Plužine is the small hub of the Piva region in north-western Montenegro, and its setting is the reason anyone talks about it. The town stands above a huge artificial lake, Pivsko Jezero, created in the 1970s when the Mratinje dam was built across the Piva canyon. The dam is a concrete arch more than 200 metres high, among the tallest in Europe when it was finished, and the water behind it filled one of the deepest, narrowest gorges in the Balkans. Old Plužine and the monastery of Piva were moved higher up before the flooding, and the monastery, with its painted interior, is still the area's main cultural treasure.
The ride to and from Plužine is one of the great drives of the region. The road along the Piva canyon is cut into rock, through a long series of tunnels, some unlit and short, others long and dripping, with openings that frame the green water far below. Corners are mostly gentle, but the tunnels need care: headlights on, speed down, eyes ready for sudden darkness and damp surfaces. You may meet buses and trucks that take the centre of the road. Rockfall is a real possibility after rain, and in winter the road can be icy and sometimes closed. On a clear day in late spring or early autumn the colour of the lake and the cliffs is remarkable.
Plužine is small, with only about a thousand and a half people, and you should not count on a wide choice of services. For fuel, plan around Nikšić to the south, which is a large town, or around Foča across the Bosnian border to the north, and carry enough for the mountain roads. In the village itself you can usually find a café, a simple restaurant and maybe a place to sleep. Grilled lamb and cheese are local standards, and the bread is good.
Take your time here. The lake invites a stop at one of the viewpoints, and the scale of the canyon walls makes even a big bike look small. In the early morning mist can lie on the water, and the rock takes on a pink tone as the sun rises. Beyond Plužine, the road continues toward Žabljak and the Durmitor massif, so if the weather holds, the day can get even better.