~ a country of extremes and great beauty...

                 ...Montenegro's many faces will win your heart ~

Have you ever planned a trip to a country and then realised that you need to look it up on the map first? Just to find out where it is!

That was the way it was with our visit to Montenegro.

Always hankering for a palace stay, we were thrilled when we could book an apartment overlooking the Old Square in Kotor. A scarlet plaque on the laneway wall opposite this gate declared that between the 14th and 17th centuries Palata Bizanti was the aristocratic home of the Bizanti family. 

Today the apartments behind these heavy gates are very comfortable, but come without pretension - and, of course, servants! To us, it revealed just one of this country's many faces, and a history that extends into the mysteries of the Middle Ages.

Is it possible to fall in love with a valley?

People had told us about the beauty of northern Montenegro. These steep mountains and cloud-laden valleys are the antithesis of the busy maze of Kotor, far south on the coast.

Montenegro's name translates as 'black mountain' - named for Mount Lovcen in the south. That mountain was once covered with dense forest, appearing black from a distance. 

This equally forbidding scenery, above, is the Durmitor Gorge in the north-east, second only in depth to the Grand Canyon.

There is a whimsical mood in this country. Kotor's signature is cats. Live or symbolised, they are everywhere.

Cat-lovers! Read on - there is more for you very soon.

And then there are almost unbelievable 'postcard' views of Kotor Bay and its storybook islands.

Watch this video for an idea of what's ahead....

++++++

Now, please come with us on the journey.....

Let's begin, as we did, entering from Serbia to the north. Turning right towards the accommodation we had booked for the night, it was a complete surprise to suddenly find ourselves on a road far above the valleys. Clouds hung suspended over the furthest ones, and we could only guess at what lay far below. Instantly we became enraptured by the Durmitor Gorge.

Even though this mountain road was quite adequate, occasionally it spared us a slow and steep ascent by providing tunnels. Throughout this part of Europe, we found them to be well made and wide enough. Often, at the entrance, a sign informed us of the length to expect. Speed may be limited to 20kph.

In these alpine areas, we found hay stacked as we have seen it often in the high country of France and Italy. Can you see what has been wedged into the base of this one? 

Our destination on the first night was the very clean and comfortable Hotel Ravnjak in the Durmitor National Park at Bistrica.

Judging by the bikes and luggage of the other guests, it was most popular with hikers, climbers and cyclists. The 17 glacier lakes in the park also tempt canoeists and those who love fishing.

With a view like this, it was a temptation to toss the itinerary and spend a day or two in this green wilderness.

However we had more to do, and much further to go

This simple monument was a reminder that the winter sports, for which this area is famous, are not always safe.

The northern part of Montenegro is so mountainous you almost feel you could be in Switzerland. But then you enter a simple church like this....

...and surrounded by such rich and joyous decoration, you can be nowhere else but in a country where eastern orthodox Christianity is widespread.

St John's church in Zaton (pop. 1000), not far from what is now the border with Kosovo, has been lavishly redecorated. 

Montenegro is an almost square-shaped country, about one-third the size of Tasmania. It is tucked into the Balkans region on the Adriatic, and was part of former Yugoslavia. Its neighbours are Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Croatia and Bosnia & Herzogovina.

Hiking through the dense woodland and forest is popular in the warmer months, but brown bears, European wild cats and grey wolves, as well as vipers can also be found here.

The valleys remain agricultural, raising sheep and cattle.

And, of course, if you can find somewhere to pull over and stop on the narrow mountain roads, this area is a photographers' paradise.

We were to discover that Montenegro seemed to delight in surprising visitors. Rounding a corner after driving through endless forest, suddenly ahead was the Durdeveca Tara Bridge striding across the Tara river and its deep gorge, which at that point was far below, out of sight. 

Completed in 1940, this 365-metre bridge has five arches, and stands 172 metres above the turquoise waters of the Tara river. Like all of the Balkan countries, over the centuries, Montenegro has been involved in many wars and skirmishes. During World War II, a Yugoslav Partisan raiding party blew up the middle span of this bridge.

Of course all the climbers and hikers and other adrenaline junkies who visit this area cannot resist taking a zipline ride across the chasm.

The day we were there, it was a busy day on this wire 'highway', but I preferred the concrete one, figuring that the view was just as good.

In fact, my interest was taken by these preserves on show at a small stall at one end of the bridge. The ingredients were simple - honey, nuts and dried fruit - but the presentation was superb. And, no, what you see is the actual content, not labels. I know this for certain, because I bought a jar and we shared it with family on our trip.

There was even time to sit at a small cafe and chat to some locals while we sipped coffee before a world-class backdrop.

Regretfully, with one last shot of the bridge we headed on ...

... and surprisingly were soon glimpsing snowcapped mountains. At almost 1500 metres elevation, the air felt cooler, and we began to see more chalet-style houses.

This small mob of sheep at Zabljak, a popular winter sports centre, had right-of-way, we felt..... 

... and so did this fellow who seemed more interested in continuing his easy walk to the next pasture, rather than admiring the stunning alpine backdrop.

As we drove on, the countryside more and more resembled northern Italy - which perhaps is hardly surprising as the two countries are only separated by a relatively narrow stretch of the Adriatic Sea.

And of course where you get mountains, the quickest and easiest way is to bore through them with a tunnel. We were travelling in springtime, so often needed to stop as roadworkers were busily repairing damage from winter snows, and preparing for summer tourists.

