Montenegro

The other day I went to Montenegro. I have to say I was blown away. I had no idea the country was so beautiful. It truly is a hidden gem. 

From Dubrovnik, Montenegro is only about a 45 minute drive depending on traffic. When you arrive at the border, you actually go through two border controls: one at the end of Croatia to leave the EU, and the other to enter Montenegro. 

What surprised me the most is between the borders is a two mile wide strip of land called “no man’s land.” The land does not belong to either country. When the most recent border was created, people who lived in this area were given the choice of which country they wanted citizenship. In addition, since they’re citizens, but technically not living in their country, anyone living here does not have to pay an income taxes. That’s obviously a huge benefit, but I can’t imagine living in what would feel like a state of constant limbo. 

Upon entering Montenegro, you can visit a few cities, but the crown jewels are those situated in the Bay of Kotor. The bay extends into Montenegro from the Adriatic Sea, and is lined with towering, jagged mountains. The drive around the bay is a very winding one (if you get motion sickness, I’d recommend taking some medication before doing so), but it is worth it. The drive keeps you along the bay at the base of the mountains. All of the villages sit at the base (the mountains are too steep for anything), which makes for incredible views. 

My first stop was at Perast, which is a very small town of under 300 people, and essentially a single street of homes, shops, hotels, and restaurants. It has always been a small fishing town, and this was still evident today. As you drive in, you can see the colorful oyster boxes and fish nets floating from the coastline of the bay. 

The views from the town are absolutely incredible. In my opinion, it rivals Lake Como. The town has several nice restaurants right on the shore, where you can have a drink or some coffee. If you ever visit, I’d recommend giving yourself some time to stop at one and enjoy the gorgeous views.

Outside of the scenery, the major attraction at Perast is an island called “Our Lady of the Rocks”. On this island sits the (appropriately named) Church of Our Lady of the Rocks, which is a beautiful stone church with robin’s egg blue domes. It was originally a Greek Orthodox Church, but was replaced by the Catholics in the 1600s. The chapel inside is very understated, but the rest of the church contains paintings from the 17th century, which are interesting to look at. 

One of the most famous artworks is one by Jacinta Kunic-Mijovic. Apparently wealthy men were so in love with it that they asked her to buy it for absurd amounts of money. She did not want it to leave the island, so she told them it was cursed. Since then, it has stayed on the island. The creepier part of the story is that she wove her hair into the tapestry. Her light blonde hair was used when she was younger, but by the time she finished it, her hair was grey. I don’t know that I would want a tapestry made of human hair in my home. 

The church is very pretty, but the entrance fee is a bit overpriced. A (maybe) two minute boat ride costs ten euros, and then it is another three euros to enter the church. They’re definitely taking advantage of the tourists, and given how many people were there, they are making a ton of money off of it. I would recommend going for the views, but honestly, don’t pay to go inside the church. (The bathroom is also another euro, if you’d like).

The next stop on my day in Montenegro was Kotor. I wish I had more time there. If I were to do it again, I’d probably stay a night there. Kotor is a much larger town than Perast, with just under 15,000 people. It was originally founded in what is thought the fifth century BC, but many of the still standing fortifications were made during the 11th century. Kotor is a walled city, similar to Dubrovnik; however, in addition to walls containing the town, walls were built up the mountainside, some of which were built in the 9th century. You can hike up to the top, though it is a grueling 3 mile loop with over 1,300 steps and an incline of 4,000 feet. I did not do it, but if I had more time, I might have in the morning when the temperature is not as unbearable as the afternoon. 

There is quite a lot to see in Kotor, with various churches and palaces to tour. Don’t miss out on the Greek Orthodox Church, or St. Luke’s Church, which is a Serbian Orthodox Church dating from the 1100s. It is very minimal inside, but impressive at how old it is. Outside of the main sights, there are several markets with handcrafted goods, which felt much more authentic than what you might typically find in other touristy cities. 

All in all, I was quite surprised by Montenegro and would definitely go again and explore more of the country.