I was very impressed with Montenegro when I was here in the summer and promised myself I would come back for longer next time. So when I was leaving Tanzania it provided a perfect opportunity. i was also keen to see the country off-season because I had an idea that I could get a cheap flat here and it would be a good investment and place to hang out in between contracts. Everywhere looks good in the summer but it’s important to see a place ‘warts and all’.
I was already a day late and therefore missed my night in Ulcinj. This turned out not to matter because I visited there on a day trip from Bar. It was a nice place, parking was a problem as it is for all these coastal villages and towns. I had a pleasant spag-bol and returned to the warmth of my Bar hide-out.
I had already found a new friend on Facebook and after three nights in Bar I went to stay with her and her husband on the hill high above Budvar. Budvar itself, apart from the old town, has little to recommend it. I think its attraction is mostly for young people wanting a party town.
My new hosts then took me to the old capital Cetinje. This was a quiet sleepy town with some impressive old buildings and wide tree-lined streets and square with cafes. During the warmth of the high season I am sure it is an attractive place, but even out of season with fields of crocus in the parks, it was definitely worth the car journey.
Leaving Budva and what is termed the Montenegrin Riviera I found a good comfortable and cheap (Euro 30) apartment across the road from water’s edge, in the Tivat area. Tivat is a popular place to buy a property for many reasons. One reasons is that it’s not hidden under a mountain which means it gets the sun for longer during the winter.
There are also more people over-wintering in Tivat that other places which make it a little more lively. Other places I visited this week including Kotor were really dead and not really much fun over the winter months. Restaurants and cafes are generally closed and it seems like the whole place is hibernating waiting for the crazy summer months when everyone makes their money.
With my hire car – a beaten-up old Polo – I went for drives around the Lustica peninsular and to a part of the coast line where I found Bigova. I was blown away by the beautiful views and villages in these areas away from the main resorts. Bigova is a real gem. However, I would hate to drive that single-track road during the summer. There are very few passing places and in a hire car, I am not keen to reverse a long way away corners and uphill.
I have realised that if a road looks small and winding on my Google map, it will be almost undriveable, being very steep and narrow. I have decided that I have done enough of those lanes. I am going to stick to the main roads for the rest of my time here.
Surprising things about Montenegro
- Lots of feral cats (everywhere)
- Local hitch-hike (I picked two up)
- They are very tall
- Loads of Russians here (perhaps hiding from Putin)
- So many zebra crossings
- They deliver your bill at the same time as your food
- You get a glass of water with your coffee like in France
