Lonely Planet Montenegro , livre ebook

Montenegro

Contents

Plan Your Trip

Welcome to Montenegro
Montenegro's Top 16
Need to Know
What's New
If You Like
Month by Month
Itineraries
Outdoor Activities
Regions at a Glance

On The Road

Bay of Kotor
Herceg Novi
Around Herceg Novi
Morinj
Risan
Perast
Dobrota
Kotor
Prcanj
Stoliv
Lastva
Tivat
Around Tivat
Lustica Peninsula
Adriatic Coast
Budva
Around Budva
Becici & Rafailovici
Przno
Sveti Stefan
Rijeka Rezevici
Petrovac
Bar
Stari Bar
Ulcinj
Velika Plaza & Ada Bojana
Central Montenegro
Lovcen National Park
Cetinje
Lake Skadar National Park
Podgorica
Danilovgrad
Ostrog Monastery
Niksic
Around Niksic
Northern Mountains
Moraca Canyon
Kolasin
Biogradska Gora National Park
Mojkovac
Durmitor National Park
Pljevlja
Bijelo Polje
Rozaje
Plav
Gusinje
Piva Canyon
Prokletije National Park
Dubrovnik (Croatia)
Dubrovnik Highlights
Sights
Activities
Festivals & Events
Sleeping
Eating
Drinking & Entertainment
Shopping
Information

Understand

Understand Montenegro
Montenegro Today
History
Montenegro's People
Art & Architecture
The Montenegrin Kitchen
National Parks & Wildlife

Survive

Directory AZ
Accommodation
Children
Climate
Customs Regulations
Discount Cards
Electricity
Embassies & Consulates
Etiquette
Health
Insurance
Internet Access
Legal Matters
LGBTQI Travellers
Money
Opening Hours
Post
Public Holidays
Safe Travel
Smoking
Telephone
Time
Tourist Information
Travellers with Disabilities
Visas
Volunteering
Women Travellers
Work
Transport
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
Language
Behind the Scenes
Our Writers

Special Features

Naturally Gifted
Welcome to Montenegro

Bursting at the seams with majestic mountains, breathtaking beaches and larger-than-life locals, minuscule Montenegro proves once and for all that good things do indeed come in small packages.


A Warm Welcome
It's nigh on impossible to come across a travel section without someone trumpeting Montenegro as the new 'it' destination. And though the country is rightfully revelling in the spotlight, the people remain as they've always been: candid, convivial and charming. Unlike in many other emerging destinations, hassling and scamming visitors isn't big on Montenegrins' agenda; for the most part, you're more likely to encounter a spontaneous bear hug than a bothersome tout. Whether you're chasing highland hospitality or coastal comradery, expect gregarious greetings, the shirt off your host's back and the addition of at least 5kg; these folks love to feed.

Where Land & Sea Embrace
It's not even 300km from tip to toe, but Montenegro's coastline crams in some of Europe’s most spectacular seaside scenery. Mountains jut sharply from crystal-clear waters in such a way that the word 'looming' is unavoidable. Ancient walled towns cling to the rocks and dip their feet in the water like they're the ones on holiday. In summer, the whole scene is bathed in the scent of wild herbs, conifers and Mediterranean blossoms. All of this – and much, much more – is wrapped up into an area two-thirds of the size of Wales.

Go Wild
When the beaches fill up with Eastern European sunseekers, intrepid travellers can easily sidestep the hordes by getting off the beaten track in the rugged mountains of Durmitor and Prokletije, the primeval forest of Biogradska Gora, or in the many towns and villages where ordinary Montenegrins go about their daily lives. Hike, horse ride, mountain bike or kayak yourself to somewhere obscure and chances are you'll have it all to yourself. This is, after all, a country where wolves and bears still lurk in forgotten corners.

Living on the Edge
Ever since the Roman Empire split in two 1600 years ago, Montenegro has sat on the borderline between east and west. The richness of its cultural history can be seen in the mosaic floors of Roman villas, flamboyantly painted Orthodox monasteries, ornate Catholic churches, elegant minarets of mosques, and the sturdy fortresses built by the numerous powers that have fought over these lands. Then there's the legacy of 50 years as a non-aligned communist state, independent of both the Eastern Bloc and the West. For those with even a passing interest in European history, it's a fascinating place.

