Podgorica: Panoramic Wine Tasting & Snack

Purple Eye Estate is not a polished tasting room built for quick bus tours. It is a four-generation family winery beside Matica Creek and a small lake called Purple Eye, with vineyards, camping space, outdoor games, and a rooftop tasting area. You come here for wine, but you also get a look at how a Montenegrin family has tied farming, food, and hospitality together.

I especially like the chance to taste Vranac and Kratošija, local grape varieties that are not simply bottles picked from a supermarket shelf. I also like the relaxed setting, where a short walk, a plate of homemade food, and a glass of wine can take place in the same visit. The main consideration is that this is a rural estate rather than a formal city attraction, so the experience is best for you if you enjoy open-air settings and an unhurried pace.

Key points at a glance

• Taste local grape varieties: Sample red and white wine made from the estate’s Vranac and Kratošija plantings, along with schnapps and honey.
• Eat a generous local plate: The tasting includes homemade cheese, salami, prosciutto, and olives, with three types of meat listed.
• Walk beside water and vineyards: A short walk takes you around the estate, Matica Creek, and Purple Eye Lake.
• Enjoy more than a tasting room: The property includes table tennis, basketball, football, volleyball, a children’s park, a kids swimming pool, and a small pitch-and-putt course on demand.
• Reach it from Podgorica: Pickup is offered from the main shopping center, bus station, or airport, and a local bus runs toward Danilovgrad and Bandići.
• Book for a private visit: The experience is offered as a private group activity, with live guiding available in five languages.

A small winery with a big outdoor setting

Purple Eye Estate Camp & Winery sits in Bandići, between Podgorica and Danilovgrad, about 12 kilometers from the Montenegrin capital. That distance matters. You can leave the city behind without spending a full day on the road.

The estate combines a vineyard, family winery, campsite, and outdoor recreation area. The result feels more like a country visit than a standard wine bar. You may see people relaxing around the camp, families using the play area, or groups sharing food and drinks outdoors.

The Sekulić family has worked with wine, schnapps, and related farm products for more than four generations. Their vineyards contain about 2,300 plantings of Vranac and Kratošija, two local varieties that give the tasting a clear Montenegrin identity.

You are not coming only to identify aromas in a glass. You are seeing where the family makes and serves its products. That connection gives the visit its main appeal, especially if you want something tied to local life rather than a generic tasting built around international labels.

Getting from Podgorica to Bandići

Pickup is included from several main points in Podgorica: Big Fashion Shopping Centre, the bus station, and the airport. Extra charges apply, so check the exact transport cost when booking. This is the simplest choice if you want a direct ride and do not want to coordinate public transport.

You can also use the local bus to Danilovgrad. Buses leave from the main bus station roughly every half hour, with a listed fare of 1.50 EUR per person to the Bandići station roundabout. The bus option is far cheaper than a private transfer, but you will need to confirm the stop and make your own way between the roundabout and the estate.

The property is wheelchair accessible, which is useful information for anyone planning a visit around mobility needs. Still, the estate includes outdoor areas, a meadow, a creekside walk, and open recreation spaces, so ask about the exact route if you need a fully step-free plan.

The guided estate tour and short walk

The visit includes a guided tour lasting about an hour, followed by a 15-minute walk as part of the wider outing. The guide introduces the estate and the family’s winemaking tradition, then gives you time to see the setting for yourself.

Do not expect a large industrial winery with rows of machinery and a formal museum. The attraction is the working family setting, where the vineyard and camp sit together. The guide can explain the local grapes, the family’s production, and the estate’s food and drink offer.

The walk adds welcome breathing room before or after the tasting. You can look across the green grounds, follow the area beside Matica Creek, and reach Purple Eye Lake. The lake is small, but it gives the property its name and adds a quiet focal point to the visit.

If the weather is wet, some of the outdoor appeal will be reduced. One visit took place in the rain and still included time to explore the winery, but sunshine would clearly make the meadow, rooftop, and water views more enjoyable. Bring sensible shoes if you plan to walk around the grounds.

Wine from Vranac and Kratošija

The core tasting includes red wine, white wine, schnapps or grappa, and honey. The estate’s own Vranac and Kratošija plantings make the red wine the central point of interest.

Vranac is one of Montenegro’s best-known native red grape varieties. Kratošija is another local variety with a long place in the region’s wine culture. Here, the value is not just tasting a red wine made somewhere in Montenegro. You are tasting wine connected to the family’s own vineyards and production.

The exact pours and order can vary, but you should expect the host to explain what you are drinking rather than simply place glasses on the table. The family’s long involvement in winemaking gives the discussion a personal angle. Ask about the grapes, the estate’s methods, and the difference between the wines if you want a more useful tasting.

The schnapps is another part of the local drinking tradition. It may appeal to you if you want to try rakija in the place where it is made, rather than buy a tourist bottle at a shop. Pace yourself, since the tasting also includes wine and the meal plate.

Honey rounds out the drink selection and gives you another taste of the estate’s agricultural side. This is a small detail, but it helps show that the visit is about a family farm operation, not wine alone.

Homemade cheese, salami, prosciutto, and olives

The food is one of the strongest reasons to choose this outing. Your tasting includes a platter with homemade cheese, salami, prosciutto, and olives. Three different types of meat are listed, giving the plate enough substance to function as more than a few decorative bites.

This is a practical pairing for the wine. The salty cured meat, cheese, and olives work well with red wine and schnapps, and the plate lets you settle into the visit instead of rushing through a series of samples.

If you eat vegetarian food, mention it as early as possible. The family has adjusted the platter to a vegetarian version, even when the request came late. That does not guarantee every dietary need can be handled, but it shows that you should ask before arriving rather than assume the standard plate is your only option.

