Podgorica

Montenegro

Podgorica (Montenegrin: Подгорица) is the capital of Montenegro.

Aerial view of Podgorica Besides being the capital of Montenegro, Podgorica is also the country's largest city, having a population of some 180,000 people. The city is situated in central Montenegro, in the scarce Montenegrin lowlands between the Dinaric Alps and Lake Scutari.

The Podgorica area has been continuously inhabited since the Illyrian and Roman eras, with settlement on the site of today's Podgorica being firmly established during Ottoman Empire rule. Podgorica was reincorporated in Montenegro in 1878, when the city started to take a more European shape. Nazi and Allied bombings during World War II destroyed much of the historical Ottoman and Montenegro-era Podgorica architecture, and the city was reborn as the capital of Montenegro in Socialist Yugoslavia (SFRY). The city was then rebuilt and expanded in a manner typical of Eastern bloc countries, so it is mostly a modern planned city, and by no means a principal sightseeing destination.

While not a typical European eye candy, the is city definitely worth visiting, owing to its interesting mix of old and new, its café culture and nightlife, and its laid back Mediterranean atmosphere. Both Montenegrin coastal cities (Bar, Budva and Tivat) and its mountain resorts are within one hour's drive from the city and Tivat one hour and 45 minutes, so it is an excellent starting point for day trips to anywhere in Montenegro.

  • Old Turkish town. with its mosques and old clock tower. A typical old Turkish "kasaba" (town), with narrow and curvy streets.
  • Skaline. on the outfall of the Ribnica river to Morača, with its old Turkish bridge over the Ribnica, and the ruins of old Nemanja's town.
  • Monument to King Nikola, Bulevar Svetog Petra Cetinjskog (in the park across the street from the Montenegro's parliament.
  • Hercegovačka pedestrian street, Hercegovačka street (in the city centre..
  • Trg Republike, Slobode (next to Hercegovačka street. the central square of the city, a lot of life at the end of the day, when people finish to work. Lot of cheap restaurants and friendly people, a pleasant place to spend the first part of the evening.
  • St. George's church, 19. Decembar. built in 10th century, on the slopes of the Gorica hill (hill after which the city was named.). - 17th century frescoes.
  • Catholic Church, Mojkovačka, Konik district.
  • Millennium bridge. the impressive new bridge over the Morača river.
  • King Nikola's castle. turned into a museum, also fine the surrounding park.
  • Cathedral of the Resurrection, Bulevar Džordža Vašingtona. This is a newly built orthodox temple
  • Church of the Great Martyr Holy Dimitrije, Ljubljanska (Park Petrovića.
  • Rimski Trg, off Bulevar Svetog Petra Cetinjskog (near the orthodox temple. the square in the new part of town. The square and the surrounding area is the home for the trendiest of Podgorica cafes and restaurants, and favourite meeting point for Podgorica citizens.

  • Cetinje. it is a great opportunity to escape from Podgorica's pollution for a couple of hours by breathing the fresh air of the Lovcen National Park in the former capital.
  • Morača river canyon. Visit the 13th century Morača monastery and enjoy scenery
  • Doclea. ruins of the old roman city that preceded Ribnica and Podgorica.
  • Meteon. ruins of a fortress erected at III century B.O.T.
  • Skadar Lake National Park. The largest lake on the Balkans, and a national park.

Cetinje. it is a great opportunity to escape from Podgorica's pollution for a couple of hours by breathing the fresh air of the Lovcen National Park in the former capital.

Morača river canyon. Visit the 13th century Morača monastery and enjoy scenery

Doclea. ruins of the old roman city that preceded Ribnica and Podgorica.

Meteon. ruins of a fortress erected at III century B.O.T.

Skadar Lake National Park. The largest lake on the [[Balkans]], and a national park.

Old Turkish town. with its mosques and old clock tower. A typical old Turkish "kasaba" (town), with narrow and curvy streets.

Skaline. on the outfall of the Ribnica river to Morača, with its old Turkish bridge over the Ribnica, and the ruins of old Nemanja's town.

Monument to King Nikola, Bulevar Svetog Petra Cetinjskog (in the park across the street from the Montenegro's parliament.

Hercegovačka pedestrian street, Hercegovačka street (in the city centre..

