Today Montenegro is one of the most common tourist destinations among European countries. The natural luxury of this delightful country, a comfortable climate, many values of history and architecture and low prices attract more and more tourists to the country of black mountains and white beaches.
Montenegro is famous for its natural treasures, among which are the Shass and Skadar lakes of stunning azure-bluish color, a national park inside which is located the famous Black Lake and the colorful canyons of the Tara and Morach rivers, the Bay of Kotor.
Any corner of Montenegro is interesting in its own way, and all exotic places cannot be described, so this amazing country should definitely be visited. The country (Black Mountain) most likely acquired its name thanks to impassable black forests; in the Middle Ages they covered Mount Lovcen and other alpine heights of ancient Montenegro.
Tourist country
Montenegro today is a very popular tourist destination in Eastern Europe. Mountain landscapes, the purest Adriatic Sea, optimal temperature - this is why holidays here are so popular. Even when it is cloudy in most resorts, in Montenegro the weather always pleases the vacationer with its mild Mediterranean climate. In summer, the air warms up to +40 ° C, and the water temperature on the coast of Montenegro reaches +25 ° C. What else do you need for a great time? Meanwhile, winter in the mountains is snowy and moderately cold, which favors the development of ski tourism.
The number of those who want to spend their holidays in Montenegro, to rest or improve their health is constantly growing, many people from all over Europe even dream of buying real estate here - after all, under wonderful natural conditions, housing prices are lower than in most other countries.
Geographical location
Montenegro is located in southern Europe, on the southwestern side of the Balkans. Its southern border passes with Albania, in the west - with Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the north side its neighbor is Serbia and Croatia. The area of Montenegro is conditionally divided into three regions: mountains in the north-eastern part of the country, the Adriatic coast, as well as the plain basin of Lake Skadar and the valley landscape near it. In length, the coast reaches 293.5 km. The state owns 14 sea islands.
In the northwest there is a large inflow - Boka Kotorska. The main beaches are on the Budva Riviera. Montenegro is a colorful country that bathes in the waters of the Adriatic. The coastal line occupies about a third of the state’s border. Rocky mountains, colorful architecture and generous nature - this is what Montenegro is famous for today. Mountain tourism carries no less than a vacation on the sea coasts. Durmitor National Park reveals the delightful colors of the Black Mountains. The path to them is more convenient and interesting to lead through the town of Pluzine. On the way, you can see the Piva artificial reservoir, with a natural emerald hue. You can go through the tunnels carved into the rocks, they have developed roads in the form of a serpentine. Stunning views of Black Lake, the canyon of the Tara River, Dzhurzhevich’s bridge between two mountain shores are found here.
The country is characterized by cozy towns with small houses and huge natural expanses. The most famous cities among travelers are Podgorica, Kotor, Budva, Perast, Petrovets, Cetinje.
Capital
The city of Podgorica is the largest settlement in Montenegro, which is the center of the economy and industry of the state. Tourists in the city are attracted by the narrow streets and unique ancient buildings of the ancient districts of Stara Varos and Drach. The most fascinating places to visit are the Church of St. George, the Cathedral of Christ Sunday, the Museum of Natural History, the National Theater, the Negush Palace and the Art Gallery. Of the modern structures - the Millennium Bridge (Millennium), which stretches across the river Moroch. Not far from Podgorica, you can see the ruins of the ancient fortress Medun, which existed in the 3rd century BC. e.
Population
The population of Montenegro has about 627,000 inhabitants. A population type is distributed according to ethnic composition as follows:
- Montenegrins - 43%;
- Serbs - 32%;
- Bosnians - 8%;
- Albanians - 5%;
- Other nationalities: Croats, Russians, Gypsies.
The official language in the country is Montenegrin, which refers to Slavic, and therefore is very close to Russian and Ukrainian. Of the foreign languages, the most popular are German and English.
The historical and cultural capital is considered to be the city of Tsetne, located in a colorful valley at the foot of the Lovcen mountain. A complex of historical, cultural and architectural attractions create a true open-air museum. Of the most visited places by tourists: Bilard Palace, the Royal Palace of St. Nicholas I, the Church of Vlashka, art, ethnographic and many different museums. Be sure to get into the National Park, see the royal family estate of Petrovich in the picturesque village of Negushi on top of Lovcen Mountain. Here to visit the Mausoleum of Peter II Negosh.
