WELCOME www.montenegro.travel
welcome to montenegro Bordered by the clear sea, covered with white rocks, sunlit by the Mediterranean sun, Montenegro is one of the last European oases to which one can flow from the dynamic tempo of civilization and rest by the soft sound of the waves, the song of crickets and the intoxicating scents of miscellaneous vegetation. However you reach Montenegro, through whichever ”door” you enter, you will encounter intact nature and be welcomed by hospitable, proud and friendly people. If you arrive by plane, you will see the snow covered mountain peaks and ”the mountain eyes”, the Black Lake or one of the 17 other lakes on the mountain of Durmitor, framed by meadows and centuries-old forests, the deep canyons of clear rivers, including the deepest one in Europe - canyon of the river Tara… The landscapes that have been included in the list of the World Natural Heritage by UNESCO are also visible from the airplane. You will also see the foaming line of the Adriatic coast and a dark blue sea of coves and bays. Arriving by ship, on the horizon in front of you a picturesque coast will appear - gentle, with sandy beaches and hundreds of years old olive groves, but also wild, with mountains which reach the sky as if guarding both the coast and old towns. The medieval fortresses and church domes of coastal towns tell the passenger that he has reached the right destination, a peaceful harbour and resting place after a long journey. If you should dock in Kotor or Perast, you will be using the same moorings used by the ships and yachts of European kings and princes who have been enchanted by the magnificent beauty of Montenegro. Seventy-three kilometres of the best combination of sun, sea and coast - 117 beaches spread along the Montenegrin coast, offer
Plavsko Lake, the River Lim springs from, enjoy the beauty! Meet rare animal species that you can otherwise only find in books.
different opportunities even for the pickiest of quests. The summer season in Montenegro lasts from May until October – 180 days of swimming! And, 240 sunny days during the year! Just ask yourself – on which kind of beach would you like to rest, on a sandy, pebble or stony beach? Perhaps on the same one the royal family used to swim long ago, on the ”Queen’s Beach” in Miloæer? Did you know that the quality of the sand of the beaches of the Budvanska Riviera belong to the world’s highest category? You wouldn't come amiss if choose a discrete, small beach in some sheltered cove that can be reached only by boat. If you prefer comfort on the beach, stay at the one of hotel beaches. You may choose the city beach near the house that you have settled in, near your favourite cafe, where a glass of cool refreshment will always be waiting for you. If you want to hide from the city crowds, walk to the beach located by an olive grove in Sutomore, or near a pine forest in Petrovac, and in the coolness there, refresh yourself. Then again, if you wish to completely surrender to the sun and sea, go to the nudist beach Ada Bojana or enjoy on the longest sandy beach on the Adriatic Sea, the one near Ulcinj, which was rightly named The Long Beach. Whichever land route you choose to take to Montenegro, by train or car, you will have a unique opportunity to enjoy magnificent scenery of intact nature, like Biogradska gora, the last remaining virgin forest in Europe, ”King’s Forest” and national park founded as early as 1878 by King Nikola, only six years after the United States of America had founded Yellowstone, the world’s first national park. You will be able to see strong, fast and clear rivers, which have been carving shady mountains for centuries, creating vivid canyons. As unique scenery, you will see the 1300 meter deep canyon of the River Tara, the deepest one
If you come across Skadar Lake, the largest one in the Balkans, you should know that you come to the last habitat of pelicans in Europe, the largest bird reserve in the old continent. Cruising the lake, you can see its indented shore, with numerous coves, isles and peninsulas. The lake shore is partly swampy, bordered by a wide area of reeds, covered by a "carpet" of marsh vegetation, and partly rocky, with the coves hidden in the sheer rock of Rumija Mount. Montenegrin roads will lead you to monasteries and churches that remember centuries, where you will learn at least a fragment of the rich historical and cultural heritage of Montenegro. These are the landmarks between which decades of the turbulent life of a flourishing, autochthonous Mediterranean culture lay. The coated facades of Romanesque, Renaissance and Baroque churches and the portals of patrician palaces conjure up the past days and witness the rich and dramatic, but also glorious past.