The included food makes the $23 price easier to justify. You are paying for a private, guided estate visit, several alcoholic and nonalcoholic tasting items, and a substantial local snack, not just a single glass of wine. For a short outing from Podgorica, that is a fair package.

Rooftop views and free time

The tasting takes place outdoors, including a rooftop area with a broad view across the property. This is where the visit feels most relaxed. You can sit with your plate, look over the vineyard panorama, and let the tasting stretch into a social meal.

The rooftop is weather dependent, so conditions matter. On a clear day, it should be the best place for photos and open views. In rain or strong heat, you may prefer the covered or indoor parts of the estate, depending on what is available that day.

Free time is built into the visit. You are not required to leave as soon as the final sample is poured. Use that time for photos, a walk, or a closer look at the camp facilities.

A particularly nice part of this setup is the shared outdoor feel. People staying at the campsite and people visiting for the tasting can be around the same food and wine areas. If you enjoy meeting others and hearing travel stories over a drink, this makes the estate more sociable than a quiet commercial tasting counter.

The campsite and family recreation area

All campsite facilities are included with the activity. The property has a large relaxation area and places for walking and sightseeing, plus table tennis, basketball, football, and volleyball.

Families get extra value from the children’s park and kids swimming pool. The small golf course, a pitch-and-putt setup, is available on demand. These features make the estate more suitable for a mixed-age group than a standard winery visit.

You should set your expectations correctly. These facilities are part of a country campsite, not a full-scale resort. Their value is that they give your group room to spread out and make the visit more flexible. Children can have something to do while adults taste wine, and larger groups can build the visit around outdoor activities.

The estate also hosts events such as team buildings, birthdays, weddings, and other group gatherings. A private group booking may therefore feel different from a quiet couple’s tasting, depending on what else is taking place on the property.

How long the visit really feels

The advertised duration is two hours. The schedule includes a one-hour guided tour, a 15-minute walk, and time for wine tasting, food, sightseeing, photos, and camp activities.

That is enough time for an introduction to the estate and a proper tasting, but it is not a full-day wine tour. You will not visit several wineries or cover a large wine region. The appeal is depth at one family property, not a long list of stops.

The free-time element can make the two hours feel more generous than a tightly timed tasting. You can walk, eat, and take photos without treating every minute as a stop on a conveyor belt. If you want to add a longer meal or extra outdoor activities, ask the provider what can be arranged before you book.

Dinner and additional food are listed among the possible activities, but the included package specifically names the wine tasting, snack platter, and campsite facilities. If you want a full fish or barbecue dinner, confirm the extra cost and availability. One visitor chose fish and barbecue after the tasting, but that meal should not be assumed to be included in the $23 price.

Who will enjoy Purple Eye Estate most

I would choose this for you if you want an easy rural break from Podgorica, like local wine and food, and prefer a family-run setting to a formal attraction. It also works well for couples, private groups, families, and anyone interested in camping culture.

The activity suits people who enjoy a slower visit with room to wander. You get a guided introduction, but you can also explore the estate on your own. That balance is useful if you want context without being directed every second.

Families should pay attention to the play area, kids pool, sports facilities, and open grounds. A wine tasting can be a hard sell with young children, but this property gives them more space and activities than most city-based tastings.

I would be more cautious if you want a luxury winery, a highly formal tasting lesson, or several wine estates in one day. The setting is informal, the facilities are spread through an active campsite, and the experience depends on weather. That is part of its charm, but it is not for everyone.

Booking, languages, and practical value

The experience is offered as a private group activity, with live guiding available in English, German, Greek, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian. A private format is especially useful if your group wants to ask questions, request a vegetarian platter, or set its own pace around the estate.

At $23 per person, the price is strong for what is included. You receive a guided visit, red and white wine, schnapps, honey, homemade cheese, salami, prosciutto, olives, and access to the camp facilities. Transport may cost extra if you use pickup, so compare that with the inexpensive local bus before deciding.

You can reserve now and pay later, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Those terms help if your Podgorica plans are still shifting.

Should you book this wine tasting?

Book Purple Eye Estate if you want local wine, family hospitality, and open-air time in one short outing. The strongest parts are the estate-made drinks, the generous snack plate, the walk beside Matica Creek and Purple Eye Lake, and the chance to see a family operation rather than a shopfront tasting.

Skip it if you want a polished luxury setting or a serious multi-winery study of Montenegrin wine. For most visitors with two free hours in Podgorica, though, the $23 cost gives you a pleasant mix of food, drink, scenery, and local character. Choose a clear day if possible, and ask about transport and any extra dinner plans before you go.

FAQ

Where is Purple Eye Estate Camp & Winery?

It is in the village of Bandići, in Podgorica Municipality, between Danilovgrad and Podgorica. The estate is about 12 kilometers from Podgorica.

How long does the experience last?

The listed duration is two hours. The visit includes a guided tour, a short walk, wine tasting, food, sightseeing, and free time.

What drinks are included?

The tasting includes red wine, white wine, schnapps or grappa, and honey. The estate produces wine from Vranac and Kratošija grapes.

What food comes with the tasting?

You receive homemade cheese, salami, prosciutto, and olives. Three different types of meat are listed for the platter.

Is transportation from Podgorica included?

Pickup is available from Big Fashion Shopping Centre, the bus station, and the airport. Extra charges apply for pickup.

Can I reach Bandići by local bus?

Yes. A local bus operates toward Danilovgrad and Bandići from the main bus station about every half hour. The listed ticket price is 1.50 EUR per person to the Bandići station roundabout.

Is the activity private?

Yes. The activity is offered for a private group.

Which languages are available for the live guide?

Guiding is available in English, German, Greek, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian.

Is the estate wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The activity information lists the estate as wheelchair accessible.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.