Mateševo: Gateway to Montenegro's Secret Mrtvica Canyon

Mateševo: On the Road Between Two Worlds

Mateševo is a small, scattered mountain village on the road between Podgorica and Kolašin, situated at the point where the main highway begins its climb from the Morača river valley into the forested mountains of central Montenegro. It is the kind of place that most travellers pass through at speed, eyes fixed on the road ahead as they head for the ski slopes of Kolašin or the beaches of the coast. Yet Mateševo guards the entrance to one of Montenegro's most spectacular and least-known natural wonders — the Mrtvica Canyon, a deep limestone gorge that rivals the famous Morača and Tara canyons in beauty but receives a fraction of the visitors.

The village sits at approximately 800 metres elevation in a landscape of dramatic contrasts. To the west, the land drops sharply into the gorge of the Morača River, one of the deepest canyons in Europe, through which the main road passes on a series of bridges and tunnels. To the east, a rough road leads into the hidden valley of the Mrtvica, a tributary of the Morača that has carved its own extraordinary canyon through the limestone mountains. To the south, the road descends toward Podgorica and the lowlands. To the north, it climbs toward Kolašin and the mountain heartland.

Mateševo itself has few formal tourist facilities, but its strategic position between several major attractions — the Mrtvica Canyon, the Morača Monastery, and the broader Morača river gorge — makes it an essential waypoint for travellers exploring central Montenegro. For those with the time and inclination to leave the highway, the rewards are exceptional.

How to Get There

Mateševo lies on the E65 highway connecting Podgorica to Kolašin and onwards to northern Montenegro and Serbia. From Podgorica, the drive north takes approximately 50 minutes, following the highway through the dramatic Morača river gorge. From Kolašin, the drive south takes about 30 minutes. The village is signposted from the main road, though the turnoff is easy to miss at highway speed.

The highway through the Morača canyon is one of the most spectacular drives in Montenegro — the road clings to the cliff walls above the rushing green river, passing through tunnels carved from solid rock and crossing bridges that span dizzying drops. The journey to Mateševo is itself an attraction.

Bus services between Podgorica and Kolašin pass through the area regularly, but stops near Mateševo are not guaranteed — check with the bus driver in advance. A rental car is strongly recommended for exploring the Mrtvica Canyon and the surrounding area, as the canyon road is off the main highway and not served by public transport.

The nearest airports are Podgorica (TGD), about 55 kilometres to the south, and Tivat (TIV), about 130 kilometres to the southwest via the coast.

Things to See and Do

Mrtvica Canyon

The Mrtvica Canyon is the primary reason to stop at Mateševo, and it is genuinely one of the hidden gems of Montenegrin nature. The Mrtvica River, a tributary of the Morača, has carved a deep, narrow gorge through the limestone mountains east of the main highway. The canyon is approximately 8 kilometres long and in places over 1,000 metres deep — comparable in scale to parts of the famous Tara Canyon, but virtually unknown outside Montenegro.

Access to the canyon is via a rough road and trail that branches east from the highway near Mateševo. The road is suitable for vehicles with good ground clearance for the first few kilometres, after which you continue on foot. The hiking trail follows the canyon floor alongside the river, crossing the stream several times on stepping stones or improvised bridges. The scenery is extraordinary — towering limestone walls, clear pools, small waterfalls, caves, and an abundance of plant life clinging to every ledge and crevice.

One of the most remarkable features of the Mrtvica Canyon is the "Kapija Želja" (Gate of Wishes), a narrow point where the canyon walls close in to just a few metres apart and the river passes through a dramatic natural gateway. This is one of the most photographed spots in the canyon and creates a natural turning point for day hikes.

The full length of the canyon requires 5-7 hours to hike one way, and route-finding skills are necessary as the trail is not always clearly marked. Shorter excursions of 2-3 hours from the entrance allow you to experience the most dramatic sections without committing to the full traverse.

Morača Monastery

The Morača Monastery, one of the most important medieval Serbian Orthodox monasteries in Montenegro, lies just a few kilometres south of Mateševo on the main highway. Founded in 1252 by Stefan Vukanović Nemanjić, the monastery contains some of the finest medieval frescoes in the Balkans — the 13th-century paintings in the Church of the Assumption are considered masterpieces of Serbian medieval art.

