From among all the places we visit during our travels, some of them are so deeply in our memories that they are difficult to forget. They are, and probably will be, still alive in our memory, and the emotions that accompanied us there, are still real. Certainly from our trip to the Balkans, we remember the Montenegrin classic, the P1 road. Read our report about the Lovcen by a motorcycle – through the heart of Montenegro.
The Lovcen by a motorcycle – the cradle of culture in Montenegro
The route is considered to be one of the most dangerous in Europe. Not without a reason – the countless number of corners and the small width of the road make the ride through Lovcen a real challenge for every two-wheeler. But the Lovcen National Park is not only a serpentines that stretches for miles, it is also still wildlife and an important place for the Montenegrin people. Lovcen is the heart of the Montenegrin people. It is not only an ordinary national park, but also the cradle of their culture and the resting place of the first ruler of independent Montenegro – Peter II Niegosz. You can reach his mausoleum by going to Jezerski Vrch. It is said that from the top you can see three seas – the sea of stones, the sea of clouds and the regular one sea. However, this time we chose a different route, here our love for serpentines wins, so directly from Cetinje we went in the direction of Kotor. The day before we spent the night in Ulcijn at the Safari Campsite, recommended by our friends. Right next to the beach itself, if not even on the beach literally. Camping Safari is a great place for sunrises and sunsets with a beautiful view of the sea – you can find the link here. The route itself from Ulicijn through Budva was already a fairy tale and by the time we got to Cetinje we were almost in heaven, but the best was still ahead of us.
The Lovcen by a motorcycle – climbing with a view of Kotor
In the initial sections, the route bends gently between the scented herbs on the slopes of the Dinarskie Mountains, to speed up the pace at the very end. The first about 20 kilometres surprised us with the quality of the surface. We expected a tragedy, but it looked almost like a new. It was a fairytale ride. Only the final part is a bit worse, a lot of gravel and sand. But the last part, the one with the worst surface, is also the most exciting. The map above speaks for itself when it comes to the twisting of the route. Sharp descents, serpentines, turn after turn. Add to that some really amazing views of Kotor Bay. Tall, rocky cliffs and a blue ocean cutting into the mainland make an incredible impression. This is one of those places where you can go down the moto, sit on the precipice and just watch. For us, the way through the National Park Lovcen is one of those adventures we will not forget – a route full of excitement, stunning views of the mountains, the sea and countless bends. P1 is one of the best motorcycle and scenic routes in Montenegro.
The Lovcen by a motorcycle – what is worth knowing?
- Altitude 1270 m above sea level.
- The length of the route is 45 km.
- The surface is great at the first kilometers, then rather weak, sand and gravel.
- The route is difficult at the final stage. Mainly due to sharp descents and small width of the road. Two cars driving from the opposite direction in same time may have problems.
- Watch out for buses that don’t know how to drive on this route, but they do it and often appear out of nowhere around a corner, or they cut them pretty hard. If you find a large vehicle ahead of you in the same direction, just take a 20-minute break, because overtaking it borders on the impossibility.
A bunch of useful links at the end
- Read our article about the Revolut card. We recommend it because it is a really great solution when traveling abroad. Take a look at our post about it.
- What to take on a motorcycle trip? Download the checklist from our subjective guide.
- Link to recommended by us Safari camping in Ulcijn, you will find here. This is a really great place to stay.
- Need more information about Montenegro – read our practical guide “Montenegro practically – what is worth knowing, tips and practical information”.
