'''Cetinje''' [http://www.cetinje.cg.yu/] is the historic capital of Montenegro. The city is of enormous historical and spiritual value to Montenegro. During the siege of the Ottoman empire, Montenegro itself had, at numerous times, been reduced to just Cetinje and its surroundings.

Understand

Cetinje is located in the small valley under the Lov?en mountain. It was founded 15th century by Ivan Crnojevic. His son founded the first printing house in the South Slavs - about the time the Columbus discovered America! Due to the strategic nature of Montenegro, it being an independent state on the border of the Ottoman Empire, all of the major European powers had an embassy in Cetinje. For this reason the town has a continental style old town located a thousand miles away from any of the continental cities that the architecture is representative of. It is very much the spiritual heart of Montenegro.

Get in

By plane

Podgorica airport is some 50km away, and has flights throughout the year to Belgrade, Budapest, Zurich, Frankfurt, Ljubljana, Paris, Rome and Vienna.

By bus

Maybe the best way to get to Cetinje. It is less than hour drive from both Podgorica and Budva. Buses to domestic destinations are very frequent.

By car

All roads in Montenegro are two-laned only, and mostly curvy mountainous roads, so speeds over 70 km/h (43 mph) are rarely legal, and rarely safe.

The road from Kotor to Cetinje is a curvy, mountainous road, and mist or ice are not uncommon. The road from Budva to Cetinje is in relatively good condition with 3 lanes in some parts. The road from Podgorica to Cetinje is in fairly good condition.

Get around

Cetinje, especially the historical center of the city, is small enough, and everything is within walking distance.

See

  • Cetinje monastery
  • Vla?ka church (1450), with its fence made out of barrels of captured enemy rifles.
  • Njego?'s museum - Biljarda
  • King Nikola's palace (1867)
  • The blue palace (1895)
  • Zetski dom - Royal theatre
  • Vladin dom - National museum of Montenegro
  • Foreign embassies (Russian, French, Austrian, Italian...)
  • Vladika Danilo's burrial place, on the small hill of Orlov Kr?. It gives the beautiful view of Cetinje.
  • Do

    Cetinje isn't a tourist attraction in an obvious sense of the word. Montenegro's coastal resorts are definitely more tourist-based. Visiting Cetinje is really about understanding Montenegro and it's history.

  • Driving down the old road to Kotor gives the unforgettable view of Boka Kotorska bay.
  • Climb up to Mount Lov?en in Lov?en national park. It is a kind of Montenegrin Mount Olympus. On the top of the mountain lies the magnificent mausoleum where Petar II Petrovi? Njego? is buried. The view is stunning, they say that on a clear day you can see Italy across the Adriatic sea!
  • Go to Njegu?i, picturesque old Montenegrin village, and the Njego?'s birthplace.
  • Go to Rijeka Crnojevi?a, small village on the river of the same name. Great place for a one-day trip, as they have a few excellent restaurants.
  • Visit numerous museums in Cetinje
  • From June 2009, there is an acrobranche (tree climbing) attraction park at the mountain road towards the Lov?en Mausoleum.
  • There is construction underway for a cable car from Kotor to Lov?en. Unclear when it is planned to be ready.
  • Buy

    If you are looking for a genuine Montenegrin souvenir - Cetinje is the town! Other than that, Cetinje is not really a shopping resort, leave that for coastal towns or Podgorica.

    Eat

    Cetinje is the right town to try out traditional Montenegrin cuisine. The praised restaurant "Konak", just a few minutes drive down the road towards Budva is good choice. There are a few excellent traditional Montenegrin restaurants in the village of Njegu?i. Going down to Rijeka Crnojevi?a village is also good choice, as you can enjoy great meals in its beautiful natural setting.

    Be sure to try njegu?ki pr?ut (smoked ham) and njegu?ki cheese. The main courses are boiled lamb, lamb cooked in milk, cicvara in fresh milk cream (buttered corn porridge), boiled potatoe with cheese and fresh cream (kajmak).

    Drink

    Montenegrin quality wine is a must-try. The best known Montenegrin wines are the premium "Vranac", "Pro Corde", "Krsta?", "Cabernet", "Chardonnay" and the famous home made Crmni?ko red wine.

    Grape brandy (rakija) "Montenegrin loza", "Prvijenac", "Kruna" or home made grape brandy (lozova rakija, lozovaca) is also great.

    Sleep

    Apart from renting rooms from the locals, the only choice is to reside at the Grand hotel (***) at the city center. There is also nice hotel in the peaceful environment of Rijeka Crnojevi?a.

    Get out