Montenegro
Three trips this year, in May, June and October, and I would go again tomorrow. Montenegro is small enough to cross in an afternoon, yet within two hours you go from the Adriatic to forests, lakes and mountains above the treeline. When you travel without a plan, it is simply a wonderful country.
Mountains over beaches
I have never really been a beach person. Lying in the sand gets boring fast, and swimming is not my thing, even when the Adriatic is properly warm. So one summer I drove up to Kolašin to look at the ski area and took the lift up the mountain. That was it for me. You are above the treeline with a view in every direction, but not so high that the air makes every step hard, and the slopes are green and soft instead of rocky. The really high peaks are a different story, but the area around Kolašin is exactly my kind of mountain.
The roads in between
Some of the best parts of Montenegro are the drives themselves. Two of my favourites:
- From Bar to Lake Skadar, up the hills past the monument to the Battle of Tuđemili and down to the lake. The coast drops away behind you, and the lake opens up in front.
- From Podgorica to Kolašin on the E65, through the Morača canyon. The road follows the river between steep walls and climbs until the air turns cool.
The view from Vrsuta
If someone says "Montenegro", the first thing I see is the view from Vidikovac Vrsuta, the mountain above Bar. For me it is one of the best viewpoints on the whole Adriatic coast. On a clear day you see the sea, the land behind it, all the way to Albania in one direction and to Kotor and Podgorica in the other.
Biogradska Gora
Biogradska Gora is one of the last old-growth forests in Europe, with a lake in the middle. I went out on the lake by kayak. On another visit the water was almost completely gone, so I simply walked across the lakebed where I had paddled before.
Storms
The thunderstorms in Montenegro are unbelievably beautiful. Lightning over the mountains or out over the sea, and you just sit and watch. Sometimes the power goes out with them, but it is sorted quickly: before ten in the evening it is usually back within an hour, later at night it can take longer.
The best roast I ever had
In Kolašin there is Restoran Crkvina, and the view from its terrace alone would be worth the trip. I always order the same thing: roast veal with potatoes, 350 grams for under 15 euros. It is rich, very salty and so tender it falls apart. The best meat I have ever had.
For dinner by the water, go down to Ada Bojana at the very south of the coast. The fish restaurants sit right on the river, and it is a lovely place to end the day.
If you go
Skip Kotor, or keep it short. It is beautiful on paper, but too touristy, too crowded, and full of stray cats. Sadly, most of the coastal towns get crowded in the evenings. Take the car inland instead and drive up into the mountains.
All trips to Montenegro