Excursion to Ostrog Montenegro

Excursion to Ostrog and other monasteries of Montenegro will leave an imprint on your heart for life, because here you can visit the most significant relics of Orthodoxy, venerate the great relics and see the Balkan architecture of churches and monasteries.

Montenegro is a small country with a centuries-old history of Christianity and a rich heritage of world Orthodox culture. Many holy places dating back to the 4th – 5th centuries AD have been preserved here to this day. Every day, pilgrims flock to Montenegro to venerate the holy relics of Basil of Ostrog the Wonderworker and the relics of Peter of Cetinje with the main shrines: the right hand of John the Baptist and a piece of the life-giving cross of the Lord on which Jesus Christ was crucified. A trip to the holy places will leave an unforgettable impression in your heart.

The bus will pick up tourists on an excursion to Ostrog and the Church of the Resurrection of Christ almost from all resorts: Budva, Becici, Rafailovici, Przno, Sveti Stefana, Petrovac, Buljarica, Canj and Sutomore. You can also go on this excursion from Tivat and Kotor. Don't forget to take with you: cameras, water, clothes that cover your shoulders and legs below the knees, as you will be visiting a monastery, and of course a good mood!

Excursion program to the monastery Ostrog

In the morning at about 7:00 we will take a bus into the interior of the country. The road to the north passes through the coastal mountains of the Dinaric massif, Skadar Lake (or Cetina) and Podgorica (passing).

Our first stop will be at the lower monastery Ostrog (Subostrog), where we will visit the small church of the Holy Trinity.

Take a close look at the frescoes that depict the life of St. Basil of Ostrog the Wonderworker, how he received pilgrims of all faiths, not only Orthodox, but Catholics and Muslims. He treated believers with his prayers and herbs.

Then we will go up on foot or by minibuses to Upper Ostrog, since buses will no longer be able to get there. Many people wonder: why was it built so high? - the answer is simple: first of all, monks believe that the higher you are, the closer you are to God. Secondly, when it was built (the monastery of the 17th century) - it was the militant time of the Ottoman Empire and the monks, protecting themselves and the Orthodox relics of that time, built churches and monasteries in hard-to-reach places, such as the edges of cliffs or steep mountains, caves.

Once every 10 years, white knitted socks are changed on the relics of St. Basil; when the old ones are removed, the monks notice the worn-out soles each time. It’s such a miracle that the spirit of Vasily Ostrozhsky is still rising up and down from the lower monastery to the upper one. It is believed that if you climb on foot, or even better barefoot, from the lower Ostrog monastery to the upper one, the whole soul is cleansed and all a person’s sins go away! The upper monastery is separated from the lower one by a serpentine road about 3 kilometers long, passing through the forest. However, pilgrims on foot usually use a shorter, straight path, which can be covered in 30-40 minutes.

Those who cannot climb on foot for some reason can sit in minibuses that will take you to the top of the upper Ostrog monastery. The trip costs only 1.5 euros in both directions.

Ostrog is the third most visited city in the world after Jerusalem and Mount Athos in Greece, so guests of the monastery should understand that there may be queues to the relics, especially during the peak season (July and August), which can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 1.5-2 hours. When you first see the monastery, it is difficult to believe that it was created by human hands.

In a small cave-type church, the relics of the Great Basil of Ostrog the Wonderworker are kept - the most knowledgeable and revered in all the Balkans. Bending down, pilgrims enter through the low doors and venerate his relics. People are still being healed here, getting back on their feet after long illnesses, and praying for their loved ones.

Having risen to the bell tower of the monastery, you will notice another church dedicated to the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. And opposite, a miraculous vine grows from the rocks. When she bears fruit, having eaten one grape, the girl can become pregnant from her loved one, who has wanted a child for so long, but it still hasn’t worked out before.

As inCetinje Monasteryin the cityCetinje, in Ostrog there is a monastery shop where you can buy various church utensils, icons, candles, as well as brojanits - Serbian-Montenegrin amulets. They will tell you more about themour guides. If the day is not rightexcursions, that is, a very similar tour on another day -excursion to Cetinje Monastery + Ostrog.

We will spend 2-3 hours in Ostrog, after which there will be a break for lunch, which is provided in a national restaurant.

