Bar (Montenegro)

Bar is a fairly large city for Montenegro with a population of 38 thousand people and, moreover, its largest port. Bar Resortis located between the old part of the city and the modern port and is a relatively new city: modern architectural styles and large squares, wide shady boulevards lined with palm trees, pine trees, oleanders and agave. The most beautiful beaches in the area are Golden Beach, Pearl Beach, Red Beach, Olive Wave. The beaches are mostly made of small pebbles the size of buckwheat or sandy, in the Bar itself the beaches are concreted. These beaches are surrounded by small resort towns with villas, hotels and restaurants. Warmest water in August, the average temperature is 25 ^o. It is one of the sunniest places in Europe with 270 sunny days a year. The small resort Sutomore is located 5 km from Bar, here the railway, running along the coast from Bar, turns into the mountains. The resort is located on the shores of a small bay surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. Sutomore is famous for its large sandy beach, along which there are several hotels. Not far from the town there are 2 fortresses: Golo Brdo and Hai-Nehai. Between Sutmore and Bar there is a small peninsula, on which the ruins of the monastery of St. Mary of the 11th century have been preserved. For lovers of nightlife or noisy carnivals in Bar may be boring. But a large marina has been built here, where they are left for the winter. The surroundings of Bar are interesting for divers, because nearby in shallow water is the sunken yacht of King Nikola, the Austro-Hungarian destroyer and the German cruiser Vorwertz. Underwater excursions to these “sights” are available even for beginners.

The old city is located at the foot of Mount Rumia, 3.5 km from the sea. Over the years, the rulers of Stary Bar have changed: from Byzantium, the Kingdom of the Slavs, Serbia, Zeta, to the Venetian Republic and Turkey. Old Bar today – a kind of open-air museum of architecture. Near the Old Bar, in Mirovice, there is one of the oldest olive trees in the world, over 2000 years old. In 1963, the tree was declared a natural monument and is under state protection. At the end of the 19th century, the Montenegrin prince Nikola built his summer residence “Topolica” on the shore (currently a museum and a concert hall).

Kolasin (Montenegro)

According to definitionexplorer.com, Kolasin is a small resort town located near the Biogradska Gora National Park at an altitude of 954 m above sea level. The city is surrounded by small mountain ranges Belasitsa, Klyuch and Sinyaevina. It is located in the upper reaches of the Tara, one of the most famous rivers in Montenegro. Kolasin is located 80 km from the airport in Podgorica and 160 km from the airport in Tivat, a railway passes through the city, connecting Podgorica with Belgrade.

Ski resorts “Belasitsa” and “Trebalevo” are located 8.5 km from the city, there is a bus connection with Kolasin and car parking. The total length of the ski slopes is 15 km, the length of the main slope is 4.5 km. Elevation difference 460 m (upper point on the top of Chupovi – 1880 m, lower – 1420 m). On the slopes there are 3 tow lifts with a length of 500 m, a chair lift with a length of 1840 m leading to the top of Chupovi, and a children’s lift (150 m). The resort has a ski and snowboard school, a medical center and a rescue service. 2 slopes are FIS certified for international competitions. In Kolasin the annual Golden Ermine Alpine Skiing Cup and snowboarding competitions are held during the ski festival in February. The ski season in the Belasitsa mountains begins in November and lasts almost until April. The height of the snow cover is from 1 to 3 m.

At any time of the year, Kolasin attracts lovers of ecotourism, because the Biogradska Gora National Park is located next to it – one of the oldest virgin forests in Europe. The nature reserve, covering the central part of the Belasitsa massif, was founded in 1952. But the first attempts to protect the forests in these places were made as early as 1878, when the territory was given to Prince Nikola Petrovich. The heart of the park is the virgin Biograd forest, in the center of which, at an altitude of 1094 m, lies the Biograd lake. In addition to Biogradsky, there are 5 more glacial lakes in the vicinity of the reserve, which lie above 1500 m above sea level. On the territory of the park, scientists have identified 26 plant communities, in which 2000 different species and subspecies of plants grow, of which 20% are endemic to the Balkan Peninsula. Untouched forests are especially rich, there are 86 species of trees growing at an altitude of 850 to 1800 m above sea level. The largest specimens reach 45 m in height and 1.5 m in girth. In the Belasitsa massif there are 10 peaks higher than 2000 m, the highest is Black Glava (2139 m). Mountain slopes in the vicinity Kolasina is very picturesque: old cottages and wooden mills enliven the landscape.

Not far from Kolasin is the monastery of Morača. The monastery was built in a picturesque place above the fast, foamy river Moraca more than 750 years ago with donations from Prince Vukan Nemanjić. The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin in the Moraca Monastery, built in 1252, was the tomb of the rulers. The church is richly decorated with frescoes, among which there is a unique cycle dedicated to the prophet Elijah. There are interesting icons of the 17th century. The monastery also houses the churches of St. Nicholas and St. Archdeacon Stefan.

Niksic (Montenegro)

Niksic is located in the north-west of Montenegro in the valley of the river Zeta. The city lies on a plateau at an altitude of 650 m above sea level. The Negosh mountain range approaches the city from the northwest. Near it are the lakes Krupac, Slano and Liverovichi. Niksic, the second largest city in the country, is its largest industrial center. Here is a large brewery, famous for the beer “Niksicko”. The railway connects Niksic with Podgorica.

The city was founded in the 4th century, and its first name was Onogost. Some evidence of the first settlement has survived, including monuments from the Illyrian and Roman periods, which can be seen in the local museum. The city acquired its modern look at the end of the 19th century, when the architect Joseph Slade developed a plan for the city. He also built in 1900 the princely palace in the Renaissance style (now the palace houses a museum). In Niksic there is the Cathedral of St. Basil of Ostrog, built at the expense of Emperor Nicholas II. There are many memorial plaques in the temple that keep the memory of the glorious sons of Montenegro and Herzegovina, who gave their lives in the struggle for the freedom of their homeland.

Župa Monastery is located a few kilometers from Niksic on the left bank of the Grachanitsa River, at the foot of Mount Vodachka top. According to legend, the monastery was originally located on the right bank of the Gracanica, but there it was destroyed by a rockfall from Mount Gradac. The monastery was restored by Zeta princes Chernoevichi, but it was again destroyed. Local residents built a church and cells in a new place, on the other side of the river, dismantling the buildings and moving them over the stones. This happened in the first quarter of the 17th century, under the guidance of the local architect Jovica. In 1809, the Župe monks dispersed to other monasteries due to Turkish oppression, and the monastery itself was burned down in 1853 during a punitive campaign. Only in 1881, Prince Nikolai Petrovich erected a new monastery church of the Holy Apostle Luke in memory of his uncle and predecessor, Prince Daniel.

Mountain lake Krupac attracts vacationers with clean water, an abundance of fish. There is an equipped beach and a promenade. 17 km from Niksic, near the canyon of the Komarnitsa River, there is a small ski center Vuchje. Small gentle slopes are suitable for beginner skiers. Vuchye has 4 tracks with a total length of 2750 m, there are three drag lifts.