Montenegro It is one of the smallest countries in Europe and also one of the most beautiful that you can find there, in southeastern Europe, where there are also Herzegovina, Bosnia, Croatia, Albania and Serbia.
For some time now it has become a popular tourist destination and it really does have its own thing, so if you still don't know this republic… Here we go today!
Montenegro
You already know its location, in southeastern Europe. It does not reach a million inhabitants and its capital is the city of Podgorica while the historical capital is the old city of Cetinje. Its name was given to it by Venetian merchants and navigators based on Mount Lovcen which is covered with very dark forests, but the original name, Gma gora, refers to a part of the territory.
The Slavs were the first to arrive to these lands and there were three groups that ultimately were unified into a single kingdom. Over the centuries there were wars of succession which weakened the kingdom, and so is fell into the hands of the Serbian empire in 1186. Later the entire region would fall under the Ottoman empire in the XNUMXth century, from 1496 to 1878. The Venetians, the First French Empire and the Austro-Hungarians.
From the late 1910th century to XNUMX Montenegro was a principality and had many military victories over the Ottomans. The Kingdom of Montenegro lasted from 1910 to 1918, year of the end of the First World War, in which he participated on the side of the Allies. During the subsequent war the Nazis, with the Italians, invaded it and liberation came from the hand of the partisans Yugoslavs in 1944.
From then on it became part of the Yugoslavian Soviet Socialist Republic with six other nations. Its capital was renamed Titograd, it was industrialized and a new constitution was enacted. But, obviously, everything changed again with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1992 when that conglomerate of nations disarmed. Montenegro chose to stay within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia together with Serbia.
The subsequent nation of Serbia and Montenegro disarmed again in the XNUMXst century. Since 2006 Montenegro is an independent country.
Visit Montenegro
There are five tourist destinations which are the most important: Perast, Sveti Stefan, Skadar Lake, Budva and Kotor. Kotor It is a picturesque city with orange roofs that is between the sea and the mountains. Has a medieval fortress, churches from the same period, Venetian cathedrals and palaces. Today the old coexists with the modern in a city that is very picturesque and that is why the UNESCO has included it within its list of protected cultural heritage.
You will see the old fortifications of the hill of San Juan, from the 1300th to the XNUMXth century, the staircase of more than XNUMX steps that goes into one of them, imposing for the views, the three doors to the old town and the neighborhoods on the bay . Everything looks like something out of a postcard.
Budva is a metropolis and a tourism mecca but it used to be a simple and small coastal town. If you go in summer this place explodes from tourists and yachts, restaurants, nightclubs abound ... Many of its most elegant buildings are from the Venetian period but it also has Roman ruins. Their beaches are made of sand and stones so there is variety, little hidden bays, lots of sun, pine forests that provide shade and a lot of charm.
El Skadar Lake it is halfway between the mountains and the sea and partly also belongs to Albania. The Montengero sector is a national park and there are many aquatic flowers that inhabit these calm and deep waters. There are also some 280 bird species that live, overwinter and nest around here. Also has many islands and peninsulas that sometimes hide ruins of old fortresses or already abandoned villages.
Maybe the postcard from Sveti Stefan be the most popular in Montenegro: a small, fortified island connected to the mainland by a causeway of pink boulders. Today here is a five-star hotel so not all tourists can go, but you can cross and take some photos of the site once visited by Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe or Sofia Loren.
Perast, finally, is a small town with only one street, by the sea. Their houses are built side by side over the bay, looking out over the water and the islands in it. Still small, Perast has 16 churches and a clear and strong Venetian spirit although the Austrians, Byzantines and French have also left their mark.
One of the most beautiful islands is Island of Our Lady of the Lady in the Rocks, which every July 22 celebrates the day of Santa María Magdalena and the construction of its church. that day the people of Perast or tourists come by boat to the island, surround it and throw stones at it. Very picturesque! Another island is that of San Jorge, with a XNUMXth century monastery.
Festivals in Montenegro
It is always fun to witness or participate in a festival or cultural event when you are traveling, as it brings you much closer to people. In the case of Montenegro there are many festivals but thinking about the summer we can name those that take place in June and July, although of course these extend much more.
- June: is the Budva Music Festival, the largest in the southern Adriatic and very touristy, and the International Dance Festival. There is also the Kotor Underwater Film Festival. During these days you will be able to see the underwater wonders of Kotor and the mastery of the busos. In Podgorica there is the Cultural Summer with many theater performances, open-air cinema and concerts throughout the capital.
- July: Chronicles of Bar, in Bar, with theatrical performances from all over the country, art exhibitions, classical music concerts and a book fair. In Podgorica is the Busos on the Morava River, with traditional diving techniques on the old Vezirov bridge. In Herceg Novi are the Music Days and in Kotor the International Festival of Children's Theater. In Perast, the Fascinated, a traditional event with a ritual boat procession to the island of Gospa.
As you can see, Montenegro is a small country but with a lot of historical, natural and cultural charm. I think you're going to have a great time.