There’s no denying it: Podgorica has a bad rap. As one of the least visited European capitals, I read travel blogs that dubbed it a “shithole” and “the most boring capital in Europe.” A visit to TripAdvisor had people scratching their heads why I even wanted to go there in the first place. “Just skip it,” I was told. “Make a beeline for the coast- that’s where it’s at in Montenegro.” As an extremely stubborn individual all of this talk had the opposite effect and made me want to visit Podgorica all the more. Who doesn’t like to root for an underdog, and Podgorica turned out to be the Cinderella story of my European capital bracket.
Not only did I stay in one of the best hostels I’ve ever come across, Montenegro Hostel (shoutout to Kokolo, Mladen and the hostel dog Johnny!), but I discovered an interesting city, great food and warm, friendly people. To say I was depressed to leave is understatement. Conversely, I found Kotor massively underwhelming, with mediocre and overpriced food. The streets were jam packed with daytrippers fresh off the cruise ship; there was a real danger of having your eye poked out with a selfie stick! To each their own, but Podgorica is the place for me.
So, if you’re willing to ignore the naysayers and give Podgorica a shot, what should you do? Start out with a self-guided walking tour- I began mine right outside Montenegro Hostel on the east side of the Morača River.
Temperatures can be sweltering in August- it hit 46 C (115 F) while I was there- and as this photo of the banks of the Morača proves, the locals know the best thing to do is cool off with a dip in the river.
On the other side of the river you can see both the Old and New Morača Sports Centers. Podgorica has their own basketball team, Budućnost Voli, which plays at the new arena; there are also swimming pools, tennis and volleyball courts.
Keep walking along the river until you reach Union Bridge and cross it. You’ll pass the US Embassy on your left before reaching Park Petrovića, where you’ll find the Dvorac Petrovića, King Nikola I’s winter palace that has now become a contemporary art gallery.
Continue walking through the park and in the far corner you’ll find the Radio and Television Building. There’s something addicting about tracking down these brutalist radio and television buildings across the former Iron Curtain. Podgorica’s isn’t the standard upside-down pyramid that you can find in Bratislava and Sofia, but it has a concrete-block charm of its own.
From the roundabout next to the Radio and Television Building, walk down Bulevar Džordža Vašingtona to Saborni hram Hristovog Vaskresenja (Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ). The brightly painted interior may give off an older vibe, but the cathedral opened recently in 2013. One of the workers informed me that the chandelier is the largest in Montenegro.
Directly behind the cathedral you can walk down the Vasa Raičkovića through a residential area of Soviet-style block apartment buildings until you reach the opposite bank of the Morača River from where you started. Here you’ll find a monument to Vladimir Vysotsky, a Russian singer, poet and actor who was known for his humorous and often subversively political songs.
Directly to the left of Vysotsky’s monument is the Most Milenijum (Millennium Bridge), possibly Podgorica’s most identifying landmark. The bridge was built in 2005 and there are pedestrian pathways on either side.
After crossing the bridge you will run into Trg nezavisnosti (Independence Square/formerly Trg Republike or Republic Square) which is the central square of Podgorica. The surrounding streets are where you’ll find the best restaurants and bars in the city. By this point the heat was getting to me and I had to stop in Greenwich bar for a refresher before heading out again.
After a drink (or two) make your way back to the Morača River by way of the Stari Most na Ribnici (Old Ribnica Bridge) and people-watch those playing in the river.
The views from the ruins around the Old Ribnica Bridge are perfect for a little journaling while waiting for the sun to set. Several locals stopped and said hello, curious to find out what I was doing in Podgorica. They may not be used to too many tourists at the moment, but judging from a new spat of blog posts I think the image of the city is changing and this formerly-undervalued capital city will soon be joining the backpacking well-traveled trail.
