Anyone planning to spend a vacation in Montenegro with its unique climate, beautiful landscapes, ancient temples and cozy beaches on the Adriatic Sea, wants to get an answer to the question: "What to see in Montenegro?"
Holiday season in Montenegro
It is best to visit Montenegro in late April - early July and late summer - late first month of autumn. In this country, those who are not indifferent to ecological recreation in the bosom of nature and those who are not interested in artificial gloss prefer to spend their holidays. It is worth noting that the purchased ticket to Montenegro will not hit your pocket hard.
If you are interested not so much in the beach (by the end of June the water warms up to + 23˚C), but in the ski holidays, then it is advisable to plan a trip to Montenegro at the end of November - the last days of March. In January, everyone will be able to visit the festival of the first snow (Zabljak), and in February - the competition Montenegro Ski Fest (Kolashin).
Top 15 interesting places in Montenegro
Skadar Lake National Park
Skadar Lake is a habitat for fish and birds. The shore of the lake is dotted with ancient cozy villages, and there you will also be able to find a store carved into the rock, where everyone who wants to get wine products is heading. Tourists will be offered to join a boat or boat tour of the lake. They will be able to swim to the islands, some of which are famous for their functioning monasteries (price - 40-70 euros / hour)
How to get to Skadar Lake?
- with an excursion group you can get to the lake by a comfortable bus with a guide (the trip, depending on where the path starts from, will cost 35-60 euros);
- public transport (bus and train) travels to the Skadar Lake area (the cost of the visit is 2 euros), but only to the village of Virpazar.
St. Mark's Island
Being the most beautiful and largest island in the Bay of Kotor, St. Mark's Island invites its guests to admire flowers and cypresses, and walk through olive groves. Those who want to relax as a savage flock here (the infrastructure is not developed properly) and spend time on the beach (tourists will be taken to a narrow beach strip by taxi boat from Tivat).
In the near future, it is planned to build villas and hotels on the island (there will be swimming pools), a casino, restaurants, a marina, a yacht club, a heliport, and first-class beaches. As for the central part of the island, it should be occupied by a commercial area.
Citadel in Budva
The purpose of the construction of the Citadel in Budva (15th century) was to defend against the attacks of the Turks. The gate, the square, the former barracks, the fortress walls (their height is 10 m), the medieval church, or rather their ruins are subject to inspection.
On one of the walls of the Citadel, you will be able to see a bas-relief depicting two intertwined fish, in the library - to get acquainted with maps and books related to the Balkans, in the maritime museum - to look at models of ships, in a restaurant with a terrace - to satisfy hunger and capture in pictures seen from there the island of Nicholas and the sea, and from the observation deck (the upper tier of the Citadel) - admire the Old Town. It is recommended to visit the Citadel in Budva in July-August during the city theater festival "Grad-Theater".
Lovcen
Lovcen is a mountain and a national park. On the mountain, consisting of two peaks (Jezerski vrh and Stirovnik) and located on the border of the mountain and sea climatic zones, you can see more than 1150 plant species.
If we talk about the Lovcen National Park (its area is 62 km2), then the following attractions can cause the interest of tourists:
- the village of Njegushi: here you will be able to look at the traditional ancient architecture, as well as taste the Negushi cheeses and hams;
- the mausoleum of Peter II Petrovic Njegos: it is a low-rise stone building (golden roof) with a gate guarded by 2 Montenegrin women (statues). Inside, visitors will see a 28-ton statue of Njegos, on the lower floor - his sarcophagus, and behind the mausoleum they will find an observation deck (when they find themselves there, they will take a look at the whole of Montenegro).
Millennium bridge
The 140-meter Millennium Bridge, 57 m high, is a landmark of Podgorica, spanning the Moraca River. In addition to the decorative function, the bridge of unusual appearance has a practical purpose: it was built to connect the street on July 13 with Ivan Chernoevich Boulevard.
You should definitely look at the bridge at night, when the special lighting is turned on. Well, it is best to take pictures of the Millennium Bridge from the Moscow Bridge located in the immediate vicinity (there is a monument to Vysotsky next to it).
Blue cave
The Blue Cave, which has 2 entrances (one of them is of artificial origin, and was created for the purpose of passing through the cave of small boats), is a large hole in the sheer cliff, which was created by sea water. In the cave (the vaults reach 25 m in height), an unusual ultramarine glow is created (this is due to the refraction of the sun's rays), especially at 11-12 hours. Those who wish can swim in the waters of the Blue Grotto, about which there is an interesting rumor: once the pirates left there treasures that have not been found to this day.
You can get to the Blue Cave only by water - from Kotor, Herceg Novi, Mirishte and Zanitsa beaches.
Ostrog monastery
The Ostrog Monastery, located at an altitude of 900 m above sea level (built in the 17th century), is 15 km away from Danilovgrad. Since it has a holy spring, water can be drawn from it.
Ostrog consists of 2 parts:
- Lower Monastery: includes the Church of the Holy Trinity (it is the repository of the relics of a 12-year-old boy - the Holy New Martyr Stanko) and a cell.
