Russian newspaper commissioned by the tourism organization Montenegro Travel published an article listing 12 (and more) reasons to visit Montenegro.
From the Montenegrin hills to the beautiful Adriatic coast, there are nature reserves and five national parks, caves and canyons, 117 beaches along a coastline stretching more than 180 miles. Add to this the friendliness of the local people and traditional hospitality.
Here are 12 places you must see:
1. Budva - one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic coast and the tourist capital of Montenegro. Beautiful beaches, exquisite cuisine, various events and much more attract a large number of tourists to this city. The Old Town is one of the oldest settlements in the Adriatic; more than two and a half thousand years ago it was known as the "city of Illyria". When visiting the Budva Riviera, it is impossible to miss it. During the summer season, Budva hosts many cultural events, including open-air festivals, concerts and performances.
2. The fairy-tale Sveti Stefan - a small peninsula located just 6 kilometers southeast of Budva. In the past, it was a fortified fishing village connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus; now it is home to the luxurious five-star Aman Sveti Stefan resort - one of the most exclusive resorts in the Mediterranean.
3. The historic part of the city of Kotor, once the pearl of the Venetian Republic, is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list. Kotor's Old Town (Stari Grad) and the medieval Arms Square (Trg od Oružja) attract tourists from all over the world. It is worth climbing 1,300 steps (500 meters) and ascending to the fortress on St. John's Hill for the panoramic view of the Bay of Kotor - the southernmost in Europe. One of Montenegro's main attractions is butterfly-shaped; it is called the "bride of the Adriatic Sea". Kotor, Herceg Novi and Tivat are the main cities, but the beautiful small villages are no less memorable.
4. The largest on the Balkan Peninsula Lake Skadar is located between the sea and the mountains in the national park of the same name. The emerald-green lake is a true paradise for bird lovers: more than 280 species live here, and it is the only place in southern Europe where pelicans live.
5. Durmitor National Park is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list and is famous for its high peaks, black pines, mountain pastures and glacial lakes. Here you will find the Tara River Canyon and the Đurđevića Tara Bridge at a height of 170 meters - an architectural masterpiece built before the start of World War II. In Durmitor Park, visitors are attracted by the wild nature and Black Lake - hiking and walking enthusiasts love to come here, and it is also a well-known ski resort.
6. Tara River Canyon in Durmitor National Park, over 1,300 meters deep, is the longest and deepest in Europe, уступая only the Grand Canyon in the USA. The turbulent Tara River, known as the "tear of Europe," is popular among rafting enthusiasts and is surrounded by forests, alpine meadows and peaks over 2,000 meters high.
7. In the museums and monasteries of the city of Cetinje - the historic royal capital of Montenegro - you can see the Right Hand of John the Baptist, fragments of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, and the Filermosa Icon of the Mother of God.
8. Not far from the city of Nikšić is the Ostrog Monastery, carved into a steep cliff above the Zeta Plain. Founded in the 17th century by Basil of Ostrog, this monastery is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Montenegro.
9. In the northernmost city of Montenegro, Pljevlja, stands the famous Hussein Pasha's Mosque - a beautiful example of Islamic architecture. The richly decorated mosque with the tallest minaret in the Balkans was built in the 16th century. The mosque's extensive collection includes a manuscript of the Quran in Arabic, which is believed to date back to the 8th century.
10. At the southernmost point of Montenegro is Ada Bojana - a picturesque island with an area of 2 square miles, considered a treasure of the Montenegrin coast. The island is located where the Bojana River meets the Adriatic Sea. There are many restaurants here where you can try the best seafood in the Balkans.
11. In the coastal city of Bar is the Palace of King Nikola I, built in 1885. Bar is also famous for its 100,000 olive trees, many of which are more than a thousand years old. Here is also the oldest olive tree in Europe - it is about 2,000 years old.
12. The road through Lovćen National Park leads to one of the most amazing places in the country. Here, after climbing 461 steps, you can reach the peak of Jezerski Vrh, where the mausoleum of the Montenegrin ruler and poet Petar II Petrović Njegoš opened in 1974. The entrance to the chapel is "guarded" by two tall marble statues.
And a few more reasons…
• The longest sandy beach on the Adriatic coast, Velika PlaŽa, stretching more than 13 kilometers, is located south of Ulcinj.
• The Old Town of Ulcinj is more than 2,500 years old; its Baroque and Renaissance architecture reflects the features of many cultures and civilizations.
• Montenegro's five national parks - Durmitor, Lovćen, Biogradska Gora, Lake Skadar and Prokletije - cover an area of about 1,100 square meters.
• Biogradska Gora National Park is home to one of the last primeval forests in Europe (1,600 hectares) with diverse flora and fauna.
• The first printed book in the South Slavic countries, the Cetinje Octoechos, was printed in Cetinje in 1493.
• The highest railway bridge in Europe - the Mala-Rijeka viaduct, 198 meters high and 498 meters long - is part of an impressive mountain railway with numerous tunnels and bridges.
• The Bojana River flows in two directions at once.