Poetry of Montenegro

Behind such a romantic name hides a rather small mountainous Slavic country Montenegro. However, it should not be regarded as something exclusively post-socialist. During its existence, these territories have changed hands many times, and each individual region has its own characteristics of historical development. Both Greeks and Romans visited there, for more than a hundred years some lands were in the possession of the Venetian state, and then there was a confused series of transitions to the Ottomans, then periods of calm within Montenegro, the Serbs did not neglect the opportunity to leave their contribution, then the SFRY. It was only in 2006 that the independent state of Montenegro emerged and the country began to flourish.

So, getting there for a Russian tourist will not be difficult. A visa to Montenegro is not required, at least until the country is about to join the EU. Airplane tickets will also cost a fairly small amount, you can find from 17 thousand round trips. And rest.

The southern part of Montenegro is the Adriatic coast. There are quite a lot of resorts, among which the most popular are Budva, Becici, Kotor, St. Stephen, Bar and others. The beaches are mostly pebble, but there are concrete and in some places even sandy. They are usually not very far from the sea, but do not forget that the country is mountainous, and in some cases you will have to overcome more than one flight of steps to reach the sea. The sea itself is very transparent and incredibly beautiful, in the bays lies right in the middle of the majestic mountains, but it is quite cool even on the hottest days, which, of course, does not prevent anyone from swimming, especially given the scorching sun. In addition, it is very salty and does not shine with a special variety of underwater inhabitants, although diver sorties are still organized. In general, with extreme sports, things are not very diverse. There is no wind, there are no waves, too, so the paths for many types of surfing are closed, but you can rent a jet ski, flyboard, ride a wagon behind a boat or steam with a parachute, and the good old hang glider is also not canceled.

Ancient cities please the eye with stone architecture of houses covered with natural tiles, they look fascinatingly beautiful in their uniqueness while observing a clear style. Budva shines old city, which so succinctly combines the traditions of different eras, however, as everywhere in Montenegro. The Benedictine Church, built in the Florentine style, is almost side by side with an Orthodox church of typically Byzantine style, and next to the Gothic temple of Catholics you can see excavated ancient baths left over from Roman times. Nearby is the entrance to the fortress with a small museum, represented in fact by a small library.

From there, a wonderful view of both old Budva and the endless sea expanses opens. The streets of the city are quite narrow, and it itself is not different in size, but it will not be difficult to find a secluded deserted corner to enjoy the spirit of the city. It is in the old town that the main concentration of souvenir shops is located. Prices there are more than acceptable, although the modern euro exchange rate does not leave any rest (the Montenegrins have recently adopted this currency).

A 20-minute bus ride away is St. Stephen. The town is very small and the only attraction is a small island-fortress, which is now completely turned into a fashionable hotel, where Hollywood stars rest, the prices there are appropriate. Plus, the island is not allowed just like that, only residents of hotels and excursions.

In the same direction is Kotor, another very beautiful town. The main concentration of all tourist is near the old town, which is also very pleasant to walk, but the main attraction is the ancient fortress on the mountain. It can be climbed, it is quite high, but worth the effort, the top offers stunning views of the city, especially in the evening. There was nothing left in the fortress itself except walls and a church halfway up.

A beach holiday in Montenegro is good, but not for everyone. For nature lovers, Montenegro can offer a trip to its national parks, of which there are as many as five in such a small country. I'll tell you about Durmitor. You can go there for two weeks and not worry about having nothing to do. In the town of Zabljak, which is 2-3 km from the entrance to the park itself, there are many hotels, hostels, campsites for every taste and pocket. In general, it is not even necessary to enter the paid territory, the mountains surround you everywhere and capture the grandeur and power of nature. Vegetation here is more like the Siberian taiga, where evergreen spruces and pines stretch on the slopes, and soft moss shines under the feet. This radically distinguishes the area from the south of the country with its dried land, cacti and palm trees. Durmitor is home to the second largest canyon, larger than only the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA. It was formed by the Tara River, along which you can raft. In the park there are more than 30 lakes, 400 springs, there you can do mountaineering, speleology and fishing. And all this against the background of unforgettable mountain landscapes. And in winter there are open ski resorts.

What to eat in Montenegro? In any restaurant you will be offered the usual European cuisine, but do not miss the opportunity to try the national food. Be sure to try: Negushinsky cheese and Negushinsky proshut (this is dried meat), mixed meso (a large plate with a variety of meat on the grill), seafood (which, however, are prepared quite standard, but very tasty, especially on the grill), trout in Montenegrin or some other fish cooked according to local recipes (for example, carp in the Skadar Lake National Park) and, of course, their wine. Wine in Montenegro does not produce many types. By and large, only two - Vranac and Krstach. The first is dry red, the second is white. They are produced only from grapes that grow on the rebellious slopes of the country, the varieties of which are unique, and the taste of wine is incredibly soft.

The official language of Montenegro is, oddly enough, Montenegrin, although almost 30% of the population are Serbs, but these peoples understand each other very well. The language is Slavic, although it is not very clear when they use Cyrillic, and when the Latin alphabet, it can be combined even in inscriptions on one bottle of water from different sides. We can understand it, although we have to listen a lot. On the coast, most workers in the tourism sector know Russian, but some find it easier to speak English. Our brother has reached the north of the country, apparently, so far in smaller numbers, so it is better to start an English conversation there.

Author of text and photo: Veronika Khityaeva