Trg Republike, Slobode (next to Hercegovačka street. the central square of the city, a lot of life at the end of the day, when people finish to work. Lot of cheap restaurants and friendly people, a pleasant place to spend the first part of the evening.

St. George's church, 19. Decembar. built in 10th century, on the slopes of the Gorica hill (hill after which the city was named.). - 17th century frescoes.

Catholic Church, Mojkovačka, Konik district.

Millennium bridge. the impressive new bridge over the Morača river.

King Nikola's castle. turned into a museum, also fine the surrounding park.

Cathedral of the Resurrection, Bulevar Džordža Vašingtona. This is a newly built orthodox temple

Church of the Great Martyr Holy Dimitrije, Ljubljanska (Park Petrovića.

Rimski Trg, off Bulevar Svetog Petra Cetinjskog (near the orthodox temple. the square in the new part of town. The square and the surrounding area is the home for the trendiest of Podgorica cafes and restaurants, and favourite meeting point for Podgorica citizens.

While in Podgorica, one can enjoy the diversity of Montenegro's capital cafes and restaurants, check out the nightlife, or take a walk at some of the favourite picnic locations of Podgorica citizens - Mareza, Skadar Lake, or Gorica hill. While strolling through Podgorica center, you might find the shopping area interesting, as there is a good number of boutiques.

Note that swimming in the Morača river might be a pleasant way to cool off in the summer months! The other option would be newly built open-air public swimming pools.

The currency in Montenegro is the Euro (€). ATMs are widespread in the city center and the new part of town. Upscale shops and restaurants will usually accept any major credit or debit cards.

Most of the premium clothing brands have their stores in new part of the city, chiefly Vectra-Maxim neighborhoods. The prices are on par with those in the region.

  • Delta City shopping mall. a 48,000 sqm mall with over 70 stores, food court and a multiplex cinema
  • Mall of Montenegro.
  • Palada. smaller mall
  • Nikić Center. smaller mall

Delta City shopping mall. a 48,000 sqm mall with over 70 stores, food court and a multiplex cinema

Mall of Montenegro.

Palada. smaller mall

Nikić Center. smaller mall

Open markets on the outskirts of the city are a place to buy very cheap clothing, often of low quality.

Almost all fine restaurants in Podgorica are located either in the traditional city center, the new business district around the Roman Square, or along the Sv. Petra Cetinjskog boulevard that connects the two.

  • Maša restaurant, Bulevar Sv. Petra Cetinjskog 31, +382 0 20 224 460. Renowned for its fresh seafood.
  • Carine Centar, Slobode 43 (Near Trg Republike, +382 0 20 402 400. The Carine Center features both the fine dining restaurant and the pizzeria. Probably the best pizza in town.
  • Carine Moskovska, Moskovska 43, +382 0 20 402 400. The Carine Moskovska features both the national cuisine restaurant, and the pizzeria. Probably the best pizza in town.
  • Salvador Dali, Bul Džordža Vašingtona 87, +382 0 69 234 567. Newly open and chic restaurant, a favourite among local celebrities.
  • Plantaže restaurant, Mareza bb (Mareza resort, few kilometers west of Podgorica, +382 0 20 268 722. A great place to eat.
  • Hong Kong, Stanka Dragojevića 14, +382 0 20 667 300. So far the only Chinese food restaurant in Podgorica.
  • Il Giardino, Rimski Trg 28, +382 0 69 313 313. Renowned for the Italian cuisine.
  • Restaurant Zheng He, Vojvode Maša Đurovića 31 (near Delty City shopping mall (city kvart), +382 20 223 551. 08:00-24:00. New Chinese restaurant in Podgorica

Maša restaurant, Bulevar Sv. Petra Cetinjskog 31, +382 0 20 224 460. Renowned for its fresh seafood.

Carine Centar, Slobode 43 (Near Trg Republike, +382 0 20 402 400. The Carine Center features both the fine dining restaurant and the pizzeria. Probably the best pizza in town.

Carine Moskovska, Moskovska 43, +382 0 20 402 400. The Carine Moskovska features both the national cuisine restaurant, and the pizzeria. Probably the best pizza in town.

Salvador Dali, Bul Džordža Vašingtona 87, +382 0 69 234 567. Newly open and chic restaurant, a favourite among local celebrities.

Plantaže restaurant, Mareza bb (Mareza resort, few kilometers west of Podgorica, +382 0 20 268 722. A great place to eat.

