Montenegro

Visited: May 2010

Duration of visit: 5 days

Capital city: Podgorica

Population: 620,000 (2010)

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

• Coastal town of Kotor, surrounded by fortifications, built during the Venetian period, offering impressive landscape (reminding on fjords).
• Podgorica – the capital city at the confluence of Ribnica and Morača River, supposedly one of Europe’s sunniest capitals with 2,480 hours of sunshine a year.
• Easy going people, that are famous for being extremely passive and work only as much as necessary.
• Smoking on every step – inexpensive cigarettes, limited restrictions for smokers and tradition justify why Montenegro has one of the highest tobacco-usage rates in Europe.
• Beautiful beaches and calm sea without any wave visible on the horizon.

Montenegro, one of the newest sovereign states in the world, declared independence from Serbia in 2006. Named after Mount Lovčen – Black Mountain, it is a tinny country with just over half a million citizens, that boasts with 52 kilometers of coastline, representing its main tourist attraction.

Although Montenegro is not a member of the European Union, euros are used as de-facto currency.

Montenegrins are some of the tallest people in the world, ranking second to the Dutch by only a fraction. They are also known for being a lazy nation, finding any excuse to avoid working or adjust the rhythm to their wishes.

I visited Montenegro in 2010 as part of my Kosovo – Montenegro – Albania trip. It was mid-May, when the summer temperatures should already warm up the air and sea temperature. It was becoming suitable for a pleasant swim, just before the main tourist season starts in June. However, it was cold, cloudy and quite rainy during the day, while at night, due to lack of heating I was covered with all blankets available in the rundown guesthouses where I was staying.

I always disliked travelling overnight by bus, but finishing a trip at 4:00am and waiting for the connection is even worse.  A bus driver dropped me nearby the station in the port of Bar, telling me that there was a connection to Kotor an hour later.

I was waiting in a popular bar, where early birds started gathering: first cigarette and coffee with viljamovka (pear liqueur) are part of local culture, but I didn’t expect it so early in the morning.

A pleasant chat with locals proved that my knowledge of Serbian language is still at a decent level and helped me to forget about tiredness. Our bus arrived at 7:00 am and took me to Kotor.

Arriving to the secluded part of the Bay of Kotor so early was an advantage. After having burek with natural yogurt and coffee for breakfast, I agreed with the cafeteria owner to store the luggage under the counter and started to explore the city that is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Once populated by the Illyrians, the town has been fortified since the early Middle Ages. Constant occupation tendencies from various conquerors marked the history of Kotor: Ostrogoths, Bulgarian Empire, Serbian dynasties, Kingdom of Hungary, until it finally became part of Venetian Republic.

Most of the attractions are scattered around the Old Town, which is easy to walk around. The great part of the architecture is in the Venetian style. The most important building is Kotor Cathedral, consecrated in 1166, damaged a few times and reconstructed.

Above the Old Town, on the steep slope to the east, the path leaded me to Kotor Walls. The fortifications have been expanded and modified by various empires that have controlled the city. The biggest impact was left by Venetians. As I was climbing higher, the incredible views across the town and the bay were getting better.

After 1,350 steps, I reached Kotor Fortress, 280 meters above the town. A fantastic panoramic view over the Bay of Kotor opened before my eyes.

While portions of walls still stand, the roofs of its structures more or less crumbled during various earthquakes in the region.

If you like sunny weather, Montenegro capital is the place to visit. Podgorica is supposedly one of Europe’s sunniest capitals with 2,480 hours of sunshine a year. It is north of Lake Skadar and close to coastal destinations on the Adriatic Sea, strategically located at the confluence of Ribnica and Morača River.

I can confirm the status of Podgorica as one of the most uninteresting capital in Europe. Some architectural gems from the socialist times, street art, graffiti, the Clock Tower that survived World War II bombing, Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ under construction and the Millennium bridge inaugurated in 2005, could be the shortlist of what to do.

Cetinje, the former royal capital of Montenegro from 1878 to 1946, is a small town in the midst of the scenic Mount Lovčen. A historic and cultural center of Montenegro, with a small population of only 12,000 people, is located at 670 meters above sea level. The attitude makes it very pleasant in the summer heat, still maintaining a great view to the coastline.

I visited it on a day trip to feel an easy-going atmosphere, walk around the town to appreciate the main attractions and savor a local ice cream. Considering its size, Cetinje hosts a rather large number of museums and government institutions.

Beside hosting the official residence of the President of Montenegro, Cetinje is also the seat of the Ministry of Culture and Media, the National Library and the State Archives.

My last stop, before continuing to Albania, was Ulcinj. The southern coastal town, with the majority Albanian population, was rather desolated in the pre-season, but ready for predominantly Albanian tourists, who occupy the soft-sand beach, which stretches for over 10 kilometers. Much cheaper than trendier Budva or historical Kotor, the location in a gorgeous bay, the beach, beautiful calm sea and all water activities, probably position it as the best seaside destination in Montenegro.

Montenegro is a small country that has grown to a popular tourist destination in the last years. Especially for rich Russians with restricted access to European countries, who were buying inexpensive properties on the coastline, and some celebrities, looking for the peace that they cannot get in neighboring Croatia. For backpackers, Montenegro is probably one of the least popular destinations in the region.

I didn’t find particularly exciting visiting Montenegro in the perspective of far more picturesque options in the region. My impressions are limited, as well as the interest in the local culture, history or art.