Lovćen National Park: Our Complete Guide

The Most Important Facts About Lovćen National Park at a Glance

• Location: near Kotor on the coast of Montenegro
• Admission: 3 euros (paid at the park entrance)
• Activities: hiking, mountain biking, viewpoint at the mausoleum & attractions at the Kotor-Lovćen cable car
• Getting there: winding road near Kotor, route via Cetinje, or by the Kotor-Lovćen cable car
• Opening hours: open 24 hours
• Accommodations: We recommend staying in Budva or Kotor. Our hotel pick in Budva: Hotel Villa Gracia

Where Is Lovćen National Park?

Lovćen National Park sits on the coast of Montenegro, between Kotor and Budva. Thanks to its coastal location, it’s one of the most popular national parks in Montenegro. You can reach it super quickly from your accommodation in Kotor or your hotel in Budva. We’ll tell you exactly how further below.

We’ve marked the park on the map in turquoise so you can see exactly where it is. You’ll also find the two most beautiful highlights in Lovćen National Park and the most important towns in the area on the map.

What Can You Do in the Park?

Viewpoint at the Njegoš Mausoleum

Probably the most famous attraction in Lovćen National Park — and one of the top highlights in Montenegro — is the Njegoš Mausoleum. This is where Prince-Bishop Petar II is buried.

Inside the mausoleum itself, there isn’t really much to see. You climb 461 steps through a tunnel and end up in front of a small building with a small room. Inside stands a statue of Petar II. And that’s pretty much it.

The real draw, though, is the viewing platform behind the building. You walk past the room and emerge onto a narrow path that leads to a 360-degree viewing platform.

From up there, you get a seriously incredible panorama over the rugged mountains — supposedly across more than half the country. On a clear day, you can even see all the way to Durmitor National Park on the other side of the country. The mausoleum is also the highest-elevation mausoleum in Europe, which gives you a sense of just how dramatic the views are.

Admission to the mausoleum costs 8 euros.

Hiking

Lovćen National Park is also a fantastic place to hike. Several trails wind through the park, leading you to stunning vantage points. There are short walks and more challenging hikes — depending on your fitness level and how you’re feeling that day.

One trail we’d really recommend is the loop trail starting at the mausoleum. Along the way, you’ll pass some fantastic viewpoints. With about 1,480 feet of elevation gain, it’s moderately challenging. Plan on three to four hours.

For more hiking options in Lovćen National Park, check out the tours on Komoot.

Activities Around the Mountain Station of the Kotor-Lovćen Cable Car

The mountain station of the Kotor-Lovćen cable car is absolutely worth a stop when visiting Lovćen National Park. The cable car runs from Kotor in the valley up into the mountains.

Several cool attractions are set up at the mountain station: a playground, bike rental, quad rental, restaurant, bike park for kids, and an alpine coaster.

We tried the alpine coaster. It was on the shorter side, but honestly we had a blast. It’s actually one of our favorite activities in Montenegro. One ride costs 8 euros and you can go solo or with a partner.

You can reach the mountain station by taking the cable car up from Kotor — obviously. A round-trip ticket costs 23 euros. But you can also drive up and park at the mountain station. The parking lot was free when we visited and is just a few minutes’ walk from the station. On your way there, you’ll already pass one or two of the attractions.

Mountain Biking

We mentioned there’s a bike rental at the mountain station — and it’s seriously worth taking advantage of. Rent a bike there and you can explore some really great routes through Lovćen National Park.

The roads and trails are well-maintained and easy to ride, and there’s barely any traffic.

At the Velo Shop, you choose between an e-bike and a regular mountain bike. An e-bike starts at 35 euros for three hours, and a mountain bike without a motor starts at 18 euros.

You can head out on your own and follow a Komoot route or one of the self-guided tours from Velo. There’s even a route that goes from the mountain station all the way down to the Bay of Kotor — a staff member brings the bike back up afterward.

Or you can book the guided bike tour through the national park, which also takes you past the mausoleum.

Cetinje

Cetinje isn’t located directly in the national park. But the town is only six to nine miles from the entrance and pairs perfectly with a visit to Lovćen National Park. It was a lot quieter than Kotor or Budva — still very much an under-the-radar pick in Montenegro.

Cetinje is Montenegro’s former capital. You can visit an Orthodox monastery here and stroll through a small historic center. There isn’t a huge amount to see inside the monastery, but admission was free and it was genuinely interesting to experience.

How Do You Get to Lovćen National Park?

There are two ways to reach Lovćen National Park by car. You can either approach via Kotor and drive up a road with over 20 switchbacks, or take the more relaxed route via Cetinje.

