Day trip by car from Budva

Lake Skadar by car from Budva, via Rijeka Crnojevica and Pavlova Strana

From Pavlova Strana, the River Crnojevica forms a broad curve around a green hill before opening out toward Lake Skadar. A few kilometers upstream, Danilo's stone bridge links the banks of what was once a trading port. The road from Budva passes through the Cetinje hinterland, where Lipa Cave reveals underground chambers before the descent to the riverside town.

The sweeping bend of the River Crnojevica around a green hill, seen from Pavlova Strana

Trip overview

Trip duration
About 10-11 hours
Number of stops
5
Route length
98-100 km
AuthorHire And Travel Editorial TeamLast updated

The guide was prepared through research into the route and the attractions visited. The content was reviewed, confirmed and verified by Takumi Bulatovic, October 9, 2026.

Why set aside a day for this trip

This trip is worth a day for two contrasting natural experiences within a short distance of each other: the underground chambers of Cetinje's karst landscape and a broad river meander in the lake's hinterland. The total driving time is about three and a half hours, leaving most of the day for sightseeing, walking through the former port and its historic seat of power, and lunch by the river.

Trip and costs at a glance

Trip durationAbout 10-11 hours
TransportA car is needed · rental offers
Sights on this trip
Fuel consumptionEstimated 8-10 L
TollsNo charge
Admission costsLipa Cave admission: €16.90 per adult
NavigationOpen the prepared route for navigation

Map and navigation

The driving route from Budva through Belveder to the Lipa Cave parking area, then through Ulici to Rijeka Crnojevica and Pavlova Strana, with the return to Budva
Drive to the Lipa Cave parking area, Rijeka and Pavlova Strana. Visit Obod on foot from the town.

Route, visits and breaks

Durations are approximate. The full day includes early arrival for the cave tour, driving, visits, the walk up to Obod and back down, lunch and extra time for delays on the local road.

01

Leaving Budva and visiting Lipa Cave

1 h driving · 30 min early arrival · 1 h tour including train rides

Cave formations and visitors in a chamber of Lipa Cave
The developed part of Lipa Cave

Leave Budva in the morning, planning around your chosen cave tour, and open the prepared route for navigation. Allow about an hour to drive to the Lipa Cave parking area. The approach follows the Cetinje road through Belveder. In navigation, select Lipa cave parking, the driving destination recommended by the operator. The cave entrance itself is not the destination for your car.

Arrive at the parking area 30 minutes before the tour. The guided visit, including the round-trip ride on the tourist train, takes 60 minutes, so allow an hour and a half for the whole stop. The tour follows the illuminated main passage and underground chambers, and the group returns to the parking area afterward.

The cave opens seasonally, so choose a morning tour from the operator's current timetable before setting out. If you miss your tour, waiting for the next one can extend the day beyond the usual allowance for delays. The temperature inside is around 10-12 °C. A light extra layer is useful here even on a warm day on the coast.

02

Continuing the drive and walking through Rijeka Crnojevica

45 min driving · 15 min parking and approach · 1 h 15 min visit

Danilo's Bridge and riverside houses in Rijeka Crnojevica
Danilo's Bridge and the riverside town

From the Lipa Cave parking area, return through Belveder, then continue through Ulici to Rijeka Crnojevica. Allow about 45 minutes for this drive, with another 15 minutes to park and walk to the riverbank.

After leaving the main road, the route descends toward the river through bends and narrower stretches. Expect slower driving and the need to pass oncoming vehicles on the final local approach.

Allow about an hour and 15 minutes to look around the town. Follow the riverbank to Danilo's Bridge, cross the arched stone bridge on foot and look at Mostina beside it. Then return along the row of houses and the waterfront landing. Leave your car in the town while you visit Obod and stop for lunch.

