World Walker

The Montenegrins tell a story about the creation of their country. They say that after God created the Earth, he looked down in his bag which had once contained all the birds, fish, animals, plants, water and the first humans who now populated his new planet. He noticed that in the bag there were still some stones left and he threw them down to the newly created Earth, thereby creating Montenegro.

You can’t help but think of this story as you navigate within Montenegro’s rugged, wild interior. Although it is a small country, getting from point A to point B in inland Montenegro takes a long time because you are driving along narrow, twisting (and let’s face it, often terrifying) mountain passes and roads through the country’s numerous gorges.

Many tourists never get to this part – preferring to stay along the more developed coast. But I would urge all visitors to explore at least part of this spectacular interior. Here are some highlights:

Durmitor National Park – This park, a  UNESCO Heritage site, is located in northern Montenegro, close to the border with Bosnia-Hercegovina. Its pristine lakes and rocky mountains are a wonder to explore – and you will do so easily with extremely well-marked trails for all skill levels. Vegetarians beware: on the menu is lamb, lamb and more lamb, but also scrumptious priganice – a type of small fried dough, like fritters – served with either kaymak (soft, salty cheese), fermented milk or honey, and mouthwatering berries picked fresh from along the trails. A little slice of heaven.

Whitewater rafting in the Tara River - Easily reached from Durmitor is the Tara River canyon, a popular place for whitewater rafting excursions. Serious rafters will want to go in the spring/early summer, with its higher water levels and fast rapids, and plan a two-day (overnight) trip to the Bosnian border. Travelling with young children, we were happy for the lower water levels and slower rapids of late summer. The kids loved their first rafting experience and can’t wait to return.

Morača canyon and Biogradsko Park – This is close to the nation’s capital, Pogorica, and the drive through this canyon is breathtaking. Nearby is the wonderful Biogradsko Park, with lots of hiking, swimming and horseback riding in a  beautiful setting.

Don’t miss the spectacular Morača monastery, an important Serbian Orthodox holy place. It is set in a lovely surrounding and its frescoes are magnificent.

Lovćen National Park – This is white-knuckle driving at its best, up precipitous, curving mountain roads with lots of hairpin turns – honk lots as you initiate the turns to alert oncoming traffic. Yet the view over the Boka kotorska as you climb higher is breathtaking as is the panoramic view from the tomb of Montenegrin Prince Petrović-Njegoš. Montenegro is a small country and, from this altitude, it is all laid out stunningly just beneath you.

Lake Skadar – This is the largest lake in the Balkans, divided between Montenegro and neighboring Albania. The biodiversity in this unspoiled region is notable, and it is a well-known bird sanctuary. Boat tours can be arranged from the lake town of Virpazar to enjoy the stunning landscapes and the beautiful monastaries dotting the shorelines and islands. Be sure to try the wonderful, strong red Montenegrin Vranac wine produced in the region.

This little country on the Adriatic (just 600,000 inhabitants) is a fantastic holiday destination offering beautiful coastlines and towns, friendly people, excellent cuisine and relatively low prices. It doesn’t yet attract the big crowds that neighboring Croatia does, but that’s sure to change over the next years, so enjoy it now!

Boka kotorska – This region in the north of Montenegro and close to Croatia used to be part of the Venetian Empire and the name comes from the Italian “bocca” (mouth). This is a dramatic fjord dotted with lovely Venetian towns and ringed by stunning mountains. We based ourselves here for a week and explored the whole area and absolutely never grew tired of observing the rocky mountains and the lovely stone of the buildings with the changing light of day. We stayed in the charming town of  Perast , where time seems to have stood still for the last four hundred years and we loved taking our daily swim in the town’s small beach just opposite two lovely island churches. Perast is just a few kilometers from the large town of Kotor, an architectural gem. Don’t miss out on climbing the ruin walls of Kotor’s castle for the dizzying view of the town and the Boka far below. You can’t go wrong here stopping off along the way to visit the charming towns and take a dip in the inviting waters all along this beautiful coastline.

Budva – this is Montenegro’s most developed coastal resort, with many options for accomodation. The old town is lovely as is the town’s stone beach. Unfortunately, Budva has developed a little too rapidly over the past few years and the charming old town has been dwarfed by far-less-than-charming overbuilding around the old town walls. Still, if you are young and looking for good nightlife, this is most likely a good place to start. If you are looking for a quieter atmosphere, as we were, stay elsewhere and make this a daytrip.

Sveti Stefan- Close to Budva is the picture-perfect island of Sveti Stefan attached to the mainland by a causeway. Relax on the beaches on either side of the causeway and enjoy this tranquil, photogenic spot.

Ulcinj – Until 1878,  Ulcinj, at the southermost tip of Montenegro and close to the Albanian border, was part of the Ottoman Empire. In that year, fierce fighting between the Montenegrins and Ottomans led to the eventual annexation of Ulcinj (and Bar to the north) to Montenegro. Montenegro’s Albanian minority makes up about 90% of Ulcinj’s population and that of the surrounding regions. Since the area is also popular in the summer with Albanians and Albanian Kosovars on holiday, you will hear more Albanian spoken here than Montenegrin. The city has a rich history. It was settled by the Greeks, Romans, Ottomans and was famous as a base for the Algerian corsairs. Miguel Cervantes, author of Don Quijote, is said to have been captured by the pirates off the coast of Barcelona and held as a captive in Ulcinj. The Citadel is charming, perched high on a hill with views to the sea below. The Velika Plaža (Great Beach), just south of town is a long stretch of grey sand and the nearby Ada Bojana, an island in the Bojana River, just along the Albanian border has wonderful seafood restaurants not to be missed.