# Montenegro’s south coast, Lake Skadar and Lovćen

> 4-day road trip of about 149 km (92 mi) with 8 stops, from Budva to Njegoš Mausoleum. About 2 h 03 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b7-montenegro-coast/

**At a glance:** 4-day road trip of about 149 km (92 mi) with 8 stops, from Budva to Njegoš Mausoleum. About 2 h 03 min of driving in total. Sveti Stefan and the ruins of Stari Bar, Ulcinj’s long beaches, the lakeside villages of Skadar and the old royal capital of Cetinje.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 149 km (92 mi) |
| Driving | 2 h 03 min |
| Suggested days | 4 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Budva → Njegoš Mausoleum |
| Countries | Montenegro |
| Updated | June 10, 2026 |

## Route description

From Budva the coast road passes the island village of Sveti Stefan, best seen from the viewpoint above, and continues to Bar. Stari Bar, the ruined old town at the foot of the mountains, is a quiet place to wander among churches, a hammam and an aqueduct.

Ulcinj, the southernmost town, has an Ottoman-era old town on a rocky point and the long sandy Velika Plaža stretching towards the Albanian border. The atmosphere here is noticeably different, with minarets alongside church towers.

For Lake Skadar, take the narrow, winding road along the southern shore through Ostros to Virpazar, or the faster route back via Bar and the Sozina tunnel (toll). Boats leave Virpazar for the water lilies and monasteries of the lake, and the road north to Rijeka Crnojevića passes the famous meander viewpoint.

Cetinje, the old royal capital, has palaces, former embassies and a monastery. Finish on Mount Lovćen at the Njegoš mausoleum, then descend the Kotor serpentine with its 25 hairpins, a road for small vehicles only and not for large motorhomes.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Budva** (Montenegro)
2. **Sveti Stefan** (Budva, Montenegro): A walled fishing village on an islet joined to the shore by a sandbar. See it from the coast road.
3. **Stari Bar** (Bar, Montenegro): The ruined old town of Bar, abandoned after an explosion in 1912, with churches, a hammam and an aqueduct under the mountains. Olive trees below are said to be among the oldest in Europe.
4. **Ulcinj** (Montenegro)
5. **Virpazar** (Montenegro)
6. **Rijeka Crnojevića Bridge** (Rijeka Crnojevića, Montenegro): A 19th-century stone arch bridge in a sleepy river village at the northern end of Lake Skadar. Boat trips run down the river to the lake.
7. **Cetinje** (Montenegro)
8. **Njegoš Mausoleum** (Cetinje, Montenegro): The tomb of prince-bishop Njegoš on the summit of Mount Lovćen, reached by 461 steps through a tunnel. On clear days you see the Bay of Kotor and Lake Skadar at once.