The ruins of Stari Bar, Montenegro

If you arrive by ferry to Montenegro, you’ll most likely be arriving in the port city of Bar. Although Bar itself is not worthy of exploration, the old town – Stari Bar  – is just 5 kilometers from the port and it is a wonderful place to visit. The picturesque ruins are located on a…

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Lake Skadar – the Balkans’ largest lake

The Montenegrin Skadarsko jezero goes by many names: Skadar (from the Montenegrin), Shkodër (from the Albanian) and Scutari (from the time when it was an Italian protectorate). It’s the  largest lake in the Balkans – part of the lake is in Montenegro and part in neighboring Albania. The lake itself is well known for its…

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Montenegro’s Durmitor National Park

I’ve already written about Perast, my favorite Montenegrin seaside town. But the tiny Balkan country of Montenegro has much to offer to visitors willing to stray from its more developed Mediterranean coastline. For Montenegro’s rugged, wild interior attracts fewer visitors, but  it’s well worth the effort. The Montenegrins tell a story about the creation of…

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Where time stands still in Perast, Montenegro

I think that tiny Montenegro is a wonderful holiday destination. Once part of Yugoslavia, then Serbia-Montenegro, this Balkan country gained independence with a referendum in 2006.  Although the entire country is less than 14,000 square kilometers, with a  population of just over 600,000 people, its borders contain incredibly diverse landscapes:  stunning coastline and an unspoiled,…

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