The first time I went to Tuzi, I didn’t expect much because most people talk about Podgorica, the coast, or the mountains. But Tuzi surprised me in the best way. It’s right next to the capital, yet it feels like its own world: calmer, more local, and with a strong Albanian spirit you notice immediately in the language you hear on the streets, the cafés, and the way people greet each other.
And then you reach the pazar and that’s where Tuzi really hits you.
It’s not a “shopping center” vibe at all. It’s a proper market, loud and alive, with people calling out prices, walking fast, stopping to talk, laughing, bargaining. The first time I walked through it, I honestly had that feeling like, “Wait… am I in Istanbul?” It has that same energy busy but somehow warm, full of movement, full of life. You can find everything there: clothes, shoes, household stuff, seasonal fruit and vegetables, little random things you didn’t come for but somehow end up buying. Even if you don’t need anything, it’s worth going just to feel the atmosphere.
Not far from Tuzi you’ve also got villages like Dinoša and Milesh, places with a strong Albanian community and that quiet village rhythm. Driving through those areas feels completely different from the city it’s slower, greener, and more personal.
And if you’re there in summer, you can’t skip the Cemi (Cijevna) waterfall. Locals come here to cool off when the heat gets heavy. It’s not a “tourist attraction” with a big entrance and rules it’s a real local spot. The water is cold, the sound is strong, and once you stand there for a few minutes, you understand why people keep coming back.
If you’re in Montenegro and want something close to Podgorica but still authentic something you’ll actually feel Tuzi is worth the stop. For me, it’s one of those places that stays in your memory because it doesn’t try to impress you. It just is what it is.