Here are a few of the day trips (some of them we stayed a couple of nights) all within Montenegro and all within a 2 hour drive of Podgorica.
Petrovac:
Petrovac is one of the little coastal towns within the Budva municipality. It is located between Budva and Bar where the old mountain road from Podgorica reaches the coast. It is one of the parts of the coast that has a more sandy/small rocks beach rather than a rocky beach. It is considered one of the "calmer" resort towns than its bustling neighbor, Budva. Jim and I dove down here for a Sunday through Tuesday stay. It was one of the last warm spells in October and we were even able to lay out and swim in the Adriatic, although it was freezing water! Yet another reason why everyone there assumed we were Russians - we were willing to swim! One of the advantages of visiting these coastal towns in the off season is the amazing deals. Because they really cater to the tourists during the 6 weeks to two months of Summer, the prices for hotels and resorts plummet in the off season. Plus, it's much quieter and more relaxed.
Old Town Kotor:
Kotor is also a coastal town that takes a little over an hour to drive to from Podgorica. Kotor has one of the best preserved medieval old towns in the Adriatic and is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is home to numerous sights, such as the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon in the old town (built in 1166), and the ancient walls which stretch for 3 mi directly above the city. Jim and I went to Kotor for the day on a sunny Sunday at the end of October. Our main reason for going was to climb the stairs up the ancient walls to the fortification from the Venetian period. It was quite a hike and I know my legs felt like jello once we reached the top but the view made the hike well worth it. We finished our day with a glass of wine and piece of cake at one of the many cafes within the walls of Old Town Kotor.
Kolašin:
Kolašin is a town in the northern part of Montenegro in the mountains. During the winter, it is one of the premier ski resorts in the region. We look forward to going back once they have snow but for now it is a sleepy little town with a lot of charm. We found a restaurant that we've now been to twice. They serve a national dish called kačamak that is basically like mashed potatoes on crack. It is the most amazing combination of potatoes, cheese, cream and corn meal. There is an old wives tale that if you don't finish your portion of kačamak, your significant other will leave you! Yikes! If I get brave enough, I may try to replicate the recipe at home and write about it...stay tuned. These pictures are especially green because they are from our first trip to Kolašin in August. We went again just two weeks ago.
Herceg Novi:
Herceg Novi is also a coastal town at the entrance of the Bay of Kotor. It is as far North on the coast of Montenegro that you can go before reaching the Croatian border. Jim and I stayed at a resort here for two nights while he attended a conference about Organized Crime in the Balkans. It was the middle of November so the weather was in the low 50s but sunny and beautiful. While Jim was in the conference, I wandered around and took pictures on the grounds by the Adriatic and across the little bay into Old Town Herceg Novi. We went into the Old Town for dinner one evening and had a great time. We want to come back and explore when it is light out so that we can take more pictures!
Biogradska Gora National Park:
Biogradska Gora is a forest and National Park North of Kolašin. The park has 6 glacial lakes. Five are at an altitude of 1,820 meters! We enjoyed walking the trails and exploring a small part of this national park. We will certainly be back soon for more hikes! (We didn't stay long enough the first time because it was freezing and I wasn't dressed appropriately!)
I don't think we will ever tire of all the fantastic adventure spots just within a day's drive from our city. It will make it especially fun to have visitors to show around! Thank you for joining me on this little journey around Montenegro.
Until the next adventure,
The Adventuring Armstrongs
