Interesting Places in Montenegro
PETROVAC
Surrounded by pine trees, vineyards and olive groves it is an ideal place to rest and relax. In the vicinity of the shore two small islands are located: Sveta Nedjela and Katic. Costal sea promenade with small cafes and restaurants encourages tourists to have a walk. Tourists can also visit local historical monuments, e.g. orthodox churches. There is a regular bus connection between Petrovac and Budva which is situated 20 kilometres further.
BUDVA
It is one of the oldest and most beautiful Adriatic cities. The history of this city dates back to the Roman period. Firstly Greeks settled here, then Illyrians, Romans, Arabs and Montenegrins. The old, medieval Old Town with a citadel above (with a great view of the city and neighbourhood, e.g. of Sveti Nikola Island) is beyond doubt the biggest attraction here. All the historical monuments in the city are located in the costal part of the Old Town.
The St John Cathedral is worth our attention. It looks among other buildings very interesting and its foundations come from the turn of 7th and 8th century. The Holy Trinity Church, standing slantwise on the square, comes from 1804 and is also very impressive. Two little temples: the Church of St Sava and the Church of St Mary, located by the walls in the square’s corner, create a very picturesque alley. Moreover, local beaches are among the most beautiful and the best beaches on the Adriatic.
BECICI
The city is particularly known for its wonderful sandy beach and the azure sea color. Due to great natural conditions here, Becici is very popular among tourists preferring active holiday. It is a wonderful place for sport fans who can enjoy doing sports themselves or watch competitions. An international, fascinating beach volleyball tournament “Pro Beach” takes place here every year in June. There are also a lot of discos, cafes, restaurants, bars in the city which are open till very late night hours.
SUTOMORE
It is a very modern tourist resort located by the Sutomorski Zaliv Bay. The city attracts tourists mainly due to its big beach. It is worth seeing a couple of historical monuments like the beautifully located ruins of Venetian fortress Haj-Nehaj here. The church of St Tekla with its orthodox and catholic services is also very interesting. In the neighborhood of the city there are mainly long sandy and gravel beaches, rich flora and diversity of landscapes. It is a wonderful holiday destination for beach, sea, peace and quiet lovers as well as for those who prefer active holiday. Due to its cozy cafes and restaurants, where tourists can relax and enjoy local cuisine, the city offers ideal conditions for whole families.
BAR
It is one of the best-known cities in Montenegro. It is known for its wonderful olive trees, which are among the oldest in the world and which grow in the city’s neighborhood. The oldest tree in the world grows here; it is a more than 2000-year old branchy olive tree. Due to its rich history, numerous historical monuments and charming alleys, Bar is so famous and popular among tourists. A beautiful view of mountains, olive groves and beautiful azure coast may be admired by tourists from the walls surrounding the city. While visiting Bar one cannot miss a residence of King Nicola which is a brick castle from 1855 surrounded by picturesque plants. There is also a nice beach in the centre of the city. In the neighborhood it is worth to see Stari Bar, the ruins of the whole city, located at the foot of Rumija massif. They divide the coast and the Skadar Lake and are surrounded by massive fortifications. Among the ruins of the city tourists may find for example a well-preserved clock tower from the Turkish period, the remnants of the St George Church and a 17th century mosque. The aqueduct with 17 arches built by the Turks in 17th century is also very interesting.
MILOCER
It used to be the royal summer resort. It is located in a huge, green park with many diverse types of bushes and trees. In many bays, the sea formed wonderful sandy beaches e.g. Veliku Luku and Kraljičinu Plažu. Above the city there is a charming Praskvica monastery which comprises two orthodox churches. There are beautiful frescos from 17th century in the St Nicolas Church. One may find here also a “table of justice” made of stone at which conflicts used to be solved. From the tourist point if view, the town is very attractive and that is why it is so popular among foreign tourists.
