It took two weeks of driving in Montenegro for me to get up the courage to drive the serpentine road from Kotor to Cetijne. It’s described as: “This narrow switchback road can be treacherous. With inward-leaning concrete barriers on one side and jagged rock on the other….” What’s not to fear??? This was the original route between the two cities, and is still the shortest one (the other being a long windy drive around Budva and up into the mountains). Trip was game, and fellow cruisers Kathy and Neal came along for the day.

We were warned to go early in the day to avoid as many trucks and other vehicles. The road is 36+ km with 30 hairpin switchbacks that was once an old caravan road built during Roman times.

Of course, within minutes of being on the road we were faced with a narrow passage and an oncoming truck. I put the car into reverse and backed my way down to a spot where I could pull over to let the truck pass. With a honk and a wave, he inched past us and we were on the move again.

We pulled over every few turns or so to admire the view as things got steeper and steeper.

Neal, Kathy, and Trip

At one point we watched a poor cement truck have to back up not once but three times to let traffic through.

We stopped at one point at a bar set out over the edge. We enjoyed a quick drink, took a bunch of photos and videos, and were on our way again.

We had certainly picked the right day, as the views were breathtaking – as we climbed higher we could see more and more of the Bay of Kotor, the Bay of Tivat, and eventually the Adriatic as well. It was a drive well worth it!