Why stay in Bar

This port town is a paradise for thrifty retirees and it it the main port of Montenegro. There is absolutely nothing to do in the city itself, but there are plenty of places around that will take a week to visit.

The entire residential sector is within walking distance of the city beach, which stretches along its entire length. Since the city has a railroad connecting it with Serbia and Podgorica, it becomes one of the most budget-friendly options for visitors from the North. Mostly in this town with a population of 40 thousands people you will not find a luxury hotel, mainly dominated by the private sector of 2-3 stars.

In the city there are several boutiques of underwear from Italy, (really from Italy, but mostly made in China) and from Serbia. A lot of Italian and Turkish goods in the hypermarkets for locals. It is a port city which has regular commercial shipping between Montenegro and Italy – at a distance of 270 km is the city of Bari, to which you can take a ferry for about 11 hours 200-300 euros.

We would still recommend not to swim on the city beaches, so after shopping there are two attractions left: Saborni hram Svetog Jovana Vladimira (the church of St. Jovan Vladimir) and a museum (the former King Nikola’s Palace, built in the 19th century) on the waterfront. And oh yes, we almost forgot about another attraction, Stara Maslina, an olive tree that is 2000 years old.

Sutomore

You can easily get to the crystal clear water on the beach Kraljičina plaža could be reached by water shuttle for about 10 euros from Bar, which will pick you up in the morning from the pier and return in the evening back. Usually in the season there is a big traffic jam from Sutomore to Bar. If there are no traffic, then you should definitely get to the incredibly pleasant beaches, which are sprinkled around a single cape Kricevac: Strbina Beach, Maljevik beach and Uvala Štrbina.

On the way to the beaches you can visit Haj Nehaj Fortress. The Turkish fortress rises on a rocky hill and surprisingly, no one notices it from the main road. Originally founded by the Venetians, it is first mentioned in writing in 1542. This fortress is abandoned and the way to the top will have to be overcome independently on narrow mountain trails.

Stari Bar (Old Town Bar)

The ruins of Stari Bar (Old Bar) lie at the foot of Mount Rumia. The city was first mentioned in the 9th century, when it came under the control of the Byzantine Empire. Bar was ruled by Venice in the 16th and 19th centuries and the Ottoman Turks between the 16th and 19th centuries. The Turkish presence is so strong that when you drink your morning coffee from a turkey in a local cafe, you are absolutely sure that this is Turkey and not Montenegro. There were two gunpowder explosions in Old Bar in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and in 1979 there was a major earthquake that finally destroyed the fortress.

The town has an impressive aqueduct built by the Turks and supplying the Bar with drinking water since the 18th century. There is also the 14th-century Cerkov Sveti Veneranda (Church of St. Venus), the 15th-century Cerkov Sveti Ivan (Church of St. John). You will also find an old mosque and a Turkish bath here.

In the Old Bar, there are luxury hotels with very exclusive interiors and great kitchen. Today, about 1,800 people live in the old bar. The narrow street next to the old fortress is full of small and charming cafes and restaurants.

Ada Bojana

Ada Bojana is a picturesque little island on the border with Albania and has a Nudist beach with the same name covering 80% of the coastline. The beach with the unique fine healing sand, containing a lot of minerals, attracts tourists from all over the world. Do not be surprised if you come across people buried almost completely in the sand. It is especially beneficial for those who suffer from musculoskeletal problems.

Gornji Štoj is a fishing village where you can taste fresh trout in coastal restaurants and find overnight accommodation on the Buna River, which flows into the Adriatic Sea.

The picturesque island neighbours the famous Ulcinj Riviera, which is 20 kilometres long and has 11 beaches to suit all tastes. Including Velika plaža (Long Beach), which is adjacent to the island. This beach with basalt sand is 13 km long! The beach can accommodate up to 15000 people and is also popular for kite surfers and big nigh party lovers.

Skadar Lake National Park

You can reach Skadar Lake National Park either from Podgorica, Budva or Bar. If we are talking about tourist spots, near the village of Godinje near Virpazar, from the waters of Lake Skadar rise the ruins of the fortress walls of Turkish fortress Grmožur. The abandoned fortification is known as the Montenegrin Alcatraz, as it was a former prison during the time of King Nikola. If organic food, camping and outdoor recreation are not an empty term for you, we can recommend OK Koral Outdoor Club. Conceived as a part of the organic garden and a farm, nestled between the Orahovstica River and a nearby forest, OK Koral is not an ordinary camp.

On the eastern part of Virpazar, exactly in the middle of the southern coast, we arrive at Murići beach, located in a small village. Opposite the beach is a large island called Beška island, on which is located Serbian Orthodox monastery Manastir Beška (Beska Monastery). On the territory of the complex there are two churches of the of the 14th century – the Church of St. George and the St Mary’s Church.

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