Montenegro

Gorgeous, breathtaking, majestic, divine; however hefty your thesaurus, the brain-blowing beauty of the Bay of Kotor will leave you struggling for superlatives. Hemmed in by commanding cliffs and shape-shifting between rippling gulfs and sparkling straits, the cobalt cove even manages to defy geographic description: is it a fjord? A submerged canyon? It seems there’s only one way to define Boka Kotorska : unmissable. Scattered with photogenic medieval towns admiring their reflections in peacock-blue inlets, the compact bay – or simply the ‘Boka’, as it’s known in local parlance – is stitched together by a series of scenic, serpentine roads, making it easy to explore. As if determined to prove the ‘good things come in small packages’ adage, the region crams in everything from island monasteries and show-stopping citadels to adventure sports and extraordinary eateries, where waterfront views induce as much drooling as the fresh seafood. Whatever your bliss, you’ll find it in the Boka.

Bay of Kotor

Beautiful places often get slugged with the tedious tagline, ‘The pearl of…’, and the southern coastline of Montenegro is no exception: in this case, it’s ‘…the Adriatic’. But this 80km stretch is less milky dewdrop than eye-popping opal; the malachite greens of the looming mountains and the intense blues of the reflecting waters are dazzling enough to cause hallucinations. Budva – the so-called ‘Montenegrin Miami’ – is the country’s most visited destination, thanks to its alluring Old Town, buzzy bars and a bevy of Blue Flag beaches. Nearby, elegant Sveti Stefan offers million-dollar ogling, while Bečići, Pržno and Petrovac burst at the seams with sun-seeking families come summertime. Further south, the evocative cliffside ruins of Stari Bar provide a peep into the past, while eastern-flavoured Ulcinj is the gateway to a 12km succession of sandy beaches running to the Albanian border; perhaps surprisingly, you’ll find Montenegro’s best nudist beach here.

Adriatic Coast

Ogle the splendid cap of northern mountains and impeccable drape of glittering coastline by all means, but to truly get to know Montenegro, a visit to the country’s core is a must.

Its beating heart is Mt Lovćen, a 1749m-high symbol of national identity and the very black mountain that gives Crna Gora its name. To the south, Lake Skadar is the country’s lungs, a clean, green oasis of lily-strewn waterways and rare bird havens. Swoop north to Ostrog to discover the very soul of the nation in a gravity-defying cliff-face monastery that literally brings pilgrims to their knees. And you’ll find character galore in Montenegro’s two capitals; the modern-day seat of Podgorica is home to hip bars and a happening arts scene, while the royal city of Cetinje proudly preserves its gallant past in a collection of richly endowed museums and galleries.

Central Montenegro

The mountainous north is the beefy brawn to the coast’s polished pulchritude. Peaking at 2534m, this is the roof of Montenegro, where profound massifs, otherworldly vistas and a picturesque smattering of old-school villages offer a literal and metaphorical breath of fresh air. The region’s main drawcards are its three national parks. Durmitor is a dizzying combination of soaring peaks and the plunging depths of the Tara River Canyon, making for spectacular skiing in winter and rip-roaring rafting in summer. The remote treks and trails of Prokletije’s Accursed Mountains are more heaven than hell for serious alpinists, while the less hardcore can catch their breath in Biogradska Gora’s gentle lakes and timeless forests. There’s not much in the way of infrastructure outside of Kolašin and Žabljak, but don’t let that stop you. Hire a car, steady your nerves, and let the twisty, turny, white-knuckle roads take you where they will.

Northern Montenegro

Dolphin-shaped Lake Skadar (Скадарско Језеро), the Balkans’ largest, has its tail and two-thirds of its body in Montenegro and its nose in Albania. On the Montenegrin side, an area of 400 sq km has been protected by a national park since 1983; today, Skadar is renowned as one of Europe’s top bird habitats. It’s a blissfully pretty area encompassing steep mountains, island monasteries, clear waters, and floating meadows of water lilies. The main – albeit tiny – towns here are Virpazar and Vranjina, though if you’ve got wheels, you can easily explore the timeless villages sprinkled along the shore. Lake Skadar is a popular escape for nature lovers, outdoor-activity aficionados and locals fleeing the heat of Podgorica. Legend has it that the lake was created by the tears of a pixie; that may be fanciful, but after one look at magical Skadar, you may find yourself believing in fairy tales, too.

Lake Skadar National Park

Given it’s undergone five name changes, passed through the hands of everyone from the Romans to the Turks to the Austro-Hungarians, and twice been wiped off the map entirely, it’s little wonder that Podgorica (Подгорица) seems permanently gripped by an identity crisis. Its streets are a hotchpotch of Ottoman oddments, Austrian shopfronts, brutalist blocks and shiny new malls, and it has a fraction of the big-smoke buzz other European capitals can claim. But with some excellent galleries, plenty of parks and a vibrant cafe culture, pint-sized Podgorica is worth a look. The city sits at the confluence of two rivers. West of the Morača is the business district, while the Ribnica divides the eastern side in two. The south side is Stara Varoš, the old Ottoman town, while north is Nova Varoš, home to a lively mixture of shops and bars.

