Best view in Montenegro? Quite a statement, I know. But I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. Other than offering a fantastic viewpoint, Lovćen National Park (pronounced LOV-chen) has scenic hiking trails, a mausoleum with a wonderful lookout, and a recreational area with accommodations and restaurants.
With a rich flora and fauna, this mountain enclave in southwest Montenegro is an excellent option to get a break from the busy coastal towns like Budva and Kotor.
I visited this park twice, as I couldn’t get enough of the wonderful mountain and sea views and the beautiful landscape.
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This is What to Do at Lovćen National Park
Table of Contents
Visit the Lovćen Mausoleum and Delight in the View
The Mausoleum of Petar II Petrović Njegoš, Prince-Bishop of Montenegro from 1830 to 1851, is one of the most important monuments in the country. Not only was he a ruler who promoted the importance of culture and education and the secularization of institutions, but he was also a celebrated poet and philosopher.
The construction of the mausoleum, located at 1,660 metres (5,446 ft.) above sea level, was completed in 1974. It’s the highest mausoleum in the world, allegedly.
After driving on a narrow and uphill road you’ll reach the parking lot, which has an extremely limited capacity (arrive early or later in the day to also avoid the cruise ship crowds, especially during the high season).
Even from here the views are great. If for some reason you can’t reach the top of the stairs or you don’t want to pay the admission fee for the mausoleum, it’s still worth it making it to this point.
461 steps later, you’ll reach the Njegoš Mausoleum, located on top of Jezerski Vrh, the second highest peak in Lovćen.
After walking past the cold gaze of the two granite sculptures guarding the tomb entrance you’ll stand under a golden mosaic dome and in front of a statue of Njegoš with an eagle, carved from a single piece of granite.
After paying your respects, go around the mausoleum, take the wide path along the ridge to reach the round viewing platform and bask in the view.
See why I say this is the best view in the country?
From here, depending on the weather, you’ll see the Durmitor mountains, Lake Skadar, the Adriatic Sea and even Albania and Italy on a clear day.
Bring a sweater as temperatures are lower compared to the coast, even more when it’s windy.
If you have the time and the energy, you can hike here from Ivanova Korita (read more below), which will be about 1.5 to 2 hours to the top.
Open everyday: 9AM-5PM. Closed from mid-November to mid-April; General admission to the Lovćen mausoleum: €8
If you’re short on time or don’t want to drive, this full day highly-rated tour will bring you here and include stops at other points of interest:
Visit the Lovćen Mausoleum, the city of Cetinje, take a boat ride on River Crnojević, and stop for pics of Sveti Stefan. Pick up points include Kotor and other main coastal cities.
Book this tour stopping at Lovćen, with a rating of 4.9/5 based on more than 800 reviews.
Stop at the Visitor Center in Ivanova Korita
Ivanova Korita is the tourist hub in Lovćen National Park. Here, you’ll find restaurants, hotels, picnic tables, and a visitor centre where you can get information about the park and the trails. They have hiking maps for sale and equipment for rent, such as hiking poles, snowshoes, and bicycles.
The general admission to Lovćen National Park is €3 p/p.
Hike the Wolf Trail and Babina Glava
When I completed this trail it was clear to me why it’s the most popular in Lovćen. Other than being easy to do -it’s mostly flat-, it takes you through a forest and several viewpoints with amazing mountain and sea views.
You may spot some of the nearly 200 species of birds, including golden eagles, peregrine falcons, and owls. Lovćen is also home to bears and gray wolves, but chances of encountering them are slim to none.
The Wolf Trail (#751) is a 7-kilometre loop -4.4miles- (10.5 kilometres -6.5miles- if you reach the Babina Glava viewpoint), starting at Ivanova Korita, the park’s tourist centre.
The trailhead is to the left of the Ivanov Konak Hotel. Follow the path through the forest until you find a fork in the road.
If you keep going straight, following the sign towards Dolovi (a small village) you’ll do the trail counterclockwise, which is a good idea if you visit during the summer as you’ll complete the sunniest portion earlier.
If you turn left on 751 (what we did), you’ll walk first through the shade of a beech forest. Since we visited during autumn, the leaves had yellow and orange tones and we barely saw anyone on the trail. You’ll also see the surrounding peaks, partially covered by pine trees.
Shortly after you leave the forest you’ll see the Bay of Kotor, with a stunning view of Tivat and Herceg Novi.
