Entry #5 - Montenegro - June 25 - July 3, 2023

 

Greetings from Montenegro!

Exploring the Balkans has been full of surprises.  That includes the jaw-dropping discoveries we made in Montenegro.  We spent just over a week here and it wasn’t enough.  Not by a long shot.  This place is awesome!  Truly, AWE-some!

The young country of Montenegro - only recently declaring independence in 2006 - has centuries of history preserved in medieval maritime towns along its coast.  We were able to visit several of these living museums.  

The coastal gem called Petrovac had an enchanting old town. Timeworn stone structures have been transformed into elegant seaside restaurants. A cobbled promenade stretches the length of a stunning beach. 

Not only did Petrovac have a fairytale setting, but it offered Jessie a ride on a miniature horse that was so unbelievably cute it seemed like it might be a mythical creature.

While beach-hopping along the coast we took a dip in the waves beside Sveti Stefan; a medieval-town-turned-modern-resort.  Great beach.  Great view!  

Sampling the various stops along this part of the Adriatic, we decided that Jaz Beach was a great place to play in the sea and soak up the sun.

We continued our tour of Montenegro with a stay in Kotor. This World Heritage Site with 10th-century old fortified walls, narrow ancient passageways, and polished stone buildings still carried the style of its Venetian past. 

Tucked into the deepest crevice of the Adriatic Sea, in the Bay of Kotor, this walled city - along with its neighbour, Perast - feel like they have been frozen in time.  

The thing with these tiny historical towns is that they are very, very beautiful and very, very, very popular.  In fact, every day in Kotor, mammoth-sized cruise ships would barf out thousands of visitors - all cramming in to get their Instagram-worthy shots.  Milling through the crowds, particularly in the heat, meant that - as lovely as it was - we were quickly searching for a change in scenery.

So, we took to the hills.  Actually, we traversed the switchback mountain roads, gaining some serious altitude, to make our way to Lovćen National Park.  (Why is it that routes that climb almost vertical cliffs are basically single lanes for two-way traffic?)  The drive - while stressful - left us speechless!  

Finally, at the top of the mountain, we felt free again.  It seemed like we were one of only a handful of visitors in this endless range of skyscraper peaks. We were thrilled to head out on a hike that circled around mountain peaks and would reveal a bird's eye view of the entire region.

It was such a spectacular trail, and we were having such a good time, that we missed a turn. A 3-hour hike turned into a 5-hour tour.  No worries though.  We got back on track and just enjoyed the detour.  

It was even pretty cool when dense clouds rolled in.  Being so high up Jamie could just reach out and appear to hold the sky with his hands.

For being such troopers about our extended walk, we didn’t hesitate to give the kids a go at the nearby ropes course called Adventure Park.  

Again, there was the joy of being off the beaten path as we had the whole Adventure Park to ourselves.  Jamie and Jessie spent hours doing their Tarzan moves, high up in the canopy of the forest, completely independently.  They were taught all of the safety required to clip in and out of the various obstacles, including managing their own zipline apparatus.  

They loved the high-flying fun, even if there were some heart-pounding moments that required some serious courage.

We caught the sunset at an elevated spot, seeing the expanse of the Bay of Kotor light up before our eyes.

Feeling addicted to the mountain air, we were more than happy to relocate to a cozy log cabin in Žabljak, a village located in Durmitor, the high-altitude National Park. 

Nature provides all of the attractions here.  Skiing in the winter, and all kinds of natural wonders to appreciate after the snow has melted, like off-road ATVing, ziplining, and rafting along the turquoise Tara River.  Upon arrival, we were content to simply sit on our front porch and take in the view.  

The untamed Montenegrin landscape seems too picturesque to be real.  In Durmitor, every field looks like a photoshopped screensaver. A diverse variety of wildflowers sprout up amid the tall flowing grass. When the wind sweeps along the fields it is a mesmerizing sight.

Opting to take it easy, we chose a leisurely walk around Black Lake.

One evening we had a special guest appear on our porch. For the second time this trip we felt like we adopted the cutest temporary pet.  Meet our little Montenegrin pup!  Jamie and Jessie were instantly in love with our gentle, furry friend, who only wanted to cuddle with us.  It was hard to say goodbye.

Thankfully we were able to find replacement animal friends!  For our last day in Montenegro, we had a very memorable ride in those floral fields and playtime with an entire barnyard crew!  Not only did we get to go horseback riding in the most spectacular setting, (and really I cannot stress this enough… it was so beautiful), but we were escorted by two playful ponies and two adorable dogs. 

After trotting through hills we had slightly sore bums, but we were tingling with the joy of the experience. When we returned to the farm we got to play with the rest of the cuties who stole our hearts.

And, as if that wasn’t enough, it felt like we got to save the best for last.  We were already full of appreciation for all of Montenegro's captivating dimensions; from beaches to old towns to glorious landscapes.  However, our farewell to Montenegro included the most EPIC drive through Durmitor’s ring road and the mind-blowingly beautiful sights in our descent from the park.  

The finale of our visit felt surreal. In fact, writing this summary of our time there feels like a disservice to how impressive it truly is. Montenegro is one of those places that we will continue to crave and will hopefully see again soon.