The total area of Montenegro is 13,812 km².
The largest resorts: Budva, Becici, Herceg, Petrovac, Novi, Bar. Airports: Podgorica and Tivat. The highest place in Montenegro: Bobotov Kuk peak in the Durmitor massif - 2522 m. Here is Skadar Lake - the deepest on the Balkan Peninsula, its depths reach up to 530 km. Here is the deepest European canyon along the Tara River, with a depth of up to 1300 m. The climate thanks to the good geography of Montenegro on the coast is subtropical: the summer is long, hot and dry, the air warms up to + 28-32 ˚, the water in the sea - up to + 22-26 ˚, and short mild winters with temperatures up to +8 +10 ˚. The beach season lasts six months a year, because Montenegro, according to the number of sunny days per year, goes only to Cyprus. In the mountainous regions, the climate is temperate continental, the winters are snowy and long, which favors the development of ski holidays.
Kitchen
A feature of all Montenegrin cuisine is the high ecological purity of the products used. The land in Montenegro is so fertile that additional artificial fertilizers are not used at all, and the local population has not even heard about GMOs. Natural food products, clean ecology, mountain air and sea water all contribute to strengthening the health of the local population, it is not without reason that there is a high life expectancy. Typical Slavic cuisine with Mediterranean elements - a variety of meat dishes, seafood, fruits, vegetables. Do not forget to try the local wines “Vranats” and “Krstach”, as well as grape vodka - vines. Another distinctive feature of Montenegrin cuisine is the large portions both in bars and in restaurants, which cannot but please foreign visitors to the country.
First of all, in Montenegro, tourists buy local crafts: jewelry, haberdashery, honey, olive oil, wine. Shops are open daily from morning until late evening. Both supermarkets and small shops are open every day from 6:00 to 20:00, and in tourist centers - until 23:00. Shops that operate around the clock can also be found everywhere. In local markets, purchases can be made in the morning.
Holidays and relaxation
Montenegro has a lot of public holidays, both state and religious: on January 1 and 2, the population of Montenegro celebrates New Year, on January 6 and 7 - Christmas, on April 27 - State Day in Montenegro, people also celebrate Easter in spring with everything the Orthodox world, May 1 and 2 - Day of Spring and Labor, May 9 - Victory Day, June 4 - Partisan Day, June 13 - Day of the uprising, November 29 and 30 - days of the republic. If the celebration falls on the weekend, then the weekdays that follow them are also considered weekends.
The political system of the country
According to the Constitution of the country, adopted in 2007, Montenegro is a free democratic state. The President of Montenegro is elected for five years as a result of a general secret ballot. Since 2003, the state has been led by Filip Vuyanovich. During the reign of the current president in May 2006, independence of Montenegro was proclaimed. The residence of the President of Montenegro is located in Cetinj.
Currency regulation
What is the currency in Montenegro? The currency in Montenegro is the euro. There are no special restrictions on import and export. Tourists are allowed to import and export any amount of foreign currency that was declared upon entry into the country, without declaration, the export of cash currency from the country is allowed no more than 500 euros. When exporting large amounts, they must be declared. In this case, it is necessary to present a declaration that the amount of currency indicated was earlier imported to the Montenegro square. The National Bank of the state operates only on weekdays. Commercial banks accept customers on Thursdays and Fridays. On weekends, there are only currency exchange points. It is better to use plastic cards, then the question is, what currency in Montenegro is better to pay and where to change it, will not stand.
Hotels
Over the past decades, a huge current has flowed into the economy of Montenegro - tourism, which brings significant profit to the state. The excellent ecological situation and convenient location attracts more and more prosperous Europeans here. Recently, many comfortable hotels, hotels, private villas and mini-hotels have been built in Montenegro, money has been invested in the development of resort infrastructure. Many hotels underwent renovations. Private villas are very common. Usually, this is a 3-5-story building with standard rooms and apartments, equipped with everything necessary for a comfortable stay. Almost all of them provide tourists with breakfast. All private villas are located at a distance of 900 to 200 m from the seashore. Check-out time in hotels in private villas: check-in to rooms after 12:00, check-out until 11:00. The ethnic composition of the population: Montenegrins (43%) and Serbs (32%), other nationalities - Bosnians, Albanians, Croats, Russians, Gypsies. The official language in the country is Montenegrin.
