Cetinje

During the years of Montenegro's independence, Cetinje was its capital. While the rest of Yugoslavia was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire, Montenegro stayed independent, mainly because Cetinje was so easy to defend. The city is located on a high plateau between the Bay of Kotor and Skadar Lake.

There are several interesting sights in Cetinje. The State Museum is housed in an old palace. The former house of Cetinje's prince-bishop is immediately opposite the palace. It was built in the 19th century. The Cetinje Monastery was founded in 1484, destroyed and rebuilt in 1785. It houses a large collection of artifacts, such as liturgical songs printed in 1494.

Cetinje is a nice town with numerous winding streets and old buildings. It has a unique, peaceful atmosphere and it is a nice place to spend a few days. There are several hotels in town, but it is always very busy and accommodation can be tight, so most people visit Cetinje on a day trip, while they stay at Bar, 30 km to the south, or one of Montenegro's other coastal resorts. There are numerous restaurants in Cetinje. The town is 300 km southwest of Beograd (Belgrade).

Some 15 km west of Cetinje is Mount Lovcen that is well worth a visit.