in Europe, second in the world after the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River in America. If you wish to stop and rest – to fill your lungs with clean air, and your eyes with the beautiful landscape, many belvederes or meadows located on plateaux, places of peace and serenity, are waiting for you… On any one of the 18 lakes of the Durmitor Mountains, the Black Lake, Vraæje or Zminje Lake…, or in Prokletije, on
There is hardly a place in Montenegro that in this way or another, with a monument or building, legend or some high-sounding name of a forest, peak or region, does not reflect the rich history of this territory. Many conquerors passed through this region, many different nations came and left, leaving the traces of their culture and identity. This is why Montenegro is an unusual combination of different civilizations. The border between two worlds – East and West, was in this very region, where the traces of Byzantium, Islam, Venice and Austria-Hungary are more or less visible. In Risan you can find a perfectly preserved Roman mosaic of Hypnos – The God of Sleep,
dating from the 3rd century. Even earlier, before the arrival of the Romans, the Illyrian queen Teuta chose Risan to be the seat of her empire. If you should go to the place where the river Zeta meets the river Moraæa you will see the remnants of the city of Doclea. In the 1st century AD, it was the seat of the Roman province of south Dalmatia, and the remains of the forum, basilica, thermae, and villas testify to their power and importance. This region named Doclea gained its independence in 1040, and was one of the first independent states in the Balkans, and in 1077 it became a Kingdom under the name of Zeta. The heir of the Zeta kings, Øuraø Crnojeviœ, in 1494 opened the first printing shop in which ”Oktoih prvoglasnik” was printed, the first book in the Balkans printed using the Cyrillic alphabet. This was only forty years after Gutenberg invented printing or twenty years after the first book in English was printed in Westminster. Above the Boka Kotorska Bay rises Lovœen Mountain, in the foothills of which lies the old and new capital of Montenegro, the town of Cetinje. At the top of the 461 steps, at 1660 meters above sea level, is the Njegoç mausoleum. It holds the earthly remains of Petar Petroviœ Njegoç poet, bishop and statesman. The Montenegrin flag from the Vuæji Do battle (1876), with more than one hundred bullet holes in it, is preserved in the National Museum in Cetinje today. On that battleground under the command of King Nikola, the superior army of Muktar-pasha was defeated. In Montenegro, you will be greeted by people, who have learned, through tradition, to respect a well-intentioned guest. You shall be welcomed by people loyal to the country they live in, loyal to the moral, customs and history.
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COASTAL MONTENEGRO Lord Byron and Bernard Shaw have been thrilled by the Montenegrin coast, members of royal families such as the English princesses Margaret and the former Italian king Umberto II of Savoy, Spanish princesses have visited it, famous film stars such as Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Kirk Douglas, and the most beautiful women in the world, such as Doris Day, Claudia Schiffer, and Catherine Zeta Jones have strolled along its stone tiled streets. Every coastal town of Montenegro has its story … Herceg Novi, a real Mediterranean botanic garden, the town of carnivals and artists… Kotor, the town of ancient sailors, builders and scientists, a museum-town … Budva, the town of summer theatres and festivals, the location of the most beautiful beaches and night life… Ulcinj, the town where many cultures meet, the most eastern ”west” and most western ”east”… Montenegro is situated on the Adriatic Sea, a small sea, but large gateway to Europe… The
medieval ramparts and towers of the old coastal towns still guard the precious historical treasury, monasteries, churches and cathedrals of rare beauty and artistic value… It’s no wonder that some towns such as Kotor have been included in the list of World Cultural Heritage under the protection of UNESCO. The coastal towns of Montenegro are full of life the whole year round – carnivals, festivals, holidays: the Carnival in Kotor, the Mimosa Festivities in Herceg Novi, the Sunæane skale festival and Herceg Novi Film Festival, the Theatre City and the Song of the Mediterranean festival in Budva… The New Year’s Eve celebrations on the streets of coastal towns remain in the memory for a long time… One hundred and seventeen beaches are lined along the entire coast – sandy, pebble and rocky… We will mention only the well-known beach in Beæiœi, which was proclaimed the most beautiful beach in Europe back in 1936 in Paris!
Queen`s beach
Bujovic`s palace
BOKA KOTORSKA Boka Kotorska is one of the most beautiful bay on the Mediterranean, which penetrates into the land about 28 kilometres. The beauty of Boka fascinated many famous writers like Lord Byron, George Bernard Shaw, Marguerite Yourcenar and Ivo Andriœ. Today, Boka Kotorska welcomes its visitors with the beauty of its coves, the peace of its two islands, Sveti Øorøije (St. George) and Gospa od Çkrpjela (Lady of the Rocks), but also with special atmosphere of its old towns where every step is a pace through history. If you should set ashore in Kotor or Perast, for example, you will dock where the ships of the old Boka captains, members of the ”Seafarers Brotherhood of the Boka Kotorska” that was formed in the 9th century, docked after their journeys across the seas and oceans throughout the world! You will be using the same moorings used by ships and yachts of European kings and princes who have been enchanted by the magnificent beauty of Montenegro,
Perast
the same as Roman patricians, whose villas used to adorn Risan. Risan is the oldest settlement in Boka Kotorska, chosen by the Illyrian Queen Teuta as a seat, which still has mosaics preserved from the Roman period. The panorama of Perast is dominated by the 17th century church of St Nikola. Above it rises the Venetian fortress and the bell tower of the Madonna of the Rosary (Gospa od Rozarija), also built in the 17th century. Perast represents the best-preserved baroque entity in this part of the Adriatic Sea, the town in which famous sea captains built their beautiful palaces, surrounded by magnificent exotic gardens.