- Upper Monastery (from the first to the second monastery there is a 5-kilometer path through the forest): the complex includes Vvedenskaya (3 by 3 m temple - a repository of temple candlesticks of 1779, the miraculous relics of St. Basil of Ostrog and books with prayers of 1732) and Holy Cross (built in 1665) church.
Sea fortress
The sea fortress in Herceg Novi has been rebuilt more than once since the 14th century: it was used to defend the city (it was equipped with cannons) and functioned as a summer cinema, and even as a venue for concerts, all kinds of celebrations and evening discos for young people.
Today, the Sea Fortress, where secret passages, labyrinths and stairs are still preserved, is intended so that everyone can attend open-air film screenings and climb its walls in order to admire the panorama of Herceg Novi and Boka Kotorska Bay.
Palace of Venice
The Palace of Venice (built 15-16 centuries) is located in Ulcinj. Previously, the Venetian governor sat there, and today the majestic mansion is a hotel (from it to the beach - 3 minutes walk), where any traveler can rent a room, and, while relaxing in which, feel like a noble person.
The hotel pleases guests with 11 rooms (double and quadruple rooms are equipped with TVs, bathroom, balcony / terrace, refrigerator, kitchenette, seating area), free wireless Internet, restaurant with terrace, Vine Hall (in the range - white and red wines), laundry, parking, conference room, bike rental.
Aqueduct in Bar
The aqueduct in Bar is a 17th century structure (the era of the Ottoman occupation), in the construction of which rough hewn stone was used.
The Aqueduct at Bar is made up of arches (17) supported by 17 massive pillars. Initially, it was used to supply water to local residents (a closed channel above the pillars hides ceramic pipes with a diameter of 12 cm, through which water entered the city; experts are sure that the water pipeline can be put into operation today, but in view of the fact that in the Old Bar practically no one lives, there is no need to use it) and as a bridge across the valley, and today people come to it in order to create unique photos against its background.
Moraca monastery
The location of the Moraca monastery is the Moraca river valley (center of Montenegro). The monastery complex (in the architecture there is a Romanesque and Rash school style) includes monastic cells, a large church in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin (equipped with a dome, 1 hall, gallery, side choir) and a small church of St. Nicholas. Visitors to the monastery will be shown icons and frescoes (they depict the faces of Christ and the Mother of God) - the best examples of Byzantine and Serbian wall painting. Due to the high popularity of the Moraca Monastery among travelers, a cafe and a small camping have been built here for them.
Tara river canyon
The gorge along the Tara, 1300 m deep, stretches for 80 km. One side of it is surrounded by the Sinyaevina and Durmitor mountains, and the other - by Lyubishnya and Zlatni Bor. Here you can meet hornbeam, pine, linden, oak, maple, beech, elm, as well as more than 100 species of birds.
In winter, the canyon will be of interest to skiers: there are trails of different levels of training, lifts, peaks with a height of more than 2000 m (48) and 2200 m (27). And in the summer they will be offered to go rafting (21 rapids are available to overcome).
Do not ignore the monasteries in the river valley - Dobrilovina (formerly the repository of the relics of St. Arseny) and St. Archangel Michael of the 13th century with the altar of Mithra (Phoenician god) inside.
Ruins of the ancient city of Duklja
You can explore the ruins of the ancient Roman city by moving 3 km away from Podgorica. According to the legend, it was in Dukla that the Roman emperor Diocletian was born.
Excavations led to the conclusion that earlier Duklja (the city was surrounded by a fortress with towers) consisted of the City Square (in the west of the square there was a monumental basilica, and in the north - a courthouse), 3 churches, a triumphal arch, thermal baths, city necropolises with coins found there, weapons, jewelry, vessels made of ceramics and glass. In addition to these ruins, you can also see the fragments of the city wall here.
Biogradska Gora
The equipment of the Biogradska Gora national park is represented by 6 lakes of glacial origin (at the entrance to the park there is a Biogradsko lake, 12 m deep, and others - at an altitude of 1800 meters), a forest (its area is 54 sq. Km), slopes and mountain peaks, the most the highest of which is 2100-meter Črna Glava.
From the plants in the park, you will be able to see mountain pine, fir, yew, elm, maple, linden, privet, yellow gentian, alpine crimson, lily-leaved bell, from animals - squirrel, deer, mole, shrew, badger, roe deer, marten, bat, horseshoe bats, and from birds - mallard, robin, alpine jackdaw, wood grouse, golden eagle, hawk.
Tourists will be offered to go hiking (the length of hiking trails is 3 km), fishing, and boating on the lakes.
Waterfall "Montenegrin Niagara"
A wide waterfall with many side streams near Podgorica was formed thanks to Tsievna. Waterfall streams flow down from a height of 10 m. The best time to admire Montenegrin Niagara is the first and second months of spring. The area, next to the waterfall, will delight travelers with the presence of an eco-restaurant Niagara (rabbits and geese often run next to its tables). There everyone can order river fish and Montenegrin food. The equipment of the main hall is represented by a swimming pool (river trout swim there), an artificial waterfall and a decorative mill. And young visitors can play in the hut designed for children.
