Secrets of the North-East Looking for traces of the Orient, next to the tallest railway bridge in Europe and through the deepest canyon in Europe, in the bosom of the compressed Alps and on the doorstep of Mongolia. An exciting and irresistible adventure – beginning and ending in Podgorica.

1. A few kilometres away from the monastery you
will pass through a strait called Đavolje lazi in
which the flow of the River Tara narrows to only
2-3 metres. Above on the sides of the canyon at
an altitude of 950 m, is a black pine rainforest
called Crna poda. Covering an area of 20 hectares,
the pine trees reach a height of 45 m and an av-
erage age of 400 years. There are recluses here
too – trees which quietly, and seemingly without
roots, hold onto their separate rocks reachable
only by chamois.
On leaving Đavolje Pode there is a resting place
near a monument in honour of Dušan Bulatović–
Džambas, where somebody is usually selling
honey and other local specialities. The view
from here extends to the valley that opens up
towards Mojkovac.
Beauty expressed in a thousand different ways. A
beautiful and peaceful section of the road along
Lake Plav, the Grbaje Valley and its crater, the
summer pastures of Grbaja, Ali-Pasha’s Springs, the
Grlja Falls, the Ropojana Valley... Slow down near
the lake. For those who decide that the road is too
narrow and winding for their vehicle, there is the
possibility to turn left at the 160.4-km mark onto
a new asphalt road, which leads to the other side
of the lake through an interesting floodplain. The
best place for those with campervans is near the
Grlja Falls, and for camping in a tent Lakeviewers
and the ethno-village of Komnenovo are the most
comfortable places. It is good to take a break in
Gusinje because of its local pies (burek).
The Komovi
These mountains open up as you descend towards
Mateševo, from the ascent to Trešnjevik. Regard-
less of any occasional traffic, if you want to take a
photo or enjoy the view, pull over by a clear space
on the road. On the Trešnjevik Ridge, on the right
side from “Savova kafana”, a narrow asphalt road
leads to the eco-summer-pasture of Štavna (4.2
km), in the vicinity of the peaks of the Komovi. The
road is not suitable for the “M” and “L” camping ve-
hicles, but for all others it is an undertaking worth
both their time and effort.
Down the Tara Canyon
One of the most exciting descents in Montenegro
starts after leaving Pljevlja, as it will lead us to the
Tara Canyon, the deepest canyon in Europe (900-
1,300 m). The descent will lead us right onto a
bridge most worthy of such a canyon: a thin string
of beauty stretched above the turquoise of cold
water turning to foam deep below. We will travel
along half of the canyon, which is about eighty
kilometres long, going up the “tear of Europe”.
This canyon is part of Durmitor National Park (a
UNESCO World Heritage Site). Right at the start of
the bridge, to the left is a gravel road to the near-
by camp called Kljajevića luka, a great place for
a rest or for a rafting adventure down the River
Tara. Aside from the roots of the black pine trees
on the canyon’s boulders, there is also a legend
about lumberjacks and rafters who ferried logs
along the Tara. You will realise what they had to
do once you feel the pulse of the raging river cur-
rent, and when you trust your life to the guide and
safety equipment on a rubber dinghy.
The bridge is so narrow that it would be good for
big campervans to wait for traffic coming from the
opposite side to clear before crossing. There on the
other side, you will see a crossroads which on one
side leads towards Durmitor, but we will turn left
from here, onto a road that leads through the can-
yon towards Mojkovac.
Paths full of adventure
On the road towards Berane you should take a
walk in Rožaje, a historically interesting town with
monuments from the past. However, the real ad-
venture for small camping vehicles can be found
if you turn at the crossroads in Kalače, where the
restaurant Venecija is located, down a narrow road
(3.5 m), which leads towards Bijelo Polje. The road
leads to a cultivated, open and idyllic region, throu-
gh the light and shade of larch forests, the narrow,
deserted and forgotten little canyon of the River
Lješnica. 3 km from this canyon, by turning right,
you can start another beautiful adventure: an as-
cent (9-12%) up an attractive road, 2.5-3.5 m wide,
to the village of Sušice and the edge of the Pešter
Plateau. A thousand metres here is worth three
thousand in any other “lazy” place. Then, return
along the same road to take a rest in Bijelo Polje.
Secrets of the North-East
Looking for traces of the Orient, next to the tallest railway bridge in Europe and
through the deepest canyon in Europe, in the bosom of the compressed Alps and
on the doorstep of Mongolia. An exciting and irresistible adventure – beginning
and ending in Podgorica.
Detour –
Lake Biograd
A mountain lake of glacial origin, veiled in the
romance of Mt. Bjelasica, beautiful at any time
of day and all year round. Tucked away in an
ancient forest, with a gentle murmur in tourist
bungalows during the summer, the lake will
probably captivate you longer than you planned.
You will reach the lake along a track, when you
turn left after the 5-km mark from the Bijelo Po-
lje–Podgorica main road onto a road that slowly
climbs towards the 4-km-distant Lake Biograd
(1,094 metres above sea level).
Đurđevi Stupovi
(The Pillars of St. George)
On the road towards Berane, there is the mona-
stery of Đurđevi stupovi, part of the spiritual and
monumental heritage of this region, and those who
have time can explore the picturesque road that
leads west, through the village of Lubnice towards
Mt. Bjelasica.