You’ll then reach another fork in the road. Walk left to go on the trail spur that leads to the Babina Glava peak (1,474 metres-4,836 ft.) and views of the Budva Riviera.
Retrace your steps back to the bay viewpoint and walk on the other direction to complete the loop. You’ll see a different look of the mountains, more on the bare side, until you reach Dolovi.
At some point you’ll reach a signpost with two signs for Ivanova Korita, one says 2.6 Km and the other says 1 Km. We weren’t sure where to go so we used Maps.me to find our way back. It took us to the left of the fork and then away from the road through a shortcut on a rocky path connecting to a trail ending in Ivanova Korita.
There are markers on the trail, but you can buy a map at the visitor centre (we used Maps.me), where you can also rent hiking poles and hire a guide.
Hiking difficulty: Easy
Duration: 3-4 hours
Bike Across and Beyond the Park
Hop on a bike and see the beautiful landscape of Lovćen National Park on two wheels. You can rent a bike at the visitor centre in Ivanova Korita and go as far your legs can take you.
There are trails that go all the way to the lovely city of Cetinje, and as far as Kotor and Budva.
Try Cured Ham and Do Ziplining in Njeguši
Njeguši (pronounced nieh-GOO-shee) is a small mountain village in Mount Lovćen that has the distinction of being the birthplace of Petar II Petrović Njegoš, the Montenegrin hero buried in the park mausoleum. His house is now a museum you can visit (closed from mid-November to mid-April).
Other than that, Njeguši is famous for its locally made smoked cured ham, known as pršut. It’s similar to prosciutto. You can also try local sheep cheese, rakija (pronounced RAH-key-ah), and wine.
Full disclosure, I didn’t make it to Njeguši. Andre had plenty of pršut and I had plenty of rakija the day before when we visited nearby Cetinje, and I don’t eat meat.
But it may be a good spot for you to try these local appetizers after hiking in Lovćen.
They also have a short but scenic zipline with views of the Bay of Kotor.
Where to Stay in Lovćen National Park
Here are some options inside the park and near the park:
Breeze Home Cottage: this 2-bedroom wood chalet is a great option if you want to be away from the tourist centre (but inside the park) in a self-catered accommodation. It’s simple, but it’s clean and well equipped, with great WIFI and outdoor seating with fabulous views.
Stay in this cottage, with a 9.7/10 rating based on more than 90 reviews.
Hotel Monte Rosa: this 4-star hotel is located in Ivanova Korita, making it convenient for hikers. You can choose from single, double or triple rooms, junior suites, and apartments. Units come with a flat-screen TV and a fridge, with breakfast included and free parking. There’s also an on-site bar and a restaurant.
Check availability at Hotel Monte Rosa, with a 8.2/10 rating based on more than 800 reviews.
Etno Village Saint George: these 2-bedroom little houses are located near the park, in Njeguši. All units have AC and some have a kitchen. There’s an on-site restaurant, free parking and bikes are available for rent.
Check rates at Saint George, with a 8.7/10 rating based on more than 200 reviews.
How to Get to Lovćen National Park
At this time there are no public buses to the park. Depending on your budget and how much time you have, these are your options:
-Drive: renting a car is the best alternative if you want to explore the area at your own pace. It’s quite a scenic road and you can stop for pictures along the way.
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-Join a tour: want to enjoy the view and skip all the planning? Check out this highly-rated tour.
-Take the cable car and walk (or book a ride to the park from the upper station): there’s a cable car near Kotor that goes up the slopes of the mountain and drops you near the park (not inside the park).
You still have to either walk (the Lovćen Mausoleum is about 1.5 to 2 hours away on foot, one way), or pay extra for transportation to the park. The cable car doesn’t run if it’s windy.
To board the cable car from Kotor you either take a taxi to the lower station (they’re known for overcharging for this short trip) or ask the driver of the bus to Budva if he can drop you off near the station. No, you can’t walk or bike to the station.
The 11-minute scenic cable car ride costs €23 p/p (€15 during low season).
-Walk or bike from Kotor: you can do a mega hike (uphill) from the coast. You can also hike to Lovćen from Cetinje.
Lovćen National Park is a fantastic site to relax in the outdoors, with hiking trails that cut through the forest and viewpoints overlooking the sea. Learn where to find other awesome views in Montenegro by reading my posts about Durmitor National Park.
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