03

Walking up to Obod and the Church of Saint Nicholas

1 h 15 min for the walk up, visit and return

The restored Church of Saint Nicholas on Obod above Rijeka Crnojevica
The Church of Saint Nicholas on historic Obod

From Danilo's Bridge, continue on foot toward Obod, the hill on the other side of the river. The Church of Saint Nicholas is approximately 850 meters away in one direction, with an uphill climb. About an hour and 15 minutes is set aside for the walk there, the visit and the return. Follow the short approach to Rijecki Grad rather than the longer trail toward Obod Cave.

On the hill, look at the church's stone entrance, bell gable and the remains of older monastery buildings nearby. Enter the church when it is open to visitors. Inside, you can see the iconostasis by the Djinovski brothers. The outdoor visit is the basis of this stage. Afterward, return to the town by the same approach.

04

Lunch by the river at Stari Most restaurant

1 h 15 min for lunch and a rest

The riverbank and Danilo's stone bridge in Rijeka Crnojevica
The riverbank in Rijeka Crnojevica, where the break is planned

Stop at Stari Most restaurant, on the riverbank in the center of Rijeka Crnojevica.

Allow about an hour and 15 minutes for lunch and a rest. The food reflects the traditional cooking of the lake region, with carp a particular specialty. After the break, return to your car and continue toward Pavlova Strana.

05

Driving to Pavlova Strana and looking over the meander

20 min driving · 40 min at the viewpoint · 10 min stopping and approach

The horseshoe bend of the River Crnojevica from the Pavlova Strana viewpoint
The view of the river bend from Pavlova Strana

From Rijeka Crnojevica, continue to the prepared waypoint for Pavlova Strana. The stretch is approximately four kilometers long, with about 20 minutes allowed for the narrow, winding road. You reach the main view by car. The hill inside the meander is not the destination for a hike.

At the viewpoint, use an available pull-off outside the roadway so that the road stays clear. Space beside this roadside point is limited, so do not expect a large parking lot. About 40 minutes is planned for the view and photographs, with another 10 minutes to stop and return to the vehicle.

06

Returning to Budva through Ulici

1 h 20 min driving

For the return, use the prepared driving section through Rijeka Crnojevica, Ulici and the Cetinje road to Budva. Allow about an hour and 20 minutes to drive from Pavlova Strana to Budva.

Plan about 10-11 hours for the full trip. This estimate includes all driving, early arrival and the Lipa Cave tour, the walk through town, the climb to Obod and descent, lunch, time at the viewpoint and an hour for delays. It assumes that you arrive for your chosen cave tour.

Trip highlights

01

Lipa Cave and the underground passages of Cetinje's karst

Lipa Cave lies in the limestone landscape between Cetinje Polje and Dobrska Uvala. Its network of passages formed at different levels: water left the higher passages and found lower routes through the rock. The underground chambers seen today are therefore part of a much larger system than the section covered by the visitor tour.

In the developed part of the cave, broad passages and chambers alternate with cave formations. The shapes on the ceiling, floor and walls grow through the gradual deposition of calcite from water. Lighting brings out their outlines, making it possible to distinguish the spaces hollowed out by water from the deposits that later grew inside them. The standard guided tour follows the main passage through Njegos Hall to the Grad viewpoint.

Researchers took an interest in Lipa Cave as early as the 19th century. In 1841, Petar II Petrovic Njegos expressed a wish for it to be explored, and its first more detailed plan was drawn in the early 20th century.

02

Rijeka Crnojevica, Danilo's Bridge and the former port

Rijeka Crnojevica takes its name from the dynasty that built a capital on nearby Obod. The riverside town developed later and became an important trading port in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Its landing connected this part of the hinterland with the transport of people and goods across the lake.

Danilo's Bridge is the principal historic structure on this walk along the riverbank. Prince Danilo built it in 1853 in memory of his father, Stanko Petrovic. Beside the bridge, he built Mostina, a house that survives today. The stone crossing linked the town with Rijecki Grad and formed part of the old caravan route to Virpazar.

