Montenegro

Quick Facts

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Local name

Црна Гора (Crna Gora)

Capital

Podgorica

Government

Republic

Nationality

Montenegrin

Population

631,000

Religions

Christianity (Orthodox, Catholic), Islam

Languages

Serbian

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Calling Code

+382

Time Zone

UTC+1

Daylight Saving

UTC+2

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Introduction

Church over looking Kotor

© All Rights Reserved djrkidd

When Montenegro declared its independence from Serbia, it took with it all of the confederation’s coastline. Set along the Adriatic Sea, the beaches are a main attraction, but southern Europe's only fjord is perhaps more iconic of Montenegrin tourism. Located near the town of Kotor, which is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the fjord awards spectacular views. Kotor's Venetian influence, manifested in architectural styles dating back to the 15th century, gives the town an antique charm. Tourists are understandably becoming more numerous.

Head inland and you will discover that the Montenegrin landscape is anything but dull. The rugged Balkan mountains peak in Durmitor National Park, another World Heritage Site. Here one can stand in awe at the sight of Tara Canyon. Eighty kilometres long and 1300 metres deep, it is the second largest canyon in the world.

Montenegro shares international borders with Albania, Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Brief History

Geography

Regions

Montenegro can be divided into 3 main geographical regions.

• The coastal region is the main tourist drawcard, stretching some 300 kms along the Montenegrin coast. It is dotted with picturesque old towns and beautiful beaches.
• The central region is where the capital Podgorica is located.
• The northern region is characterised by tall moutains, beautiful lakes, rivers and ski resorts.

Cities

• Podgorica - The nation's capital.
• Budva - Nice resort with maybe too many holidaymakers in July/August. Great beaches.
• Bar
• Kotor - Beautiful walled city on the fjord
• Niksic

Sights and Activities

Kotor

The Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor are on the Unesco World Heritage List. The natural harbour on the Adriatic coast in Montenegro was an important artistic and commercial centre in the Middle Ages and had its own famous schools of iconography. Many of the monuments like four Romanesque churches and the town walls were damaged by the 1979 earthquake. Since then, the town has been restored greatly and has been seeing more and more travellers during recent years.

Sea and fun

Although Montenegro is a small country, with most people living in the capital Podgorica, there is a surprisingly well organised beachlife scenery in the country with the bays of Kotor and Budva being the main attractions. Both have good infrastructures and new places are being built as Montenegro is opening up to international tourists as well. The beaches and rocky sheltered bays are great for swimming and relaxing.

Durmitor National Park

green pyramid skadar lake

© All Rights Reserved paula g

Durmitor National Park is also on the Unesco list and is a fantastic national park formed by glaciers. It is traversed by rivers and underground streams and next to the Tara river canyon, which has the deepest gorges in Europe, there are dense pine forests and crystal clear lakes which together are the habitat of a wide range of endemic flora. Naturally, the area is great for hiking and is just a short trip from the capital or the coastal areas.

Other sights and activities

• Biogradska gora - forest area
• Ostrog Monastery
• Skadar Lake

Events and Festivals

Weather

Getting There

By Plane

Podgorica Airport (TGD), located at 11 km south of the capital, receives international flights, among which are those with the national airline Montenegro Airlines. Destinations include Bari, Belgrade, Frankfurt, Ljubljana, Paris, Rome, Skopje, Vienna and Zurich. A few other airlines provide direct flights as well to other cities like Budapest and Moscow.

The cheapest (and most convenient if you live in the UK but outside the southeast) approach is to fly to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and get a taxi, bus or, preferably, a hire car and drive into Montenegro. It is only 50 miles to Kotor.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Train

Railways of Montenegro operates a number of train services and the main line runs into Serbia. Cities and towns with a railway station include Bar, Podgorica, Kolasin, Mojkovac and Bijelo. Especially the route into Bar is very scenic. Trains are cheap, infrequent, slow but comfortable.

By Car

Roads in Montenegro are generally in a good condition, especially the two toll freeways, and many roads have been improved during the last decade or so. Still, a few roads are in a bad condition and might be upgraded as we speak. Cars can be hired from international and local agencies at the airport or major towns. Traffic drives on the right and you need an international driving permit.

By Bus

Travelling by bus is both economical and relatively fast and efficient. There are many coach lines, which can be found at the Montenegro Tourist Directory website.

By Boat

Although there is no significant and useful passenger service, renting a boat to go out on the Adriatic Sea is a great trip when staying in, for example, Bar.

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