Excursion to Cetinje and Ostrog Monastery

Excursion to monastery Ostrog and Cetina, as well as other monasteries 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 holy places will leave an unforgettable impression in your heart.

The bus will pick up tourists on an excursion to Ostrog and Cetinje from almost 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 in Cetinje and Ostrog Monastery

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

Our first stop will be at the lower monastery Ostrog (Podostrog), 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; 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. 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 monastery 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.

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 inMonastery of Moraca, 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 doesn't suit youexcursions, that is, a very similar tour on another day -excursion to Ostrog and Podgorica.

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 the path will continue to the old capital of Montenegro -Cetinje.

On a walking tour of the city of Cetinje, you will get acquainted with the history of the city, which dates back to the 15th century.

You will be pleasantly surprised by the huge numberattractions: Palace of King Nikola, Blue Palace, State Museum, Vlas Church of the 15th century with a fence of 1544 gun barrels and much more interesting things. Visiting museums (optional).

After a walk with a guide, we will visitCetinje Monastery. It is rich in history and preserves the Hand of St. John the Baptist - three fingers of the right hand, who baptized Jesus Christ. A piece of the life-giving cross of the Lord on which Jesus Christ was crucified and the relics of Peter of Cetinje - the founder of the Cetinje monastery.

If you have crosses on your body and everything you buy in the monastery shop, be sure to consecrate it on the holy relics by venerating them. Зhere you can also light candles and write notes for your health and peace. The Cetinje Monastery is the center of the Montenegrin metropolis for the entire Serbian-Montenegrin Orthodoxy.

After a long stop in Cetinje, we return back to the coast of Montenegro home. We will definitely make a stop on Mount Braichi for a photo break with a view of the Budva Riviera and Budva. paragliding.

We return around 17:00.

Excursion details

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 Sač, 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 Cetinje, 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 Cetinje takes place in any weather

Video: excursion to Ostrog and Cetinje

The video shows the program and description of the excursion, the places and attractions that we will visit with a guide. We will spend 2.5 hours in the Ostrog monastery and 1.5 hours in Cetinje. Separate time for lunch at a local restaurant, and beautiful scenery will accompany us almost the entire way.

Route on the map of the excursion to Ostrog and Cetinje

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. Afterwards we will drive through Lake Skadar 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 Cetinje and the Cetinje Monastery for about 1.5 hours. The bus returns around 17:00, 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.

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It is very easy to sign up for an excursion: Click 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, then make a prepayment with your Visa/Master Card of only 10%, the rest to the guide on the bus. After payment you will instantly receive a voucher! Enjoy your excursion!