Leave the beach at Bečići, point the car inland, and within an hour the coast gives way to something completely different: the bare grey peaks of Lovćen, the mausoleum of a poet-prince perched on a summit, and the still green water of Skadar Lake stretching towards Albania. This is Montenegro's classic inland day — mountains in the morning, a lake boat in the afternoon — and it's a proper expedition rather than a quick hop. Here's how to do it from the Budva Riviera. For the wider set, see our best day trips guide.
At a glance
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| From Bečići to Lovćen | Roughly 1–1.25 hours each way via the serpentine road |
| From Bečići to Virpazar | Roughly 45 min–1 hour by road (Skadar Lake gateway) |
| Lovćen NP entry | Around €3 per person (2026) |
| Njegoš Mausoleum | Around €8 extra, on top of park entry |
| Skadar boat trip | Roughly €15–25 per person for 1–2 hours, plus a park fee |
| Time needed | A full day out (or a long half-day for one half) |
| How | Self-drive or organised small-group tour |
In short: it's two contrasting worlds in one long day — an alpine mountain morning and a lake-and-wetland afternoon. Drive yourself for freedom on the hairpins, or take an organised tour that strings Lovćen, Cetinje and Skadar together and does the driving for you.
Two very different halves
The thing to understand before you go is that Lovćen and Skadar sit in different directions inland, joined by the old royal capital of Cetinje between them. Lovćen rises straight behind Kotor to the northwest; Skadar Lake spreads south towards the Albanian border. Most people do them as a single grand loop — up the Kotor serpentine to Lovćen, down through Cetinje, and on to the lake at Virpazar — which is exactly how the organised tours package it. If a full day of driving sounds like a lot, pick one half; either stands on its own.
Lovćen and the Njegoš Mausoleum
Lovćen National Park is the mountain massif that Montenegrins treat as the spiritual heart of the country — the "Black Mountain" that arguably gave the nation its name. Its summit, Jezerski Vrh, is crowned by the Mausoleum of Petar II Petrović-Njegoš, the 19th-century prince-bishop, poet and philosopher whose tomb sits at over 1,600 m with one of the widest views in the Balkans: on a clear day you can see the coast, the Bay of Kotor and, they say, almost half of Montenegro.
From the summit car park, 461 stone steps climb to the mausoleum entrance — reckon on 15–25 minutes at a steady pace, and take it slowly in the thin mountain air. Inside, a giant granite Njegoš sits beneath a gold-mosaic canopy; behind, a circular terrace opens onto the panorama that is the real reason to make the climb.
Costs in 2026 (treat as a guide, carry cash):
- Lovćen National Park entry: around €3 per person.
- Njegoš Mausoleum: around €8 extra, charged separately at the top.
- If you're also visiting the museums down in Cetinje, a combined pass (around €20) can work out cheaper than paying separately.
The serpentine road
Half the fun of Lovćen is the drive up. The old Kotor–Lovćen serpentine climbs the mountain wall in a stack of around 25 hairpin bends over roughly 8 km, with the Bay of Kotor unfolding further below at every turn — one of the great driving roads in Europe. From Kotor it's about 40–45 minutes of switchbacks; from Bečići, allow roughly an hour to 75 minutes to reach the park. The surface is good but the road is narrow, and meeting a tour bus on a bend means someone has to reverse. If that doesn't appeal, this is a strong argument for letting a tour driver take the wheel.
Cetinje in the middle
Between the mountain and the lake sits Cetinje, Montenegro's old royal capital and the natural lunch-and-history stop on the loop. It's a low-rise town of former embassies and 19th-century palaces from the days when it was the seat of the Montenegrin court, and it makes a gentle counterpoint to the drama either side of it. The National Museum of Montenegro spreads across several buildings here — the King Nikola Museum, the art museum and others — and a combined ticket (around €20) covers them if you want to go in. Many tours pause here for an hour; self-drivers can grab a coffee on the main street and press on. Even a quick stop helps the day make sense, because Cetinje is where Njegoš's Montenegro was actually run.