View on bay Boka Kotorska
HERCEG NOVI For six centuries the town that was built on the entrance to the Boka Kotorska Bay has been ”on guard” – the town of Herceg Novi. Over time, the Mare Fortress, Spanish Tower and Kanli Kula have become covered by palms and eucalyptuses, cypresses and agaves, magnolias and mimosas and other exotic species, brought here from their long journeys to different corners of the world by the sea captains of Herceg Novi… For a long time now, the ramparts have been used as summer stages of traditional film, music and theatre festivals. In the large forest, east of Herceg Novi, there is the Monastery of Savina, built in 1030 and rebuilt in the 15th century, called by many people “the Orthodox
St. Arhangel church
soul of Boka Kotorska”. In the rich treasury of the monastery, there is a crystal cross covered in silver that according to tradition belonged to St. Sava. A real rarity of the treasury is a portrait of the young Peter the Great, which was brought from Russia in 1831. The seven kilometres long Pet Danica promenade connects Herceg Novi with Igalo, a Mediterranean centre of health tourism. It is a pleasant little resort, famous for its modern Institute for physical therapy and curative mud treatment. Igalo beaches are favourable by those suffering from chronic rheumatic illnesses, degenerative changes in joints and muscles and neurological diseases.
Not far from Herceg Novi lies the attractive Mamula Island which has a fortress dating back from the hundred years long Austro-Hungarian rule.
Drazen`s garden
TIVAT Tivat, the youngest town in the Boka Kotorska Bay, during the Middle Ages was the place where the nobles from the towns of Kotor and PrĂŚanj used to build their palaces and summer houses. From this period dates the church of Saint Antun. The inlets in the vicinity of the peninsula Prevlaka, as well as the ones located in the area of Zupa and Kalimani, offer great conditions for building marinas and yachting clubs. Tivat is a convenient place for sailors, who are especially welcomed guests of this town in the third millennium.
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Tivat
View from Kotor stone walls
KOTOR Viewing Kotor from the sea, with a little bit of imagination you can picture the port and ships as they were in the past. You can imagine the caravans descending the mountains towards the town. In your imagination, you can go back to the Middle Ages, the time of the prosperity of Kotor, when precious cargos used to arrive there, to be shipped further to distant ports of other empires and kingdoms. Some of the most beautiful churches and cathedrals of Kotor date from this time, and almost all of them are built to the glory of certain saints who are the protectors of seamen. Kotor, surrounded by stone walls, can be entered through one of three gates. The main town square welcomes you with the Romanesque Clock Tower. The Cathedral of St. Tripun, erected in 1166, is a pearl of medieval architecture, located near the Churches of St. Luka and St. Old Town Kotor
Mary from the 12th century. But Kotor is not only about its sacral buildings. Its narrow streets and small piazzas are rich in old palaces with luxurious facades such as the Prince’s Palace or Napoleon’s Theatre… All these buildings are part of the world culture heritage under the protection of UNESCO!
Cathedral of St. Tripun
BUDVA
BUDVA RIVIERA Lord Byron wrote: ”At the birth of our planet the most beautiful encounter between land and sea must have been on the Montenegrin coast. When the pearls of nature were sown, handfuls of them were cast on this soil.” Budvanska Riviera is one of the best proofs of these verses written by Bayron.
