Hidden places in and around Podgorica

Kuslev House, at Vuka Karadzica Street 8, has a ground-floor facade facing the street, while terraces, porches and stairways open toward the Ribnica. Two connected buildings are arranged around a courtyard above the river. This part of the property cannot be seen in full from the street, so a view from the riverbank reveals a different side of the house.

Dr Hristo Kuslev built it for his family and dental practice, probably in the nineteen-twenties. It survived the bombing of Podgorica in the Second World War. The former home and dental office are now an exhibition space within the Museums and Galleries of Podgorica.

Exhibitions, concerts and other cultural events are held in the house and courtyard. The museums publish opening hours from Tuesday to Saturday, from 9 to 17. Follow current displays and evening events through Kuslev House's program and contact details. Questions about visits can also be sent to [email protected]. Evening events may take place outside the regular opening hours. Kuslev House on Google Maps.

The old hammam beside the Ribnica now houses Karver bookshop, at Brijeg Cukovica 1. The surviving central dome remains from the former public bath of Ottoman origin. The original building had two blocks with an upper floor, linked by a ground-floor section, with three domes alternating with pitched roofs.

People now come to the former bathing space for books, readings and conversations with writers. Karver organizes the 'Odakle zovem' festival, which has also included film screenings. The festival program may use other cultural venues, so check the address of your chosen event as well.

For literary gatherings, see Karver's program and contact details. If you are coming to the bookshop outside an event, the same contact can provide regular shop hours. Karver on Google Maps.

On Ljubovic, maintained walking paths with benches pass among pines and limestone blocks. The hill stands between residential neighborhoods, with Stara Varos on the northern side and Zabjelo on the other sides.

The forest was created through tree planting in the 20th century. The recreation area has cycling trails as well as walking paths.

Motor vehicles are not allowed on the road through the recreation area. Even if you drive to the foot of the hill, a walk includes an ascent. For a visit to the other town hill, Gorica, with its monuments and additional features, see Podgorica's attractions. Ljubovic on Google Maps.

The marble sculpture 'Large Female Nude' stands in the courtyard of Risto Stijovic Gallery, while inside you can see the Podgorica sculptor's work in different materials. The gallery is on Brace Zlaticanin Street, on the site of his birthplace. The gallery is housed in a new building.

The collection includes works Stijovic left to his hometown. The ground floor displays sculptures and reliefs in wood, while the upper floor has works in bronze, marble and plaster. Among them are female figures, portraits, animals and characters from 'Gorski vijenac' ('The Mountain Wreath').

The Museums and Galleries of Podgorica publish opening hours from Tuesday to Saturday, from 9 to 17. The gallery's page presents the collection. Information about special events is available at [email protected]. Google Maps - Risto Stijovic Gallery.

Celija Piperska lies above the village of Gornji Crnci in Piperi, at the edge of a plateau overlooking the Bjelopavlici plain. Within the walled complex stand a stone church with a dome and bell tower and the monastery's residential buildings. The church is dedicated to the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God.

The monastery takes its name from a cell, a small room where Stefan Piperski stayed and prayed. Tradition associates him with the foundation of the first church. Later additions brought a dome, bell tower and residential buildings, so the present complex contains buildings from different periods. Njegos opened one of Montenegro's first primary schools here.

A community of nuns lives at the monastery. Ask about arrival times and church entry at +382 20 881 118 or [email protected]. No tourist opening hours have been published, so arriving at the complex should not be treated as an arranged visit inside the church. Google Maps - Celija Piperska.

Duga Monastery is in the village of the same name, in the Moraca canyon, a few kilometers from Bioce. A small stone church with a bell gable, a stone support for bells above the facade, stands separately from the larger residential building, whose open arches run along its facade. The church is dedicated to the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God and was built in 1755.

Duga preserves a tradition about its relocation from Gospodjino Polje, near the confluence of the Mala Rijeka and the Moraca. According to the story, people from the surrounding tribes passed stones from hand to hand to move the monastery away from danger.

A community of nuns lives at the monastery. The published contacts for visits are [email protected] and +382 68 111 753. Contact the monastery to ask about service times and visiting the church. Google Maps - Duga Monastery.

Bukumirsko Lake lies in the Kuci Mountains, in the Podgorica part of Komovi Nature Park, at an elevation of 1,443 meters. The small glacial lake is surrounded by grassy shores and rocky rises. Marsh vegetation grows beside the water, with the slopes of Zijovo behind it.

The lake is about 210 meters long and about 130 meters wide. Above it rises a moraine ridge, an accumulation of stones left by the glacier, from which the lake basin can be viewed. The Protected Areas Agency describes it as a popular recreation spot for Podgorica residents. Its glacial origin is explained on the Komovi Nature Park page.

The mountain approach to the lake requires a separate excursion from Podgorica. The agency has provided a parking area from which visitors continue on foot, with driving prohibited immediately beside the water. Visitor parking for Bukumirsko Lake is marked separately from the lake itself. Before setting out, check the condition of the approach road and the mountain weather. Google Maps - Bukumirsko Lake.

Crvena Stijena Fortress is on Velje Brdo, above Tolosi, on a rise overlooking Podgorica and the surrounding plain. The remains of the walls follow an elliptical outline, about 150 meters in circumference. Surviving walls reach roughly one to four meters in height, with stonework, openings and broken walls visible among vegetation.

Crvena Stijena is the name of the summit on the southwestern side of Velje Brdo. It takes its name from the color of the rocks that descend below it toward the Tolosi plain. The tourist organization describes the area in its active-tourism brochure, and the fortress has also been the destination of one of its hiking tours.

The ruins are reached on foot, ascending Velje Brdo. The point on the map shows the fortress, rather than a trailhead or parking area. A maintained path for the final ascent and regular staffed tours have not been confirmed, so establish the route before going independently. The tourist description of Crvena Stijena gives its location and surviving walls. Google Maps - Crvena Stijena Fortress.

Zabljak Crnojevica stands on a rise above the village, fields and marsh landscape of Lake Skadar. From the foot of the hill, you can see the high ring of stone walls, with the remains of buildings and towers inside. After the ascent, views extend over the walls to the plain, lake and surrounding hills.

The older walls and semicircular tower were built with roughly dressed stone in lime mortar. Later alterations include Ottoman work and sections with features of Venetian masonry. Different building methods can be recognized in the surviving walls, showing how the fortification changed over time.

The settlement belongs to the Royal Capital of Cetinje. Reaching the village is a separate trip from a Podgorica town walk, and from the foot of the hill you continue to the fortress on foot. The overview of Montenegrin fortresses describes its construction and later alterations. Google Maps - Zabljak Crnojevica.