If you’re starting from Budva, there’s no real time difference between the two routes. From Kotor, the switchback route is faster.

We recommend driving into the park via the switchbacks and returning via the road to Cetinje — no matter where your accommodation in Montenegro is. The switchback road is narrow and more demanding to drive, but it offers an almost constant incredible vista over the Bay of Kotor and its highlights.

Two cars can just barely pass each other on the switchback road, so try to arrive at the national park as early as possible to avoid tour buses coming the other way. If a bus comes toward you, you — as the smaller vehicle — have to reverse and pull over.

Most tour buses start at 10 AM. If you drive the road before 10 AM, your chances of not encountering any buses are pretty good. That’s exactly what we did, and the plan worked perfectly. Inside the park, the roads are back to normal width.

If you’re not driving, you can take the cable car from Kotor up into the national park. The round-trip ticket costs 23 euros. Keep in mind that with the cable car, you won’t have much flexibility once you’re up there. Alternatively, you can book a day tour to Lovćen National Park.

Book a day tour to Lovćen National Park online

What Your Day in Lovćen National Park Could Look Like

Not sure how to fit everything into one day? Here’s a suggested itinerary for visiting Lovćen National Park.

Getting There

Leave early enough to drive up the switchback road near Kotor before 10 AM and arrive at the park entrance around that time.

Along the way, there are several viewpoints where you can easily pull over — factor that into your drive time. We stopped twice for about five to ten minutes each time.

At the park entrance, you pay the 3-euro admission fee.

Viewpoint at the Mausoleum

From the park entrance, it’s about a 15-minute drive to the mausoleum. There aren’t many parking spots right in front — just park along the road.

Plan on spending about an hour at the mausoleum and the viewing platform.

Hike

If you want to really experience nature in Lovćen National Park, head out from the mausoleum on one of the hiking trails. If you’re not in the mood for hiking or it’s too hot, skip this section and head to one of the beaches in Montenegro after your visit instead.

The loop trail through Lovćen National Park starts right at the mausoleum. Along the way, you’ll pass great viewpoints and take in the scenery. The tour takes about three to four hours.

Alternatively, skip ahead to the next stop and rent a bike at the Kotor-Lovćen cable car mountain station for a cycling tour instead.

Mountain Station in Lovćen National Park

Your next stop is the mountain station of the Kotor-Lovćen cable car. Here you can soak up the view over the Bay of Kotor and ride the alpine coaster.

Tickets for the alpine coaster are available at the ticket booth across from the cable car.

If you want to take photos on the ride, it’s best to go with a second person — they handle the gas and brakes while you focus on the shots.

Plan on spending about half an hour to an hour at the mountain station, depending on how busy it is.

Return via Cetinje

So you don’t have to drive back down the switchbacks and risk meeting a bus, take the road through Cetinje back to your accommodation.

In Cetinje, make a quick stop, check out the monastery, and stroll through the old quarter. Plan on about an hour for the stop.

If you’re hungry, you can also have dinner here — for example at Restoran Crna Gora.

Accommodations Near Lovćen National Park

We recommend staying in Budva or alternatively in Kotor. Budva is the best base for day trips along Montenegro’s coast. From here, you can reach the national park quickly. A day trip is more than enough time to see the mausoleum, ride the alpine coaster, and squeeze in a hike. Our top hotel pick is Hotel Villa Gracia.

Book Hotel Villa Gracia

If you want to do multiple hikes or bike tours in Lovćen National Park, you can also stay overnight in the park itself. You’ll find mostly vacation rentals here — there are no official campgrounds in Lovćen National Park.

Book Porto Njeguši A1 in Lovćen National Park

Best Time to Visit Lovćen National Park

The best time to visit Lovćen National Park is between April and June or September through October. During those months, the park isn’t too hot for activities and isn’t as packed as it gets in July and August.

We were there in July and couldn’t do any hiking because 91°F was just too hot for us.

Is a Visit to Lovćen National Park Worth It?

Absolutely!

The mountain scenery in the park is truly stunning. The views are seriously something else — you can even see the Bay of Kotor from above.

There are also some genuinely cool things to do in Lovćen National Park. You can hike, mountain bike, ride an alpine coaster, or make a stop at the playground or the small bike park if you’re traveling with kids.

You can also get to the park quickly from the coast, which makes it more appealing to many visitors than, say, Durmitor National Park. Durmitor is larger and has higher peaks, but it’s located inland — and for many people, that doesn’t fit naturally into a Montenegro itinerary.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lovćen National Park