Then we will head to the capital of Montenegro - Podgorica. There will be free time here for about 1.5 hours. If you wish, you can visit the Delta City Shopping Center or there is a wonderful 25-minute walk from it (or by taxi 2.5 euros/3 minutes) Cathedral Church of the Resurrection of Christ. An incredibly beautiful temple. 6.5 million euros were invested in it and can be visited by 5 thousand pilgrims at the same time.

It is one of the largest temples in the Balkans - 41.5 m high, 7 gilded crosses, 17 bells, the largest bell weighs 11 tons and all the bells were cast in the city of Voronezh. The inside is made of different types of marble and granite.

Above the entrance, the temple is decorated with the largest fresco in Europe - 53.5 m2. In the middle of the hall, the room is decorated with a 1200 kg chandelier, made by the hands of Lviv craftsmen. The temple consists of two floors and balconies. Having visited it, you will never forget this beautiful structure created by human hands!

After visiting the capital of Montenegro and the Ostrog monastery, we will head back to the coast of Montenegro.

Excursion details

We return back around 17:00. The excursion takes place only with a Russian-speaking, experienced, licensed guide! Lunch is provided in a national restaurant with famous local food: Lamb from Pod Sachem, grilled trout, dried meat prosciutto, cheese, chorby (local soups), kajmak, shopska salad, young red wine and much more to your taste and choice!

Visiting attractions may change at the discretion of the organizer: first Podgorica, then the monastery Ostrog.

Dear friends, remember that this is no longer an excursion, but a pilgrimage tour to holy places and you must respect the feelings of believers.

Excursions in Montenegro start from the bus stops indicated when booking. Due to the dense, chaotic buildings on the coast and mountainous terrain, buses cannot travel to every hotel or villa, so tourists get off at certain stops, which, when booking, you can choose the one closest to your place of residence.

Arrival time at the attraction, duration of stops and return are approximate. This may be earlier than indicated on the website, or 3-4 hours late. Be sure to read the “Tourist Memo”, which will be sent to you by e-mail along with the voucher.

At technical stops, Montenegrins sell various homemade specialties (honey, wine, rakia...) - our advice: buy what you tried and liked, as it happens that they sell/get the wrong product that you liked during tasting.

Excursion The monastery of Ostrog and Podgorica takes place in any weather

Excursion to Ostrog and Podgorica - video

The video shows the program and description of the excursion, sights of Montenegro, which we will visit with a guide. We will spend 2.5 hours in the Ostrog monastery. Separate time for lunch at a local restaurant, and beautiful landscapes will accompany us almost the entire way.

Route on the map: excursion to Ostrog and Podgorica

By bus/transport we will first pick up tourists from Kotor and Tivat. Then we will head to Budva, and along the coastal strip of the Budva Riviera we will move through the resorts of Becici, Rafailovici, Przno, Sveti Stefan, Petrovac, Buljarica and Sutomore, thereby admiring these resorts and the coast and picking up tourists there. Afterwards we will drive through Lake Skadar or Cetinje to the center of Montenegro. Before reaching Niksic we will turn to the Ostrog Monastery. We will visit the lower monastery with the Church of the Holy Trinity, the upper Ostrog monastery with the relics of Vasily Ostrog. Lunch time is about 1.5 hours. Time to buy souvenirs. On the way back we will visit Podgorica for about 90 minutes. The bus returns around 16:00, so you will even have time to go to the beach - at this time the sun is not so strong and it will be very pleasant to take a break from the excursion right by the sea.

Useful articles about excursions in Montenegro

• TOP 33 best attractions in Montenegro
• What is the language in Montenegro: adverbs and similarities languages
• Monasteries and churches of Montenegro are what the whole country is proud of
• Prices for group excursions from Budva
• Excursions from Budva: prices, schedule and comparison of excursions
• Prices for excursions throughout Montenegro
• Where and from whom to buy excursions in Montenegro
• Where is the best place to relax in Montenegro
• What discounts are there on excursions in Montenegro
• Excursions from Budva
• Excursions from Becici
• Excursions from Kotor
• Excursions from Tivat
• Excursions from Petrovac

It is very easy to sign up for an excursion: Press the button "Book/sign up for an excursion", select the point of departure (your resort of residence), the date of the excursion, the number of people. Below you will see the stops from which all tourists depart for excursions. Select the nearest stop from your place of residence (if there are more than 1 stop). Enter your name, phone number and email to which the voucher will be sent. Click confirm. In the Cart, check your details and click the “Book and receive a voucher by email” button. Enjoy your excursion!

*** Book your seats now - pay your guide on the bus!