The monastery sits in a beautiful location above the Morača River, surrounded by ancient trees and gardens maintained by the resident monks. It is an active religious community, and visitors are welcome but should dress modestly and behave respectfully. The combination of artistic importance, natural beauty, and spiritual atmosphere makes the Morača Monastery one of the essential cultural stops in central Montenegro.

Morača River Gorge

The stretch of the Morača gorge near Mateševo is among the most dramatic sections of this remarkable canyon. Several viewpoints along the highway offer opportunities to appreciate the scale of the gorge, with the green river visible hundreds of metres below. The limestone walls display extraordinary geological formations — folded strata, cave openings, and cascading vegetation create a landscape of immense visual power.

Mountain Walks

The hills and plateaux around Mateševo offer pleasant walking through a landscape of beech and conifer forests, mountain meadows, and scattered pastoral settlements. The village itself is surrounded by small farms that still practise traditional mountain agriculture — haymaking, livestock raising, and small-scale cultivation. In June and July, the meadows are filled with wildflowers, and the air carries the scent of fresh-cut hay.

Fishing

Both the Morača and Mrtvica rivers support trout populations, and fishing is a popular activity in the area. Permits are required and can be obtained from local fishing associations or tourism offices in Kolašin or Podgorica. The clear mountain waters and relatively unpressured fish populations make this an excellent area for fly fishing.

A Brief History

The Morača river valley has been an important travel and trade corridor for millennia, connecting the Adriatic coast (via Podgorica) to the mountain interior and beyond. The construction of the Morača Monastery in the 13th century attests to the valley's significance during the medieval Serbian states, and the monastery served as a spiritual and cultural centre for the surrounding communities throughout the Ottoman period.

Mateševo itself was a pastoral settlement, part of the network of mountain villages that sustained life in the Montenegrin highlands through livestock raising and subsistence farming. The construction of the modern highway through the Morača gorge in the Yugoslav period transformed the area from a remote mountain backwater to a transit zone — but one that most travellers pass through without stopping.

The Mrtvica Canyon remained almost entirely unknown until the late 20th century, when mountaineers and nature enthusiasts began exploring its length. It is still in the early stages of being developed as a hiking destination, with trail marking and infrastructure gradually improving but still far from complete. This rawness is part of its appeal — walking the Mrtvica today is an experience comparable to what the Tara Canyon might have offered 50 years ago, before rafting tourism transformed it.

Practical Tips

• Best time to visit: May to October for hiking. The Mrtvica Canyon is best visited in late spring or early autumn when water levels are moderate and temperatures pleasant. Summer can be very hot in the canyon, and the river may be low. Avoid the canyon after heavy rain, when water levels can rise rapidly.
• Canyon safety: The Mrtvica Canyon trail involves river crossings and rough terrain. Waterproof boots or shoes that can handle wet conditions are essential. Do not attempt the canyon alone — go with at least one companion. Let someone know your plans and expected return time.
• What to bring: Water (at least 2 litres per person), food, first aid kit, waterproof layer, sturdy footwear, torch/headlamp (some sections are dark), and a fully charged phone with offline maps.
• Accommodation: Mateševo has very limited accommodation — a few private rooms may be available by asking locally. Kolašin (30 minutes north) has a good selection of hotels, guesthouses, and apartments. Podgorica (50 minutes south) offers full urban services.
• Food: There are no restaurants in Mateševo. The Morača Monastery area has a small café. For full meals, head to Kolašin or stop at one of the roadside restaurants in the Morača gorge, which serve grilled meats and trout.
• Combine with: Morača Monastery, the Morača river gorge drive, Kolašin (for accommodation and mountain activities), and Biogradsko Jezero (Biogradska Gora National Park).
• Driving tip: The highway through the Morača gorge requires attentive driving — it is winding, occasionally narrow, and shared with heavy truck traffic. Drive carefully, use your lights in tunnels, and be patient behind slower vehicles.

Why Visit Mateševo

Mateševo is a place you stop at, not a place you go to — and that is precisely why it deserves attention. The thousands of vehicles that pass through the Morača gorge daily carry travellers to well-known destinations north and south, but the canyon that branches east from Mateševo holds landscapes as spectacular as anything in Montenegro. The Mrtvica Canyon is a genuine discovery for those willing to leave the highway and walk. Combined with the nearby Morača Monastery and the drama of the gorge itself, Mateševo offers a concentrated dose of everything that makes central Montenegro extraordinary — deep canyons, clear rivers, medieval art, mountain solitude, and the thrill of finding something remarkable in a place that others have overlooked.