ULCINJ
This town is located in the most protruding in the southern direction part of the island. Due to its low prices, beautiful scenery and the clean, warm sea, it is a perfect place for relaxation. A long, sandy beach attracts tourists here, although the major part of it is still deserted. Nevertheless, it is an opportunity to find less crowded places. The island Ada Bojana located in the near Bojana river mouth is also a tourist attraction. Tourists may ride a horse, play volleyball and try the local cuisine here. Ada is a nature reserve, known to be a cormorants´ and pelicans´ seat.
KOTOR
This town is known for a wonderful and the only fiord in this part of Europe, the Kotor Bay, which attracts tourists due to its picturesque landscape. The Old Town in Kotor is worth attention because it is one of the best-preserved medieval urbane locations. The asymmetric structure of the narrow streets and squares is combined here with the numerous valuable monuments of medieval architecture. Kotor is listed in the UNESCO List of World Heritage. Fortifications with 4.5-kilometre long, 20-meter high and 15-meter broad defence walls used to protect Kotor from the sea and land. The walls were being built in the Illyrian period and the construction was continued to the 17th century. Among three city gates here, the oldest one was built in 9th century; other two renaissance gates were built in the middle of the 16th century. The most representative monument of Romanic architecture is the magnificent Cathedral of St. Tiphun, constructed in 1166 and built on the remains of the former temple from the 9th century. There are the frescos from the 14th century and the treasury with Venetian golden works dating from the 14th to the 20th century. Besides the cathedral there are also many magnificent examples of sacral architecture originating from 12th to 20th century, e.g. The Romanic church of St. Lucas built during the reign of the great ruler Nemanja and his son Vukan in 1195, the Romanic church of St. Ana from the end of the 12th century with frescos dating back to the 15th century, the Romanic church of St. Mary built in 1221. There are also numerous palaces in the town: the Drago palace with Gothic windows from the 15th century, the Bizanti palace from the 17th century, the Pima palace from the 16th century, the Grubonja palace with the built-in emblem of the old Kotor’s pharmacy established in 1326, the Grgurina palace from the 17th century which today is the Naval museum.
HERCEG NOVI
The town, which has already existed for a couple of centuries, is located among the marvelous Mediterranean scenery. It is a town of wonderful historical monuments situated in “botanical garden” which attracts tourists due to its colors, aromas and dense, exotic plants. It was established by the Bosnian king Tvrtko I in 1382. His successor Stjepan Vukcic - Kosaca, known as Herceg Stjepan, supported its development and that is why the town was named after him. Every empire (Turkey, Spain, Venice, France, Russia and Austria-Hungary) has left significant traces of their civilization in numerous fortifications and in sacral constructions. That is why Herceg Novi is a treasury of different styles, from oriental to baroque architecture. The most significant towers are: Forte mare, Spanjola and Kanli Kula which are turned into summer stages. The fortresses on the little islands of Mamula, Prevlaka and Arza, located at the very entrance of Boka Kotorska bay, represent the heritage of the hundred-year reign of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. The Savina Monastery is a treasure of sacral architecture and is one of the most beautiful examples of Baroque architecture. During the Venician reign the St. Jeronimo’s church, the St. Antun church, the St. Franjo’s church were built. Herceg Novi is known of its festival of Mimosas which takes place at the end of January and the beginning of February. The National museum offers a display with valuable collections of religious items. The most beautiful and popular sea cave in the Adriatic is called “The Blue Cave” and has two entrances with a 30-meter-high hollow. Due to the very clean sea and the way the light refracts it has an extraordinary blue color. Tourists are also attracted by beaches like Zanjic on the Lustica peninsula and Borici and possibility to stroll through numerous stairways in the old centre of the town. Nowadays, Herceg has a well-developed accommodation and catering facilities. The town is also known as a health resort among visitors.
CETINJE
It is a former Montenegrin capital city, the cultural centre and the centre of the struggle for freedom. Palaces, buildings of old embassies and other marvellous buildings prove how great old Montenegro used to be. Numerous monasteries, museums, galleries, archives, art academies support this opinion. It is also impossible to miss the monumental mausoleum of the great poet and ruler of Montenegro, Petar II Petrovic Njegos, on the Mount Lovcen.