Podgorica may not be the most glamorous stop in Montenegro, but it is highly practical. Set where the Morača and Ribnica rivers meet, the city is a convenient gateway to other parts of the country and beyond, with an international airport, buses and rail links.
It’s also surprisingly green, with parks and riverside promenades that give the city a relaxed feel. Use Podgorica as a practical base for short stays, a laundry-and-rest pit stop between longer journeys, as we did!
Prizren to Podgorica
To reach Podgorica from Prizren, we took three buses. Technically, we paid once, but we transferred to a larger bus about thirty minutes after leaving Prizren and changed again after crossing Lake Shkoder, since that service continued to Budva.
We set off at 6.30 pm and arrived at Podgorica bus station 5 minutes before midnight. Thankfully, our accommodation was a five‑minute walk from the station, which was ideal for a late‑night arrival.
Accommodation – Home in Podgorica by Nina
Nina’s flat was one of the best places we stayed in the Balkans. We spent three nights there, and because we liked the flat so much that, when we returned from Trebinje in Bosnia to catch our flight to Manchester from Podgorica airport, we booked an extra night.
She had thought of everything to make the stay comfortable: welcome coffees and biscuits, and even a cold beer waiting in the fridge. The kitchen was well stocked with spices, salt, oil, an espresso machine, a toaster and a kettle, and Nina provided laundry powder, an iron, an ironing board and a drying rack.
The terrace had a swinging chair and a table with 2 chairs where we had breakfast. Several grocery shops were nearby, and we walked to the old town without any trouble.
Tourist Residence tax
Montenegro was the first Balkan country we visited that required a residence (tourist) tax to be paid within 24 hours of arrival. It cost €0.90 per person per day. Nina kindly helped us register and pay online; we left the cash in the flat upon checkout.
What to See in Podgorica
Here are the main sights you’ll come across when exploring the old town and other places nearby:
- Sahat Kula (Clock Tower of Hadži‑paša Osmanagić) – Built in 1667 and standing about 19 m tall, Sahat Kula is one of the few Ottoman landmarks in Podgorica that survived World War II.
- Depedogen (Ribnica Fortress) – The Ribnica Fortress (Depedogen) dates to the late 15th century, sits above the Ribnica–Morača confluence, and was long used as an ammunition depot before being heavily damaged by the 1878 lightning strike that triggered an explosion.
- Starodoganjska Mosque – Founded in the late 15th century, it remained one of the town’s principal mosques into the Ottoman period.
- The Old Bridge over the Ribnica (Adži‑paša’s Bridge) – Often called Adži‑paša’s Bridge after its 18th‑century reconstruction, the stone crossing dates back to Roman times and is Podgorica’s oldest bridge.
- Independence Square – Independence Square is Podgorica’s central civic plaza (about 5,000 m²), rebuilt and pedestrianised in 2006 during Montenegro’s independence reforms and renamed in 2016.
Food and Drink Highlights
- Pod Volat — The city’s well‑known restaurant near the clock tower. Our lunch (green cabbage with sausage €8.50, mashed potatoes €2.70, rice €3.80, beef goulash €7.50, beer Niksicko 500ml €2.50, and Somersby cider 330ml €3.50).
- Grill Beli — Another restaurant we went to was near our accommodation, just opposite the bus station. Its name means “buy” in Malay 😁. Chicken skewers €9, beans with sausage €6.50 and 500ml beer €2.40, cheaper than lemonade 330ml at €2.50.
- Na Moraču — A quiet river‑beach bar where we had the place almost to ourselves. It was peaceful and relaxing, and we ended up going there twice. However, it didn’t have Niksicko, just international beers like Carlsberg, Tuborg, San Miguel, etc. A half pint of Kronenbourg Blanc was €2.80 and a full pint was €4.80.
- Pub WWW — There were plenty of bars around this pub in Bokeška Street, but it wasn’t lively when we were there. Perhaps it livens up at night. Lemonade cost €2.20, and a pint of Kronenbourg Blanc was €3.90.
Two nights in Podgorica were enough to see what the city offered; three nights felt a little long, but we arrived late, so it worked well for us — a handy pit stop to do laundry and put our feet up in the swinging chair. Next stop: Kotor, which amusingly means “dirty” in Malay 😁; it was anything but, and I’ll show you soon.
Travel Date: 10th July – 13th July 2025 & 20th July – 21st July 2025