Gorica Forest Park

What it is

Gorica is a forest park and a ~130 m hill in central Podgorica. Since 2022, the 104.5-hectare area has been protected as a Monument of Nature and serves as the city’s primary green-recreation zone.

Key features

• Protected area of 104.5 ha – a contiguous urban forest.
• Relief and ~130 m height provide wind shelter and city viewpoints.
• Rich biota: 400+ plant species, 14 protected, about 40 Balkan endemics, and 160+ fungi.
• Active-use facilities – lit walking/cycling paths, outdoor gyms, small football pitch, multipurpose courts.
• Thematic spots: Partisan-Fighter Memorial (1957), St George’s Church at the foot (9th–11th c.), and the 2018 Mediterranean Garden.

What to see

• Partisan-Fighter Memorial on the ridge with viewpoints.
• St George’s Church at the southern foot of the hill.
• Adventure Park with rope courses and the Mediterranean Garden area.

History

Gorica has long served as a vantage point above the settlement “under the little hill”; the hill gave the city its name. In the latter 20th c., large-scale pine and cypress planting shaped today’s park-forest.

In 1957 the Partisan-Fighter Mausoleum was inaugurated on the summit. In 2018 the Mediterranean Garden was created near the base. In May–June 2022 municipal and state decisions granted the site Monument-of-Nature protection with defined boundaries and management.

Practical information

Location: central Podgorica; between Nova Varoš, Zagorič and Masline, near the stadium and Morača riverbank.
Getting there: 5–10 min by car/taxi from downtown; 15–25 min on foot; multiple trailheads – look for St George’s Church and the climb to the memorial.
Access: open-access park with lit paths; free entry; rope-course Adventure Park charges admission and keeps seasonal hours.
Visiting hours: year-round, best in daylight; pine canopy offers shade in hot months.
Visit duration: 40–90 min for a loop; up to 2 hrs with the memorial and breaks.
Best time: Mar–Jun and Sep–Nov; in summer, cooler on the ridge; in winter, northern winds can be strong on open sections.
Notes: wear grippy footwear; paths get slick after rain; follow protected-area rules and trail markings.