Budva Riviera
Budva is in one of the most beautiful locations on the Adriatic coast. Between the dense vegetation and sea are long, sandy beaches with comfortable hotels. During the month of July in Budva the sun, on average, shines for 332 hours and is the reason this town is said to be one of the sunniest places not only on the Adriatic Sea, but in the whole of Europe. Choose your beach – Slovenska, Mogren, Beæiœi, Rafailoviœi, Jaz… and enjoy the privilege sun offers to this part of Europe. Budva is one of the oldest places in this part of the Mediterranean. According to archaeological evidence, it has recently celebrated its 2500th birthday. It is surrounded by ramparts from the 15th century, forming a unique architectonic monument – the old town. It consists of narrow streets and alleys and small squares with precious monuments of different Mediterranean cultures that determined the development of this town. According to legend, the town was founded by Cadmus, the son of the Phoenician king Age-
nora, who was expelled from Thebes and who came, in an ox-drawn wagon, to the Adriatic coast and founded Budva there. In the centre of Budva, a Roman necropolis was discovered and beneath it an ancient Greek one. Gold and silver jewellery, glass dishes and ceramic vases were found. This is one of the most valuable archaeological sites in this part of the Mediterranean. Within the town walls, there are still churches of great historical and artistic value – the Church of St. Ivan built in the 7th century, the church of the Benedictine Monastery of Santa Maria in Puncta dating from 840, and the Church of the Holy Trinity outside of which is the tomb of Stjepan Mitrov Ljubiça, the greatest writer of the Montenegrin coast. The defensive towers and fortresses that encircle the Old Town of Budva are not mere historical monuments and tourist attractions, but space used by artists as podiums and scenography during the ”Theatre City” festival, one of the greatest cultural and art events in this region. Church of St. Ivan
Budva Old Town
Petrovac
Marína
Sveti Stefan
SVETI STEFAN It is enough just to say its name, because – Sveti Stefan is unique! The most attractive destination of the entire Adriatic coast, a hotel-town, an exclusive summer resort famous and appreciated throughout the world. From the 1960’s to the present day Sveti Stefan has been attracting many famous people. It was visited, among others, by the Queen of England Elisabeth II, Italian King Umberto II of Savoy, actors – Sophia Loren, Doris Day, Geraldine Chaplin, Kirk Douglas, Sidney Poitier, Richard Widmark, writers – Andre Malraux and Alberto Moravia… the most beautiful women of the world such as Claudia Schiffer have also visited Sveti Stefan…
Miloæer Queen`s beach
A small medieval town on a rocky island, connected to the land by a narrow sand isthmus, built by its original inhabitants, fishermen, to protect themselves from pirate raids, is an exclusive summer resort today. There are few that can resist the charm of the narrow streets and picturesque squares, churches and elegant houses built in typical Mediterranean style, as well as the comfortable accommodation offered by this high-class hotel. Miloæer, once used as a royal summer residence, is near Sveti Stefan. Beside it is the ”Queen’s Beach”, one of the most beautiful little coves on the Mediterranean.
King Nikola`s castle
BAR The oldest olive tree in Europe, which has been bearing fruit for two thousand years, is located in an olive grove, which you pass by when entering Bar, the biggest Montenegrin port. The roots of the city of Bar are far from the sea, on the slopes of Rumija mountain. Old Bar is mentioned as a fortification from the 11th century. Today, the walls of Old Bar are a cultural centre. They hide the relatively well preserved remnants of towers, streets, and ramparts, including the St. George Cathedral and the Church of St. Nicholas from the 13th and 14th century
respectively. There is also a palace with the remains of fresco paintings and a Turkish bath…while the remains of a Turkish aqueduct still descend from the top of Mount Rumija towards the town. Today Bar is a port city, passenger and merchant ships from many countries arrive to, and it is the terminus for trains going to Belgrade and further on to Europe. Near Bar, there is a popular tourist resort Sutomore, with long sandy beaches and numerous hotels and restaurants.
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Bar Old Town
Red beach
Ulcinj
Tower, the famous Spanish writer Cervantes was jailed, as well as Sabbatai Zevi, an advocate of Talmudic reform.
Long Beach
Ulcinj is a picturesque town, a famous beach resort and rehabilitation centre. Its visitors are mostly attracted by the long sandy beaches. One of the beaches is in the very middle of the town. The next sandy beach, a little further away, is 13 kilometres long, which is why it is called ”Long Beach”. The Long Beach ends at the estuary of the river Bojana, where a sandy, triangular island, one of the most attractive tourist destinations of Montenegro, lies. If you prefer spending your summer holiday dressed as Adam and Eve, Ada Bojana is the right place for you to really connect your body with Mother Nature. Long sandy beaches offer infinite possibilities to escape from everyday urban life, either through sunbathing and swimming, horseback riding on a sandy beach, windsurfing or some other sport.
