Montenegro Holiday
Montenegro has a tremendous amount to offer the visitor. Not least is a warm and friendly welcome from a people who are embracing the benefits tourism can bring while carefully preserving their ancient cultural heritage and their country's natural beauty. Its awesome landscapes and pretty walled towns are still relatively undiscovered but probably not for long!
The name Montenegro (Crna Gora in the local language) is Italian for 'Black Mountain', and there are several theories as to how the name came about, one of which is the mountains of the hinterland being covered in forests of black pine. Mountains account for much of Montenegro's territory and the main peaks such as Durmitor, Bjelasica and Komovi provide a unique holiday experience with hidden glacial lakes, numerous pastures, forests, pointed peaks, diverse flora and fauna, fast, crystal-clear mountain rivers and imposing canyons.
The country also has a 293 kilometre-long coastline with 117 unspoiled beaches and numerous scenic inlets, the largest of which is the stunning Bay of Kotor, a listed World Heritage site sometimes referred to as "the Mediterranean's only fjord". The official capital, and site of one of two international airports, is Podgorica which is located inland on the central plain, but the ancient mountain capital of Cetinje is still regarded as the heart of the country by many Montenegrins.
Montenegro Holiday - Beaches
If beaches are a key part of your holiday then Montenegro is definitely the place for you, with well over a hundred beaches to choose from - the longest of which is an amazing 13 kilometre. Some of the beaches are along the open coastline while others are in a myriad of bays and coves, many of which are enveloped by olive groves and sweet-smelling pine trees. With a bit of exploration you can have your own private beach to yourself or at just about every tourist destination join in the full variety of water sports on offer ranging from skiing and surfing to paragliding. Truly a beachlover's paradise!
Shopping
Handicrafts are readily available in shops and markets in most towns. Worth looking out for are handmade wooden artefacts and utensils, embroidery, lacework, leatherwork, Pec filigree work, metalwork, local musical instruments, copies of religious icons and prints, and original paintings and sculpture. For everyday needs there are supermarkets, department stores and boutiques in the major centres.
Nightlife
Entertainment in Montenegro is neither extensive nor sophisticated but there are bars, restaurants and nightclubs in the larger towns. These do open late, particularly in the main costal town of Budva where the doors stay open until the last visitor departs, often at 6 or 7 in the morning. The capital Podgorica has numerous wine bars and an upmarket jazz club featuring both local and international musicians. Several tourist hotels have discos and clubs. Many villages have summer festivals, which take place in open-air venues and feature singers and musicians.