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TravelTips24 : Europe : Mediterranean Europe : Montenegro : Cetinje

Cetinje

Cetinje [1] is historic capital of Montenegro. The city is of enormous historical and spiritual value to Montenegro. During the siege of Ottoman empire, the Montenegro itself had noumerous times been reduced to Cetinje and surroundings.

Culture and History

Cetinje is located in the small valley under the Lovćen mountain. It is founded 15th century by Ivan Crnojevic. His son has there founded the first printing house in the South Slavs - about the time the Columbus discovered 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 located a thousand miles away from any of the continental cities that the architecture is representative of. It is very much spiritual heart of Montenegro.

Travel to Cetinje & Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Cetinje

Podgorica airport is some 50km away, and has flights throughout the year to Belgrade, Budapest, Zurich, Frankfurt, Ljubljana, Paris, Rome and Vienna.

Buses to Cetinje

Maybe the best way to get to Cetinje. It is less than hour drive from both Podgorica and Budva. Busses to domestic destinations are very frequent.

By car

All roads in Montenegro are two-laned only, and mostly are curvy mountainous roads, so speeds over 70 km/h (43 mph) are rarely legal, and rarely safe.

Road from Kotor to Cetinje is curvy, mountanious road, and mist or ice are not uncommon. Road from Budva to Cetinje is in relatively good condition with 3 lanes in some parts. Road from Podgorica to Cetinje is in fairly good condition.

Tours & Getting around Cetinje

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

Cetinje attractions and sightseeing

  • Cetinje monastery
  • Vlaška church (1450), with its fence made out of barrels of captured enemy rifles.
  • Njegoš's museum - Biljarda
  • King Nikola's palace (1867)
  • The blue palace (1895)
  • Zetski dom - Royal theatre
  • Vladin dom - National museum of Montenegro
  • Foreign embassies (Russian, French, Austrian, Italian...)
  • Vladika Danilo's burrial place, on the small hill of Orlov Krš. It gives the beautiful view of Cetinje.

Cetinje city tours

Cetinje isn't a tourist atracttion in a common meaning of the word. Montenegro's coastal resorts are definitely more amusing. Visiting Cetinje is really about understanding Montenegro and it's history.

  • Driving down the old road to Kotor gives the unforgettable view of Boka Kotorska bay.
  • Climb up to Mount Lovćen, a kind of Montenegrin Mount Olympus. On the top of the mountain lies the magnificent mausoleum where Petar II Petrović Njegoš is burried. The view is stunning, they say that on a clear day you can see Italy across the Adriatic sea!
  • Go to Njeguši, picturesque old Montenegrin village, and the Njegoš's birthplace.
  • Go to Rijeka Crnojevića, small village on the river of the same name. Great place for a one-day trip, as they have few excellent restaurants.
  • Visit noumerous museums in Cetinje

Cetinje souvenirs & shopping

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.

Cetinje Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Cetinje is the right town to try out traditional Montenegrin cuisine. The praised restaurant "Konak", just a few minutes drive down the road towards Budva is good choice. There are few excellent traditional Montenegrin restaurants in the village of Njeguši. Going down to Rijeka Crnojevića village is also good choice, as you can enjoy great meals in its beautiful natural setting.

Be sure to 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 potatoe with cheese and fresh cream (kajmak).

Cetinje nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs

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.

Cetinje cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels & lodging

Apart from renting rooms from the locals, the only choice is to reside at the Grand hotel (***) at the city center. There is also nice hotel in the peaceful environment of Rijeka Crnojevića.

Get out

This page was last edited at 12:16, on 26 August 2008 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Andrew Haggard, Ravikiran Rao and Aaron Burda, Wikitravel user(s) The Yeti, WindHorse, Nzpcmad and Huttite and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.

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