ABOUT MONTENEGRO

No matter whether you enter Boka by land or by sea - your experience will the same - Boka will fascinate you! It looks as if the mountains have cracked and let the sea in. This is the southernmost fjord in Europe. The high mountains bend over the thin coastline thus protecting it from the severe climate from the north. That is why Boka is an oasis of Mediterranean vegetation: agave, palm, mimosa, oleander, kiwi, pomegranate, medicinal herbs. When its peaks are covered with snow, the roses bloom in the foothills.

The bay is naturally divided into four smaller parts - Herceg Novi bay, Risan bay, Kotor bay and Tivat bay. The small towns, as treasuries of history, art and beauty, are strung like pearls on its coastline. Kotor is the old coastal and cultural centre. For centuries, it has been a crossroads of commercial roads under the strong influence of Venice. It is protected by mountains with a strong defense structure built during the time of Byzantine Empire. Dobrota is a small town in which numerous palaces of former sailors and shipowners are still preserved. Perast is the homeland of many world-known sailors and a town whose destiny has always been related to the sea.

By its lifestyle, it resembled Venice with which it had very lively trade and cultural links. There are a lot of remains of the old aristocratic palaces that now bear witness to its ancient splendor and richness. In one of them, the Bujevic’s palace, the Town Museum is located. There is a very interesting historical story saying that the Russian soldiers used to come in Perast to learn sailing skills and that it was known as a cradle of the Russian fleet. There are two islets around Perast town – Gospa od Skrpjela (Our Lady of the Rocks) and St George, both unique tourist attractions.

Budva is the most popular coastal town of Montenegro. Apart from numerous beaches, Budva is also intriguing for its history and culture. Numerous churches, including the Church of Holy Trinity, St. Ivan, St. Bogorodica and St. Sava, as well as monasteries dotted around the town’s narrow cobbled streets and piazzas create a perfect setting for a number of summer performances and shows.

The Old Town of Budva, a cultural and historical monument, is a unique architectural and urban entity surrounded by medieval walls, which existed in the 9th century as one wall of the Benedictine monastery built in 840. (The present-day Santa Maria in Punta church) was at the same time a protective wall to the sea.

According to the oldest known drawing of Budva from the 16th century, the city was surrounded by six towers, two of which were high and one round. In the big earthquake of 1667. The city walls and towers were demolished and new walls erected on the foundations of the old ones.

Along the narrow streets, small markets and squares, there are cafes, boutiques, bars, restaurants, galleries... which during the summer months, thanks to performances, concerts and exhibitions, the Old Town truly becomes the City Theater.

The picturesque town of Sveti Stefan is situated 5km southeast of Budva. Located on a tiny island connected to the shore by a causeway, this former fortified fishing village with terracotta-roofed stone houses has recently been refurbished into one of the most luxurious resorts on the Mediterranean.

National park Durmitor is the largest of 5 national parks in Montenegro. It is located in the northern part of the country, partly with the park border running along the border between Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Since 2005 the whole park has been part of the UNESCO world heritage list; prior to that the protection only applied to the Tara River Gorge which has been included in the world heritage list since 1977.

Apart from the dramatic landscape carved by ice and water and a majestic mountain range with 2.000-plus-meters peaks (the highest peak is Bobotov Kuk, 2522 m) and 17 glacier lakes (the best known is the Black Lake), the park is home to numerous animals, including 163 bird species, about 50 types of mammals and probably the greatest variety of butterflies in Europe. Durmitor is a major ski resort from December to March (the best-known is Zabljak).

The Tara river gorge is with 1300 metres the deepest canyon in Europe. The Tara river is one of the best places for rafting and canoeing in this part of Europe.

Podgorica, formerly known as Titograd, is the inland capital of Montenegro. Thanks to its favourable location at the confluence of the Morača and Ribnica rivers in the southeast of the country, the town has become the largest city in Montenegro.

Most of the city was destroyed during WW II, so Podgorica is relatively new, with modern buildings at every step of the way and green spaces as well as parks. Podgorica hosts a number of cultural events and there are many theatres, such as Crnogorsko Narodno, Gradsko and Dodest.

The must-visit spots are the Clock Tower (Sahat-kula Adzi-pasa Osmanagica), the ruins of Nemanjica Grad and remains of the city of Doclea, Stara Varos, and Vezirov.

Less than an hour’s drive inland from Budva, in an imposing mountain setting, lies the town of Cetinje, the former capital of Montenegro.

Cetinje can be considered the cradle of Montenegro’s civilization, as it was founded in 1482 by the Montenegrin ruler Ivan Crnojević. On a small plateau at the foot of Mount Lovćen, among inaccessible peaks and thus easy to defend, he built his court and founded a monastery as a personal endowment. The town was further developed by the rulers of the Petrović dynasty, but only when the independence of Montenegro was recognized at the Berlin Congress (1878) and, consequently, Cetinje became the capital of a European country, it started to flourish, in particular during the reign of King Nikola I in the beginning of the 20th century. After World War II the nation’s official capital was shifted to Podgorica – then called Titograd -, but Cetinje remained its historical and cultural centre.

An important historical monument is the Palace of king Nikola – it is now a museum with thousands of pieces of archeological, ethnographical, historical value, among which are the collection of awards, weapons, stamps, coats of arms, flags and pictures. The palace of Biljarda – a former residence of Peter II Petrovic Negus, built in 1838 – now a collection of compositions written by this famous Montenegrian ruler, poet are held here. You can also see his personal belongings, books, money and weapons.

The main sight of the city is the monastery of Cetinje. It is a place where former Montenegrian rulers sat. It was built in 1483. The museums, archives, galleries and the art academies make Cetinje one of the most attractive places in Montenegro. A must see is the mausoleum on Lovcen mountain. It is situated 1660 m above sea level, within 15 km from Cetinje. Here lies the most famous Montenegrian ruler – Peter II Petrovic Negus. The mausoleum was created by the sculptor Ivan Mestrovic and from here opens a fantastic view of the country!

This monastery is located in the vicinity of Nikšić, built in the steep rock overlooking the Bjelopavlicka Plain. The Ostrog monastery is the most famous pilgrimage site in Montenegro. It was founded by the Herzeg Archbishop Vasilije in the 17th century. He was buried here and canonised as a miracle-performing saint.The monastery was reconstructed in 1923-1926 following a fire which spared the small cave churches. These churches are the main attractions of this monument. The Church of the Entrance of the Holy Mother of God was painted with frescoes at the end of the 17th century. The Church of the Holy Cross is located in the upper monastery level and it was painted by the master Radul who adjusted the frescoes to the natural shape of the rocks. The church is surrounded by konaks and they both represent a structure which is in harmony with its natural ambience. The Orthodox monastery of Ostrog is one of the most visited monasteries in the Balkans. It is a confluence of all three confessions: Orthodox, Catholic and Muslim, as it is believed that the relics of St. Vasilije of Ostrog are miraculous. According to pilgrims’ testimonials, praying in front of these relics has helped them cure or lessen their life’s troubles.