MONTENEGRO IN SEPTEMBER

We visited this little country some years ago and enjoyed it so much that now in September we came again. It was worth it. We had a perfect vacation in beautiful nature. And because it was almost out of season (but still with warm weather), it was very calm and not crowded. The small towns and villages are lovely, the waters of the rivers, the bay and the sea are clean and sparkly clear. The mountains are both, majestic and soft. The roads are narrow and winding around them. The forests are ancient and fantastic. The food is very tasty, the people are friendly.

Here is a small photo tour.

Beautiful magnificent Kotor Bay.

Negoshi, where the best prosciutto is cured.

Abundance of autumn crocus (Herbstzeitlose)

The lakes and rivers are bird lovers paradise.

On a boat tour at Lake Skadar the guide told us the story of these two mountains. Once Richard Burton visited the region, and when he saw the hills he said: "Oh, Sofia Loren." "But there is one smaller and one bigger", the people told him. "Oh yes, Sofia Loren!", he answered.

Me and the donkey - on a road stand with drinks offered, high in the mountain.

The villages lined on Kotor Bay are lovely and inviting. Many vacation rooms and apartments are available with small private beaches. This is Perast.

And Stoliv, where we stayed four nights, exactly on the bay, with our private part of the beach.

Stari Bar - Remnants of an old town in the south west of Montenegro. Over the centuries it was occupied by Venetians, Serbians, Hungarians and Ottomans. After the locals destroyed the aqueduct in 1877, and cut the Turks off the water supply, they finally left, and the place was reclaimed by Montenegro. It lays in ruins today, although some repairs to the structures were made. A small population of people built houses on the slope to the old town, with restaurants, souvenir shops, and some accommodations for tourists. This was a fascinating place to visit.

Stara Maslina. The sign said, that this olive tree is 2000 years old, it is supposed to be the oldest European tree. 

Rijeka Crnojevica, where we stayed two nights in a room with a terrace to the river, and the owner as a private cook. And how he spoiled us with breakfast and dinner!
 

There we had a wonderful two hour trip on the river with a small boat and a  nice guide.

Gospa od Škrpjela - Our Lady of the Rocks, an artificial island in Kotor Bay, with a Roman Catholic church on it. It was created by sinking old ships loaded with rocks.

The narrow lanes of Kotor. This town is very touristic. On every given day in season huge cruise ship enter the bay, and their passengers descent on the city, overpopulating it.

Boat tour on Skadar Lake with incredible plant and bird life.

Cormorants drying off their wings.

Pomegranate shrubs lining literally every road in the mountains with millions of fruits in autumn.They are small and hard, none edible, but so beautiful. I am dreaming of visiting once more in spring to see the pomegranates in bloom.

Photos mostly by my husband Uri Eshkar.