Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, was the first destination on my 17-night trip around the Balkans this summer. We were spending three nights and two days in the city. From my research, spending 48 hours in Podgorica seemed just about right. I’ve written about the things you need to know, and everything we did, to help you plan your trip if you’re visiting Podgorica.
What do I need to know if I’m visiting Podgorica?
Like a lot of the Balkans, paying by card in Podgorica isn’t always possible. We were both carrying cash too. Montenegro takes the euro and I preferred to pay in cash but we did pay for some things by card too, usually in supermarkets or restaurants. I’d recommend a mixture of cash and card to be safe. Plan to keep some euros for a future trip if you end up taking too much with you.
Podgorica seems to have A LOT of bitey insects. We both got bitten loads when visiting Podgorica, although that’s possibly because we spent some time around water. J needed antibiotic gel for his. Three weeks later I’m on strong antibiotics for potential Lyme Disease because of mine.
Use suntan lotion that helps to repel bugs and use insect repellent spray. Wear long trousers around any water/grass/forest. See a pharmacist at the first sign of infection if you still get bites.
Exploring the city whilst spending 48 hours in Podgorica
Our hotel didn’t include breakfast so our first day visiting Podgorica started with a walk around the block to find food. We found Independence Square and took a few photos. Then, we decided on a supermarket to buy pastries, fruit, bottles of water and juice for breakfast.
We sat in a cute part of Njegosev Park to eat and watch the world go by. After that, we headed back to our hotel to do some work, via the Clock Tower. That was at the end of our block, so really close!
J is freelance and I wanted to keep up with the blog whilst we’re away. Travelling with Fibromyalgia means I need regular rest time anyway. If we were just spending 48 hours in Podgorica I could’ve rushed around more, but doing such a long trip won’t be physically possible for me without resting.
Karver Bookshop and Library Bar
We headed out properly mid-morning and our first stop was Karver Bookshop. I had read that this was a lovely spot frequented by locals, where we could get a nice coffee. Karver Bookshop was closed when we arrived, unfortunately. The internet said it would be open, so try to double check.
Luckily there’s a bar, Library Bar, just behind and we had a drink there instead. J had a local IPA and I had a Montenegroni cocktail. I didn’t love mine but he enjoyed his, and it was a great vibe at the bar. Drinks cost around eight Euros which felt reasonable. Definitely cheaper than they would have been at home! Highly recommend.
The area around Karver Bookshop was full of graffiti which is very much my thing, so I took loads of photos. Then, we had a quick paddle in the river before we moved on. (Be wary; we got badly bitten here. Add bug spray liberally before you go out.)
What to see when visiting Podgorica
Next we went to have a look at the Church of St George, which is an Orthodox Church. The church is the oldest preserved building in Podgorica. Located at the bottom of Gorica hill, it is also next to a park if you want to hang out in a green space for a while.
J really wanted to see Podgorica City Stadium so we went there next. Obviously there was no game on so we didn’t go inside but we took some photos and got to see the outside at least. You’ll see football-related street art all over the city, so seeing the stadium was a must for us.
Millennium Bridge was somewhere we could see from our hotel staircase, and I knew there would be gorgeous views from it. We made sure we walked over it, and then over some of the other bridges nearby to get Millennium Bridge in our photos. The view was stunning; I was not disappointed.
While you’re near the side of the river, there’s an area with painted steps and some slogans on the wall that make for some really cute colourful photos. On the same side, theres a large swing bench so you can sit overlooking the river, swinging away. It was full when we were there but if you can catch it empty it’d be lovely.
More sights to see when visiting Podgorica
The Orthodox Temple of Christ’s Resurrection was next on our route. We didn’t look inside because I was a bit hot and bothered. I regret that because from the photos I’ve seen online it’s absolutely beautiful, so learn from my mistakes and always go inside the churches.
We were really tired at this point. We gathered some energy and still walked up to Petrovic Royal Palace, a former royal winter residence. I took plenty of photos, as always, then we set off towards home.
We walked home through the old town, Strada Varos, which was the main part of the city between the 15th and 19th century. Much of Strada Varos was destroyed in World War II and the neighbourhood is very rundown in places. But it’s full of charm, street art and cats, so I loved it.
Drinks and food in the evening
After a nap at our hotel we got ready for the evening and went for tea at Lanterna, which was just down the road, in the Old Town. The food was lovely, and I’ll be doing food posts for each country anyway, but Lanterna is somewhere I’d recommend.
Our evening ended with a drink at the Sky Bar at the Hilton, to watch the sun go down over the city. A great way to end a brilliant day.
Waterfalls, paradise and brutalist buildings
Our second day started with a trip to Niagara Falls. Yep, Podgorica has one too! We had to get a taxi, which cost seven euros each way.
The waterfall is a 15-minute drive out of the city, but it’s so worth the faffing about. We had breakfast at the restaurant there, took tons of photos of the waterfall and the beautiful surrounding area and then asked the restaurant to call us a taxi back. We got bitten here too, but 10/10 breakfast view. PACK BUG SPRAY, honestly you won’t regret it.
Niagara Falls isn’t anywhere near as big as the Canadian one, but it’s still worth going if you’re visiting Podgorica. You could see it quickly, in about half an hour (it’s less than five minutes from the car park). So if you just want a quick look and don’t fancy a leisurely breakfast like we had, you may want to ask if your taxi can wait for you.
Blok 5 and traditional food
Our afternoon visiting Podgorica was spent walking around the Blok 5 area, having a look at the brutalist design buildings. They’re harsh, not at all pretty, but I really liked them.
In the evening we went to eat at Pod Volat, where we had some traditional food we really enjoyed. Once we were full we went to see the Old Ribnica River Bridge, which was really pretty, and had a paddle in the river again.
On the way home we had a quick look at the Josip Broz Tito Monument, before returning to our hotel to catch up on Love Island!
Is visiting Podgorica worth it?
Visiting Podgorica really surprised me, as based on blog posts I’d read I was expecting a boring city.
Actually, whilst it’s quiet and calm, we both loved it. If you’re wanting to visit I’d recommend spending 48 hours in Podgorica, 72 hours would give you a bit more time to mill around which would be nice but any longer may be too long.
Try not to do less than 48 hours in Podgorica, otherwise you couldn’t make the trip to Niagara Falls, and I’d say that’s a must-do for your travel bucket list.
Have you been to Podgorica? Would you consider Montenegro for your next trip?
Podgorica Seems like a place we would visit. We really enjoyed Kotor and would love see more of the country. Some parts of Europe are quite buggy! This really surprised me in places like Italy. Ugh, those bitey things are so annoying and can ruin a pleasant sunset stroll.
Thanks for sharing your itinerary!
This really does sound like a lovely city to spend some time in, especially as it is actually quiet and calm (sometimes overly busy places are not enjoyable). I like the fact there is a mix of city and nature to visit — perfect!
When is the best time to visit Podgorica for excursions , exhibitions or shopping?