'I dream of Montenegro in July with a home base in Budva and taking trips inland. Not just because of the most recent James Bond film, Casino Royale, but also because of Britain's other playboy, William Shakespeare, and his comedy Twelfth Night, which is often thought to take place along the coast of the Adriatic Sea that now spans Croatia, Montenegro and Albania.'
-- Julie Trewartha, Ottawa
The backstory
With Peter Munk investing heavily in the region with the intention of building a yachting port, and the Rolling Stones scheduled to perform an outdoor concert at the resort town of Budva on July 9, there is no doubt that little Montenegro, the world's newest country, is fast becoming an international hot spot.
Advancing Montenegro's standing among the jet set was its positioning in the latest James Bond film as a landscape as gorgeous as it is sexy. It didn't matter that the film was actually shot in Italy. Montenegro "the brand" was now a known entity.
How to do it
Montenegro Airlines ( ) connects the country with Paris, Rome, Frankfurt, Zurich, Budapest and Vienna. British Airways, SAS, JAT and Adria, the Slovenian national airline, also fly to Montenegro.
Montenegro has two airports to accommodate the international traveller - one in Podgorica, the capital, the other in Tivat, a coastal resort town and future home of Munk's Porto Adriatico tourism project.
The country now has a number of high-end hotels such as the Queen of Montenegro Hotel ( ) and Hotel Splendid ( ) in Budva. The cost is about the same as for a good hotel in Western Europe, about $275 a person per night. Less expensive rooms, in the range of $185, double, can be had at smaller hotels such as Hotel Blue Star ( ).
But a famous resort town such as Sveti Stefan (Saint Stephen), once a popular vacation spot for Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton when they were chums of then Yugoslav president Tito, is now under scaffolding as it undergoes a renovation. Prices for hotels there are expected to jump considerably, in some cases starting at $1,000 a night.
Wherever you stay, make sure to visit the hub of Montenegrin tourism, the town of Budva ( ). Stroll along palm-tree-lined Beeiaei Beach to see why it was voted the best beach in the Mediterranean at the Paris World Fair of 1936. Drop into one of the many open-air cafés and savour the seaside view and clean Mediterranean breeze over a cup of Turkish coffee or a Niksaeko Pivo (Montenegrin Pilsner beer).
Founded by Phoenicians, the Old Town (Stari Grad) of Budva is one of the oldest in Europe and consists of narrow streets with small squares bearing the architectural stamp of cultures that have come before.
Food in the region varies greatly, from venison and wild boar in the mountains to an assortment of fish and seafood dishes on the coast. Regional specialties include roasted lamb, roasted suckling pig, various kinds of cheese, zeljanica (herb pie), honey, mushrooms and corn bread. For five-star seafood restaurants you can do no better than Jadran (10 Slovenska obala St.; ) or Dona kod Nikole (at the city pier; ), both boasting waterfront views.
But Montenegro is mostly known for its nature. When the sun sets on the "Budva Riviera," Montenegrin nature once again takes pride of place. The name of the country comes from the Serbian Crna Gora, or "Black Mountain," and it is this that defines the region most. Historically, the central mountains were the only part of the Balkans never conquered by the Ottoman Empire. But the mountains have also become a prime destination for eco-tourists looking to enjoy one of the few remaining wilderness areas in Europe.
The first destination should be the town of Zabljak, nestled 1,450 metres above sea level, in the heart of the Durmitor National Park ( _eng.php). Durmitor has been on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage register since 1980. Its rivers, waterfalls, gorges, glacial lakes and pine forests provide a spectacular backdrop for skiing and snowboarding in the winter, and hiking, climbing, swimming, canoeing and kayaking in the summer.
One can easily drive there from the coast. Check out for a list of cars and rates. Parking can be a hassle along the coast in July and August.
Montenegro has much to offer in the way of cultural and historical significance. Once ruled by bishop-kings, Montenegro is full of Serbian Orthodox Christian churches and monasteries with distinctive architectural styles. There is, for example, the exquisite Moraea Monastery, built in 1252 and a fine example of medieval architecture. There is also the Monastery of Ostrog, built into the side of a rock cliff, the most visited religious site in Montenegro, where the body of 17th-century Saint Vasilije (Basil) is entombed.
When to go
Being a land hugged by some of the world's most beautiful coastline, summer is a wonderful time to travel. The high season is in July and August. If you like less action, fewer people and more quiet beauty, then I'd recommend May, June or the fall. It's still warm enough to lie on the beach and go swimming well into October. Winter is best experienced at mountain retreats such as Durmitor or the storybook mountain village of Kolasin in the Biogradska Gora National Park ( ).
Intelligence
The following websites are helpful: and _e.htm, as well as Montenegro: The Bradt Travel Guide by Annalisa Rellie.
You'll never forget
The gentle seascape and mountain panorama that surrounds the town of Budva, especially walking the ancient stone walkways of the Old Town. On a hot, sunny day, you might forget there's anywhere else on Earth.
Born in Podgorica, Victor Barac is a Toronto area cultural anthropologist whose book on anthropology in business will be published next year.