Perched on Jezerski Vrh (1,657 m), the second-highest peak of Mount Lovćen, the Njegoš Mausoleum is one of Montenegro's most striking landmarks. Dedicated to Petar II Petrović Njegoš, the country's great poet and prince-bishop, this monumental work was designed by the renowned Yugoslav and Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović.

Reaching the mausoleum is an experience in itself - the path leads through a tunnel carved into the Lovćen massif, followed by a staircase of 461 steps. The reward at the top is a breathtaking panorama - on clear days the view stretches across much of Montenegro, and legend even claims Italy can be seen on the clearest mornings. The mountain's character shifts dramatically with the seasons, from sunny summer visits full of hikers to windswept, mist-shrouded winter days.

• Cetinje — a 21 km asphalt road leads to the parking area below the mausoleum, followed by the tunnel and 461-step staircase, moderate difficulty

• Inside the mausoleum: a chapel with a 28-tonne, 3.74 m granite statue of Njegoš beneath an eagle with outspread wings
• The chapel's dome is covered in a mosaic of 200,000 gilded tiles, using 18 kg of gold
• Two black marble caryatids depict a mother and daughter in traditional Montenegrin dress
• The mausoleum underwent restoration in 2013, including the staircase, tunnel and interior

The site has a turbulent past - the original chapel built by Njegoš himself was demolished in 1972 amid fierce protests from the Serbian Orthodox Church, making way for today's mausoleum.