Lovcen National Park

Lovćen rises between the Bay of Kotor and the old capital at Cetinje, a limestone massif that has carried symbolic weight in Montenegro out of all proportion to its size. On the Jezerski vrh summit at 1657 metres stands the mausoleum of Petar II Petrović-Njegoš, prince-bishop and poet, designed by Ivan Meštrović and finished in 1974, reached by 461 steps through a tunnel. The view from the terrace runs over most of the country.

What you actually see

• The Njegos mausoleum - Mestrovic's monument on the summit, reached by 461 steps.
• The summit terrace - a view over the bay, the coast and much of the interior.
• The Kotor serpentine - the switchback road climbing from the bay.
• The karst landscape - bare limestone and dolines across the massif.

When to go

May to October; the roads are closed or difficult in winter snow. Mornings are clearest before haze builds. Summer weekends bring heavy traffic on the serpentine.

Honest expectations

The 461 steps to the mausoleum are steep and enclosed in a tunnel. The serpentine road from Kotor is narrow with severe drops and heavy summer traffic. Haze often limits the view.

Nearby

Njegusi is north, and Cetinje is northeast.