“Montenegro? Where is that?” we were often asked, when we told people we were going there on vacation.
Montenegro is not part of France or in South America as many thought. It’s a Balkan country and was once part of former Yugoslavia. Initially joined with Serbia it declared its independence in 2006. One of the smallest countries in Europe, it is located below Croatia and above Albania on the Adriatic coast. A land of rugged mountains, narrow pebble beaches and an enormous coastal fjord, beautiful enough to rival any Norwegian fjord, the country is still relatively unknown … but of course that won’t last forever!
Perast
Our coastal base for this trip was the tiny, picturesque town of Perast. Situated on the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Bay of Kotor, the town was linked with Venice in its fight against pirates and consequently had a wealthy past, allowing the building of 20 Baroque palaces and 17 Catholic churches.
Nowadays this small town (it’s roughly a kilometre and a half end to end) is mostly visited by tourists wanting to visit the church of Our Lady of Škrpjela island. It’s a peaceful spot to base yourself, unlike the busy city of Kotor, and there are several lovely, locally run hotels and B&B’s.
What to Do
Strolling through the tiny town won’t take long if you don’t stop for ice-cream, photos or a swim. The “palaces” are now private homes or hotels but still so reminiscent of Perast’s past. The church of St. Nikola is open to the public and for a small fee you can climb the tower to enjoy the amazing view. There is a small museum which is also worth a visit on a rainy day.
Gospa od Škrpjela (Our Lady of The Rocks) & Sveti Ðorðe (St George’s Island ~ Our Lady of the Rocks is small manmade island and is a popular tourist spot. There are many boat trips and water taxis from Perast, and Kotor, to take you out there. On the island is a small church and small museum.
The island was created by fisherman who found an image of the Madonna floating in the vicinity. Folklore has it that the artwork kept floating back to the same spot, so they built an island by dropping rocks from their boats. This custom, Fašinada, continues and, if you are visiting on 22 July, you can watch the locals taking their boats out at sunset to throw rocks into the sea.
St. George’s Island is closed to the public but makes for a picturesque photo.
Swimming from Perast Beach ~ When they say “beach,” it means cement blocks at the waters edge as there are no beaches here. But the water is crystal clear and warm and the view stunning.
The entire length of the waterfront has the random steps leading down into the water. Just remember to bring beach shoes and, like the locals do, a small scrubbing brush to clean the algae off the steps to make them less slippery and life endangering! There is a beach bar on the west end of Perast, the Pirate Bar, that has a beach of sorts. It can be crowded on a sunny day, so reservations are recommended.
Boat trips ~ Perast has many options for boat trips. We took a speed boat tour with a personable young local guy who shared his experiences of growing up in Montenegro. The boats all generally visit the Our Lady of The Rocks island, the Blue Cave, Mamula Island and the hidden submarine tunnels.
You will get a great view of the coast and some of its small resorts, such as Fort Rose and the larger towns.
· The hidden submarine tunnels were built by the Yugoslav military and the boat will take you inside where you can often get out to walk along the dock or even take a swim!
· The Blue Cave is a small cave close to the Adriatic main coast and boats will stop so you can swim in the clear water. Personally, I thought it was overrated, as there were so many small boats in there it felt too dangerous to swim and smelled of exhaust!
· Mamula Island, at the entrance to Kotor Bay, was once a prison used by Napoleon and a concentration camp used by Italy’s fascists to torture the locals in World War II. Bizarrely it is now a 5-star hotel!
Kotor
Kotor is Montenegro’s Dubrovnik. This beautiful historic town is a popular destination so be prepared for crowds, especially if a cruise ship is visiting. Nevertheless, it is really worth a visit for many reasons.
· Wander through the delightful Stari Grad (Old Town) by yourself or book a walking tour. The buildings and history of Kotor wrap around you as you wander the narrow, cobbled streets. On Saturday you’ll find the market full of local products. There are several churches worth visiting and an interesting maritime museum. Plus, lots of cute little stores for shopping.
· Cats! Kotor loves its cats as they reputedly saved the city from the plague once or twice by killing the rats leaving the ships. Nowadays the street cats are well cared for by locals, even down to a nifty dispensing machine that recycles your plastic bottles and cans and dispenses food for the cats. A great innovation! There are lots of stores selling cat merchandise and even a museum with a collection of cat memorabilia.
If you, like me, love cats, Kotor certainly has the “aaahhh” factor.
· Kotor Beach. Kotor has a small pebble beach if lying on concrete slabs is playing havoc with your back.
· Walking Kotor’s Walls. One of the popular activities in Kotor is to walk the city walls, for a fee, up to the San Giovanni fortress. This is a climb up 1,350 steps but gives you great views of the town and bay. Be aware that although not challenging, this can be a major exertion especially if you are not fit or it is very hot. The best time to do this is early morning before the temperature rises.
· Kotor’s sparkling new Cable Car. This was a surprise find as it didn’t come up in my pre-vacation research. Whilst sitting in a line for parking we noticed in the distance a cable car going up the side of the mountain so, once we’d explored the old town, we drove out to it. It was great (although a challenge for me as someone with a fear of heights!)
The cable car, only opened last year, takes you up 1,316 meters, to Mount Lovćen National Park and takes around 10-15 minutes. The cars have huge windows and are very comfortable and felt extremely safe. At the top, while there is still some construction happening, the views are breathtaking.
There is a super restaurant, Forza Kuk, with unbelievable views and great food and cocktails. Also, for your entertainment, there is an alpine rollercoaster, a play area and the opportunity to rent mountain bikes or go hiking if you want to prolong your visit. The ride costs 23 euros return, but you can hike up or down and take a one-way ticket.
Despite my fear kicking in halfway up in the cable car it was by far my most favorite thing in Kotor.
· Visit Budva ~ although this is a large resort town, the “old town” is worth exploration and feels a million miles away from the clubs and bars. It can get busy so time your visit accordingly. The beach outside the walled “old town” provides a great spot for swimming with an amazing backdrop.
Where To Stay
Kotor, Perast and Budva all have a multitude of options from grand hotel complexes, locally run hotels to B&B’s. In Perast we stayed at the fabulous 4-star, locally-run Hotel Conté, which, rather than being based in one building, is based in several restored old “palaces.” The 5-star Heritage Grand Perast is, as its name suggests, grand and there are several other hotels, such as the 3-star Villa Perast and the Hotel Admiral, and apartments to rent.
Where To Eat
All the hotels in Perast had great restaurants, we loved eating at Hotel Conté and Hotel Admiral, which served wonderful fresh seafood sat alongside the breathtaking bay. Perast also had some pizza restaurants, such as Armonia and Bocalibre, and several oyster farms just outside the town which served their fresh oysters.
Not far from Perast were a couple of good restaurants with amazing views, Tramontana Beach Bar at Morinj and Verige 65, at the narrowest point of the fjord.
The coast and small historic towns of Montenegro did not disappoint and made us determined to return and to explore more of this gorgeous little country. So, stay tuned for Pt. 2.
