Cycling Montenegro: Lake Shokdra & Cetinje

This is the third of five parts detailing a four week cycling tour around Albania, Montenegro & Bosnia in May and June 2023. Here are links to Part One, Part Two, Part Four and Part Five.

This section was not something that I had originally planned, but it turned out to be one of my favourite parts of the tour. Having adjusted my plans due to heavy thunderstorms in the high mountains, I would now ride around the south and west sides of the enormous Lake Shkodra, before visiting the Montenegrin cities of Cetinje and Nikšić. From there I would continue north into the Durmitor National Park and rejoin my original planned route.

The riding from the Albanian border to Cetinje was particularly spectacular, with quiet roads and breathtaking views.







I began by leaving Shiroka and following the SH-41 to the border with Montenegro. I had looked to avoid this by planning a route along minor roads and tracks, but decided against it. The southern alternatives were complicated because of the Buna River, and the northern options were very mountainous and circuitous. There is a minor road running along the lake to Zogaj and a track to the Montenegro border, but there is no border crossing here.

In any case, the SH-41 turned out to be OK for a riding. There were a few cars, a couple of which overtook closely, but most were respectful and it was less busy than I had anticipated (I rode this section on a sunday morning). The border crossing was very quick, I was waved to the front of the small queue and was soon on my way in Montenegro.

I have cycled in Montenegro a few times before and don't have a great impression of the drivers there, having experienced more than a few uncomfortably fast passes. So I took the first turn off onto the minor P-6, which climbs up to the balcony road alongside Lake Shkodra.

Lake Shkodra

Lake Shkodra (also called Lake Skadar and Lake Scutari) is the largest lake in the Balkans. It is known for its many islands, its large stocks of fish (carp, eel and bleak in particular) and its beautiful mountain scenery. The main lake is split roughly between Albania and Montenegro, although on the Montenegro side there are a lot more islands and inlets.

In Montenegro it is popular to explore by boat, while the only real cycleable road is on the south-west side of the lake, which I took!



The PR-6 begins with a short and sharp climb up to a balcony road above the lake. From there I enjoyed stunning views and beautiful, quiet roads pretty much all the way to Cetinje. The balcony road is rolling and passes through a few villages, but there are no very long or steep climbs, and the surface is great for riding.

I really took my time on this ride, savouring the views and enjoying that I no longer had to worry about the thunderstorms that had been an issue during the first week and a half of my trip.

I stopped for the night at the small Guest House Bato in the village of Godinje. The owner (Bato) was very friendly and a keen fisherman; he made me a delicious meal of trout freshly caught from the lake that very morning!



From Godinje my route continued along the beautiful lake, as it gradually transitioned into the River Crnojevića. The scenery continued to be impressive through Virpazar - a small touristy village where you can take boats out on to the lake.

Here I cautiously crossed the busy M2 and began a nice paved climb on a narrow road heading towards the Poseljani Waterfalls. A short descent then too me back down to the river, where I stopped for coffee at the charming village of Rijeka Crnojevića (named after the river).



I enjoyed the views of the boats of the river and the old bridge, which was completed by Montengrin prince Danilo in the 1850s. After coffee, I began the most sustained climb of the day up to Cetinje. This entire route was only around 45km, but the final climb alone ascended 700m in elevation, so it was not to be underestimated.

The climb was a lot of fun, following a narrow paved road, with gentle gradients, that gradually snaked its way up the mountain. And snaked is the appropriate word, as I passed by two impressive serpants basking on the warm asphalt - an aesculapian snake and a balkan whip snake (both harmless).

Shortly before reaching the junction with the M2.3, I took a left turn to follow another narrow paved road with a broken surface.

The Eurovelo route follows the much busier M2.3, which runs parallel, and I would highly recommend this alternative route instead, which had absolutely no traffic on it.

Cetinje

Cetinje is only a small town, but in many ways it is the cultural and historical capital of Montenegro. In fact, it was the royal seat during the wars of liberation in the mid 19th century.

I visited the National Museum, which was small but with a lot of information, and also checked out the Castle Church and Cetinje Monastery - two of the town's most famous monuments. Cetinje Monastery is the largest Eparchy in the country, and a very signifcant seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Cetinje also has a cute pedestrianised centre,. I stopped here for some look cevapi, which unfortuantely ended up giving me food poisoning!



After an uncomfortably restless night, suffering the effects of the rogue cevapi, I felt weak and unmotivated ahead of a hilly 76km ride to Nikšić.

The first climb out of Cetinje on the P1 was gentle enough that I could gingerly spin along, but it wasn't the most enjoyable climb of the trip - and not only because of my condition! The road was well paved, but it had some fast moving traffic and so was less relaxing than the roads I had been used to riding here.

It improved considerably when I turned off onto the P15, a narrower, winding route. There were still a few cars along here, but it was much quieter as it traversed the green mountain scenery.




I still wasn't feeling great and my mood wasn't helped by frequent showers, so I didn't end up taking too many photos. But if the weather had been good, and if I had not been feeling rough, this would have been another very pleasant ride.

A new fast road was being constructed in the area when I cycled here (June 2023), seemingly widening the P15 in places and providing a faster link between Cetinje and Nikšić. As of mid 2025, it still doesn't seem to be finished, but I think it would make the P15 even quieter for the most part and better for riding. There were a couple of sections where I had to go on the new main road (or take a long hilly detour), but it was absolutely fine for riding. I'm not sure how it will all look when construction is completed.

The ride was rolling, but with no long or big climbs. Nevertheless, I was pleased when Slansko Lake came into view - as it meant that Nikšić was not far away!




There were a couple of cycle routes signed alongside the lake, but I was happy to head straight into Nikšić. I crossed the busy M18, to take back roads into the city. As a bonus, I was able to cycle over the Tsar's Bridge. This impressive 18 arched bridge stretches for 300m and is named after the Russian Emperor Alexander III, who sponsored its construction in the late 19th century. It led most of the way into Nikšić, where the traffic was light in the town center.

I spent three nights in Nikšić, with the aim or catching up on a bit of work. I was planning to do a circular ride, but still was feeling a bit worse for wear and so opted to rest instead.

Nikšić was a pleasant town, with a friendly atmosphere. Unlike in Cetinje or Shkodër, there were no really impressive monuments to see, but I enjoyed relaxing there. I think it's main attraction is that it's the gateway to the high mountains of Northern Montenegro. Which is exactly where my next ride would take me ...




Part 1 - Podgorica - Krujë

Part 2 - Krujë - Shiroka

Part 4 - Durmitor National Park

Part 5 - Foča - Dubrovnik

Albania, Montenegro & Bosnia Tour Overview

Cycle Touring Guides