Šavnik is a small town at about 840 m in northern Montenegro, founded in 1861 where the Bukovica, Bijela and Šavnik rivers meet. Only a few hundred people live in the town itself. It is 4 km from Nevidio canyon, about 45 km from Nikšić, and has the monastery of St George at Bijela a short drive south.
The town
Šavnik sits in a deep valley at about 840 m, where three rivers meet: the Bukovica, the Bijela and the Šavnik. Below the town they continue together as the Pridvorica, which joins the Komarnica downstream of Nevidio. It is the lowest settlement in its municipality.
It is a young town. Before 1861 there were only two mills on the Šavnik river. That year settlers from other parts of Montenegro and Herzegovina began to build: the first three houses were a tavern with a shop, a gunsmith’s and a blacksmith’s. The town grew quickly into the centre of the Drobnjaci region, with a post office, a school, a court and a military post. The name is usually linked to the willows (šavice) that grew along the rivers.
The 20th century largely passed it by. Major roads and industry went elsewhere, and people moved to Nikšić and the coast. Today only a few hundred people live in the town, and the municipality has the smallest population in Montenegro. For visitors that means quiet streets, rivers you can hear from the square, and no crowds.
In the town stands the Orthodox church of St George.
Bijela monastery
A short drive south of Šavnik, by the village of Bijela, is the monastery of St George, patron saint of the Drobnjaci. The earliest known written mention of it is from 1656. A local legend dates it much earlier, to 1010, saying it was built by a duke from Bijela and a ban from Tušina with the support of Prince Jovan Vladimir. Reconstruction began at the end of the 20th century.
It is about 6 km from town by road. Dress modestly and ask before photographing inside.
Crnjak waterfall
Higher up the Bijela valley, about 12 km from town, the river drops about 20 m at Crnjak waterfall, next to the remains of an old mill that gave the valley its name. The full guide to Crnjak.
Practical basics
- Distances: Nevidio canyon 4 km (about 10 min), Žabljak about 30 to 40 min, Nikšić about 45 km.
- Cash and fuel: services are limited. Fill up and get cash in Nikšić or Žabljak to be safe.
- Buses: some Nikšić to Žabljak buses stop in Šavnik. From the town to the canyon you need a lift or a taxi.
- Emergency: 112.
Combine it with
- the Bukovica valley and Podmalinsko monastery, about 10 km away;
- the canyon entrance and Skakavica waterfall, about 10 minutes away.
Questions people ask
Is Šavnik worth visiting?
As a stop, yes: a coffee by the rivers, the church of St George, and a base for Bijela and Podmalinsko monasteries and the canyon. It is not a sightseeing town in its own right, and it does not pretend to be.
Is there a cash machine or fuel in Šavnik?
Services in Šavnik are limited and can change. To be safe, get cash and fill up in Nikšić or Žabljak before you come.
How do I get to Šavnik by bus?
Some buses between Nikšić and Žabljak, and some longer routes, stop in Šavnik. Check current times at the bus stations in Podgorica or Nikšić, as not every departure goes through the town.