Montenegro Travel
A Montenegro Road Trip That Includes Skadar Lake
The country is small and the roads are slow. Here is a loop that works, with the lake in the right position.
Updated 2026-07-28 · 9 min read · By Marko Vujović
Understand the distances
Montenegro is 13,800 km² — smaller than Northern Ireland. It is also vertical, and the average speed on a mountain road is 40 km/h. Kotor to Žabljak looks like 150 km and takes three and a half hours. Plan by hours, never by kilometres.
The single worst mistake is basing yourself in Budva or Kotor for a week and day-tripping everywhere. Coastal traffic in August is genuinely severe.
The seven-day loop that works
- Day 1–2: Kotor bay — old town, the ladder of Kotor, Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks.
- Day 3: Lovćen and Cetinje — the old capital, the mausoleum, the serpentine road down to the lake.
- Day 4: Skadar Lake — Rijeka Crnojevica in the morning, Virpazar and a boat in the afternoon, overnight in the village.
- Day 5: The P2 lakeside road to Murici, swim, continue to Bar for Stari Bar and the coast.
- Day 6: Durmitor via Podgorica and the Tara canyon — long drive, spectacular.
- Day 7: Žabljak, Black Lake, back down to the coast or Podgorica airport.
Where the lake belongs in the route
Skadar Lake is the natural hinge between the coast and the interior. It is 30 minutes from Podgorica, 50 from Budva and an hour from Kotor, and the road from Cetinje down to Rijeka Crnojevica is one of the best drives in the country. Position it as an overnight rather than a stop and the whole loop breathes better — see where to stay.
Practical driving notes
- Sozina tunnel (Bar–Podgorica) costs about €3.50 and saves 40 minutes.
- Fuel is widely available except around the lake's southern shore.
- Police enforce speed limits with hand-held radar; limits change abruptly through villages.
- The P2 lakeside road is single-track in places with blind bends — do not drive it after dark.
- Parking is the constraint everywhere: Kotor, Budva and Virpazar especially.
Shorter versions
Three days: Kotor, Skadar Lake, Durmitor is too much. Do Kotor, Lovćen, Skadar Lake and stop there. Five days: add the coast south of Bar. The lake belongs in every version of this trip — it is the only place in Montenegro where you can be alone in August.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Montenegro?
Five to seven for a proper loop of coast, lake and mountains. Three days covers the bay of Kotor and Skadar Lake comfortably.
Do you need a car in Montenegro?
For a road trip, yes. The coast and Skadar Lake are reachable by bus and train, but Durmitor, Lovćen and the wine villages are not realistic without one.
Where does Skadar Lake fit in a Montenegro itinerary?
Between the coast and the interior — 30 minutes from Podgorica and under an hour from most coastal towns. One overnight is the ideal allocation.
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