Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lovćen National Park Ловћен
Directly behind Kotor is Mt Lovćen (1749m, pronounced ' lov· chen'), the black mountain
that gave Crna Gora (Montenegro) its name ( crna / negro means 'black', gora / monte
means 'mountain' in Montenegrin and Italian respectively). This locale occupies a spe-
cial place in the hearts of all Montenegrins. For most of its history it represented the en-
tire nation - a rocky island of Slavic resistance in an Ottoman sea. The old capital of Cet-
inje nestles in its foothills and many of its residents head up here for picnics during sum-
mer.
Two-thirds of the national park's 6220 hectares are covered in woods, particularly the
black beech that gives it its moody complexion. Even the rockier tracts sprout wild herbs
such as St John's wort, mint and sage. The park is home to various types of reptile, 85
species of butterfly and large mammals such as brown bears and wolves. The 200 avian
species found here include regal birds of prey such as the peregrine falcon, golden eagle
and imperial eagle (but you'll be looking for a long time for the two-headed variety fea-
tured on the Montenegrin flag). Several species migrate between here and Lake Skadar.
The mountains are criss-crossed with hiking paths and mountain-biking trails, which
can be accessed from Kotor, Budva or Cetinje, and the Coastal Mountain Traversal runs
straight through. If you're planning on hiking, come prepared as the temperature is on av-
erage 100C cooler than on the coast and Lovćen's prone to sudden changes in summer.
Despite the high average rainfall, water supplies are limited as the moisture quickly
leeches into the karstic limestone.
The park's main hub is Ivanova Korita near its centre, where there are a few eateries and
accommodation providers and, in winter, a beginners' ski slope. Here you'll also find the
National Park Visitor Centre ( www.nparkovi.me ; 9am-5pm) , which rents bikes (per hour €2) and
offers accommodation in four-bed bungalows (€40). Informal camping is possible within
the park (small/large tent €3/5, campervan €10), with additional charges for using estab-
lished campgrounds (€10) or lighting fires in designated places (€5, including wood).
Sights & Activities
Njeguši
On the northern edge of the park, this endearing collection of stone houses is famous for
two things: being the home village of the Petrović dynasty, Montenegro's most important
VILLAGE
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