Source: iStock - Ph: xbrchx
C’è un detto famosissimo che recita “Nella botte piccola c’è il vino buono”, e noi di fortourslovers possiamo affermare con certezza che sono parole che si adattano a pennello al Montenegro. Despite being one of the smallest countries on our continent, Montenegro is a treasure chest of treasures - natural and otherwise - exciting and of immense value. Let's discover them all together the reasons why the next destination to visit is Montenegro.
5 reasons to travel to Montenegro
Let's make a necessary premise: in reality 5 are very few, because there would be hundreds of reasons why we should all consider Montenegro as our next travel destination. However, we have decided to report the most important ones and which will most likely convince you to immediately organize an adventure to this European country.
The first region for which we recommend going to Montenegro is the incredible range of opportunities and activities it offers: there is an Adriatic that makes you daydream, mountains that seem to touch the sky with their peaks, hidden lakes that shine in the sunlight, deep canyons hidden by lush forests and lots of nature for trekking, diving, rafting, cycling, horse riding and even winter sports.
Source: iStock
È un Paese in cui la parola noia praticamente non esiste e dove il sole brilla molto più spesso che in altre località.
The second reason for taking a trip to these parts is linked precisely to yours sea. Caratterizzato da una costa frastagliata, offre spiagge con tutti servizi così come cale nascoste raggiungibili solo in barca. Ci sono di sabbia, perfette per le vacanze in famiglia, poi di sassi, ciottoli e scogli. Ma soprattutto c’è un arenile che vale davvero la pena visitare: la Spiaggia Becici, che è stata persino insignita della Palma d’Oro come spiaggia più bella del Mediterraneo. Poi ci sono isole, penisole, porti turistici e baie. In sostanza è una destinazione costiera ideale per tutti.
In Montenegro your taste buds will also be happy: this is the third reason why you need to organize a trip, its food and wine. Il cibo nei Balcani è ottimo e in questo Paese in particolare è possibile assaggiare gustosi piatti di carne e, soprattutto, pesce. Da queste parti, infatti, la tradizione della pesca è una pratica antica e molto diffusa.
The fourth reason is linked to the artistic-cultural heritage that can be discovered in its lively cities and ancient villages. The natural and historical-cultural region of Kotor, for example, has been a UNESCO heritage site since 1979. Herceg Novi (Castelnovo in Italian), is full of fortresses erected by various local rulers and embellished with exotic plants that were brought to these parts by sailors returning home. Podgorica, the precious capital, is a modern city built on the banks of six rivers, a condition that makes it a place with truly surprising profiles.
The last reason - but we remind you that there are many others - concerns theentertainment and hospitality. Montenegrins are people who love life, playing pranks and having fun. The days pass to the rhythm of positive energy and it is no coincidence that it is a country where the nightlife has nothing to envy of many other areas of the world.
Furthermore, numerous festivals, costume parties and events are organized throughout the year which celebrate cuisine, craftsmanship and numerous local traditions.
Source: iStock - Ph: Dmitriy Fesenko
The nature of Montenegro
Among the things that most make visitors fall in love with Montenegro is its own flamboyant and astonishing nature. Vi basti pensare che, nonostante la sua piccola estensione, qui ci sono ben quattro Parchi Nazionali. Tra le meraviglie da non perdere c’è sicuramente il Parco Nazionale di Durmitor che è conosciuto anche come la “regione dei piccoli laghi”: ci dimorano circa venti bacini d’acqua di origine glaciale.
It is a majestic mountain massif that is part of the Dinaric Alps and which has been included in the list of UNESCO world heritage sites since 1980. Particularly noteworthy is the extraordinary canyon carved by the Tara river, the deepest and largest in Europe.
Also wonderful are the Boka Kotorska Bay - or rather the gigantic bay of Kotor - which is also known as the "Bride of the Adriatic". Here many curious inlets come to life lapped by a sea so calm and clear that it mirrors the colors of the high and wild surrounding mountains.
You certainly cannot miss Lake Skadar, the largest in the Balkans and a true masterpiece of nature. With a variable surface depending on the season, it offers a very rich flora and fauna, ideal for lovers of green tourism and birdwatching.
What makes everything even more special are the different islands that populate it. The most famous is Beska where an ancient and beautiful monastery stands.
