Virpazar - Lake Skadar, Montenegro

Virpazar is a small settlement on Lake Skadar, which belongs to municipality of Bar and it is located in the heart of Crmnica region, only 15 kilometers from the sea. The old part of Virpazar is interconnected via bridges on the Oraovstica and Virstica rivers, after which this settlement used to be called "a town on three bridges".

The first mention of ( Vir ) Virpazar dates back to 13th century. In those times, a settlement was established near a river whirlpool, where people used to come on small river boats to visit the local market.

In the mid 19th century, the settlement started getting its urban characteristics. When a dock was constructed in 1905, Virpazar became the most important port on Lake Skadar. From 1888, it was connected with Bar via an unsurfaced road, and from 1908 with narrow gauge railway line.

Due to its geographical location, openness to the hinterland as well as to the lake, today Virpazar is and administrative, economic, and cultural centre of the Crmnica region. It has a primary school, health center, post office, local community, police station, railway station, Visitor Center, which provides office PC National Park Skadar Lake and Tourism Office Bar.

Virpazar, during the summer tourist season, is visited by many tourists who are mostly lovers of nature, national parks and protected areas.

In the urban part of Virpazar there are several restaurants with traditional cuisine where you can try a wide variety of specialties of fish from Lake Skadar and taste the famous wines of Montenegro, Crmnički Vranac and brandy.

Virpazar is the center of all happenings in Crmnica region. During the summer season are organized many cultural and entertainment events such as "Days of Skadar Lake", "Crmnica sports games", literary evenings, artists colony, performances at the festival "Bar Chronicle" while in the winter you can enjoy the festival "Days of wine and bleak ".