Montenegro

Kotor, Montenegro – an alternative to Dubrovnik?

Gosia — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 15:34:47 +0000

Kotor was my next destination after overcrowded Dubrovnik. Kotor is the main tourist attraction in Montenegro, however I must admit that I hoped that it wouldn’t be besieged similarly to its Croatian counterpart. When I saw huge luxury ferries in the distance, I realized that I was on my way, straight to another “tourist hell”. Fortunately, to my surprise I found out that my concerns had been unfounded. Certainly no one was treading on my heels or attacking me with a selfie – stick, apparently the advantage of this place is that neither Game of Thrones nor Star Wars were filmed there. Kotor, probably due to the impressive defensive walls is compared to Dubrovnik. However, in my opinion, it’s more intimate and charming place. In addition, not having anything against Dubrovnik, Kotor has one major advantage – spectacular location, over the Gulf of Kotor surrounded by three high peaks: Lovćen, Vrmac and Dobrota. All these together with historical medieval old town, creates a setting that even George R.R. Martin wouldn’t be able to imagine!Luckily he hasn’t even tried 😉 The historic old town is surrounded by a moat and a port, you can reach it through three distinctive gates: The SeaGate – the main entrance, The South – the oldest and The North, leading to the fortifications located above the city. On the top of the fortifications you can visit the fortress of St. John – mandatory point of the trip to Kotor. Admission in the season costs 8 €. The spectacular view of the bay can be seen after climbing about 1500 stairs. The route offers stunning views of the port, colourful townhouses and the historic Church of our Lady of Remedy. The ruins of the st. John Fortress at the top are actually an abandoned concrete construction, but the view of the bay from this place is unique. When you enter the Old Town through the main Sea Gate, take a closer look, because there’s a familiar lion on the wall – the symbol of Venice. Kotor has been under Venetian rules for several hundred years, which is reflected in the characteristic architecture of the city. Despite a rather small area, there are surprisingly many palaces and churches representing different religions which indicates the cultural diversity of its inhabitants. The most beautiful is the The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, who is the patron of the city. Actually, in Kotor as many churches as the names in a calendar, city’s holy patrons are: Luke, Nicholas, Michael, Clara, Paul, Anna or Joseph, to name but a few. Kotor Old Town is a typical maze of narrow, cobbled streets, with blind alleys and secret passages. It’s small enough to put away the map and discover it on your own. The charm of this place is highlighted by ubiquitous cats, and there’s even a museum dedicated to them. Where to eat: Kotor Old Town due to high popularity is not a cheap place. However, close to the historic walls you can find a typical local restaurant called Tanjga. Customers here are mostly local, while in the menu reigns meat, typically in the Balkan style! Find out more about Montenegro here:

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Montenegro – small is beautiful!

Gosia — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 16:16:07 +0000

I’ve been thinking about trip to Montenegro for a long time. Actually, the first guide I bought was just about this country. It was during my studies, when I dreamed of travelling, but my finances limited me to the see the world only from the perspective of tourist guides. After studies, directions of my trips depended mostly on promotional air fares. Finally when the opportunity arouse, 35€ for return ticket, it didn’t take me long to buy it. The main attraction of Montenegro is the stunning Gulf of Kotor, also known as Kotor Boka, famous for amazing landscapes and the medieval towns. Herceg Novi I started my journey from little town – Herceg Novi, located in the north, close to the border with Croatia. It was Sunday, late afternoon when I finally got to the town after an exhausting sightseeing in Dubrovnik. My trip coincided with Easter in Poland, while the Orthodox church was celebrating Palm Sunday. Actually, I hadn’t planned additional “attractions” like participation in church ceremonies. Meanwhile, in Herceg Novi, I was “welcomed” with richly laid tables with local delicacies and a festive ceremony including colourful procession. Better first day in Montenegro I couldn’t have imagined. Herceg Novi is a small, cosy town. The main tourist attractions are two fortresses: Kani Kula – located high above the city and Forte Mare – which is close to the promenade. The promenade is actually the main meeting place and an ideal spot for an evening walk. It is also worth visiting historical old town and simply get lost in narrow streets. A little further from the centre you can visit the historic Savina Monastery. This is one of the most valuable sacral places in Montenegro. Perast Driving south towards Kotor is worth visiting the picturesque town of Perast. There you can see churches, houses and palaces in the time when Montenegro was under Venetian rules. However, the greatest attraction is a cruise to the Our Lady on the Rocks island , where you can visit historic church. It is the only island on the Adriatic that has been artificially created. Kotor surroundings The next point of the trip is Kotor – the most beautiful town in Montenegro, I’ll write about this town soon. Kotor surroundings are as much interesting as the town itself. While being here, visiting National Park of Lovćen is a must. The main attraction is the Niegosz Mausoleum, dedicated to the former ruler of Montenegro. It’s located at the top of the mountain called Jezerski Vrh, which guarantees an amazing view of the surroundings. The narrow, winding road to the top is an attraction itself, it leads through about 20-30 sharp turns. As you drive up to the height of 1657 metres, you can enjoy amazing views of the surrounding cities, the bay and the Vrmac Peninsula. There’s a small free parking on the spot. But it’s not over. To get to the top you have to go up 461 stairs. The mausoleum is located just outside the long tunnel which looks like a concrete bunker. When you go to this place, it is worth taking something to cover, because of the high altitude there can be quite chilly. Actually, during my trip, at the end of April, was a bit snowy. However, in Lovćen Park you can find much more attractions. Don’t go back from mausoleum to Kotor the same way or you’ll miss the further part of one of the most beautiful mountain routes in Europe. Instead take the road in the direction of Cetinje, the former capital of Montenegro. In Centije you can visit the historic Orthodox men’s monastery. Budva Next stop Budva – Montenegro’s most popular resort. Unlike Kotor, Budva offers excellent sunbathing conditions and variety of catering and entertainment options. Personally, the city didn’t impress me, but its old town is certainly worth taking a look. The characteristic point of the old town is the Citadel, which consists of old city’s fortifications. The Citadel offers a beautiful view of the city and port, as well as the nearby island of Sveti Nikola. It’s commonly called Hawaii by local residents because of the restaurant “Havaj”, which is located on it. Boats from nearby port regularly operate to the island. Right next to the citadel is the church of St. John The Baptist – the largest sacral building in the city. Sveti Stefan Less than 10 km from Budva is another tourist attraction – Sveti Stefan. This small rocky peninsula has become the most recognisable place in Montenegro. I don’t think there’s a person who hasn’t seen this spot in many photos of Montenegro. Unfortunately, it isn’t open to explore, as it’s available only for the guests of exclusive hotels. However, Sveti Stefan attracts many tourists due to the marvellous surroundings and free beach. Petrovac na Moru Petrovac na Moru is an ideal place for people who want to rest from the hustle of typical tourist resorts. However, this small, cosy town has much more to offer. In addition to the colourful promenade and sandy beach, it’s surrounded by high cliffs and ruins of the former fortress. Skadar Lake In Montenegro you can also visit impressive Skadar Lake. It ‘s the largest lake in the Balkans, partially located in Albania. A large part of the lake is the National Park, which has been established to protect a large number of birds, including pelicans. Taking into account the area, Montenegro is very small country. However, it’s surprising how many different places you can visit on just 14 thousand square meters. Montenegro has so much to offer, that it’s worth dedicating a little more time to visit it.

