Lake Skadar became something of an anchor point for my Montenegro trip. It was the first thing I saw of the country, and ultimately the place where I ended my trip. This unique piece of nature, and fortunately protected nature reserve, is one of Europe’s greatest hidden gems, if you ask me. Literally and figuratively, as at 40,000 ha it is the largest lake in the Balkans. Worth a visit, and I got to see it from all sides.

First views at sunrise

When the alarm went off early and I climbed out of bed with my camera in hand, the night train from Belgrade was already almost entering its final destination Bar. I had been told that the views from this train are fantastic. But as I was travelling in May, the chances of admiring it in the light were very slim. I was hoping for delays (which I was also told were often the case) so that I would have more time to enjoy the views. Well fortunately, I am rarely delayed with trains, and so this one time I was hoping for was not. So I did not know where I would wake up and whether I would see much beauty.

But the alarm went off with sunrise and I was surprised by the beautiful views of Skadar Lake. The soft morning light on the water and in the background the hills slowly waking up. Skadar Lake is the largest lake in the Balkans and lies on the border between Montenegro and Albania. It is a protected nature reserve and is known for its enormous biodiversity, with hundreds of bird species, vast lily fields and quiet, pristine shores. It was my first impression of Montenegro, and I was immediately impressed. Not knowing, it would get so much better!

Cycling around Skadar lake

After touring Montenegro, along the coast and through the mountains, my journey ended at the lake again – this time I viewed it not from a train window, but on a bicycle. The roads around the lake are quiet and perfect for cycling. Not very hilly and fine to cycle even with a regular mountain bike. But I am also definitely not complaining about the fact that I got to do the ride on an electric bike, which could be rented at my accommodation for €20 a day. This made it extra relaxing, allowing me to fully enjoy the views.

---

Are you a fan of cycling holidays and want to cycle through Montenegro? The company where I did this short cycling trip from the accommodation also offers 8-day cycling tours in Montenegro. €50 discount with the code “LizetW50“.

With the hair in the wind and the sound of birds in the background, it really felt like a holiday to me. No rush, no crowds – just pedalling, watching, stopping for the views and enjoying nature.

I left with a group and our host from the Jablan winery, where we stayed in a very cute little appartment. After about half an hour of cycling, we came across “Konoba Ceklin”, a hotel restaurant with a fantastic view over the lake. A perfect place for a refreshing iced coffee, before the journey continued to our next activity on the lake.

Skadar lake boatride

We went out on Skadar lake by boat! I’m always a bit wobbly in boats, so it definitely took me a while to enjoy it. But wow, how beautiful this was. We had a small boat that could sail through the narrowest bits of nature. Between lily pads and birds, with the sun on my face and a cool breeze due to boat’s speed. Here you really see how big and diverse the area is – and how quiet it can be, despite Lake Skadar being the largest lake in the Balkans.

It is a national park and therefore protected. So you are not allowed to just enter the lake, but must go with an experienced captain. After a small boat ride, you buy a ticket to actually enter the area. So there you will be stopped if you would try to enter the area by boat yourself. This policy is there to protect the many birds that breed in the area and ensure that the area is not damaged by mass tourism. You will encounter the occasional other boat, but for the most part it seems like you have the whole lake to yourself, with all the birds and beautiful views.

The boat excursions depart from Virpazar, a cute village next to Lake Skadar. In summer, chances are you won’t be able to see everything because the water levels are too low. The differences between early spring and summer are huge. Fortunately, the lake still fills with the melted snow from the mountains every year now. But it is definitely a place that risks not being it in decades to come.

Wine fields and a relaxing end of the day

Near the lake are several vineyards where you can stay. After an active day on the bike or on the water, there is little better than plopping down on a terrace among the vines, with a local glass of wine in hand. The sun slowly setting, the view of nature, and the silence around you complete the picture.

So we stayed at the Jablan winery. A vineyard that makes natural wine, with all the vagaries that come with it, but so completely in tune with nature. All sorts of things grow on the vineyard, such as herbs and flowers, and the wine is not treated with chemicals. This means that sometimes some is lost and the quality can vary from year to year. But that also makes it a fun challenge. You never know exactly what the year will bring. But in doing so, you make delicious wine that does not harm nature.

Of course, there is much more to such a vineyard than just putting down some plants, letting them grow nicely, and just seeing what nature does. It is still well maintained, pruned in autumn and kept in check in season. Even at an organic vineyard, you can influence the quality of the wine, for example by trimming leaves so the grapes get more sunlight.

At a natural vineyard, the winemaking process itself is just as complicated and precision work as any other vineyard, to make the most delicious wines. We were allowed to taste a unique orange wine, a primitivo rosé wine and a typical Montenegrin red wine made from Vranac grapes. The vineyard is growing and new varieties have now been planted. So there will be even more goodies to taste in the coming years.

Full circle trip through Montenegro

On the last day at the vineyard, I went out on my own for a while. I grabbed another bike and headed in the opposite direction. On the way to a small lakeside village called “Dodosi”, the weather seemed to turn. It was already raining in the distance and the wind was picking up. I decided not to make the steep descent to the village and grabbed my camera for the last pictures of the viewpoint. I looked through my zoom lens and suddenly saw a bridge in the distance. THE bridge. The bridge over the lake, over which the train moved me 1.5 weeks earlier on my way to my very first stop in beautiful Montenegro. Not only did I start and end my journey at this lake, but my first and last views were diametrically opposed. After a wonderful tour of this impressive and heavily underrated country, the trip was now truly full circle and it was time to head home. What a trip, and highly recommended!