Where the heck are we now?: Montenegro

We left Albania for a few days to explore the neighbouring countries, so the first one which is about two hours north is Montenegro. Here is a map of the Balkan countries to show where we are…

Since there is no reliable public transit we hired another private driver to pick us up in Tirana and head north. And as usual here they are never on time so patience is needed!

As we drove north the scenery was gorgeous, green fields and lots of mountains…

Montenegro is a small country with lots of mountains leading down to a 240 km coastline on the Adriatic Sea. It claimed its’ independence from Serbia in 2006. It has a population of approximately 625,000 residents and receives almost 3 million tourists a year.

We have been eating as much local food as possible and found the food in Albania to be simple and delicious. Our first meal here was the same, lots of vegetable soups as well as grilled vegetables.

On our way we stopped at the beach on Sveti Stefan which is a very popular beach connected to an island built in the 15th century. It is now a private island and a luxury resort so no admittance allowed…

The water was very warm and people were swimming. It is located very close to Budva where we stayed for a couple of nights. There is a coastal walk from here to Budva and everything is very clean and well cared for.

Budva is a tourist town and is known as a part of the Montenegro Rivera . Its history goes back 2500 years and has a large medieval Old Town. It appears to be a very well to do area.

Some pics of the coastal walk…

Lots of boats and some really big ones…

At the end of the walk there is the Old Town which is encircled by thick walls and was built during the Venetian times from 1420- 1797. It suffered major damage from an earthquake in 1979 but was restored over a period of eight years. It is a lovely place to explore…

Thick walls and towers…

Lots of courtyards and narrow alleys…

It is situated next to a rocky beach with lots of places to sit for a drink. This is low season so not so many people…

These boys were playing with their dog and I thought it was a nice photo!

The edge of the walled town…

They also have a small statue of a ballerina which symbolizes a girl waiting for a sailor that never returns. It is now a symbol of the city.

A longer view of the walls of the Old Town at sunset…

Another day we visited the town of Kotor which was about a 40 minute drive from Budva.

Kotor is another medieval walled city located in a deep bay surrounded by high mountains.

Here we are…

The weather was still warm and it was a beautiful fall day…

Don and our driver Mali entering the old city…

It is quite big and is a UNESCO heritage site.

Kotor is the oldest city in Montenegro and was settled by the Romans in the 10th century. It too receives many tourists every year.

There are several beautiful churches inside the walls…

Don is lighting a candle as he does in most all the churches we visit.

And of course there is lots of shopping…

And everywhere we went there are cats which seem to belong to everyone but no one. Here is a little cat community…

Lots of seafood restaurants…

Some scenes around town…

We also took the cable car above the town for spectacular views though it was cold and cloudy at the top.

Views of the Bay of Kotor…

Such beautiful views!

This area is known for its’ nightlife so we decided to look for a place. It was a rainy, chilly evening so not much open though there are dozens of places along the seawall. We found the Bike and Beer Pub which was quite lively that evening.