My way to Eastern Europe. Montenegro.
As soon as we drove across the border into Montenegro from Albania you have a smooth driving surface and white lines in the middle of the road. A bit like driving from New South Wales to the Australian Capital Territory. Driving is less erratic and the white crosses by the side of the road start to thin out.
We stopped at the coastal town of Budva for lunch, which described in Irish terms is ‘shite’. Lots of Russian money has and is continuing to transform this small stretch of coast into a place for the pseudo rich and those not famous. The small historic area and fortress is the mecca for the tourist to take a few photographs to make it look all worthwhile for those back home.
Driving further along the coast the traffic intensifies and then gets quite heavy as we approach the tunnel which leads us on to a ria and the stunningly beautiful Kotor and its castle high above. And what the hell is a “Ria”? According to Wikipedia it is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley that remains open to the sea. So now you have a new scrabble word. Anyway behind the city walls is a well preserved pedestrian medieval village, which is just a little bigger than an Australian city block. The deep water harbour allows cruise ships easy access and on this rainy day we were blessed with the Azamara Quest and NCL’s Norwegian Star. The unseasonal bleak weather did not dampen the enthusiasm of hundreds of mobile phones. I’m told that in the height of the season there can be three even larger ships in port at once plus the day trippers from Dubrovnik only 90km away. Instead of marvelling at the ancient hand crafted stonework from local quarries of past traders stores, they are now hidden behind brightly coloured displays of fridge magnets, “I love Kotor” stickers, keyrings, snowdomes and other essential souvenirs’ mass produced from some far off factory. Yes, I was gutted and very gloomy to think I had helped create this avalanche of tourism. On a brighter note the President of “One & Only” was telling me that they will be opening a new resort at the mouth of the ria which you can watch the ships sail past and have easy access to Kotor.
As the weather was so bad but with an improving forecast, we swapped the order from mountains first to the capital Podgorica first. Meaning we would have to go from the mountains straight to the airport, which ended up not being a hardship. It’s much easier to do this when your travel agent uses a local ground operator. Podgorica does not rate well in the travel books with one saying it was wiped off the face of the planet twice and the last time was in WWII. It goes on to say it has nothing to offer. That is assuming you don’t like a beautiful, crystal clear river, a mini bohemian, trendy street full of well-dressed millennials, shopping, catching up for coffee during the day and a drink at night. Much of the architecture was post war Soviet blocks which what I had hoped to see in Berlin, so I was now happy. My daughter and I stayed in a converted villa, Hotel Ziya which is chic sophistication. Cost A$160.00 per room per night including breakfast.
Adriatic coast of Montenegro 
Azamara Quest. One of too many ships to visit Kotor, Montenegro. 
The deep water harbour of Kotor, Montenegro. 
The picturesque town of Kotor from the dizzying heights of its castle 
Guest writer Brielle with two very handsome locals. 
Lights, camera, pose. Ziya Hotel, Podgorica, Montenegro. 
Lively nightlife coffee and bar scene Podgorica, Montenegro. 
Nearly as big as the Acadamy Awards in LA but the local senior school prom Podgorica. 
Stunning mountains, Montenegro. 
Duck your head on the way back to the country’s capital 
On-board one of Europe’s most scenic train trips. 
The school prom Podgorica even has TV coverage. 
Old Soviet day apartments still dominate Podgorica. 
The four lovely ladies.
That evening in the lobby of our hotel there was what appeared to be photo shoot. Beautiful models, handsome men, champagne, limos waiting, cameras flashing for Vogue or some other fashion magazine. We were intrigued by the elegance and sophistication and then were told it was the school prom that was being held at the Podgorica Hilton. On our search for a restaurant we happened to pass by the Hilton to find this is a very big event with the red carpet, crowds of people and TV coverage.
I’m not meaning to do a travelogue but I had known that the train from Podgorica to Belgrade is one of the most scenic in Europe, I just wasn’t sure exactly where on the 11 hour journey it was and besides we were just going to Kolasin which is just shy of two hours. I wouldn’t have mentioned it unless I saw it and 20 minutes after leaving Podgorica the panorama starts to unfold and just gets better with amazing views high above the valleys and gorges. The highlight is crossing the 200 metre high Mala Rijeka Bridge. You can only buy a ticket on the day for less than € 5.00. Check it out …….
As predicted the skies had cleared and the sun shining. Our 4 wheel drive Range Rover and local guide was waiting at Kolasin railway station to show us three days of sightseeing in one day. From snow-capped peaks to one of the deepest canyons in the world, northern Montenegro is a paradise for outdoor lovers. All things adrenaline to tasting the local wines, olive oil, berries and honey. And so inexpensive compared to the Alps and Pyrenees. But not as cheap as Albania.
Stunning diverse country more suited to hiking and self-drive in the north and dare I say being part of a cruise in the south. Contact me for details.
I used Austrian from Berlin to Tirana and then from Podgorica to Amsterdam, both ways via Vienna of course. The inflexible business class fare was excellent value. For your transit in Vienna read ……
Trevor
