Read some about our Beautiful Montenegro
Land of Mountains and the Sea
“Ruled by Illyrians and Romans, by infighting Slavic tribes, Huns and Goths, by battling Venetians and Ottomans, and most recently embroiled in the meltdown of Yugoslavia, Montenegro wears its war wounds as medals, rather than scars,” says Telegraph Travel expert Rodney Bolt.
‘Montenegro’ means ‘Black Mountain’. The very name already associates with the wild beauty and secrets of nature hidden within it. You will not get disappointed. You will see big and beautiful, forest-covered, mountains coming into the sea.
Situated on the Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe, Montenegro is known for its magnificent and unparalleled natural beauty. Montenegro boasts untouched expansive peaks, shimmering lakes, and a 620.000-strong population that is known for its warm hospitality.
Emerging as a sovereign state in 2006, this young Balkan country is a member of NATO and is also an official candidate for EU membership. The World Bank classifies Montenegro as one of the fastest-growing Balkan economies. The World Travel and Tourism Council has rated Montenegro to be one of the top two fastest-growing tourism economies over the next 10 years. The people are friendly and welcoming. On sampling the local cuisine, you will find it very fresh, natural and typically Mediterranean. English is widely spoken.
General
Information
Area: 13.812 km²
Population: 620. 000
Capital: Podgorica (220 000 inhabitants) – administrative and economic center
Royal capital: Cetinje – historical and cultural center
Currency: Euro
Political system: Republic
Length of the sea coast: 294 km
Number of beaches: 117
Longest beach: Velika plaža (Ulcinj) – 13 km
Highest mountain peak: Bobotov Kuk (Durmitor) – 2522 m
Largest lake: Skadar Lake (530 km²) – largest in Balkans
Deepest canyon: Tara River Canyon (1333 m) – deepest in Europe
National parks: Durmitor, Biogradska gora, Skadarsko jezero, Lovcen, Prokletije
Largest bay: the Bay of Kotor
Average number of sunny days during the year: 240 days
Swimming season: 180 days
Time zone: GTM +1
Electrical power system: 220V/50Hz
Calling code: +382
Some of our
Geography
Montenegro is located in the southern part of the Balkan peninsula, between Croatia and Albania and opposite Puglia, the heel of Italy. What makes this country unique is the fact that, despite being small, it has everything one may need for a perfect vacation. Namely, Montenegro geography ranges from high peaks to deep canyons, warm sea to cold lakes, rapid rivers to peaceful areas of outstanding natural beauty. It posses outstanding amount of world’s greatest geographical sites, including: The Bay of Kotor that occupied 40 kilometres of the land and is the southernmost fjord of the Northern Hemisphere; Tara River Canyon which is the deepest canyon in Europe and second deepest in the world after Grand Canyon; Montenegrin Adriatic coast which is the most nature-friendly area in the Mediterranean world; 48 mountain peaks that are more than 2000 meters high above sea level. Montenegro is a country of the ice caves and splendid abundant waterfalls. It is also a country of the cold mountain lakes (over 40 beautiful lakes). The lake and mountain areas are inhabited by deer, roe deer, wild boars, chamois, wolfs and bears.
Some of our
History
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.
Here are some interesting facts which illustrate its long history and culture:
- Only a year after America was discovered (1493), “Octoich” was printed in Cetinje, the first book ever printed on the Balkans.
- The cathedral of St Triphun in Kotor, built-in 1166 is one of the oldest churches in Europe. It is 69 years older than Notre Dame Cathedral.
- One of the first acknowledged nautical schools in the world, was opened in Perast by Marko Martinovic, a famous sailor from Boka Bay.
- Ivo Vizin, a navy captain from Prcanj, is the first man from the south Slavic countries who sailed around the world between 1852 and 1859.
Tourism
Montenegro offers a diversified lifestyle: in one day, the curious traveller can have a coffee on one of the numerous beaches of the Budva Riviera, eat lunch with the sound of birdsong on Lake Skadar and dine next to a fireplace on the slopes of Mt. Durmitor.
Below are given 5 reasons why you should spend your holidays in Montenegro:
- Montenegro is a great place with its beautiful nature, good restaurants and beaches along the Adriatic Sea, the mixture of different cultures, religions and nationalities which continues to live with its magnificent nature. The landscape in Montenegro is breathtaking: The Bay of Kotor which is an endless landscape beauty, old towns still keeping their fascinating history, mystical islands, a mountain-edged coastline, Tara Canyon. Montenegro has a lot to offer.
- Everything is fresh and healthy – despite being such a small country, Montenegro’s traditional cuisine contains many tastes. It ranges from seafood to fresh and delicious mountain dishes. Each region has its own characteristics that appeal to the taste buds that must be tasted. In addition, the types of food and preparation offered at the restaurants differ from village foods.
- People are friendly – people in Montenegro are very kind and they are well known for their hospitality and warmth. If you ask someone for help on the street, they will stop whatever they’re doing and try their best to communicate with you. And perhaps it’s the harmony of traditional and modern cultures in the country which makes them so friendly.
- Has a perfect location and easy access to everywhere – Montenegro is a very easy country to travel. It is very accessible, 2 to 3 hours flight from most of the places in Europe and Russia. There are two main airports, Tivat and Podgorica, but travellers also use Dubrovnik airport in Croatia, which is just 14km from the Montenegro border.
- It is possible to make almost all outdoor sports – alongside the rivers, at the top mountains, near the lakes, camping is allowed almost anywhere in Montenegro. Montenegro has excellent hiking spots and many valleys and mountain peaks to climb.
Montenegro literally has it all, especially if you want your travel to be an outdoor adventure
Climate
The geographical location of Montenegro, along with a diversity of natural wealth on a relatively small surface area, has given Montenegro various kinds of different climates with noticeable differences. Consequently, we have to distinguish the coast, the central plain and the mountainous area with respect to their climate characteristics.
The coast enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with long dry summers and short mild winters. The average July maximum temperatures are around 28°C with a high approaching 35ºC; average annual sunshine is over 2,500 hours with a summer average of 10 hours a day. Winter averages are 5.5°C to 12.5°C. November is generally the wettest month. The seawater of Montenegro has temperatures between 14ºC to 15ºC in winter and 24ºC to 25ºC in summer.
The central plain is colder in the winter and warmer in the summer compared to the coast. Podgorica has hot summers with the temperatures routinely above 32.2°C.
The mountain climate is sub-alpine with cold snowy winters, and moderate summers averaging 270 hours of sunshine per month. Maximum winter temperatures are around 5°C and minimums around -6°C. In the summer months, it goes from 9°C (min) to 27°C (max).
Travel information about Montenegro
There are two international airports in Montenegro – Podgorica and Tivat, which makes us connected with the biggest European cities: Frankfurt, London, Rome, Zurich, Paris, Moscow, and Istanbul, as well as with Vienna, Brussels, Munich, Berlin, Stuttgart, Budapest, Ljubljana, Belgrade, Milano, Bologna, Barcelona, Athens, Stockholm, Oslo, Dublin, St. Petersburg, Copenhagen.
Currently the best regional airport for accessing Montenegro is Dubrovnik airport Cilipi (14 km from the border) which has the most frequent connections to Western Europe and onwards.
Montenegro also has good connections towards Europe through the airport in Tirana (Albania), which is located about 2 to 3 hours drive from the Montenegrin border.
We suggest you to visit Montenegro and fall in love with this little country and its culture and history that make it a charming pearl by the Adriatic Sea.
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