I am off to Montenegro. Originally the plan was to stay in Montenegro for approx. 4 days, drive through the country and hike the beautiful mountains. However the weather had a different idea so I had 24 hours in Montenegro only. However, Kotor and Stari Bar Grad were both amazing. So I would highly recommend a stop in Montenegro.
For me, this was just before heading further south towards Greece (via Albania), escaping the rain.
Kotor, Montenegro
Kotor sits on the most southern fjord in Europe (Yes, fjords). It is beautiful.
Driving into Montenegro was easy, although the border controls are getting more serious and take longer. Especially in the non EU countries. Luckily I have a German passport.
Montenegro gives straight away the impression of a very simple country and a simple way of life. However it still has an overall nice and safe feel, so I was happy to spend 24 hours in Montenegro. The drive to Kotor was beautiful and mainly around the fjords. Stunning views.
Once in Kotor (read more here) it was a bit more hectic but I managed to find a park to go for a walk into the city centre. The old town was once again full of narrow streets, old buildings and lots of tourist shops. I liked it!
It wouldn’t be a proper town in Eastern Europe without a fort or a castle. And in Kotor it is the Fortress of St. Ivan (see below). So there was my walk up the hill for the day. However, the afternoon turned rainy and stormy so I relaxed in my apartment in Ljuta, a beautiful spot right at the water. I also treated myself for a nice dinner out at the nearby restaurant. The location was amazing and I enjoyed the view while drinking local red wine and eating local fish. Delicious!
Hiking path for the Kotor fortress of St. Ivan
The next morning the weather still looked a bit weary but not rainy, so I decided to do the walk up the fortress of St. Ivan. I did some research beforehand and found a back way, that didn’t include stairs or the entry fee of 8 Euro that they were trying to charge in the old town. So up I went. The path was a big zig zag and quite manageable to hike. I reached the top in 30min. It was an amazing from the Fortress. But why not go further? So up I went.. I had time!
You could see this was an important road at some point in the past and that a lot of human effort had gone into making it and protecting it. In the end I almost reached the top (900m) before the thunder persuaded me to turn around. I found out later that the path is called the ladder of Kotor and is a medieval trade route. It certainly makes for a fascinating walk with a spectacular view. Definitely recommended!
The goats
I was more than half way down when it started raining. It had a rain jacket but it didn’t take long to be totally drained. Once I was wet, there was no hurry. I wasn’t the only one not liking the rain however, I suddenly saw a few goats making their way along the path to hide under a rock. How cute I thought! But then came lots and lots of goats and there wasn’t enough room for all of us on the path! So I waited until they all passed safely before I continued on. I had to laugh.. !
Once back in the car I changed into some dry clothing, I left Kotor and continued my journey to the next country, with a quick surprise stop at Stari Bar Grad… (see below the photos).
I did consider stopping in Podgorica during my 24 hours in Montenegro, but I really wanted to get away from the rain. So I went south, towards the next overnight stop in Shkoder, at the Lake Skadar that is half in Montenegro, half in Albania.
Stari Grad Bar, Montenegro
Halfway through the drive I needed a break so I stopped at the city Bar after seeing a tourist sign saying ‚Stari Bar Grad (Stari Grad Bar)“ I decided to make a quick detour to Stari Bar. For a change the old city was up the hill and very beautiful. The city’s settlement goes back all the way to 6th-7th century BC and has survived lots and lots of history but, surprisingly and sadly, the most damage happened in the 1979 earthquake that destroyed most of the town and walls. Check out the photo below where a whole section of wall has just separated and moved!
I am glad I stopped there and would put it on the MUST SEE list in Montenegro. I also bought some Olive Oil from a local guy. (I love supporting the locals). The Olive Oil in Montenegro tasted delicious. Next one will be in Greece! Can’t wait!