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National Park Durmitor – far, far away in Montenegro…

Gosia — Sun, 23 Jun 2019 06:19:37 +0000

The first day in Montenegro, actually in the village of Žabljak, located near the picturesque Durmitor National Park will remain unforgettable. The flat tire turned out to be the “perfect”beginning of my adventure on the Balkanian roads. The call for road assistance left no illusions: -“of course no problem assitance will be in 15 minutes, please give me the address” – ” thank you very much, I’m in Žabljak…” – ” where?!” – ” in Žabljak…” – ” Oh, I get it, I’ll call you back in an hour, I must check if anyone will be able to drive there…” As a result, there was no other option than to drive over 1000 km on a spare wheel. In fact, to put it mildly Žabljak is located at the “end of the tourist world”. Apart from one coach packed with noisy tourists taking photos of everything on their way, guess their nationality… 😉 I haven’t met many tourists there. To cut the long story short, better for me 😉 Montenegro is still in the shadow of Croatia – popular tourist destination. In fact, it is hard to say why, because this country can boast of its spectacular views, numerous tourist routes, excellent food and an amazingly welcoming people. Moreover, it is relatively cheap and it’s in euro zone. The road from Podgorica airport to Dumitor National Park leads through Danilovgrad and then Bogetici. Both towns are at the stone throw to the nearby monastery of Ostrog. It is worth planning some extra time in your itinerary to see this unique place. Orthodox Monastery is a popular pilgrimage spot, but not only because of its historical and sacral value, but also for its picturesque location. The Monastery is actually carved in a rock, above stunning Bjelopavlic valley. Ostrog was built in the17th century, at the height of 900 meters. A position in such an out-of-reach place would then protect security in the event of a Turkish attack. Even now, getting there is a challenge for many tourists. The winding road is steep and quite narrow in several parts. Additionally, a lot of coaches block it effectively. The tourist guides advise the road through Danilovgrad, as the route through Bogetici is in lousy condition and therefore more dangerous. In my opinion, both roads are slightly narrow but well -maintained. Perhaps I am not objective in the assessment, as my scope for dangerous and demanding routes has increased significantly after traveling to Armenia 😉 The bigger problem regards parking spaces. However, a little lower is the second so-called Lower Monastyr, where you can find a large parking lot. Unfortunately, a trip from this place to the top can be quite exhausting, taking into account hot weather. Durmitor National Park The previously mentioned Žabljak is located at 1450 meters above sea level and is one of the highest located cities in Balkans. Žabljak is an ideal point for hiking to Durmitor National Park. Near the village is the Crno Lake, surrounded by the highest peaks of Durmitor. Following the path around the lake you can reach the Titova Pecina. It is said that here during World War II, Josip Tito planned guerrilla counteroffensive, which resulted in the liberation of Yugoslavia from the occupation of the Third Reich. Less than 25 kilometers from Žabljak, you can admire excellent view of the Tara Canyon. The Canyon is 1300 meters deep and is said to be deepest in Europe. I am not sure about this, because actually every place described in the guides is characterised by something “the best” which can be doubtful at times. However, the canyon is worth visiting for several other reasons. In addition to the excellent views from the nearby bridge, you can try your strength in rafting, canoeing or ziplininig. Žabljak and National National Park are best to visit during winter or summer. In winter, you can enjoy skiing and in the summer hiking many trails including the one to Bobotov Kuk – the highest peak, reaching 2523 meters. To my surprise a lot of trails were covered with snow during my stay, at the end of April, which made hiking impossible. However, Žabljak surroundings guarantee excellent views, these places can be reached without intensive climbing. On the way to Žabljak, behind Izvor Restaurant (which I personally recommend), it is worth turning right towards two small lakes – Vrazje and Riblje. Here you can admire the idyllic landscape, dotted with sheep herds, and highest peaks of Durmitoru in the background.

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