Things to do in Podgorica

The city is quietly and steadily evolving into a real European capital and evidence of this is apparent in the style of architecture which has been adopted in the developments since the 1990s. Dominating the Podgorica skyscape is the Millenium Bridge, and Hristovog Vaskrsenja – a modern orthodox church for which building began in 1993. 

Most of Podgorico’s historical Ottoman and later architecture was destroyed by Nazi and Allied bombings during World War II. However in Stara Varoš (Old town) the old Ottoman clock tower still stands and you’ll find some other traces of Ottoman architecture. The City Museum details the rich history of Montenegro across four rooms: historical, archaeological, ethnographic, and cultural-historical. The artefacts go as far back as the Roman and Illyrian periods. Another noteworthy attraction is King Nicolas’s castle with the surrounding park, which has been converted into an art gallery with over 1500 pieces to lay your eyes on.

The city is also a good base from which to hit Montenegro’s ski slopes in winter and Adriatic coast during warmer climes. Although it cannot compete with great European cities, to get a deep and informed appreciation for the country’s culture, it’s worth spending some time exploring Podgorica – especially since almost a third of the population reside there.