Kolašin
In Kolašin, winter can arrive as early as October, and the snow on the slopes of Bjelašica stays firm until May: it's one of the t...
Updated 9 July 2026
Kolašin
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The story
The story of Kolašin
The origins and history of Kolašin
The name Kolašin appears in documents from 1614, when the Ottoman authorities founded a fortified kasaba there to control the communication routes between Herzegovina and the plains of Zeta, in an area until then inhabited only by scattered pastoral villages. For over two and a half centuries the settlement remained a border outpost contested between the Ottoman administration and the Montenegrin tribes of the region, the scene of recurring clashes linked to control of the pastures and livestock routes. Kolašin became part of the Principality of Montenegro only in 1878, after the Congress of Berlin redrew the Balkan borders, and gradually turned from a military centre into a market town and administrative capital of the northern hinterland. Damaged during the Second World War, it was later rebuilt in the socialist Yugoslav era, when its development as a summer, and later winter, holiday resort also began.
A mountain climate, the "Switzerland of Montenegro"
At about 950 metres above sea level, tucked between the Bjelašica, Sinjajevina and Komovi massifs, Kolašin has one of the harshest continental mountain climates in all of Montenegro: long, snowy winters, with temperatures often dropping below zero as early as autumn, and cool, short summers, ideal for escaping the sultry heat of the Adriatic coast just a few hours away. It's precisely this thermal contrast with the coastline of Budva or Kotor that has earned the town the popular nickname "Switzerland of Montenegro": thin air, conifer forests, high-altitude meadows and an alpine atmosphere that in summer attracts those seeking cool air and quiet, and in winter those seeking guaranteed snow. The abundant snowfall, favoured by the town's position among the mountain ranges, is also the reason the area has become, in recent decades, a leading ski hub for the whole region.
Kolašin 1450, the first ski resort
Kolašin 1450 is the town's historic ski resort, developed on the slopes of Bjelašica from the 1970s onward and since then expanded with new lifts and runs. The name indicates the base altitude, about 1,450 metres, the starting point of the chairlifts climbing towards the massif's higher peaks. The mostly medium-difficulty runs wind through beech and spruce woods, offering glimpses of the valley below; the naturally reliable snow cover, historically dependable thanks to the local climate, has in recent years been supplemented with artificial snowmaking to extend the season. In summer, the same resort turns into a starting point for hiking and mountain-biking excursions towards the high pastures and panoramic spots of the massif, with mountain huts and small restaurants open all year round.
Kolašin 1600, the higher, more panoramic slope
Not far away lies Kolašin 1600, a more recent resort set at a higher altitude, which in recent years has seen investment in new chairlifts and modern facilities to expand the town's skiing offer. From here you reach some of the highest points of Bjelašica, with runs opening onto panoramas stretching as far as the Komovi and, on the clearest days, towards Durmitor. The higher altitude guarantees a more stable snow cover throughout the season compared with the base resort, making Kolašin 1600 the preferred choice for more experienced skiers and those seeking less crowded runs. Here too, out of season, the trails become trekking routes towards the massif's glacial lakes and the high-altitude pastures dotted with stone huts.
Biogradska Gora National Park
A few kilometres from the centre of Kolašin stretches Biogradska Gora National Park, one of Montenegro's smallest but most precious parks, established as early as 1878 when King Nikola I Petrović decided to protect the woodland area donated to the crown by the local tribes after a dispute over logging rights. It's one of the oldest protected areas in Europe, and its natural significance has grown over time to make it a symbol of Montenegrin environmental conservation: within it coexist primary forests, glacial lakes, streams and alpine meadows enclosed in a relatively compact area, easily explored in a day or two of hiking even by those who aren't experienced walkers.
Lake Biograd, the heart of the park
Lake Biograd, at about 1,094 metres of altitude, is the largest of the park's glacial lakes and its main landmark: its dark waters, fringed by centuries-old beech and fir trees reflected on the surface, can be reached with a short walk from the entrance car park, which makes it one of the most visited and photographed destinations in northern Montenegro. A flat path runs around the lake, allowing it to be circled entirely in just over an hour, while more demanding routes head towards the other four small glacial lakes scattered through the park. It's also possible to hire small rowing boats for a trip on the water, a simple but evocative experience amid the quiet of the forest.
The primeval forest, a rarity in Europe
What truly makes Biogradska Gora unique is its core of virgin forest, one of the last remaining patches of primeval forest in Europe alongside a few other areas between the Carpathians and eastern Poland: here the trees, some century-old firs and beeches over forty metres tall, have never been cut down by humans, and the fallen trunks are left to rot naturally on the ground, feeding an ecosystem extraordinarily rich in fungi, mosses and wildlife, brown bears included. Walking along the trails that venture into this section, far quieter and shadier than the surrounding areas, gives a sense of how much of the wooded Dinaric range must have looked before human intervention: a heritage that Montenegro protects with stricter access rules than the rest of the park.