Hong Kong, Stanka Dragojevića 14, +382 0 20 667 300. So far the only Chinese food restaurant in Podgorica.

Il Giardino, Rimski Trg 28, +382 0 69 313 313. Renowned for the Italian cuisine.

Restaurant Zheng He, Vojvode Maša Đurovića 31 (near Delty City shopping mall (city kvart), +382 20 223 551. 08:00-24:00. New Chinese restaurant in Podgorica

There are dozens of pizzerias through city, and most of the cafes serve pizza, pancakes, etc.

  • Alpe Bar, Bulevar Sv. Petra Cetinjskog 88, +382 0 20 202025. A pizzeria and a cafe, one of the city's landmarks.
  • Alpe Bar, Stanka Dragojevića 14, +382 20 665 771.

Alpe Bar, Bulevar Sv. Petra Cetinjskog 88, +382 0 20 202025. A pizzeria and a cafe, one of the city's landmarks.

Alpe Bar, Stanka Dragojevića 14, +382 20 665 771.

Most popular fast food in Podgorica is the regional hamburger variant pleskavica. You can eat great hamburgers, as well as anything made on the barbecue (roštilj) in places all across town, but best known and most visited are "Voda u kršu", "Gurman", "Calimero", "Kruna"...

There are no international fast food chains such as McDonalds, Burger King or KFC in Podgorica.

Internet: Café www.com, Bokeška 4

Many cafés, bars and restaurants offer free wifi; ask a waiter for the password.

Most loved amusement of Podgorica's residents is to sit in a cafe on a summer day and drink their espresso.

There are dozens of cafes in pedestrian Njegoševa street in city center, and many more scattered around the city center. Most of the new and trendy cafes are located around "Vectra" district in the new part of the city.

Modern design and relaxed atmosphere of the cafes coupled with Podgorica's art of making espresso will make an interesting experience. Some of the well known cafes are :"Alpe bar", "Buddha bar", "Carine", "Greenwich", "Grand cafe", "Café, Café", "Switch cafe", "Soul II Soul"...and many more.

Espresso costs from €0.50 to 1.50. Coke and other soft drinks and juices will cost from €1.00 up to 2.50.

There is a number of clubs and bars to go out to in Podgorica. In the summer, there are many open-air bars and clubs. However, by law, open air bars must turn the music off at 01.00 AM, when the crowds move to the clubs located mostly in the basements in the city center.

Depending on your taste, it may be important to know whether a club plays worldwide popular dance hits the entire night, or the playlist include folk music from ex-Yugoslav countries, which is often the case.

  • Switch cafe, Stanka Dragojevica (five minutes walk from the main Republic Square, near the Millennium bridge.. 08.00-02.00. A club It plays mostly foreign pop/electronic/rock music, and there are interesting music programs almost every night. Place with lot of fun. Beer: €1.10, wine: €1.50.
  • Tantra club. It plays dance music and is generally busy throughout the week. Drink prices are not too expensive and there is a good atmosphere. Clubs are most crowded from 11PM until 2AM on the Friday and Saturday nights, but some of them are full throughout the week.
  • Skaline. Two rivers, two bridges. Pop music, drinks, coctails, icecream.

Switch cafe, Stanka Dragojevica (five minutes walk from the main Republic Square, near the Millennium bridge.. 08.00-02.00. A club It plays mostly foreign pop/electronic/rock music, and there are interesting music programs almost every night. Place with lot of fun. Beer: €1.10, wine: €1.50.

Tantra club. It plays dance music and is generally busy throughout the week. Drink prices are not too expensive and there is a good atmosphere.

Skaline. Two rivers, two bridges. Pop music, drinks, coctails, icecream.

  • Bar, the capital of Montenegro Riviera just one hour away.
  • Belgrade, the capital of Serbia
  • Budva, resort city one hour away
  • Kotor Bay, one of the nicest fjords in Europe. The old part and the Castle of Kotor town, which is listed with UNESCO World heritage sites, are must sees.
  • Peja, a very nice city in northern Kosovo
  • Kopaonik sky resort 5 hours by car located in Serbia
  • Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. A cosmopolitan European city with a unique Eastern twist
  • Sveti Stefan, private resort island in front of Budva
  • Tivat 1h 45 min away coastal town in Montenegro in the Bay of Kotor