From Skadar Lake and its rare bird species to a world-famous cat—there are many reasons why visitors from around the globe come to Virpazar.
Some ended up there by chance this June, while others return year after year. Statistics show an increase in visits, and tourism workers are hopeful for the months ahead.
Virpazar’s appearance changes throughout the day—it’s either bustling with tourists or nearly empty. The rush peaks just before boats depart for tours around Skadar Lake National Park or when visitors set off to explore the untouched nature of the Crmnica region.
At the entrance to central Virpazar, stalls line up promoting the area’s main tourist attraction—cruises on wooden boats across Skadar Lake. There’s strong competition, say those working in tourism, but interest is steady.
Although the start of the coastal season worries some in southern Montenegro, Virpazar tourism workers told “Vijesti” that visitor numbers are encouraging, though they "lost" May due to bad weather.
Between early and late May 2025, Skadar Lake National Park saw 29,645 tourists—compared to 24,008 during the same period in 2024. That’s a 23.48% increase year-over-year.
The National Parks of Montenegro confirmed this, adding that 8,645 tourists visited during the first week of June—33.31% more than in the same week last year.
Slađana Petranović, president of the Virpazar Boatmen’s Association, told “Vijesti” that lake tours began as early as March. “March is particularly beautiful,” she said, “with fewer boats and people, and the most birds.”
April saw slightly fewer visitors than the previous year, and May was “surprisingly poor” due to weather. But June brought joy and hope for a successful summer.
Most tourists, she said, come from France, Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands.
“These are people who are looking for nature. We get regional tourists too, but I think Skadar Lake and national parks are more interesting to Western Europeans—especially the French and Germans,” said Petranović.
The lake's biodiversity offers something for everyone. Visitors are especially interested in birdwatching, but many also ask about the lake’s history.
“The lake’s history is incredible. Some people come specifically to explore it; others want to learn. Around 280 bird species visit during this time, and that requires patience. It proves that the lake is still a bird sanctuary, relatively unaffected by tourism,” she added.
Most of their guests, she noticed, aren’t staying in Bar, but rather other coastal towns—or they stop by Virpazar while traveling from or to Albania or Greece.
Many boat operators say fewer tourists arrive unannounced, with most bookings made through social media, apps, or tour operators.
The Cat “Guards” the Velji Bridge
Though the Crmnica region also offers local cuisine, camping, hiking trails, and untouched nature, one unique attraction catches tourist attention: a cat that sleeps on the bridge.
Locals say the cat is named Slavijanka. She arrived in Virpazar a few years ago, chose the bridge as her favorite spot, and now spends most of her time there—usually sleeping. She’s even marked on Google Maps as “Cat sleeping on the bridge.” Her fame is backed by many online reviews and photos, often accompanied by stories from visitors who found her sleeping—or not.
Several tourists shared with the “Vijesti” reporter that they had read about Slavijanka in blogs and online articles.
Stumbled upon it, stayed on purpose
Claire and Philippe from France ended up in Virpazar by chance. Their 1.5-month-long bike journey began in Italy and continued through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally Montenegro.
Originally, they planned to cycle by Rijeka Crnojevića and had no specific route toward the Albanian border.
“We didn’t plan to come to Virpazar; it was on the way. Now we’ve stayed for two days because I was too lazy to move on. Claire enjoys the nature, the river, the lake. It’s really lovely,” said Philippe.
Claire explored the surroundings solo while staying at a Crmnica campsite. She said she was delighted by the natural beauty, peace, and quiet.
“We saw lots of ads for boat tours but didn’t go—probably the only ones here who haven’t. We chose to explore the lake by biking around it.”
They enjoyed good fish in Virpazar, saw beautiful landscapes, and plan to recommend the place to friends. In France, Durmitor is a popular destination, but they skipped it in favor of visiting Lovćen and resting in Virpazar, which they had never heard of before.
The camp manager said such cases are common—visitors arrive unaware of where in Montenegro they are.
Still, most guests either know about Virpazar or return frequently. She emphasized how many learn about the area from online posts by previous visitors.
Most come for the lake but often stay longer once they discover the area’s other natural offerings—especially its tranquility.
Parking and flight access are the biggest challenges
“The biggest problem in Virpazar is parking and lack of flights from many countries,” said Slađana Petranović, adding that Bar municipality must resolve the parking issue quickly.
Ksenija Petranović, a local resident, agrees. She believes cars should be banned from the town center due to insufficient parking, which leads to people leaving vehicles in front of homes or on already narrow streets.
Crmnica resident N.K. agrees: solving the parking issue is key to Virpazar’s survival. She also wants to see public spaces protected from misuse and properly regulated.
“It’s also a big issue for all of Montenegro that we have far fewer flight connections than Albania. Many guests fly into Tirana, cutting their stay here short by a day or two. If they landed in Podgorica, they’d spend more time in Montenegro.”
She added that Virpazar is becoming just a transit stop for those who would otherwise stay longer:
“I feel like each year the season becomes more and more superficial. Many coastal agencies bring organized groups for short lake tours. That creates the illusion of mass tourism here, but only a couple of boats benefit, while the town gets overcrowded.”
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