ULCINJ AND ADA BOJANA Ulcinj, one of the oldest towns on the Adriatic coast, reveals at first sight its dramatic three thousand year history… It holds the ruins of the ancient Svaæ, the Episcopal town of Zeta from the Middle Ages, which, it is said, had as many churches as days in the year! Ulcinj used to be under the rule of Greeks, Romans, Illyrians, Byzantines, Slavs, Venetians and Turks. This treasury of culture can be entered through two gates, one from the sea and the other from the land. In a dark dungeon of Ulcinj, behind the famous Balçiœ
Ada Bojana
ACTIVE HOLIDAYS If you don’t know how, learn to dive, because the underwater world of the Montenegrin coast is rich and full of surprises: sunken ships, secluded caves, and with a little luck you might find hidden pirate treasure, coral cliffs and an abundance of fish! Risan Bay is an archaeological site. In the sea near the Kabala Cape, at a depth of 32 meters, there is an archaeological find of a sunken ship from the 15th century, containing ceramics from Izmir. Also interesting are the locations of the islands of Sv. Øorøije and Gospa od Çkrpjela and the Verige Channel. You can also dive in caves – Grudiœ Cave under the town of Kotor, Sopot near Risan and Ljuta. There are also some larger and smaller caves and skrapa on the Budvanska Riviera that are an ideal habitat for fish and shellfish. The sunken ships divers are most interested in are: Tihany at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor, near the point Arza, Maria Pompei cargo ship near Platamuni cape, the navy destroyer Zenta one of the proudest ships of the AustroHungarian navy, sunk off the Petrovac shore, King Nikola’s yacht, Dague one of the most prestigious ships of the French navy in the 1st World War. At the entrance to Bok Kotorska,
near Kabala point lies the wrack from the eary 16th century and another Austrian navy ship sunk off the Long Beach of Ulcinj. There is much to do on the Montenegrin coast for those who like fishing. You can fish from the shore with a fishing rod, from a boat, throw fishnets, fish at night, fish with ”vrçi” (a special kind of basket for catching fish), fish with a trident at night and fish in so many other ways. They can catch: San Pier, the common dentex, European sea bass, gilthead sea bream, common sea bream, red mullet, amberjack, grey mullet, horse mackerel, European pilchard, annular sea bream, wrasse, spiny lobster, lobster, shrimps, octopus, squid, black fish and many others. The first yachting Regatta was held in Montenegro in 1924 and around fiftin regattas are organized every year, mainly for small sailing-boats and cabin cruisers. The best-known regattas for small sailing-boats is the Montenegro Cup. The winds that blow on the Montenegrin coast are especially enjoyable and ideal for windsurfing… It is not difficult to pick a spot, almost any location is the best choice – Ada Bojana, the Long Beach, the Budvanska Riviera, the Bay of Kotor… Spa and wellness will transform your active holiday into an unforgettable Adriatic experience. Relax on the beach or indulge in a restorative spa. A growing selection of fine facilities and pampering packages are available, ranging from therapeutic massages and relaxing saunas to premium wellness treatments.
THE heart OF MONTENEGRO CETINJE At the foot of Lovœen Mountain lies the town of Cetinje, both old and new capital of Montenegro. The Cetinje Monastery, the symbol of Montenegrin spirituality, keeps in its treasury the most precious relics such as the embalmed hand of Saint John the Baptist, part of the Holy Cross, and the book ”Oktoih Prvoglasnik”,
the first book of the Balkans and Slavic south printed in the Cyrillic alphabet as early as 1494. Cetinje as the historic capital contains important buildings such as Biljarda, which Njegoç built in 1838, the Palace of King Nikola, the Blue Palace, Zetski dom and other buildings that were once consulates of powerful
national park LOVĆEN
countries. The Government House, a neo-baroque building, now houses the Art Gallery with the Blue Chapel, having one of the best-known icons of the Christian world "Lady of Philerme". In the same building, there are collections of contemporary artists, including the works of Picasso, Renoir, Chagall and Dali…
Cetinje Monastery
Bernard Shaw exclaimed when he climbed to the top of Lovœen ”People, am I in Paradise or on the Moon?” And really, the road to the top of the Lovœen Mountain is a series of serpentines. Along this road, each curve offers a magnificent, exciting and somewhat terrifying view of the Boka Kotorska Bay. When you reach the end of the 32nd curve, you have suddenly arrived in the centre of the Lovœen National Park, a mountain massif of unusual configuration. The Montenegrins consider mount Lovœen their Mount Olympus, from which on one side you have a view of the Boka Kotorska Bay, the dark blue sea and the foaming coastline and on the other harsh rock. Atop Mount Lovœen stands the Mausoleum of Njegoç, designed by the sculptor Ivan Meçtroviœ. It is a memorial to the ruler, philosopher and poet, considered to be a sacred place by Montenegrins.
