Situatedawayfromthemainroads,RijekaCrnojevićaisatrue hidden gem. The town is named after a river that emerges from a spring from a nearby cave cut into the ObodskaRockand is theonly river that isnavigablealreadyafter the first 13 kilometres of its course. It splits to formawondrous little island, thenreunites,meanderingtoformfantasticcurves, then finally dives into Lake Skadar as though they’ve always been one. It is due to these“canals”that this region has been referred to affectionately sincemedieval times as theVenice of Montenegro. Today it is a small town with only 200 inhabitants that has preserved its own story since the mid-15th century, when Montenegro’s thenmostpowerful ruler, LordofZeta IvanCrnojević, relocated the headquarters of the state and the church here. This town was Montenegro’s largest port and leading trade hubduring the 19th century, but little of thewealth of that golden timehasbeenpreservedtothisday.Driedcommonbleakfishwas once inhighdemandon Italian tables due to its extraordinary flavour, while it is today a local speciality that you simplemust try in one of themany restaurants along the lake shore. Theremainsof structuresdatingback totheageof IvanCrnojevićarepreserved inthetown itself.Themost important is theunderground cellar area of a long demolished building that housed aprinters that printed the first book in theCyrillic script. The locals notewithpride that itwas in their town that thefirst chemists and the first workshop for weapons were established inMontenegro. However, Danilo’s Bridge andMostin’s House, built in themid-19th century, are themost striking structures that you notice first in Rijeka Crnojevića regardless of the direction fromwhich you arrive. The characteristic silhouette of this stone bridge is a symbol of this townandoneof themostbeautiful structures inMontenegro. For a first encounter with this picturesque town, it is best to setoffbyboat fromVirpazar, LakeSkadar’ssecondgem.Again, the townisalsobeautifulwhenviewedfromthemountains,wherethe road descends from the direction of Cetinje. Whichever road you choose, Rijeka Crnojevića will win you over with its beauty, tranquillityandhospitality.Nestledontheconfluenceof theriversCrmnica and Orahovštica, on the shore of Lake Skadar, is Virpazar, an old town that was once an important stop and a place where important tradetookplace.Thissettlementhasbeendescribedsince medieval timesasatownonthreebridges. Justas inbygonetimes, this place is easily recognisable today due its appearance and the special charmof this small community that have been preserved from the influences of themodern era. Under the name Vir [whirlpool/vortex], as a place where the river creates a vortex, this town was first mentioned as far back as the 13th century. Beside that whirlpool, which was reached by rowing boat, amarket was the first to appear, after which the settlement grew up around it. Once part of the ancient Slavic province of Zeta, the town was conquered by the Turks soon after its emergence. Testifying to the five centuries of that rule are the ruins of the demolished fortifications of Besač in Virpazar and Lessendro inVranjina. Early in the20th century, when theharbourwasbuilt,Virpazar became the most important port on Lake Skadar, from which a narrow road for carts led as far as Bar and the sea. Testifying to the significance of Virpazar during that time is the fact that a railroad was even built from this small town to the sea in 1908. New times brought other roads and directions, while Virpazar has remained hidden around its whirlpool. Perhaps this very isolation has contributed to its stone houses, markets, the town square and three bridges having been preserved until today. ThewidelyrenownedSkadarcarpandnolessgloriousCrmincawine, touristboats fromwhich, intheright light, shapesandcolours, all the beauty of the lake can be seen...
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