Source: iStock - Ph:Toma Paunovic
Le spiagge da non perdere
Oltre alla Spiaggia Becici che vi abbiamo già citato, il Montenegro offre tanti altri angoli paradisiaci. Una di queste è la Trsteno beach, a strip of gravel and sand over 200 meters long which, due to its beauty, seems to have been stolen from the Caribbean.
Molto suggestiva è anche la Sveti Nikola beach which stands on a picturesque islet that stands out in front of the port of Budva. With tropical colors, it is affectionately nicknamed "Hawaii Beach" and surrounded by some treasures, such as the church of San Nicola.
Then again Przno beach che prende vita nell’omonimo villaggio. Lunga approssimativamente 100 metri, è bagnata da un mare calmo e limpido che invita sempre a fare un bagno.
Golden sand and a glittering sea characterize the Spiaggia Rafailovichi che è persino circondata da una vegetazione rigogliosa. Meno frequentata rispetto a tanti altri lidi, è l’ideale per chi desidera rilassarsi e godersi il sole.
Finally – but there are still many dream beaches –milocer, also called “King's Beach”. Reserved for guests of the hotel present there, it has the shape of a crescent and is made up of gravel and pink sand, overlooked by exceptional vegetation.
Source: iStock
Luoghi unici nel loro genere
Cities full of wonders, flamboyant nature and beaches that seem straight out of a postcard, but the truth is that that's not all: Montenegro hides so many places that are truly one of a kind.
One of these is the “church island” of Gosp od Škrpjel where, according to legend, in 1452 two brothers found an effigy of the Madonna. Precisely for this reason, even today, it is possible to observe around the rock of the discovery a series of stones which were useful for creating this artificial island on which stands a beautiful Marian sanctuary: the Church of the Madonna dello Scalpello.
Then again the stećci which, in addition to being a UNESCO heritage site since 2016, are part of a transnational site that includes 28 locations located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and central and southern Croatia. They are truly ancient cemeteries – between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries AD. – arranged in rows and with tombstones – called stećci – carved in limestone and with a vast range of decorative motifs and inscriptions.
The Biogradska Gora National Park is also truly exceptional and unique, where sparkling lakes lie, impetuous streams flow, and where one of the few primeval forests left in Europe survives. It is therefore one of the last three virgin forests that still adorn our continent and which, unlike the others, offers the greatest diversity in terms of flora and fauna.
It is also truly enchanting Monastero di Ostrog che è stato costruito nella parete di una ripida altura rocciosa. Immerso nella natura più selvaggia, è meta di pellegrinaggio religioso ormai da secoli.
Source: iStock - Ph: vpopovic
It is also nice and worth visiting Perast che, pur essendo un minuto villaggio, vanta diversi primati: è il più antico insediamento abitativo della regione in cui sorge, è la località col maggior numero di ore di luce del Paese, e persino una delle più belle testimonianze di architettura barocca di tutto l’Adriatico.
Also unmissable is Sveti Stefan which is now one of the best-known symbols of Montenegro. It is a lovely village that stands on a fortified island and boasts an exceptional golden sandy beach. A truly special place connected to the mainland by an isthmus.
The big news this year
In questo bellissimo Paese è stata appena inaugurata la prima cabinovia mare-montagna dell’Adriatico. It is an exciting 3,9 kilometer route that directly connects the Bay of Kotor al parco naturalistico del Monte Lovćen, at 1.348 meters above sea level.
A realizzare l’opera è stata l’azienda altoatesina Leitner ed è uno dei pochissimi collegamenti di questo tipo in Europa. Tale spettacolare percorso, da effettuare in circa 11 minuti, parte dalla località di Dub, all’interno del comune costiero di Kotor e arriva a Kuk sul Monte Lovćen.
With a difference in altitude between the departure and arrival stations of 1.316 metres, it has a capacity of 1.200 passengers per hour and is made up of 48 cabins that can carry a maximum of ten people each.
Thanks to this incredible achievement - in addition to significantly reducing the travel time from one area to another - there is a greater protection of the fragile environment in cui sorge perché diminuisce sensibilmente l’uso della vecchia e tortuosa strada di Njeguš: comporterà una riduzione dell’inquinamento dovuta alla minore quantità di gas nocivi emessi dalle auto e dagli autobus.
In short, Montenegro is a truly surprising country and a must-visit.
Source: LEITNER
