According to COUNTRYAAH.COM, the Republic of Montenegro is located in thesoutheastern part of Montenegro on the Balkan Peninsula. Today’s Montenegro arose after the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia. After first forming an alliance with Serbia, it decided to continue as an independent country in 2006. However, the history of Montenegro goes much further back in time. According to some sources, the village of Budva is more than 2,500 years old, making it one of the oldest places in Europe. Budva is said to have been founded by the Illyians who settled in this part of Europe in the seventh century BC. Later it was the Romans who took over power in present-day Montenegro, when the Roman Empire fell apart Montenegro became part of the Byzantine Empire. In the centuries that followed, different peoples ruled this area until it became part of the kingdom of Duklija. This kingdom encompassed large parts of present-day Montenegro, Albania and Herzegovina. Later on, parts of Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia were added. In the fifteenth century, this kingdom came under pressure from the Ottoman Empire. The capital was moved from Zabljak to Cetinje and part of the country became part of the Ottoman Empire. These influences can be seen in Montenegro to this day. The kingdom of Duklija came to an end in the sixteenth century when the then monarch abdicated and the Archbishop took his place. The succession to the throne passed from uncle to cousin until the newly crowned Prince-Bishop Danilo decided to marry and convert Montenegro into a principality. Later this would become a kingdom that ceased to exist in 1913. The inhabitants of the country saw the then king as a traitor and became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia after the First World War. Montenegro was the only country to lose its independence after the First World War.

Today, Montenegro is fast becoming one new popular summer sun destination. The majority of tourists who come to Montenegro every year are there to enjoy a relaxing sun, sea and beach holiday. Those who want something more can indulge themselves in one of the many nature parks.

Sights

A large part of the sights that can be found in Montenegro have to do with the long and special history of this area or with the beautiful nature that can be found there. For example, in Montenegro, there are no fewer than five national parks that cover a large part of the surface of the country. These national parks are Skadarsko Jezero National Park, Biogradska National Park, Durmitor National Park, Lovcen National Park and Prokletije National Park.

The most famous attractions of these national parks can be found around the Durmitor National Park; the Tara Gorge, Bridge over the Tara, the Piva Monastery and the Black Lake. Beautiful villages such as Virpazer and Rijeka can be found around Lake Shkodër, which is a sight in itself. In the lake you can see some beautiful islands. Some of these islands were formerly used as prisons, others are still used as Orthodox monasteries. There are still many Orthodox monastery in Montenegro. The most famous are the Ostrog Monastery, the Moraca Monastery and the Monastery of Piva. All these monastery are accessible to tourists if you leave the camera at home and wear appropriate clothing.

The best known and most important sights can be found in and around the Bay of Kotor. This bay has long been in Venetian hands and this has left its mark on the development of the towns and villages around this lake. Remnants of this domination can be seen everywhere. The most famous sights around the lake are the village of Kotor with the Saint Tryphon church, the island of Gospa od Skrpjela and the ultramodern marina Porto Montenegro. Other notable sights are the historic center of Budva, the Mausoleun of Njegos, the Millennium Bridge of Podgorica, Stari bar and the islet of Sveti Stefan.

UNESCO

In 2017, there are four different inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List in Montenegro. The first registration took place in 1979 in the former Yugoslavia. This concerned the natural and cultural-historical environment of Kotor. The entire Bay of Kotor and all the villages that lie on the bay are included on the list. The unique landscape around the bay was partly shaped by the Venetians. The second entry is the Durmitor National Park. This registration originally took place in 1980 and was extended in 2005. The Tara Gorge is one of the reasons why this park is on the list. The third entry must share the country with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. These are the cemeteries with medieval stécci tombstones. These tombstones can be found in those places in Montenegro. Two near Zabljak and one near Pluzine. The fourth and last registration took place in 2017. This concerns the Venetian fortifications from the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries.

Climate

There are two types of climate in Montenegro and various microclimates can be found spread over the country. In the area around the coast of Montenegro and around the Bay of Kotor, the Mediterranean climate prevails, while further inland the temperate maritime climate prevails. The continental climate occurs in the higher parts of Montenegro. This only in places above 2,000 meters, these are hard to find in a number of places in Montenegro. The climate around the coastal region of Montenegro is mainly determined by the influence of the Adriatic Sea. This influence ensures, among other things, that there are few weather extremes in this region and that the climate is pleasant almost all year round.

The more inland parts of Montenegro have a maritime climate that is not influenced by the Adriatic Sea. This ensures that it can get a lot colder in the winter months than in the coastal parts of the country. In the summer months the average daytime temperatures are a few degrees higher and you have a greater chance of precipitation.

You can expect the most precipitation in Montenegro in the winter period. Montenegro is one of the wettest countries in Europe. This explains why the country is so beautifully green. In the summer period you have the smallest chance of prolonged precipitation.

Geography

Montenegro is located in the southeastern part of Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. Montenegro is one of the ten smallest countries in Europe. Montenegro has land borders with Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania and borders the Adriatic Sea to the southwest. Despite the fact that Montenegro is a relatively small country, there are many geographical differences in the country. Just over sixty percent of Montenegro is above a thousand meters. The mountainous interior of Montenegro is divided into several mountain ranges. In the northern part of the country is the Durmitor massif. This karst mountain range is also a national park. The Durmitor massif is the highest mountain range in Montenegro. The highest peak is Mount Bobotov kuk with 2,522 meters. Other high mountains in this massif are the Savin kuk, the Crevena kuk, Planinica and the Meded. Tara Gorge is located in Durmitor National Park. This is the second largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon. This gorge is formed by the Tara River which is the longest river in Montenegro. This river eventually goes through Serbia to the Black Sea. Other major and important rivers in Montenegro are the Piva, Lim, Cohita, Moraca and the Zeta.

In total there are about forty large and small lakes in Montenegro. The most famous lake is Lake Shkoder. Other well-known lakes are Lake Plav in the northeast and Black Lake in the Durmitor National Park

The capital and largest city of Montenegro is Podgorica. The role of capital was once given to the city of Cetinje. It lost this status after World War I. Other big and famous places in Montenegro are Budva, Bar, Kotor, Kolasin, Zabljak, Herceg Novi, Bijelo Polje and Niksic.

Travel advice

There are no special security risks for a trip to Montenegro. There are no other security risks in Montenegro than there are in the Netherlands. Be alert if you are in a major city or at major tourist attractions. Thieves and pickpockets can roam here. In addition, you have to be extra careful in public transport and in large crowds.

As in the rest of Europe, there is a general threat of terrorism in Montenegro, although the real probability of this is less than in other countries due to the lack of real known sights or strategic places.

Travel documents

Montenegro is a candidate country for the European Union and not a Schengen country. To go on holiday to Montenegro you do not need a visa or other documents except your valid passport. In the unlikely event that something happens during your holiday that requires the help of the Dutch embassy, ​​you will have to travel to the Dutch embassy in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, since Montenegro does not have its own Dutch embassy.

In Montenegro, there are strict laws for the possession, trafficking and use of all types of drugs. These laws also apply to tourists.

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