Lovcen
Rijeka Crnojevica
national park SKADAR LAKE Skadar Lake, bordered on the east by Albania, is encircled on three sides by Montenegrin mountains. It is a national park and the largest bird preserve in Europe. In the rainy season the lake is large and inundated, and in the summer, the shores are bare and peaceful. Always enchantingly beautiful, the lake is 43 kilometres long, 14 km wide with an average depth of 7 meters and is rich with fresh water year round. When the snow melts on the mountains, it is filled by the waters of the Moraæa, Crnica, Plavnica and Rijeka Crnojeviœa rivers. The water of the lake is crystal clear not only because it is a preserved national park but also because it has about fifty active springs which supply the lake with clean water. The most famous one is the Raduç spring, located on the deepest spot of the Skadar Lake.
The lake hosts over 270 bird species, including some which are now rare, such as blue heron or Dalmatian pelican, black ibis, ducks, snipes, gulls...All these birds live here because of the abundance of fish. The silver carp and bleak are unique here. By swimming up the Bojana River eels reach the lake from the sea. In addition to the beauty of the landscape, the shores of Skadar Lake have a number of islets with original small monasteries, renowned for their long tradition of monasticism, including Beça, Moraænik and Staræevo. There are also fishing towns on the shore, such as Rijeka Crnojeviœa, famous for its triple-arched.
Virpazar
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Žabljak Crnojevica
Monastery of Ostrog
OSTROG Orthodox monastery of Ostrog, located high in the shady mountain massif, often hidden by clouds, is the greatest sacred place in Montenegro. It was founded by Metropolitan Vasilije from Herzegovina in the 17th century. He was buried there and proclaimed saint and miracle worker. His body was buried in a church embedded in the cave. The Orthodox monastery of Ostrog is among the most visited monasteries in the Balkans. It is frequented by the believers from all around the world, both individually and in groups. This is the place where all three confessions come: Orthodox, Catholic and Muslim, believing that the remains of St. Vasilije are miraculous. According to pilgrims, a prayer said in front of them has helped many to heal or lessen the troubles they had in life.
St. Vasilije
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ACTIVE HOLIDAYS In the early morning, you can see the entire Montenegro from Mount Lovœen, one of its four national parks, during a beautiful tracking tour from Mount Rumija, over the massif of Lovœen to Orjen mountain, following a marked route connecting old Austro-Hungarian fortresses. To ride bicycle in Montenegro, both as a sport and recreation, is a special experience, because of the nature, clean air, and strength provided by the health food.
Montenegro has all conditions for the development of ecotourism, this sport is inseparable part of. After a relaxing ride around Skadar Lake, and its vast sceneries, you can relax swimming in the warm lake or rest on an estate where vine is grown and wine is produced. That is apart of the magic atmosphere of this national park. This part of Montenegro is a paradise for bird-watchers. The diversity of habitats – shores, islands, seas, lakes, swamps, forests, virgin forests, mountains provide the abundance of bird species. The diversity of birds attracts experts, ornithologists, and visitors wishing to combine their holiday with their hobby – bird watching. What can be seen and where? At Skadar Lake – in five ornithological reserves, Çaçko
Lake (near Ulcinj), Çtoj, Long Beach, Ada Bojana, and saltworks of Ulcinj. Lake water, which is mainly still is abundant in fish. The experts advise that a hook should be thrown either from the shore or from a boat, and a bleak or eel will swallow the bait.
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MOUNTAIN MAGIC Explore nature considered by Montenegrins as most precious and valuable to them. You will understand this once you see the deepest canyon in Europe – the 1300 meters deep canyon of the river Tara, or visit Biogradska gora, the last virgin forest remaining on the continent and the oldest national park in Montenegro, founded in 1878. The people who walk tall with their heads held high, whom Jovan Cvijiœ called the ”mountain men”, have created their identity through the centuries. Their character has been moulded in the mountains, in the ”fortresses” which were impregnable for their enemies, surrounded by centuries-old forests and meadows, and also by landscapes of severe rocks, clear mountain lakes and riv-
ers, under the sky where eagles and hawks fly freely… Nature has taken care of the Montenegrins through history, and today they are repaying nature by proclaiming it the most precious commodity they have, which they would like to share with others. While walking through the mountains you will be intoxicated by the scent of meadows and pastures, and then you will enter magnificent untouched forests. (More than a half of Montenegrin territory, around 5500 km2 is covered with forests.) Within this kingdom of nature you will see streams from which, at dawn, deer come to drink. On the slopes, many springs of cold drinking water can be seen, and whoever tastes this water once will want to return again…
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Bjelasica
ÆABLJAK The tourist centre of Durmitor is the town of Zabljak at an altitude of 1465 meters. The hotels and the rest of the infrastructure make its beautiful natural terrain ideal for winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing, riding in horse- or dog-drawn sleds or on a snow scooter… During the summer, Zabljak is a place of peace and quiet and the most beautiful sounds of nature, long walks along tracks or pastures, with herds of cattle grazing… Or if you prefer, it could be the right place to enjoy a mountain climbing adventure on the challenging peaks of Durmitor.