Morača Monastery
Along the road linking Podgorica to Kolašin, tucked into the canyon carved by the Morača river, stands the monastery of the same name, an Orthodox monastery founded in 1252 by Prince Stefan Vukanović, grandson of the Serbian ruler Stefan Nemanja. The main church, dedicated to the Virgin, preserves cycles of frescoes spanning the 13th to the 17th century, among which the scenes from the life of the Prophet Elijah stand out, considered among the highest examples of medieval Serbian painting for their compositional balance and use of colour. Despite the damage suffered over the centuries, including Ottoman raids, the monastery has remained an active spiritual centre, still home today to a small monastic community, and is an almost obligatory stop for anyone travelling up the Morača valley towards the Kolašin plateau.
The Tara river and high-altitude outdoor activities
The territory of Kolašin includes the upper stretch of the Tara river, which rises right from the surrounding mountains before carving out, further to the northwest, the famous canyon considered among the deepest in the world, itself protected as a natural heritage site of Montenegro. Even near Kolašin, before the river reaches the most spectacular stretches of the canyon, its clear, cold waters offer good opportunities for trout fishing and short kayaking stretches, while the side valleys are crossed by trekking and mountain-biking trails linking the mountain pastures to the rural villages. For rafting on the canyon's most famous stretch, the usual starting base remains further west, towards Šćepan Polje, reachable in a couple of hours' drive from Kolašin.
Mountain cuisine
Kolašin's table reflects its history as a land of shepherds: simple, calorie-rich dishes designed for those working outdoors in a harsh climate. Kačamak, a cornmeal and potato mash blended with sour cream and fresh cheese, is the symbolic dish of Montenegrin mountain cuisine, alongside cicvara, a creamier variant made with flour and cheese. There's no shortage of meats smoked and cured in the cold mountain air, cheeses from the katun still prepared according to traditional methods during the summer pasture season, mountain honey and wild berries gathered in the park's woods. In the autumn months, porcini mushrooms and other wild species appear on local restaurant menus, often paired with a glass of homemade plum or blueberry rakija.
Sinjajevina and the pastoral surroundings
West of Kolašin stretches the Sinjajevina plateau, one of the largest systems of mountain pastures in the Balkans, dotted with katun, the seasonal settlements where shepherd families still climb today in summer with their livestock, living for weeks in simple wooden or stone huts. It's a landscape of rolling grasslands as far as the eye can see, almost treeless above a certain altitude, offering an open, luminous counterpoint to the dense woods of Biogradska Gora, and it's an increasingly popular destination for hikers and cyclists in search of rural authenticity. In recent years the area has been at the centre of a national debate over its environmental protection, a sign of how much the Montenegrin community regards Sinjajevina as an identity heritage to be protected, not merely a simple pasture.
When to go and how to experience Kolašin
Kolašin is a two-season destination. From December to March, winter takes centre stage, with the slopes of Kolašin 1450 and 1600 open and snow-covered and a mountain-lodge atmosphere breathing through the small restaurants of the centre. From June to September, the cool high-altitude climate, much milder than the coast, makes it ideal for trekking to Lake Biograd, excursions to Sinjajevina and trips to Morača Monastery, with long days and pleasant temperatures even at midday. The shoulder seasons, especially May and October, offer intense colours in the woods but should be approached with a little extra caution due to unstable weather and possible early or late snow flurries at altitude.
- Walk around Lake Biograd through the national park's primeval forest
- A day of skiing across the Kolašin 1450 and Kolašin 1600 resorts
- Visit to the medieval frescoes of Morača Monastery in the canyon of the river of the same name
- Hike to the high-altitude pastures of the Sinjajevina plateau among the shepherds' katun
- Tasting of kačamak, mountain-dairy cheeses and local rakija in a mountain restaurant
- Scenic journey on the Belgrade–Bar railway with a stop at Kolašin station
FAQ
Come si arriva a Kolašin?
Quando conviene visitare Kolašin?
Cosa vedere a Kolašin in un giorno?
Kolašin è adatta a famiglie con bambini?
Si può arrivare con il treno?
Dove si parcheggia per il Parco di Biogradska Gora?
Getting there
- Aeroporto di Podgorica, circa 75 km e 1h15-1h30 di auto
- Linea ferroviaria Belgrado-Bar, con stazione a Kolašin, una delle tratte panoramiche più note dei Balcani
- Kolašin si raggiunge in auto da Podgorica risalendo il canyon del fiume Morača lungo la strada principale M2/E80 verso nord, oppure da Mojkovac e Bijelo Polje per chi arriva da est.
- In inverno controllare le condizioni della strada in quota e viaggiare con gomme da neve o catene, obbligatorie per legge nei mesi freddi in Montenegro.
Perfect for
I comprensori di Kolašin 1450 e Kolašin 1600 su Bjelašica offrono piste per tutti i livelli in un clima nevoso fra i più affidabili del Montenegro.
Il Parco di Biogradska Gora custodisce una delle ultime foreste vergini d'Europa e cinque laghi glaciali, primo fra tutti quello di Biograd.
Il monastero di Morača, fondato nel 1252, conserva affreschi medievali fra i più importanti dell'arte serba ortodossa.
Gli altopiani di Sinjajevina raccontano ancora oggi la transumanza estiva nei katun, gli insediamenti stagionali dei pastori montenegrini.
Kačamak, formaggi di malga, carni affumicate e rakija fatta in casa sono il modo più diretto per conoscere la cultura locale.
To see
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