Located on the Balkan Peninsula and surrounded by natural beauty, Montenegro offers big experiences in a small and accessible environment. With its name literally translated as Black Mountain, Montenegro is home to national parks, quaint old coastal towns, towering mountains, scenic beaches, bays and more.
Here’s 7 things you didn’t know about Montenegro:
- Homes to 5 national parks
Awarded UNESCO status, Durmitor National Park, is famed for its sky-scraping peaks, black pines, mountain pastures and glacial lakes. Home to the 170m high Djurdjevića Tara Bridge, this masterpiece dates back to the pre-World War II architecture. Attracting visitors with its wilderness and Black Lake, Durmitor is a favourite with walkers and hikers year-round, it is also renowned as a ski resort.
2. Premiere birding destination
Skadar Lake National Park, nestled between the sea and the mountains, is the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula. The emerald coloured lake is a bird lover’s paradise; home to over 280 species and the only pelican habitat in the south of Europe.
3. Deepest canyon in Europe
At over 1,300 metres, The Tara River Canyon in Durmitor National Park is the longest and deepest gorge in Europe. Only the USA’s Grand Canyon is deeper. Its powerful river, known as “The Teardrop of Europe”, is a favourite for white water rafting. Framed by forests, alpine fields and towering peaks that rise over 2,000 metres high.
4. UNESCO World Heritage Status
The historic town of Kotor, once the jewel of the Venetian Empire, is nestled in a UNESCO World Heritage site of the same name. The Old Town – Kotor’s Stari Grad – and Trg od Oružja (the medieval Weapons Square) draw visitors from around the world. The 1300 step climb up to St. John’s Hill fortress is worth it with rewarding panoramic views over The Bay of Kotor.
This beautiful southernmost European fjord is one of Montenegro’s main attractions and it’s clear why the butterfly-shaped Boka Bay is dubbed the “Bride of the Adriatic Sea”. Kotor, Herceg Novi and Tivat are the most important cities, but the bay’s beautiful small villages are equally memorable.
5. Miles of beaches to explore
Home to 117 beaches at 180 miles long, there are many to explore along the coast. Home to the King Nikola Palace built in 1885, the coastal city of Bar is famed for its 100,000 olive trees. Many of which are over 1,000 years old and at nearly 2000 years old, the oldest olive tree in Europe is also situated here.
At the southernmost point in Montenegro sits Ada Bojana, a picturesque 2-square mile island considered a treasure of the Montenegrin Coast. Created by the Bojana River meeting the Adriatic Sea, the island hosts an array of restaurants offering the best seafood in the Balkans.
6. Religious Heritage
Located near Nikšić, the Ostrog Monastery is built into the rock face above the Zeta Valley. Founded by the Herzeg Archbishop Vasilije in the 17th century, this monastery is the most famous pilgrimage site in Montenegro.
Furthermore, the Right Hand of St. John the Baptist, shards of the Holy Cross and the icon of Our Lady of Filermosa can all be found in the museums and monasteries of the historic town of Cetinje, Montenegro’s Historic Royal Capital.
7. Melting pot of architecture and history
One of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic Coast, Budva is Montenegro’s capital of tourism. Beautiful beaches, quality gastronomy offer and numerous events are just part of what attracts travellers.
Accoridng to historical sources, the Old Town is one of the oldest settlements in the Adriatic. Known more than two and a half thousand years ago as the “city of Illyria”. During the summer season, Budva hosts numerous cultural events, including open-air festivals, concerts and performances.
NTO Montenegro has just launched a new global campaign to showcase the natural environment of the country. Bringing to life the relationship between nature and people and showcasing its importance in a restrictive digital world. Inspiring travel to Montenegro, when possible, ‘Nature & Me’ focuses on the need for people to embrace nature as a break from the virtual world we have been forced to live in before and during the pandemic.
For further information on travel in Montenegro, visit www.montenegro.travel.
