Why Montenegro?
Milou went to Montenegro for a week with her boyfriend Stijn. Why? Because she had seen it on TikTok. “A young woman had visited every country in Europe and she said, ‘If I could choose one country to go back to, it would be Montenegro. Not too touristy, fairly cheap, beaches, nice towns, beautiful nature, cycling, hiking and good food.’ So I did some research myself. It’s not a very big country, which I like, because you don’t have to drive for hours to get from one place to another.” They flew from Brussels to the capital city called Podgorica and rented a car there. You can’t see everything in one week, so they focused on the coast: a combination of relaxing and seeing places.
“We started in Budva. We went to the beach and rented two sunbeds and a parasol for only €15. At the end of the afternoon, when it was a little cooler, we went to Sveti Stefan. A small but super pretty place with beautiful buildings!” The buildings have Italian influences, because the Bay of Kotor and the coast of Montenegro belonged to the Republic of Venice from 1420 to 1795. “Via a footpath along the coast, we passed several beaches.”
On the second day, Milou and Stijn went to Budva. There is a more modern part with a boulevard and the old town centre where cars are not allowed. “There were cute little streets and wine bars serving local wines. A man was playing the guitar and one street ahead, a girl was playing music from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ on the flute.”
Day three: time to go sightseeing! In about an hour and a half, they drove inland. Stijn is a sommelier in a restaurant and takes wine courses. That’s why they went to Lipovac, the largest private winery in Montenegro, for a wine tasting. “The road was very beautiful! Although the roads were very narrow – officially, you could encounter oncoming traffic, but there’s actually no room for two cars. We also encountered a turtle walking on the road. We got out of the car and put it on the side of the road in the grass. We also drove on the Kotor Serpentine Road, which has about twenty turns!”
On day four, they went to Kotor. “It was also beautiful, but it was much bigger and busier than Budva. It felt very touristy and less authentic. The restaurant we chose had a beautiful view of a square with a small church, but the food wasn’t good and the staff wasn’t friendly. So check in advance which restaurants have good reviews.”
The next day, they went to Lake Skadar, a lake in between the mountains. “Earlier, during dinner, a local had given us this tip. It was a good tip, because it was absolutely beautiful!” There are also many wineries in the area, so Milou and Stijn stopped at Winery Ivan, a small family business run by a father, mother, daughter and son. “They were very nice and enthusiastic. There were photos of them and their history everywhere, explained a lot of things to us, and told us about life there. It was great to get this inside information. And it only cost €20 for two people.” Another fun fact: Montenegro has the largest contiguous vineyard in Europe. In the evening, Milou and Stijn went out for dinner in the small village of Perast. “That evening, there happened to be a wedding, with fireworks and loud music. Everyone was dancing. I thought this was one of the nicest villages because it was so small and cute. There were houses with green shutters and small churches.”
On their last full day, they went to Tivat. “I would describe it like the Monaco of Montenegro. More expensive, with brand-name shops and yachts in the harbour. It’s not really my thing, but it was nice to see it.”
On the day of their return flight, Milou and Stijn went to the capital, because that’s where their flight was departing from in the evening. “On the way there, we passed Horizont Bar in Cetinje, where you have a beautiful view of the Bay of Kotor.” Because their flight was in the evening, they had time to walk around during the day. They went to a kilometre-long tunnel for a tour, in the Wine Cellar Šipčanik. This was used for military purposes during the war. “It was interesting to hear more about this. There was room for hundreds of people, but at that moment we were the only ones there. That was a bit strange.”
What immediately caught your attention in Montenegro?
Milou can be brief about that: the tranquillity and the beautiful, green nature. “It wasn’t busy at all! We were often alone in a restaurant or on the beach, and I really enjoyed that tranquility. The locals said it’s much busier in July and August. And the nature was so beautiful! Such a beautiful landscape to drive through. You can drive for 1.5 hours without seeing a single house. It surprised me so much. I had hoped it would be very beautiful, but really everywhere we drove was beautiful. Just gorgeous!” And as an animal lover, Milou was also in her element: “There were lots of cats in Kotor. They also had lots of souvenirs with cats on them, including one shop that only sold cat-related items.”
Another anecdote that says something about the locals: “On the penultimate day, we were at a car park where you could only pay with cash. But we didn’t have any left. We thought we might have to pay a fee to withdraw money, and since we were about to go home, we didn’t want to do that if it wasn’t necessary. We asked two guys who looked like macho men if they had any change for us. They were super nice and paid the remaining amount.”
What are your top recommendations?
- Go to the beach in Budva and walk along the coast.
- Visit Budva itself, a seaside place with a modern and an old part.
- Do you like wine? Then go to Lipovac, the largest private winery in Montenegro.
- Lake Skadar is an absolute must! It wasn’t on Milou and Stijn’s list at first, but thanks to a tip from a local, they got to see this beautiful place after all.
- Visit the small, charming village of Perast.
- Take the Kotor Cable Car.
- Go to Horizont Bar in Cetinje for something to eat and a drink with a beautiful view of the Bay of Kotor.
- Visit the Wine Cellar Šipčanik tunnel to learn more about the history of the country.
- Try Amaro Montenegro, a liqueur made from oranges, fresh coriander, red cherries and cucumber.
What is your fondest memory?
“That’s a difficult question, there are so many! But I would have to say our time at the family business, Winery Ivan. They had so much passion and love for their work and for their family. And the wines were delicious, haha. We would definitely go back to see more of the inland.”