It had been a magnificent drive through spectacular scenery - dizzying gorges, crazy geology - and just when we thought we had used up all the superlatives, we turned a corner, and there was the magnificent Bay of Kotor below us! 

Far below are the much-photographed and centuries-old islets Our Lady of the Rocks (right) and Sveti Dorde. To the left is Verige, the opening to the bay, at its narrowest just 340 metres. Some call these waterways a fjord, but it is actually a ria, or submerged river valley.

Kotor is one of those cities where you should simply ditch your map and wander. Yes, you will become lost. Sometimes almost immediately. But the locals are friendly and helpful (despite the summer overload of tourists) and many speak at least some English.

My method is to learn the same word in each country: thank you! That, and a smile, sorts many problems. FYI: thank you, in Montenegrin, is hvala.

 Another courteous word I like to learn is Good day. Here it is: dobor dan.

(Oh, and if you can't get your tongue around the rather guttural way to say hvala - which sounds more like kvala - I found I could say 'koala' and get away with it! Cheeky but fun.)

As you will have noticed, Kotor is a great place to have a coffee, eat a bread roll or croissant, or enjoy a long and leisurely lunch.

In case you've been wondering, this is what lies beyond the big gate you saw at the beginning. And no, that is not our washing.

Bizanti Palace is now broken into several modern apartments, and this was the view from our window. As you can see we were very well situated, overlooking the largest square. That gateway, to the left, is the main Sea Gate or West Gate that leads to....

....the waterfront where some of the many visiting cruise ships dock.

Like many of the Adriatic ports, Kotor can become inundated with tourists - especially in summer. We tried to pick our own sight-seeing times and explore once the crowds had thinned in the afternoons.

Who has been a bad boy, then? Not Gordon!  

He is simply demonstrating how very uncomfortable and humiliating this punishment could be. A person's hands would be tied around one of these stone corners and then they were left to balance there in the heat or cold until released.

This 17th-century pillory, or 'pillar of shame' at the Clock Tower, was used to publicly humiliate wrongdoers. It sure would have been effective.

Pretty as a picture Kotor attracts many artists  - as well as those who want to take home something to keep the memories alive.

There is something for everyone in Kotor. You can find a quiet spot in a shadowy laneway...

...or join the crowd in a square for shopping or dining.

The locals felt that having these vermin-hunting animals in town was a good thing and so their love-affair with felines took root.

 In recent times tourist-alia has also become well-established and so you can buy almost any sort of souvenir, featuring cats.

Like these....

The real-life cats are sometimes aloof...

...always inquisitive...

...and often plainly not interested in welcoming visitors.

After all, it is their town and they feel they can please themselves. Typical cats!

Kotor is a 'stony' city too, the ancient rocks giving a feeling of stability and security.

Whether it's a B&B (above)....

....or a church....

....or an arched laneway, the strength and age of these stones are impressive.

Many places of worship have been recently redecorated, and paintings revived, often with bright modern artwork.

However, in other places it is still possible to see centuries-old original frescoes.

Kotor has been fortified since the Middle Ages. Not just the city centre at sea level has been made secure, but the defensive wall extends high above the town...

...and, as this night-time shot shows, shields the town in a massive embrace.

Just visible at the peak is the 6th-century Illyrian fort. For those with plenty of energy (and a bottle or two of water), it is possible to walk the entire 4.5 kilometre length of the ramparts. Read more....

Of course, Kotor is so much more than just the old city and souvenirs and crowds. There are many coastal places nearby. We drove to Tivat across the peninsula, passing through a long tunnel to discover this upmarket gem, with its bay filled with millionaire's yachts. The  esplanade is the place to hang out in cool cafes and nightspots. We even discovered a gluten-free bakery in a side street!

Rather than return to Kotor the way we had come, we decided to take the waterside route. 

It was slightly hair-raising because of the narrowness and a generous number of buses and tourist coaches.

Hungry by now, at last we found a waterside restaurant, Konoba Marius. The main restaurant and kitchen was across the road, but of course with a view like this, here is where we wished to eat. 

It was such a perfect evening listening to the water lapping underneath the deck, while enjoying the freshest ever seafood, calamari, and freshly baked bread. Because it was out of season, we were the only diners  - which made it even better.

We noticed many B&B places along the waterfront, and - who knows- we might even book in to one of those next time.

So many cruise ships visit Kotor, but not all dock. Some, like this Holland America ship stay in one of the many bays and use tenders to transport passengers to the city.

After a few days in Kotor, of course it was time to (reluctantly) move on. As we were heading north, we took the scenic route along the waterside, this time with a closer view of those two islets.

Sveti (saint) Dorde is a natural island, while Our Lady of the Rocks has been built up over the years.

Kotor is the host that keeps on giving. Our farewell to the area was slowed by the fact we kept discovering 'just one more' place to photograph or explore.

This cutie is Perast, a small town often mentioned in guidebooks. Very relaxed, and like any ideal host, it seemed to be saying goodbye gently and inviting us to come again.

Unable to leave too quickly, we followed up a lead given to us by another tourist in a restaurant a few days earlier. "You have to see the winery, ' they enthused. So with a little bit of getting lost we finally found Winery Savina  at Herceg Novi, almost at the Croatian border.

It was lunchtime. It was not tourist season and we had to get to our next night's accommodation - so all we could do was stand under a shady tree and admire the vines and that magnificent Montenegran view.

And vow to return.

Now you know why we say this!

More information about Montenegro....

++++

Words: Sally Hammond 

Pictures: Sally Hammond (edited by Gordon Hammond using ON1 Photo RAW software)

Video: Gordon Hammond