Note: this is NOT in order of importance! I've tried to include places from different parts of the country, for different personal tastes. I haven't yet included anything from Podgorica, Niksic or Cetinje, but I will change this list over time to include tourist interest from the larger towns in Montenegro! There cannot be many countries in the world which contain so much packed into such a small space - beaches, ski centres, ancient heritage, forests, canyons, lakes, national parks - thankfully so far relatively unspoilt by human hand.

I have compiled a list of the ten places I wish to explore/see next in Montenegro, click here for that page.

1	Mrtvica Canyon, about 40 minutes' drive north from Podgorica, in the area of Medjurije?je, starts a walk that takes you the 25km length of the Mrtvica river canyon from the village of Mrtvo Duboko to Velje Duboko. In places the canyon walls are sheer and the path is hewn into the rock. The walk takes you steadily upstream through different terrain, clearly signposted. About half-way along the canyon is a spot called the beach (plaža) which is an ideal place for a picnic, although during the height of summer this short part of the river runs underground. Also not to be missed is the Gate of Desires (Kapija želja), two tall boulders by the riverside propped up against each other in lush mossy woodland. The walk along the entire canyon and back is demanding but possible for a one-day trip.
			The Ice Cave in the side of the mountain peak of Obla Glava is about 3-4 hours walk from Black Lake, near Zabljak, at a height of about 2200m. This is a circular route, which can be partially covered with snow as late as May. The view of the Durmitor massif is breathtaking during the walk and the cave itself is a wonder to behold. It is recommended that you visit early in the tourist season, as the large number of walkers there tend to leave their mark on the ice stalagmites. The descent into the cave is not for the faint-hearted, requiring the visitor to climb down backwards down footmarks in the snow, but it is well worth the effort.			2
3	Lake Biograd towards the north of Montenegro, about two hours' drive from Podgorica is part of the Biogradska gora National Park, wooded mountains containing primeval forest and with a unique climate. The lake itself is situated at 1,094m asl with the massifs of Sinjajevina and Bjelasica surrounding it. It has a visitors' centre, restaurant and many signposted walks, including one around the perimeter of the lake. Rowing boats are available for hire.
			Ulcinj, on the very south of Montenegro, near the Albanian border has a very different feel to the rest of the coast. The Large Beach is a 13km-long sand beach near Ulcinj, separated from the town by a stretch of cliffs and rocky bays. The old town is perched high up on rocks above the present-day town, much less busy than the old towns of Kotor and Budva, which are right by the water. Some of the rocky inlets along the coast have bathing areas which are reputed to have curative properties for maladies like rheumatism, because of the mineral content of the water.			4
5	Lake Skadar, the largest lake in the Balkans, forms part of the border between Montenegro and Albania. The lake is known for the diversity of bird life, migratory and non-migratory, but is also rich in heritage - fortresses bear witness to the battles against the Ottoman Empire, and many islands house Orthodox monasteries. Cruises start from many places along the shore, including Virpazar, Vranjina and Plavnica. The lake is included on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, and parts of the lake are marshy, others covered in lilypads with yellow and white flowers. The symbol of the lake is the Curly Pelican which is one of the success stories of environmental protection in the Lake Skadar National Park.
			Kotor Town is a prime example of Mediterranean architecture with white-stone buildings towering over thin alleys. Besides its churches, cafés and restaurants within the town limits, the tourist can also climb to St. John's Fortress overlooking the town and the Bay of Kotor. The carnival during August is a grand spectacle with troops from many countries taking part. Although there is no beach near the town, one can find small hidden beaches a few kilometres further along the coast. To the east mountains rising 1000m above the town dominate the view, and to the west the blue waters of the Bay of Kotor.			6
7	Blue Horizons is one of many sandy beaches on the Adriatic, and this bay on the Lustica Peninsular is protected from the open sea by rocks forming a natural harbour. Away from tourist centres like Budva, Petrovac, Kotor and Herceg Novi, you may be able to avoid the crowding masses, although it is still very popular during the high season. There is natural shade afforded by trees slightly back from the beach, plenty of parking, cafés and a hotel with a private beach. The road is well signposted from the main road through the village of Radovici to the car park.
			Lovcen is in some ways the spiritual home of Montenegro, holding a special place in the country's history. This mountain, overlooking the sea on one side, and the bare-rock interior of Montenegro on the other is site to the mausoleum of its poet-leader Petar II Petrovic Njegos, author of The Mountain Wreath, an epic poem describing the 14th-century struggle (eventually unsuccessful) of the Serbian state against the Ottomans on Kosovo Field. A stone staircase tunnelled out of the rock takes you from the restaurant by the car park high up to the mausoleum and chapel on top of the peak, Jezerski vrh.			8
9	Piva - an area in the very west of Montenegro, a part of Herzegovina before World War I. It is dominated by the River Piva, which was dammed to provide electricity for the wider region. Lake Piva was created from the ensuing flooding, and many villages had to be resettled. Most notably, the Piva Monastery was moved stone by stone to a new location far above the floodwaters. This region has been developing the tourist potential of rural tourism, with several 'ethno-villages' offering cosy rustic accommodation and traditional Montenegrin food. Boat cruises, jeep safaris and whitewater rafting on the River Tara are all part of the tourist draw of this region.
			Kotor Bay. Having included Kotor in this list, I feel that the whole bay also deserves a separate mention. The largest fjord in Southern Europe consists of three bays (technically it is actually a submerged river valley), with a rich maritime history inextricably linked with, among others, the Venetian Republic, Illyrian tribes and Roman invaders. The high mountains rising sharply out of the sea provide impressive views wherever you decide to swim here.			10

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