Podgorica

Budva (Будва) is the poster child of Montenegrin tourism. Easily the country’s most-visited destination, it attracts hordes of holidaymakers intent on exploring its atmospheric Stari Grad (Old Town), sunning themselves on the bonny beaches of the Budva Riviera and partying until dawn; with scores of buzzy bars and clanging clubs, it’s not nicknamed ‘the Montenegrin Miami’ for nothing. Though Budva has been settled since the 5th century BC, you’ll be hard-pressed finding much – outside of the Old Town – that isn’t shiny and relatively new. Development has run rampant here, and not all of it appears to be particularly well thought out. In the height of the season, Budva’s sands are blanketed with package holidaymakers from Russia and Ukraine, while the nouveau riche park their multimillion-dollar yachts in the town’s guarded marina. That said, Budva has a hectic charm all of its own.

Budva

Wedged between brooding mountains and a moody corner of the bay, achingly atmospheric Kotor (Котор) is perfectly at one with its setting. Hemmed in by staunch walls snaking improbably up the surrounding slopes, the town is a medieval maze of museums, churches, cafe-strewn squares, and Venetian palaces and pillories. It’s a dramatic and delightful place where the past coexists with the present; its cobblestones ring with the sound of children racing to school in centuries-old buildings, lines of laundry flutter from wrought-iron balconies, and hundreds of cats – the descendants of seafaring felines – loll in marble laneways. Come nightfall, Kotor’s spectacularly lit-up walls glow as serenely as a halo. Behind the bulwarks, the streets buzz with bars, live music – from soul to serenades – and castle-top clubbing. Budva’s got the beaches, and nearby Dubrovnik’s got the bling, but for romance, ambience and living history, this Old Town outflanks them all.

Kotor

For a taste of Albania without actually crossing the border, head down to buzzy, beautiful Ulcinj (Улцињ). The population is 61% Albanian (68% Muslim), and in summertime it swells with Kosovar holidaymakers for the simple reason that it’s a lot nicer than the Albanian seaside towns. The elegant minarets of numerous mosques give Ulcinj (Ulqin in Albanian) a distinctly Eastern feel, as does the lively music echoing out of the kebab stands around Mala Plaža (Small Beach). Ulcinj’s ramshackle Old Town looms above the heaving beach and is a fantastic spot for people-watching without being surrounded by people.

Ulcinj

The impossibly rugged and dramatic Durmitor (Дурмитор) is one of Montenegro’s – and Mother Nature’s – showpieces. Carved out by glaciers and underground streams, Durmitor stuns with dizzying canyons, glittering glacial lakes and nearly 50 limestone peaks soaring to over 2000m; the highest, Bobotov Kuk, hits 2523m. From December to March, Durmitor is a major ski resort, while in summer it’s popular for hiking, rafting and other active pursuits. The national park covers the Durmitor mountain range and a narrow branch heading east along the Tara River towards Mojkovac. West of the park, the mighty Tara marks the border with Bosnia and joins the Piva River near Šćepan Polje. Durmitor is home to 163 bird species, about 50 types of mammals and purportedly the greatest variety of butterflies in Europe. It’s very unlikely you’ll spot bears and wolves, which is either a good or bad thing depending on your perspective.

Durmitor National Park

Standing at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor like an eager host, Herceg Novi (Херцег Нови) welcomes visitors with bright bouquets, sparkling seas and almost-constant sunshine. Can’t find the party? Look down; it’s all happening a few dozen wonky steps below the main highway. The Old Town's shiny squares, elegant churches and formidable fortresses echo with the clatter of cafes and bars. Further down, pebbly beaches and concrete terraces offer access to the bay’s best – and cleanest – swimming. Follow the pedestrian-only promenade and you’ll hit Igalo, famed for its therapeutic mud. ‘Novi’ means ‘new’, and while this is indeed one of the newer towns on the bay, it’s no spring chicken; it was founded in 1382 by Bosnia's King Tvrtko I. ‘Herceg’ refers to Herceg (Duke) Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, who fortified the town in the 15th century; the remaining fortifications are a little younger.

Herceg Novi

Bobbing super yachts, a posh promenade and rows of swanky apartment blocks: visitors to Tivat (Тиват) could be forgiven for wondering if they're in Monaco or Montenegro. The erstwhile-mediocre seaside town has undergone a major makeover – courtesy of the multimillion-dollar redevelopment of its old naval base into a first-class marina – and while it bears no resemblance to anywhere else in the country, Tivat is now attracting the uberwealthy (and less-loaded rubberneckers) in droves. The town has a reputation as being one of the sunniest spots in the Bay of Kotor. While Tivat will never rival Kotor for charm, it makes a pleasant stop on a trip around the bay, and is a useful base for exploring the Vrmac and Luštica Peninsulas.