milk, cicvara in fresh milk cream (buttered corn porridge), boiled potato with cheese and fresh cream (kajmak).

Drink

Montenegrin quality wine is a must-try. The best known Montenegrin wines are the premium "Vranac", "Pro Corde", "Krstač", "Cabernet", "Chardonnay" and the famous home made Crmničko red wine.

Grape brandy (rakija) "Montenegrin loza", "Prvijenac", "Kruna" or home made grape brandy (lozova rakija, lozovaca) is also great.

Sleep

You cannot find private rooms in Cetinje as easily as in other, more touristic, Montenegrin towns. There are two places that offer rooms for rent next to the bus station (you need to go left from the bus station and then take the first right). Once you get there you will need to call the owners the phone, because they're usually not there. The rooms are really nice and cost €12-15 per person.

Go next

Lovćen National Park Njeguši, picturesque old Montenegrin village, and the Njegoš's birthplace. Rijeka Crnojevića, small village on the river of the same name. Great place for a one-day trip, as they have a few excellent restaurants. Budva Kotor Bar