Žabljak
national park DURMITOR This national park covers 39,000 hectares of preserved nature, which is under the protection of UNESCO and is within the Biosphere Resource Network. Because of its high peaks, beautiful views, dense juniper and fir forests, vast areas covered with snow and good ski trails, Durmitor has become a famous mountain tourist centre. The Durmitor Mountain range
has 48 peaks over 2000 meters high, the highest of which is Bobotov Kuk (2522 m). It has five canyons, 18 lakes the best known being the Black Lake, 748 springs of pure mountain water and forests in which trees are more than a half a millennium old! If you should decide to mountain climb or hike on
some of the 2000 kilometres of marked trails, you can reach some of the many glacial caves, the most beautiful being Ledena Peœina (Icy Cave), which is located below Obla Glava Peak (2100 m). If you decide to enter the cave, to admire the stalagmites and stalactites, even during the summer you should dress warmly.
View from „Savin kuk“ on Durmitor`s mountain
Durmitor - Çkrka
Sušica Canyon
CANYONS Nowhere in Europe do you have so many canyons as in the mountains of Montenegro. Among the five Durmitor canyons is the canyon of the River Komarnica, called Nevidio, and it is located in the grey Montenegrin rocks, the place where, thousands of years ago, the massifs of Durmitor and Vojnik mountains collided during great geological movements. Vertical rocks, waterfalls, straits, foamy rapids, narrow channels and a gallery of stone figures – are the part of the scenery in the Nevidio canyon. It is the canyon that has been conquered last in Europe, with great effort of the explorers. The symbolism of its name, Nevidio (”The one that can not be seen”), reminds of its mysterious inac-
Tara The rapids of the river Tara and its banks are perhaps one of the last oases of intact nature. They are a real challenge for people longing for adventure, both for those who either decide to go down it by themselves in a kayak or rubber boat, or for those who choose the traditional method of rafting down the Tara river on wooden rafts, driven through rapids by experienced rafters. There are many rivers you can raft on, but Tara is the only one from which you can drink the water at the same time, for, Tara is the largest European reservoir of drinking water. It has an abundance of fish, not only for the fisherman, but also for the otters that live on its banks. Those less prone adventure also have a special treat – they can enjoy beautiful views of waterfalls, descending from the high cliffs of the canyon to the purest river of Europe! One of them is the waterfall Bajloviœa Sige.
cessibility. If you are driving from the cost to the north of Montenegro, one of the roads will lead you through the canyon of the Moraæa River – Platije. The road was built several decades ago, and if you look down from the top of the cliff, the cars going along the road are barely visible dots moving in the grey mountain rock. On the other side of the road is the abyss, on the bottom of which, like a silver thread, undulates the River Moraæa. One must wonder there if it is possible that such seemingly narrow and shallow little river has created such a gorge.
While running through the plains or rushing through the canyon, the longest river of Montenegro, is characterized by its crystal clear water, which is why its is often called "The Tear of Europe”. It is only a fragment of the preserved nature that led to Montenegro being proclaimed an ecological state.
Canyons of the Suçica and Mrtvica rivers are no less attractive.
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The canyon of the river Tara is the longest and deepest in Europe. At the deepest place in the canyon the rocky cliffs are as much as 1300 meters high! UNESCO declared the Tara Canyon a biosphere resource within the program ”Man and Biosphere” (MAB), with its 52 plant species, 314 animal species.
Mrtvica Canyon
Tara Canyon
national park BIOGRADSKA GORA BIOGRADSKO LAKE Once you reach Biogradsko Lake coming through the huge trees of the ”King’s forests” you will try in vain to define the colour of its water. Is it green? Maybe it is only the reflection of trees in it. Is it black? Perhaps only because of its depth. Is it an iridescent pearl, or steely? In fact all these go together and blend because the colour of the lake water depends on the time and light, on the clouds, the winds and the waves… The Biogradsko Lake is located at the foot of the highest Bjelasica Mountain peaks: Crna Glava (2,139 m), Zekova Glava (2,117 m) and Troglava (2,072), These three peaks form a kind of a ”shield”, underneath which lush forests quietly grow and the Biogradsko Lake glistens.