The sweeping bend photographed from Pavlova Strana is farther downstream, so the walk through town and the stop at the viewpoint are two separate visits.

03

Obod, Rijecki Grad and the restored monastery

Obod, also known as Rijecki Grad, stands on a hill above the upper course of the River Crnojevica. Ivan Crnojevic began building it around 1475, when the Ottoman advance threatened his previous capital, Zabljak Crnojevica. From this hill, he could control the approach to Lovcen from the lake.

Within the fortress, Ivan built a palace and the Church of Saint Nicholas. Obod served as the capital for approximately seven years, and the church was the seat of the Metropolitanate of Zeta. Today, the visit takes in the historic site around the restored church, with remains of older monastery buildings. The former palace and fortress have not survived as complete buildings that visitors can walk through.

After destruction in the late 17th century, the Church of Saint Nicholas was rebuilt in 1743. It was restored several more times, and the restored church was consecrated in 2000. Large stone blocks and a bell gable distinguish its entrance. Inside is the iconostasis made by the Djinovski brothers in 1887. The building therefore reflects several periods of construction rather than an untouched church from Ivan Crnojevic's time.

The remains of old monastery residences near the church retain traces of the Crnojevic period and were later adapted for use as a school. Obod Monastery is now a convent, and its nuns paint icons.

04

Pavlova Strana and the river bend above the lake

From Pavlova Strana, the River Crnojevica can be seen sweeping around a green hill in a horseshoe-shaped bend. The water almost reverses direction before continuing toward the more open lake area. This panorama shows the river's approach to Lake Skadar. The hill in the middle is not an island completely surrounded by water.

Unlike the walk through town, this view shows how the entire bend fits into the hilly lake landscape. Vegetation and water levels change through the year, so the greenery beside the river will not look like the summer photographs every day.

Questions before a day trip to Lake Skadar

Which road should you take from Budva to Rijeka and Pavlova Strana?

The prepared route first follows the Cetinje road through Belveder to the Lipa Cave parking area. After the tour, it continues through Belveder and Ulici to Rijeka Crnojevica, then about four kilometers to Pavlova Strana. The local approaches are narrower and winding. The four driving sections preserve this order and the return through Ulici if mobile navigation leaves out some of the waypoints in the complete route.

When does Lipa Cave open, and how early should you arrive for the tour?

The operator offers tours from April through November. The timetable changes during the season, so check the available departures before you go. Arrive at the parking area 30 minutes before your chosen tour. The visit, including the train ride in both directions, takes 60 minutes, making the whole stop an hour and a half. Choose a morning tour for this route so that there is time afterward for the riverside town, Obod and the final viewpoint.

How much walking is involved, and do you have to hike up to Pavlova Strana?

You reach the main view from Pavlova Strana by car, stepping out for a short walk at the roadside pull-off. Obod involves an uphill walk of about 850 meters from Danilo's Bridge to the Church of Saint Nicholas, followed by the descent along the same route. The hour and 15 minutes allowed for that stage includes walking both ways and looking around. Lipa Cave has a developed path and steps, but the operator does not allow strollers or wheelchairs inside. The longer trail to Obod Cave is not part of this program.

Full-day trips

More day trips from Budva

Continue with the Budva guides

Use the Budva guides to settle your arrival, neighborhood, meals, main sights and daily arrangements before planning time outside the city.

Find a car for your trip to Rijeka and Pavlova StranaCompare rental car offers in Budva and choose a vehicle for the Cetinje road and the narrower local roads to the cave, Rijeka and Pavlova Strana. Check the included mileage for a trip of approximately 100 km.
View car rental deals
More places to plan

Guides to Budva and nearby places

Drives and day trips from nearby destinations

Travel around MontenegroContinue with the Montenegro guide

For a longer Montenegro journey, connect the coast and northern bases only after checking airports, parking and the travel time between overnight stops.