Skadar Lake and Virpazar
Down off the mountain and to the south lies Skadar Lake, the largest lake in the Balkans — a national park of reed beds, lily-covered bays, island monasteries and some of the best birdwatching in Europe (this is pelican and heron country). The lakeside village of Virpazar is the main launch point, a small huddle of guesthouses and jetties reached in roughly 45 minutes to an hour from Bečići by road.
The thing to do here is a boat trip. Small operators run 1- to 2-hour cruises out onto the water, drifting past fortress ruins, floating carpets of water lilies in early summer, and quiet coves. In 2026, reckon on roughly €15–25 per person for a group trip of an hour or two, and note that most operators charge a separate national park fee of about €5 per person on top — so confirm what's included before you board. Private and longer trips cost more. Boats generally go when they fill, and morning or late-afternoon light is kindest for photos and wildlife.
Doing the whole loop: tour vs self-drive
| Option | Rough cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Self-drive / rental car | From ~€25/day + fuel + entries | Total freedom and your own timing; the serpentine hairpins demand confidence, and a full loop is a lot of driving |
| Organised small-group tour | Varies by operator/season | Typically strings Lovćen, Cetinje and Skadar (often with the lake boat) into one door-to-door day; a driver handles the mountain road — check a current listing on a platform like GetYourGuide or Viator |
Self-drivers should start early, fuel up before heading inland, and carry cash for park entries, the mausoleum and the boat. Do the mountain first while it's cool and clear, then drop to the lake for the afternoon. Tour-takers trade flexibility for not having to think about the hairpins or parking — and a good guide adds the history that makes Njegoš and Cetinje click.
Either way, this is a big, rewarding day that shows you the Montenegro behind the beaches. For a gentler coastal alternative, see our Kotor and Perast day trip or, for another long inland run, the Ostrog Monastery day trip. Car-hire and driving basics are on our getting here page, and the full list is on day trips.
Tips for the day
- Layer up. The summit is far cooler and windier than the coast — bring a light jacket even in July, and sun cover for the exposed terrace.
- Go clockwise. Mountain first (clear morning views), lake second (warm afternoon boat); it also spaces you ahead of the tour coaches.
- Cash is king. Park entry, the mausoleum and the Skadar boatmen all expect cash.
- Don't over-pack it. If a full loop feels rushed, do Lovćen or Skadar properly and save the other for another day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Lovćen from Bečići?
Lovćen National Park is inland behind Kotor, roughly an hour to 75 minutes from Bečići via the serpentine road, depending on traffic and how many photo stops you make on the hairpins. It's an easy full-day trip by car or organised tour, usually combined with Cetinje and Skadar Lake.
How much does it cost to visit the Njegoš Mausoleum?
In 2026, expect to pay around €3 per person to enter Lovćen National Park, plus about €8 more for the mausoleum itself at the summit — roughly €11 per adult all in. Carry cash. From the car park it's a climb of 461 steps to the entrance, so allow 15–25 minutes.
How much is a Skadar Lake boat trip from Virpazar?
Reckon on roughly €15–25 per person for a one- to two-hour group boat trip from Virpazar in 2026, though many operators add a separate national park fee of about €5 per person on top. Confirm exactly what's included before you board, and note private or longer cruises cost more.
Can you do Lovćen and Skadar Lake in one day?
Yes — most organised tours from the Budva Riviera string Lovćen, Cetinje and Skadar Lake into a single long loop, and self-drivers can do the same. It's a full day with plenty of driving, so start early. If that feels rushed, do one half properly and leave the other for another trip.
Is it better to self-drive or take a tour?
Self-driving gives total freedom, but the Kotor–Lovćen serpentine is a narrow stack of hairpins that demands confidence, and the full loop is a lot of wheel time. A tour hands the driving to someone else and adds the historical context around Njegoš and Cetinje. If the mountain road worries you, take the tour.
