Montenegrin Highlights
Luxury marinas welcoming world's biggest yachts, sandy beaches ideal for kite surf or simply lounging, ski resorts with awesome powder snow, mountain lakes offering a refreshing rest for trekking lovers, a lake being one of Europe's largest bird reserve, one of the world deepest canyon perfect for rafting... Those are part of what Montenegro has to offer to visitors, explaining the huge tourism growth.
Click on a picture for more details:
Porto Montenegro
Since its opening in 2009 Porto Montenegro achieved some notable milestones in a short time, from having the biggest berth in the world (250m long, easily accommodating the biggest yachts in the world), to being the first marina in the world to obtain a 5 Gold Anchor Platinum accreditation.
It was the first new project of independent Montenegro, and it became its luxury "signature". This symbol is now recognized around the world, and became a "must visit" for the likes of: M/Y Azzam, M/Y Eclipse, M/Y YAS, M/Y Scheherazade, M/Y Flying Fox, or the extravagant sailing yacht "A".
https://www.businessinsider.com/millionaire-lifestyle-montenegro-yachts-luxury-photos-2019-4
https://www.arabianbusiness.com/dubai-s-icd-snaps-up-montenegro-super-yacht-marina-630816.html
https://www.superyachtnews.com/business/porto-montenegro-to-invest-500-million-over-next-ten-years
Lustica Bay
The biggest project in South-East Europe with its 7 million m2 area for EUR 1.1 billion, is truly pharaonic. Little by little a new city is being built, the Mediterranean equivalent of El Gouna in Egypt, country of origin of Orascom, the owner and developer of Lustica Bay.
Only a part of the project is finished, but that part consists of a 5 star hotel, a marina, hundreds of apartments and villas, restaurants, shops, supermarket, art gallery... A small city "Centrale" is being completed, the golf course on tracks with other hotels, school, shopping center... Out of nowhere, a new city is founded.
https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/travel/the-chedi-lustica-bay-review-a4293151.html
Portonovi
With an investment of EUR 828 million, Portonovi is by far Azerbaijan's largest international project (excluding the energy sector).
Home of the first One&Only resort in Europe, Portonovi adds in 2021 the latest touch of luxury to Montenegrin tourism and residential offer.
https://www.portonovi.com/home/
https://robbreport.com/travel/resorts/oneonly-portonovi-montenegro-resort-1234609907/
Capital Plaza
The 93,000m2 crown of Montenegrin mixed-used real estate development opened September 18th 2015. Its owners, Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG) and Capital Investment (CI) together with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo DJUKANOVIC, inaugurated what will become very strong ties between Montenegro and the United Arab Emirates.
Since then, this blend of retail, business, residential, hospitality, and social space put The Capital Plaza at the center of the map, attracting most of the international clientele coming to Podgorica, becoming the de facto center of business life.
Several countries (France, United Arab Emirates...) relocated their embassies in The The Capital Plaza's offices, joining the OSCE, The Council of Europe, Montenegrin Olympic Committee, or companies like Microsoft, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Roche, Inditex, Carlsberg having their head offices.
https://www.thecapitalplaza.me/en/
Velika Plaza & Ulcinj
Velika Plaza ("Long Beach") is the longest beach (sand) in Montenegro with 12 km goes from Ulcinj to the Albanian border. Even if it became internationally famous for kitesurfing, all traditional beach activities are available. In the past decade, several music festivals and concerts are being held there, attracting an increasing number of foreign young visitors.
The city of Ulcinj, one of the oldest city in the Adriatic (founded 500 years BC, older than London or Paris for example), was until pre-medieval times one of the capital of pirates in the Adriatic.
Today, Ulcinj is one of the most visited city of Montenegro with 420,000 tourists in 2019.
Kolasin
Only 70 km from Podgorica, Kolasin is the principal ski center of Montenegro. The quality of its powder snow and untouched landscape attracts more and more tourists, especially from France and neighboring countries. Some years it's possible to have more than 2 meters of snow until late April, ideal for beginners to enjoy offseason skiing without much crowd.
During summer, nearby Biogradska Gora National Park (protected by UNESCO) offers 500 years old trees, glacier lakes and one of the latest virgin rainforest in Europe.
Zabljak
At 1456m Zabljak is the highest town in the Balkans, at the foot of Durmitor mountain, surrounded by 22 mountains over 2200m, and 18 mountain lakes.
Even if all winter activities are waiting visitors, its natural beauty is at its peak during spring and summer, where rafting on the nearby Tara canyon or hiking around the lakes are extremely popular among tourists. Crno Jezero (Black Lake) is the most visited and photographed lake.
Skadar Lake
The largest lake in the Balkans is a National Park, where among many things you people can view numerous birds species, among them some of the last pelicans of Europe. Abundant fish makes for perfect lunch on small restaurants on the lake, some only accessible by boat.
Be it any season of the year, Skadar Lake is the perfect relaxing getaway,
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/lake-skadar-montenegro-albania/index.html
Kotor
As one of the best preserved medieval old town in the Adriatic and a double UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kotor is one of the symbol of Montenegrin tourism.
400 years of Venetian domination have contributed to the city typical architecture, attracting hundreds of thousands visitors each year (500 cruise ships in 2019), you can't come to Montenegro without visiting Kotor!
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/125/
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/jun/12/montenegro-highlights-without-high-rollers
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/12/travel/traveling-europe-summer-crowds.html
Tara Canyon
The deepest canyon in Europe located in Durmitor National Park is obviously on Montenegro's must visit list. Apart from its natural beauty, it's Montenegrin's main white water sports region (rafting, canyoning...).
From spring to autumn visitors come to enjoy one of the purest water in Europe, and add a bit of adventure to their traditional vacations.
https://www.euronews.com/travel/2020/08/24/would-you-jump-off-montenegro-s-second-tallest-bridge
https://www.cdm.me/english/bill-gates-took-family-on-summer-holiday-in-montenegro/
Lipa Cave
Lipa Cave is one of the biggest cave in the country, showing another aspect of Montenegro.
It helps display a complex Montenegro, a small country in size, but with many different types of geological treasures, giving visitors diverse options when selecting excursions.
Perast
Certainly the most picturesque village in Montenegro, perfectly located in the Bay of Kotor, Perast is having a feel of Hallstatt and certainly all the characteristics of a mediterranean town.
The two islets of Saint George and Our Lady of the Rocks, combined with the breathtaking surrounding of mountains falling in the water makes this village the most eminent one on the coast.
