Why Montenegro? Perhaps the mountains near the famous blue and transparent waters of the Adriatic are indeed black? The best way to form one’s own opinion is “see once...” And I went there for the May holidays.
Montenegro, in the rays of the almost summer sun, turned out to be a bright and welcoming country, reminiscent in a nostalgic way of the Crimea, and in some ways of the Carpathians. True, neither in the Crimea nor in the Carpathians will you meet such high snow-capped peaks, serpentine roads and sheer gorges, such a multitude of tunnels, where the highway suddenly dives and just as unexpectedly emerges on the other side of the slope. Although Montenegro is quite small in area, as a mountainous country it has a double extent – not only in width, but also in height, so it seems much larger.
If you travel through Montenegro by car or bus, the scenes change incredibly quickly, even contrastingly: now green forests and hills, then suddenly the narrow opening of the only canyon in Europe, then a sharp descent – and you find yourself on a plain, and just five kilometers later the road goes uphill again.
But the most impressive scenes open up when, having crossed the ridge, you descend to the sea: white framework wooden houses with reddish roof tiles, densely clinging to a narrow strip along the coast, graceful spires of bell towers and powerful fortress walls around towns on capes that jut far into the sea, and beyond – islands and islets.
It seems that after the patriarchal peace of solitary farmsteads in the Montenegrin hinterland, the coquettish Budva Riviera prepares for the entrant Italian-style impressions! Although I have never been to Italy, I have seen it so many times in my dreams that Montenegro seemed to me a successful compromise for those who would like to feel the flavor of the Mediterranean, but who are kept from a tour to Italy, Spain, or French Provence by the hassle of a Schengen visa or ignorance of the language. And Montenegro is an excellent way out, you will agree! For us, tired of the long winter or city bustle, dreaming instead of the fumes of crossroads to breathe in full chest the purest air with barely perceptible aromas of the sea, thyme, mountain pines, and flowering orange trees, it is difficult to think of a better place for rest.
Having traveled around the resorts for a week, having climbed deep into the country, you suddenly feel what distinguishes Montenegro from other seaside countries: the unhurried rhythm of this cozy country allows guests to remain alone with themselves, without fearing loneliness. Monasteries and churches delicately coexist with cafes and evening discos, and streets a meter and a half wide accommodate all comers, for in tightness there is no offense!
Walks through tiny towns and villages that stretch along the coast from Budva to Milocer, appearing at every new turn, from one beach with wonderful scatterings of pebbles to another with red sand and red umbrellas, delight the soul and reconcile with everyone. The subtle aroma of coffee or the sharp smell of a mixture of garlic, lemon, and olive oil, which is served here with squid grilled on a grill, makes even the strictest “diet keepers” sit down at a table in the nearest cafe or konoba – a fish restaurant. The waiter, with the dignity inherent in Montenegrins, will cordially invite: “Molim!”, and upon hearing Slavic speech, he will smile: “Rusi, bratya...”
After a week of acquaintance with the country, I thought that it would be good to return here, like to the good old Crimea: like Crimea, Montenegro cannot be examined just by peeking beyond the mountain. But you want not only to peek, but also to enjoy this corner of peace, which is guarded by harsh mountains and reflected by the smooth surface of the Bay of Kotor. Fortunately, unlike exotic Brazil, such a trip can be afforded more than once – flying is short, traveling is cheap, no visas are required, even though it is called Montenegro!