Holidays in Montenegro: expectation and reality

The Adriatic Sea, washing the coast of the country, is considered almost the cleanest, ideal for the resort. Beautiful mountain landscapes, healing air, many forests and lakes.

 

In addition to the inspiring nature, there is a color of medieval streets and European culture, a variety of attractions. Moreover, it is worth noting that Montenegro is an Orthodox state, which is home to a kindred Slavic people, with a similar Russian language.

 

 

August 2017. My family and I have long-awaited tickets “Yekaterinburg – Podgorica”, packed suitcases and full readiness to fall in love with a small and cozy country in the sunny Balkans.

 

We arrived at the airport late at night and immediately assessed the situation with a little irony. It's a bit poor. And most importantly, the incredible number of people filling the tiny space completely just at the entrance control.

 

 

The first morning of our holiday was not particularly charming. Breathing was very hard. We wanted to swim in the purest waters of the Adriatic.

 

As soon as we got to the beach, the positive mood has faded. The question came to my mind: “It’s only morning, why is it so dirty?”

 

The fact is that we, due to our inexperience, or rather even stupidity, went to the height of the season, and even to the most popular city among tourists called Budva. Here life is boiling around the clock and you can always find a place for entertainment. It's not bad, but we flew for a quiet and family holiday.

 

Budva, I am sure, will be very happy at any time of the year, but not at the time when crowds of people come here, many of whom obviously forget about their respect for the world around them. I do not recommend coming here at this time with children - your trip is at risk of becoming traumatic. It is a pity to state this fact, but glass, bottles, rags floated in the sea literally near the shore.

 

If you still plan to stay in Budva, then I advise you to get up early in the morning to walk around the old city outside the walls of the fortress. There will be atmosphere and romance, and those picturesque streets. This will not leave you indifferent. Especially at dawn!

 

 

We quickly realized that we couldn’t spend our entire vacation here and decided to see which cities were nearby. In the end, we traveled the entire coast from Herceg-Novi (the border with Croatia), to Ulcinj (the border with Albania).

 

 

First explored the area, located within walking distance from Budva, is Kamenevo. In Kamenevo there is a beach, which is recommended for swimming and rest. I think we can argue with that. We walked from Budva through the tunnel. As a result: it is wildly difficult to approach the shore, and it is even more difficult to swim, because at the bottom there are huge stones that can be easily hit.

 

Thankfully, we didn't give up quickly. Planned a trip to the west – to Herceg – Novi. It is called the City of a Thousand Steps and the Botanical Garden of Montenegro. It is located on a hilly terrain, so walking there is really difficult, especially in the heat. But the architecture is admirable, so these walks are definitely worth it. You will certainly be able to take a lot of beautiful photos.

 

 

While they were getting to Herceg - Novi, they drove through to Kotor. He seemed calm and quiet to us. I regret not having dedicated a day to this city. Many people really like Kotor Bay, it is definitely recommended to visit.

 

 

Throughout our trips we had to face the sad state of transportation. Buses are old, most without air conditioning, one of them even broke down while we were on the way.

 

It is best to take care of your movements in advance and rent a car. Especially if you are traveling with children. Taxis are expensive, and getting caught cheating is easy. When we went to conquer the Great Beach (local Copacabana, allegedly the most luxurious beach, marked with the blue flag of purity), then literally 5 minutes of the trip paid 7 euros. By the way, the beach is really huge, 13 km long, sandy, but in its purity instantly made you doubt. And to see it, we drove to the east, to the city of Ulcinj.

 

 

We also put a mark on the map when we visited Cetinje. The city is very different from anything we’ve seen before. No wonder it is called the cultural capital of the country. And breathing in Cetinje is easier, because there is high humidity of the climate.

 

 

Locals are advised to come to Montenegro in late spring or early autumn. It is recommended to reach the north of the country. There you will find Durmitor National Park, to which they never tire of confessing their love, and these feelings are quite fair! Here you can see the stunning beauty of hills, lakes, rivers and almost touch the clouds.

 

 

Do not forget to see Skadar Lake, the canyon of the Tara River, as well as the island of Sveti Stefan. In fact, these are just some of the attractions that are in this tiny country.

 

 

For us, the trip was very difficult and even exhausting. But remembering certain moments, the soul becomes warm.

 

One day, while waiting for a bus to the next city, we were standing at the train station and heard a song with the words "Te can si." It’s not hard to guess what the song is about. We still say these words to each other with a smile in difficult situations, chorusing the same motive.

 

 

Almost every journey has its own box of joyful, valuable moments, but at the same time there is a difficult experience. In short, you should always be prepared for the fact that your expectations will not turn out to be real. And this is not the fault of the country you came to, but rather the lack of your personal preparedness.

 

If you choose the right month of your trip and place of residence, take into account all the pitfalls, which, as it turned out, are very many, then you will certainly be satisfied with your vacation!

 

Text by Ekaterina Pozdeeva

Photo: Ekaterina Pozdeeva, talan1111, travel-hystory, fotokto, kuku.travel