Skadar Lake
391 square kilometres of water, reeds, islands and birds, starting at the end of our garden.
A national park you can walk into
Skadar Lake is the largest lake in southern Europe. Two thirds of it is in Montenegro, the rest in Albania, and the Montenegrin side has been a national park since 1983. Around 280 bird species have been recorded here, including one of the last colonies of Dalmatian pelicans in Europe.
From Ponari you are on the flat northern shore, where the Zeta plain runs into the reeds. It is the quiet side. The tour buses go to Virpazar, half an hour around the water, and most of them never come out this far.
What to see around the lake
Zabljak Crnojevica
The ruined fortress of the old Montenegrin capital, sitting on a rock above the water. Around two kilometres from the resort.
The island monasteries
Kom, Beska, Moracnik and Starcevo: small monasteries on islands in the lake, most easily reached by boat.
Pelicans and herons
The lake is one of Europe's great bird reserves. Winter and early spring are the best times to see the colonies.
Rijeka Crnojevica
The famous stone bridge and the meander photographed from the road above it, about half an hour away.
Virpazar
The main village on the southern shore, with the wine cellars of the Crmnica region behind it.
Podgorica
The capital is 18 km away, so a museum morning and a swim in the afternoon is an easy plan.
The distances, actually measured
Everything below is a driving distance from our gate, taken from our Booking.com listing. Podgorica Airport is the one that surprises people: nine kilometres, and you still hear nothing of it. Distances via Booking.com and OpenStreetMap, shortest route by car.
9 km · Getting here
7 km · Getting here
12 km · Getting here
84 km · Getting here
2 km · Around the lake
17 km · Around the lake
35 km · Around the lake
18 km · Podgorica
19 km · Podgorica
19 km · Podgorica
19 km · Podgorica
19 km · Podgorica
Skadar Lake in figures
The lake looks different from a boat
Our boat tours leave from the resort mooring. Ask us the evening before.