Hi everyone 💛
I've been so excited to share with you this very underrated and well-hidden gem with you. The country us Montenegro, and wauw, there really is sooo much to see and do here.
When visiting Dubrovnik last month, we decided to take a day trip to one of Croatia's five neighboring countries, Montenegro. The others being Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Hungary, meaning that there's plenty of opportunity to cross off countries from your travel bucket list, and of course visit some, in fact, very interesting countries with loads to offer, which might not necessarily rank at the top of your list.
Montenegro wasn't initially at the top of our travel bucket list - until we starting researching the country a little and found that it was indeed a place to visit. And we were nothing but confirmed of this, when we got to place. 😍
We decided to go for the city of Kotor in Montenegro, which is about two hours' drive - and a ferry ride - away from Dubrovnik.
We got up early that day to make sure we could enjoy a bit of morning sun overlooking Old Town Dubrovnik on the way -such a pretty view. 🙏
Oh and also, if you plan to do any day trips while in Dubrovnik, we highly recommend that you rent a car - it makes going around soo much easier not to mention comfortable 😉. But... if you plan to cross any borders, make sure to get a green card - they're pretty strict with that.
The border between Croatia and Montenegro is actually only one hour's drive away from Dubrovnik. That meant we got to drive through some Montonegro countryside before reaching the city of Kotor. We decided to stop for Hercig Novi, a very old, cute, little coastal town with quite a few beautiful sights that were definitely worth to stop for.
... only to find that there apparently are kiwi trees in this country - omg! 😍
... and soo many beautiful cacti. 🌵
The Adriatic Sea is definitely one of the most beautiful I've ever seen.
After leaving Hercig Novi, we headed east for Kotor.
Since Kotor is located on the Bay of Kotor, there are different ways of reaching the destination. You can either drive all the way around the bay, or alternatively take the car ferry (which runs between the small towns, Kamenari-Lepetane) and is only about a ten minutes' ride. We opted for the latter, and I can only recommend you do the same - the scenery here is truly breathtaking. 🌄
Kotor itself has actually been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1979, and that really is no wonder; the architecture here is gorgeous and extremely well-preserved - and then the old town is almost seamlessly integrated with the picturesque landscapes surrounding it.
High above the old town of Kotor is one of the best view points overlooking the Bay of Kotor, the City Walls. It's a about an hour's hike, depending on the pace you set of course. We definitely had to see this view, and despite the (many) stairs, it is definitely worth it. 😍
Clearly, I wasn't the only one, who was taken aback by this amazing view. 🙇
It's always a little windy on top. 🗻
After descending, we headed for Dubrovnik, just in time for another magical sunset. 🌄
I you haven't been to Montenegro - not many people I know have, in fact, but that's a real shame if you ask me. The country really has some of the most magnificent sites I have ever seen - and undoubtedly worth a visit.
Hope you enjoyed the post. Safe travels. ☀
xx, K