Perast | LELECHKA / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Why I Love Montenegro
By Tamara Sheward, Writer
If all the world's a stage, then Montenegro struts upon it, continuously playing out the most dramatic act. There's not an iota of the insipid to be found here; from its backdrop of soul-stirring mountains and captivating coastline to its passionate populace and lively, living history, this is a country with charisma. I've been knocked off my feet here more times than I can count – by the staggeringly spectacular scenery, the heartfelt backslaps walloped into me by highland giants, and the frightfully strong rakija . No matter how often I visit, Montenegro floors me every time.
Montenegro's Top 16

Kotor
Time-travel back to a Europe of moated walled towns with shadowy lanes and stone churches on every square. It may not be as impressive as Dubrovnik's or as shiny as Budva's, but Kotor's Old Town feels much more lived-in and ever so dramatic. The way it seems to grow out of the sheer grey mountains surrounding it adds a thrill of foreboding to the experience – as if they could at any point chose to squeeze the little town in a rocky embrace.

GILMANSHIN / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Top Experiences
Njegoš Mausoleum
Once upon a time there was a Black Mountain. And on top of that mountain there was a tomb guarded by two granite giantesses. And inside the tomb, under a canopy of gold, there rested a great hero, lying in the arms of a giant eagle. This fairy-tale location is the final resting place for the very real 19th-century vladika (bishop-prince) Petar II Petrović Njegoš. The simple but affecting structure and monumental statuary do little to distract from the remarkable views over all of Old Montenegro.

OPIS ZAGREB / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Top Experiences
Lake Skadar National Park
Shared between Montenegro and Albania, the Balkans' largest lake is home to an extraordinary array of birdlife. On the Montenegrin side, a national park encompasses island monasteries, old stone villages famous for their wine, and the serpentine loops of the Crnojević River. Descending from the mountains, the river winds sluggishly through the water lilies on its journey to the lake and the conical pair of mountains that the locals affectionately call 'Sofia Loren'. No Italian actress ever looked so sublime.

SEVALJEVIC / GETTY IMAGES ©


Top Experiences
Sveti Stefan
The postcard-perfect fortified island village of Sveti Stefan is a wonder to behold. It's a little slice of Mediterranean heaven, with oleanders, pines and olive trees peeking between the terracotta roofs of pink stone dwellings. You may have to content yourself with the views; access to the island is limited to guests of the exclusive resort that owns it. Instead, laze on the beach, take a stroll through the woods to Pržno, and go crazy taking photographs – it's hard to get a bad shot.

MARIUS ROMAN / GETTY IMAGES ©


Top Experiences
Mountain Eyes, Durmitor National Park
Reflecting the beauty of the Durmitor range's imposing grey peaks are 18 glacial lakes, known as gorske oči (mountain eyes). The largest and most beautiful is Black Lake ; its inky appearance is caused by the surrounding black pines and the peak known as the Bear (Medjed) rearing above it. Black Lake is a breeze to get to and a delight to walk around, but other, more remote lakes await discovery further up along the park's hiking trails.

CREATIVE TRAVEL PROJECTS / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Top Experiences
Perast
An oversized village comprised almost entirely of elegant baroque palaces and churches, romantic Perast forms a worthy centrepiece to the entire Bay of Kotor. The positioning is perfect, sitting at the apex of the inner bay, looking straight down the narrow channel leading to the outer section. Catch a boat to Gospa od Škrpelja (Our-Lady-of-the-Rock Island), one of two tiny islands sitting just offshore, where a sky-blue dome covers a church filled with votive offerings left by grateful sailors.

JULIAN LOVE / LONELY PLANET ©


Top Experiences
Stari Grad, Budva
Budva’s walled Old Town rises from the Adriatic like a miniature, less frantic Dubrovnik. There’s an atmosphere of romance and a typically Mediterranean love of life palpable around every corner. While away the hours exploring the labyrinth of narrow cobbled streets, visiting tiny churches and charming galleries, drinking in al fresco cafe-bars, snacking on pizza and being inspired by the gorgeous sea views from the Citadela. When it's time to relax, there's a beach on either side.

OKUNIN / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Top Experiences
Rafting the Tara River
It's hard to get a decent view of the beautiful Tara Canyon – its sheer tree-lined walls, up to 1300m high, tend to get in the way. The effect is most impressive from the water, which goes some way to explaining why rafting is one of the country's most popular tourist activities. You'll hit a few rapids, but outside of April and May it's a relatively gentle experience, gliding over crystalline waters through a landscape untouched by human hands.

SASA DZAMBIC PHOTOGRAPHY / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Top Experiences
Ulcinj
There's a special buzz to Ulcinj , Montenegro's southernmost town – an indefinable excitement that's particularly apparent on summer nights, when the beachfront thrums with Eastern-tinged pop and a constant parade of holidaymakers. Look up: minarets compete with oversized socialist sculpture, and the imposing walls of the Old Town perch high on the cliff. Continuing along the coast, rocky coves give way to the long sandy expa