BJELASICA
Bjelasica
If you should wish to return to the happy times of your childhood, to remind yourself of the once told legends and fairytales about wood nymphs, and experience an enchanting daydream, visit the oldest national park in Montenegro and take a walk through the hundreds of years old ”King’s Forest” on the mountain Bjelasica. The Biogradska gora National Park was founded as early as 1878 by King Nikola, only six years after the United States of America had founded Yellowstone, the world’s first national park. ”The King’s Forests” take up no less than 80 per cent of the total 5,400 hectares on which The Biogradska gora National Park extends on Bjelasica Mountain. It is the national park with the most forests in Europe! At the same time, it is one of the last virgin forests on the continent, with intact nature nowhere else to be seen. Below the highest peaks of Bjelasica shine the glacial lakes, known because of their beauty and glitter as ”mountain eyes". They are surrounded by huge pine and fir trees, up to 50 metres high. Among them grow 25 plant species to be found nowhere else in the world. Biogradsko lake
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Canyon Neviděl
ACTIVE HOLIDAY Regardless of the season, Montenegrin mountains, rivers and lakes will offer different possibilities for the holiday you would like to have, because Montenegro has over 150 mountain peaks over 200 high. You have many opportunities during the summer to refresh both your body and mind. You can choose: walking through the forests, mountain biking on the mountain trails, rafting, mountain climbing on challenging peaks, exploring caves, and lately, as a special attraction – canyoning. Although this is the area of high mountains, inaccessible wilderness and hundreds of years old forests, thanks to a dense network of marked trails, it can be visited and seen in all its profusion. In the wintertime, good trails for skiing, snowboarding and sleighing on Durmitor Mountains can be reached by ski lifts, while mountain and forest trails are accessible by sleighs drawn
by horses or dogs. But that is not all, the guests can enjoy many other types of entertainment on the snow, and in the snow-covered towns of Zabljak and Kolaçin. In some places, mountain rivers are wide and lazy and in others wild and foamy. The rivers of Moraæa, Tara, Piva and Bojana are rich with famous trout, which is solely caught on a fly or with bait. In the mountains, you will be best refreshed and relaxed by a glass of heated wine or brandy enjoyed in an authentic Montenegrin interior, where local aperitif is followed by the dishes of the original and simple mountain cuisine – made of mountain grains, cream and cheese made in the katuns located on mountain plateaux, where the shepherds take their flocks of sheep and herds of cow to graze during the spring and summer season.
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Tara Canyon
GASTRO STORY In order to fully understand the soul of Montenegro, you must try the specialties of its national cuisine. The diversity of Montenegrin nature and its ethnographic diversity have left a trace on the national cuisine. Whether you are dining at your friend’s, in an authentic Montenegrin home, or in a restaurant, you will be cordially welcomed. Maybe the Montenegrin mountains are the best place to try some traditional dishes – kaæamak with cheese, cream skimmed from wooden bowls in which milk is kept, sour cream milk from a wooden glass, hot home made bread and cheese or green cabbage called ”raçtan” with dried mutton, or lamb baked under a bell! It is said that the famous sculptor Ivan Meçtroviœ asked only for ”a piece of Njeguçki cheese and for some prosciutto” (which Njegoç during his life loved to eat), as a fee for the monumental mausoleum of Njegoç on Lovœen mountain! The recipe for making the
DIRECTORY prosciutto, dried in clean mountain air that flows through the cottages for drying is a secret handed down from generation to generation. The authenticity of taste and aroma of the Njeguçki prosciutto originates from the wood used for its smoking. In Montenegro, in Njeguçi, you can enjoy the old Slavic drink – mead, After a good dinner, a piece of local cheese in oil is recommended! You should use your visit to the Skadar Lake for a gastronomic pleasure – order a dried carp or bleak from the Skadar Lake, and one of the local quality wines – red "Vranac" or white "Krstaæ". On the coast, you will enjoy seafood specialties, prepared with olive oil and served with olives and wine. It is usually said for the famous San Pier, sea bass, and other small and big fish, crabs, clams and squids that they swim three times: the first time in the sea, the second time in oil and the third time in wine. Therefore, order authentic Montenegrin wines – white "Krstaæ" or red "Vranac, and make a toast to yourself and your friends. Montenegrin cuisine is characterized by its preserved originality: ”raçtan” or green cabbage cooked with mutton (kastradina), lamb prepared under the bell, carp from the Skadar Lake prepared with plums, smoked carp or dried bleak in olive oil… Mediterranean cuisine… Gourmands are recommended to try ”kaæamak”, a thick maize porridge enriched with potatoes, homemade bread baked under a bell on coals and ashes, to taste the quality of yoghurt, cream skimmed from wooden bowls and different types of cheese… Grape brandy as an aperitif is the best choice and, for a complete gastrological experience, apart from local wines, a wellknown Nikçiœ beer is recommended.
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