I visited Montenegro as part of my trip to Dubrovnik, in Croatia.
Dubrovnik is the ideal base for a variety of day trips in the surrounding regions. Montenegro, in particular, is one of the favorite destinations for those who, after exploring the old town and the coast around Dubrovnik, want to go further and spend a day discovering this little-known jewel in the heart of the European continent.
Montenegro covers an area of nearly 14000 square kilometers and has just over 640000 inhabitants, but offers very impressive landscapes in which the mountains stand out against the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea.
One of the tours offered by practically all local tour operators is to visit the cities of Perast, Kotor and Budva.
Tip #1
Crossing the border between Croatia and Montenegro can take a long time, so be patient and do not be surprised if you have to wait at the border.
Tip #2
The time available for each city is not too much but is more than enough for a walk in the city centre and a refreshing drink.
Tip #3
One of the cons of this kind of tour is that you will spend a lot of time on the bus, but there are few alternatives if you want to visit this part of Montenegro in one day.
Perast
Perast is a tiny old town on the Bay of Kotor.
Its main attraction is the small artificial island known as Our Lady of the Rocks, which can be reached by boat in about ten minutes. The island is quite compact and has a chapel, a museum and a gift shop.
You have to pay to enter the chapel, but at the time of my visit the ticket price was one Euro.
Kotor
Kotor is larger than Perast, is protected by a system of city walls dating back to the Venetian era and houses 17 churches, 15 Catholic and two Orthodox. One of the two Orthodox churches, Saint Luka’s Church, is famous for having survived numerous earthquakes and wars that occurred over the years. The structure dates back as far as 1195 and is one of the few buildings to have survived for so long. There are rumours among locals that this is a miraculous place, so run there if you notice an earthquake shake. Of the 17 churches, the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon is one of the most beautiful to visit. If you feel more adventurous, you can follow the city walls and climb to a church, but be aware that the entrance is fee-based (and not so cheap after all) and the climb rather steep and with very bad steps.
Budva
Budva, the last city of this itinerary, is a town of 16000 inhabitants famous for tourism and nightlife. The city has received a considerable amount of investments in recent years and has become a purely tourist destination that welcomes millionaires from around the world in its casinos and nightclubs. The project of Porto Montenegro, which consists of a super yacht marina and luxury residences in the Adriatic Sea, is an example of the international interest toward this destination.
What can you do in Budva? In addition to strolling along the promenade, you can go into the narrow streets of the old town and visit the library and the adjoining terrace, from which you can enjoy a great view of the bay.
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Published by Federica on 10 August 2018
Category: Travels
Tags: Europe, Montenegro, Cities, Beaches, Summer