Lovćen and Cetinje by car from Kotor, with Njeguši and the cable car

Petar II Petrović Njegoš was born in 1813 in Erakovići, a hamlet of Njeguši. His stone family home is now a memorial museum. Before visiting the residences in Cetinje and the monument on Lovćen, the rooms and objects preserved in the museum display introduce you to the household he came from.

In the room of Njegoš's father, Tomo, a hearth with a hanging chain and cauldron stands alongside low seats, a cradle and a child's table. Traditional dress, gusle and weapons add to the picture of family life. In the basement are objects used for work and food storage, including a hand mill, milk vessels and a butter-making device. This part of the display connects the house with households that raised livestock in the Njeguši area.

The other rooms contain Ivan Meštrović's bust of Njegoš, a portrait by Jovan Zonjić and the Petrović family tree. A painting of Njegoš with his companions at Krstac Pass, a model of Biljarda and editions of The Mountain Wreath extend the story from his family to his literary life and role as ruler. The bust also makes an interesting connection with Lovćen, where you will later see Meštrović's monumental portrayal of the same figure.

King Nikola's former palace was built in 1867 and opened as a museum in 1926. The display connects the residence of Montenegro's last king with the political and family history of the Petrović dynasty. The interiors have been recreated with surviving objects from the dynasty, so today's museum is not a completely untouched home from the king's time.

The Indonesian reception room stands out for its carved wooden furniture, while the Venetian room has mirrors and a different style of reception furniture. Portraits of royal relatives and guests illustrate the court's connections with European dynasties.

The family dining room, the king's and queen's rooms, the library and the rooms of Princesses Ksenija and Vjera reveal another part of the residence. The same people you have seen in formal portraits are now shown in the setting of their private lives.

Ivan Crnojević founded Cetinje's first monastery at Ćipur in the 15th century. King Nikola built the court church on the site of that complex in 1890. King Nikola, Queen Milena, Princesses Ksenija and Vjera and Ivan Crnojević are buried there. Viewing the exterior reveals the place where the old capital's history connects with the later Petrović dynasty.

After the first monastery was destroyed, Bishop Danilo built a new one nearby below Orlov Krš. Parts of the older complex were incorporated into the new building, including a stone bearing the Crnojević coat of arms. Cetinje Monastery remains an active place of worship and houses the relics of Saint Peter of Cetinje. In this plan, you view its exterior and approach the accessible public spaces.

Biljarda was built in 1838, when the monastery no longer provided enough room for the state's institutions. Njegoš's residence took its name from a billiard table, and the enclosed courtyard with towers gives it a different appearance from the later royal palace. Its exterior completes this short walk through places that served as a religious centre, a ruler's home and the seat of state administration.

Njegoš's Mausoleum on Jezerski Vrh honours Montenegro's poet, bishop and ruler, who wished to be buried on Lovćen. He built a chapel here during his lifetime. The present monument opened in 1974 and was conceived by Ivan Meštrović, following the demolition and replacement of earlier chapels.

Two stone caryatids guard the entrance, while a figure of Njegoš accompanied by an eagle with outstretched wings stands at the centre of the interior. Above it is a vault covered in golden mosaic. The sculpture and vault give the space a solemn character, while the crypt holds a marble sarcophagus containing Njegoš's remains.

Behind the mausoleum, a stone path leads onto a circular stone platform. From this viewpoint, you look across Lovćen's rocky terrain and layers of distant mountains when visibility is good. The narrow ridge, exposed space and summit view make this part of the visit different from the monument's interior.

Kuk is the upper complex of the Kotor Cable Car on the slope of Lovćen, high above the Bay of Kotor. The viewing areas beside the station overlook the Kotor and Tivat sections of the bay, the shoreline and settlements below the mountain. After the view across rocky terrain from Jezerski Vrh, the panorama here returns to the sea and the places you set out from.

The cable car connects Kuk with Dub, the lower station on the approach to Kotor from the Tivat direction. As the cabin descends, the bay and settlements draw closer while the slope of Lovćen remains above you. The return ascent offers a view in the opposite direction. The two rides therefore offer more than the view from a single stationary terrace.