Discovering Montenegro – a little slice of Italy floated over the Adriatic
Our own trip to Montenegro was one of sheer pot luck. We were booked on a cruise, but the kids clubs got cancelled, and so we decided to look elsewhere.
An easy three hours from Manchester later, and we found ourselves in Tivat, Montenegro’s main city and airport. It’s tiny, a bit Borat, and not the most salubrious entry to the country. On the drive over to our hotel, I have to admit more than a few furious brows were raised between hubby and I. The inland drive is a bit of a weird one and having read that Budva was the ‘Miami of Montenegro’ the outskirts told us the country’s PR department had had a field day.
We’d been moved from our planned hotel, the Iberostar Herceg Novi, due to a late opening, and so instead were staying at the Iberostar Bellevue, a 4* perfect for families. Its with joy that I say that any misgivings immediately melted the moment we stepped into the hotel. Set in huge gardens filled with towering Cypress trees and beautiful pools, the resort had Italianate nailed, and too, fabulous kids’ facilities and impeccable service.
Perched right on the beachfront, we were halfway between the resorts of Budva and Becici, but, being such a speck on the map, the rest of the country was in easy reach too. I’ll start with Budva. A fortified old town sitting on a headland on a wide bay with an island plumb in the middle, Budva is a spectacular gem of gloriously golden tiny streets filled with blooming wisteria trees making amazing lilac-coloured backdrops to photos. The transparent sea laps around the city’s walls as you look back along the coastline which changes from shingly beaches to dramatic mountains in the matter of metres.
On the outskirts of Budva, beach clubs and restaurants line the shores and the approach to town goes from sketchy to chic with billionaire’s super yachts and traditional fishing boats bobbing along the harbour and tables and chairs pulled up on the sea’s edge serving local seafood, caught that day.
Head in the other direction and discover Becici. Booming with the development of luxury hotels, Becici has the charm of a tiny village where a seafront promenade delivers you into a lovely corner of authentic tavernas. Life is undeniably changing here, but, for now, huge just-caught tuna hangs from its tail outside superbly quaint restaurants and the sound of the sea is the perfect backdrop to carafes of local wine and plates piled high with reasonably-priced Montenegrin cuisine.
The sea in Montenegro is unforgettable. Totally crystal-clear. As you walk round the coastline, you’ll find untouched coves and amazingly beautiful rock formations and caves. If you keep going from Becici, you’ll discover a beach reserved for the royal family’s pad, and then, onwards, an island which has been transformed from historic fortified town to luxury resort where you can opt to stay in swishly-restored houses lining miniature plazas, backed by the sea.
Grab a taxi to Kotor, and find yourself at the foot of a fjord dubbed the biggest in the Med. The sea here is emerald green and the scenery nothing short of spectacular. We enjoyed a few drinks at a bar set over the bay with a platform down onto the beach filled with pebbles perfected for skimming into the still waters of the Adriatic. The fortified town is well-hidden but no less a huge draw for cruise ships. When we visited, the Russia and Ukraine conflict had recently started, and so the streets were empty. The old town is stunningly beautiful: tiny churches and townhouses with brightly-painted shutters hiding from the sun. Cobbled alleys give way to atmospheric squares filled with restaurants and cafes. The feel of Italy is strong here; oh, and the food…
The freshest seafood, pasta tossed in olive oil with chilli and parsley, huge slabs of something like a Spanish omelette, roasted potatoes with peppers and aubergine, enormous salads, mashed potato like you’ve never eaten (do you get the feeling we enjoyed it?).
So, Montenegro, all in all, a little off the beaten track, and all the better for it. It has an unbelievable amount to offer luxury travellers, nightlife seekers, families and, with a startling number of national parks, adventurers too.