Dobrilovina Monastery
Somewhere about half-way down the Tara Canyon
(499 km), a road separates off towards the nearby
beautiful Dobrilovina Monastery which is worth
visiting. It was first mentioned at the end of the
16th
century, when the Ottomans approved the
restoration of the ruined church in Dobrilovina.
The Railway
Bridge at Mala Rijeka
Did you start your journey in a rush and
without a cup of coffee? Before the cross-
roads at Bioče, 11 kilometres from the
start, there is a restaurant with a terrace
in the shade of a grapevine and with a
view over the River Morača and over the
nearby estuary of Mala Rijeka. Take a look
at that slim water sinew which is strad-
dled by a railway bridge, the second tall-
est in Europe, 200 metres high and 500
metres long.
Motorcyclescanreachthebridgebyamac-
adam road, while it can also be reached by
car if driving slowly and patiently.
Podgorica - Lijeva Rijeka - Andrijevica - Plav - Gusinje - Plav - Berane - Rožaje - Trpezi - Bijelo Polje - Tomaševo -
Pljevlja - Đurđevića Tara - Kolašin - Podgorica
Length: 620 km
The Hussein
Pasha
Mosque
Do not miss the
opportunity to
see the Hussein
Pasha’s mosque,
built in the second
half of the 16th
century. The mo-
squeisanexample
of some of the best Balkan Oriental sacral archi-
tecture, and its value is increased by the fact that it
is preserved in almost its original form.
Circle of wonders in Plav
and Gusinje
These restaurants and accommodation facilities are recommended by the author of the text.

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8
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Morača Canyon - Platije
The Morača Canyon is a rocky and green story,
embellished by a statuesque medieval monu-
ment – Morača Monastery (1252). Near the mon-
astery, there is also a motel with a restaurant. As
you continue driving, you will pass through the
second part of the canyon, where the cruel and
most attractive part called Platije is situated.
The peaks rise up to 600 metres above the road,
through an awe-inspiring area. Be careful when
driving! Do not let the physique and conceit of
the arched rocks seduce you, because the traffic
is busy here and this is one of the most danger-
ous roads in Montenegro. You will have an op-
portunity for that before you leave the canyon,
at a viewpoint 601 km from the start. Frequent
restaurants near the road will notify you that
Podgorica is very near and that an eventful and
diverse trip is coming to an end.
Secrets of the
North-East
Panoramic
roads around
MontEnEgro Food, Drinks and Souvenirs
Montenegro is rich with sources of fresh, healthy
water. To the taste of spring water add the supe-
rior taste of the local cuisine. On the roads you will
notice signs for paths of wine, cheese and honey,
but besides these also do not miss the opportunity
to buy food from the hosts. Also try their brandy,
mead and of course – great wines. Authentic sou-
venirs made from wool and wood will be not only
memories, but also very useful items.
Serbia
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
Kosovo
Albania
Croatia
In all towns in
Montenegro
there are
local tourist
organisation
info centres
where you can
get additional
information
and
explanations.
Adriatic Se
e
Cultural Resources:
1. Hussein Pasha’s Mosque
2. Holy Trinity Monastery
3. St Peter’s Church
4. St Nicholas’ Church, Nikoljac
5. Đurđevi Stupovi Monastery
6. Redžepagića Tower
7. Morača Monastery
8. Dobrilovina Monastery
Natural Resources:
1. Biogradska Gora National Park
2. Prokletije National Park
3. Durmitor National Park
4. Lovćen National Park
5. Lake Skadar National Park
6. Tara Canyon
7. Morača Canyon
8. Grlja Canyon
9. Ali Pasha's Springs
10. Dulovina Botanical Garden
Just one part of the natural and cultural
heritage of Montenegro along the panoramic roads.
GPS
www.panoramic.roads.montenegro.travel
Panoramic Roads around Montenegro
Publisher: Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism of
Montenegro; The project team: Dušanka Pavićević, Anka Kujović,
Branimir Raičević, Jovan Eraković, Kirsi Hyvaerinen, Dr. Thomas
Wöhrstein, Milica Vušurović, Gojko Cimbaljević, Karsten Schöpfer;
Author of the text: Jovan Eraković; Photographs: Jovan Eraković,
Miodrag Bogdanović, Mobil Total, National Tourist Organisation
(NTO) Archive; Translation: Porta Aperta; Reviewers: Sonja
Živaljevć, Vesna Vukadinović; Design and Prepress: Ivanka Haverić;
Printing by: Studio MOUSE; Copies: 1000
Types of vehicles
Montenegrin attractive roads are of-
ten very narrow, winding and with
significant slopes. In order to specify
the road conditions for different ve-
hicles, we have defined the following
categories:
1. Motorcycles (m)
2. Cars (c)
3. Small camping vehicles (S)
Length up to 5.60 m
Width up to 2.30 m
Height up to 2.70 m
4. Medium-sized camping vehicles (M)
Length up to 7.00 m
Width up to 2.30 m
Height up to 3.50 m
5. Large camping vehicles (L)
Length 7.00 m and more
Width 2.30 m and more
Height 3.50 m and more
Note:
At this point the routes are not recommended for
large camping vehicles (L) and drivers with no
experience.
Different seasons entail a variety of challenges.
For more information and important information
related to driving and routes, visit the site:
www.panoramic.roads.montenegro.travel