Religion in Montenegro
The Montenegrin population mostly professes the Orthodox Christian faith (74%), in the minority - Islam (18%) and Catholicism (4%). The most popular attraction of the state is the Ostrog monastery. It is located 15 km from Danilovgrad in a wonderful natural place. This monastery is a famous Orthodox shrine in the world, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims of various faiths come to it every year to touch the miraculous power of the relics of St. Basil of Ostrog. The top of the monastery is carved into a rock at an altitude of 900 m and looks amazing.
The Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Montenegro is one of the most stunning Orthodox churches in the world. Religion in Montenegro is particularly relevant. In the nineties of the XX century, the construction of the cathedral began in Podgorica. It was a grandiose project in its scale and beauty of the most magnificent Orthodox church in the Balkans. The construction of the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ began in 1993, the Metropolitan of Montenegro and Primorsky Amphilochius. Five thousand parishioners can visit the cathedral at the same time. The largest bell is made in Voronezh at the Anisimov plant and has a weight of 10 tons. Together, all 14 bells of the temple weigh about 20 tons. The temple is painted and completed today.
Nature
The cleanest Adriatic Sea, captivating mountains, the coast with many tributaries, sheltered from strong winds and storms, excellent beaches, the sun, magnificent nature - this is all Montenegro. Its description can be continued indefinitely, but it is better to see everything with your own eyes.
In the early 90s, Montenegro was called a country of pure, unspoiled and protected nature. This is a land of sharp contrasts, located on a small square, Montenegro has a sea with excellent beaches and mountains covered with snow all year round, creating conditions for skiing. The beaches of Montenegro stretch along the Adriatic coast. 173 beaches with a total length of 73 km occupy a quarter of the entire coast with a length of 293 km. Tourists can visit the beach with different preferences - with fine or coarse sand, pebble or rocky, in calm streams or on promontories protruding into the sea, there are modernly equipped or wild beaches with unspoiled nature. Water in the sea is dark blue, its transparency is amazing - 40-55 meters, salinity ranges from 28% in the inflow of Boka Kotorska, and up to 38% in the south near Ulcinj. There are nudist beaches, there is even a nudist village. At the level of mountain cliffs, the climate is typical subalpine - with cold snowy winters and moderate in summers. In the northern mountains of Montenegro, snow usually lies for many months, and sometimes even throughout the year.
Transport and communication
What kind of transport is developed in the country? Air transport. Montenegro has two airports of international importance - in the cities of Tivat and Podgorica. The national airline Montenegro Airlines cannot yet compete with the largest carriers, but its planes fly to Europe and to the neighboring Balkan countries. Regular flights here are also carried out by the Russian Aeroflot and the Serbian airline JAT.
There is also a railway that connects such cities: Subotica - Novi - Sad - Belgrade - Bar. The railway was laid from the port through Podgorica to Belgrade, there is also the direction Podgorica - Niksic. Water transport. Port - the city of Bar. There is a constant ferry service to Italy (Bar - Bari route). Sea ports: Kotor and Perast. Sea transport connects all beach resorts on the coast.
There are bus lines between all cities. Quite good roads, as for a mountainous country, the traffic is right-hand.
Main highways: Adriatic highway; routes from the coast through Podgorica to Sarajevo and to Belgrade. In the country, the bus is the most common form of transportation, and in some places the only one. Stops on demand on the road are allowed. Advice for tourists: it is better to buy a ticket at any kiosk, because a ticket bought on a bus will be about 2 times more expensive.
The mobile operators in Montenegro are ProMonte and Monet.
Security
For security purposes, video and photography can only be done where there is no special sign - crossed out camera. It is not allowed to photograph objects of transport and energy significance, port facilities and objects of military subordination. By the way, in Montenegro today the crime rate is very low, so that residents and tourists of this country can feel safe and enjoy the picturesque beauties of this unique region.