The capital of Montenegro, on 5 rivers, with a history of 2000 years. Except for tourist, the center of all actions, conditions and events. University center. The symbol of the city is the Millennium Bridge. Under the name of Podgorica (under the hill of Gorica), the city was first mentioned in 1326. The historical story goes deep into the past, to the time when the Illyrian tribes of Labeata and Dokleata lived in this area. In the time of the Romans, the town was called Birziminium, and after the immigration of the Slavs, in the medieval period Nemanjić - Ribnica. Stefan Nemanja, the progenitor of the Serbian Nemanjić dynasty, was born in Ribnica. The dynasty ruled until the arrival of the Turks in 1474. During the full 405 years of Turkish rule (until 1879), the city acquired oriental features in everything. All Turkish military expeditions to unconquered Montenegro, which never renounced its freedom or its Christian surname, started from Podgorica.

After 405 years of liberation, Podgorica is developing on the right bank of the Ribnica River. This is where Nova ilite Mirkova varoš was born, named after Duke Mirko Petrović from the Petrović-Njegoš dynasty. During the Second World War, the city was bombed 62 times by the Anglo-American allies (!). The old core was almost completely destroyed during those allied actions. In 1944, the Communists began to rebuild the city. They changed its name to Titograd, granted the status of the capital (1948), and returned the old name in 1992, when modernization reached its peak. Architecturally, Podgorica is increasingly beginning to justify its status as the capital of Montenegro.

Only recently have cars been removed from the Main Square; the square area now has a fountain, benches and palm trees imported from Primorje. Podgorica clearly wants to present itself to transit tourists as a post office that is partly Mediterranean. At only 44 m above sea level, with hot summers and a mild climate, there are excellent conditions for the growth of vines and olives. Guides today talk about a modern city with wide avenues, bridges with slender lines, high-rise buildings with modern architecture, a city with many walking areas and parks, a university, administrative, cultural and economic center. From Podgorica you can easily go to all parts of Montenegro. To the sea by highway - in less than an hour, and to mountain centers as well. The airport in Golubovci and the railway Belgrade - Bar connect the capital of Montenegro with the distant ones, as well as with those vital destinations in the immediate vicinity.

Podgorica and its surroundings lie on 5 small rivers, Zeta, Cijevna and Ribnica - which flow into Morača (which in turn flows into Lake Skadar), and Sitnica. If we don't take Primorje as a benchmark, Podgorica is the most expanding city. Fortunately, there are places, because it lies in a plain with a lot of free space. In an architectural sense, Podgorica is a mix of old and new. Nova varoš is located east of the Morača coast, and dates back to 1886. In Sv. Petar Cetinjsko is home to the buildings of the Parliament (a monument to King Nikola is across the street) and the National Bank. Slobode Street leads to the main town square, and further - to the slope of the Gorica hill.

Hercegovačka street is a popular promenade of Podgorica residents as well as Njegoševa, a street in the immediate vicinity. Both are full of interesting places for shopping, nightlife and interesting acquaintances. Gorica hill is easy to reach because it is in the neighborhood, only 133 m high. In that urban oasis of peace is the medieval church of St. George of specific construction, with frescoes from the 17th century. and with a monument to the victims of the autocracy of King Nikola, in the port.

Across the street from Nova varoša is Novi grad (preko Morače settlement), modest until the construction boom of the 90s, but now elite. There is the imposing Orthodox Church of the Ascension of Christ, built according to a plan to unite all the styles in the history of Montenegrin architecture: the dome is made in the style of the churches of medieval Raška; bell towers are reminiscent of the bell towers of the Kotor Cathedral of St. Tripuna, while the central bell tower is reminiscent of churches from the 18th and 19th centuries. The old town is the only part of the city that reminds visitors of the Turkish rule. The landmark is the Clock Tower (endowment of Hadži Pasha Osmanagić), built in the 18th century. In the immediate vicinity, there is a Natural History Museum with a modest display. In the main street of Stare Varoš, there are two small mosques from the 18th century.

During your stay in Podgorica, you should also visit the Center of Contemporary Art, which is located in the Kruševac Palace, the former winter residence of Prince Nikola, and the Podgorica City Museum with its rich collection of archaeological artifacts, especially Roman ones, from the nearby site of Duklja. Podgorica's picnic areas are a perfect introduction to ecological fun! Certainly the most interesting is the one in the immediate vicinity of the city, when you go for a walk to Cijevna, a river with an unusual stone bed. Cijevna rises in the hills of northern Albania, flows 32 km through Montenegro and flows into the Morača. In the upper reaches of the river, it formed an almost 1,000 m deep canyon, which gradually narrows, until near Podgorica it makes cuts in the stone, 2-3 m wide, similar to pipes. An additional attraction is represented by several attractive waterfalls. Especially on hot summer days, the people of Podgorica find refreshment at Cijevna.

The Medun resort, 12 km from the city, is the birthplace of the folk writer and hero Marko Miljanov. In the birth house, inside the walls from the ancient era, today is the M. Miljanov Museum (with an interesting ethno-setting). Finally, the archaeological site of Duklja (3 km away) is the most important site from the ancient period. At the mouth of the Zeta River in Morač, the settlement was founded by the Illyrians in the 1st century AD. After the Roman conquest, the city was called Doklea.

From the capital, in the summer full of unspeakable heat and therefore understandable traffic nervousness, it is best to go to Primorje - either by road towards Bar and Petrovac, or towards Budva. This is what the majority of Podgorica do in the summer, and you should follow them. In everything, except speed!