Montenegro - Discovering Kotor, Njegusi and Cetinje
We’re in Montenegro, one of Europe’s newest nations, and the road we’re climbing clings to the steep limestone mountains overlooking the Bay of Kotor.
With every bend (or serpentine, as our guide aptly describes them) the views of the bay become increasingly breathtaking.
On the eighth hairpin the coach comes to a grinding halt as a couple of cows and a hefty bull plod up the hill in front of us; but we don’t mind - it gives us time to soak up a bit more of ‘that view’.
The bovine roadblock pulls into a convenient passing point and we’re off again - onwards and upwards.
It's the ‘Grand Montenegro Tour’ our first excursion on our cruise with Celebrity Cruises. Upwards and upwards we go before finalling stopping at serpentine number 25, a mighty 850m above sea-level, we can see our ship ‘Silhouette’ sitting centre stage in the beautiful bay.
The Gulf of Kotor (Boka Kotorska), despite often being called the southern-most fjord in Europe, is actually a submerged river canyon and from this height we can see the route the river would have once taken.
Earlier that morning I woke, as the ship edged into Kotor, to see a backdrop of green covered mountains plunge into the bay behind small monastery islands set in the deep, still waters. Mistakenly I thought that would be the best view of the day. I couldn't have been more wrong.
We tear ourselves away from the vista and head back to the coach for our next stop, Njegusi, which is even higher up the mountain at 1100m. Njegusi is famous for its local cheese, ’sir’, and ‘prsut’ a smoked dried ham; we sample a generous portion of each with a huge beaker of very drinkable red wine in Kadmi Ethnic Village.
It’s not even midday but, well….! The restaurant is cosy inside and reminds me of a ski chalet with its hide covered benches, gingham curtains and copper fire hoods but today is warm so we head back outside to enjoy the views of Mount Lovćen.
Our next stop is Cetinje and we head off along the road from Njegusi which winds through a grey, rugged area of Mount Lovcen known as The Stone Sea. The view is stark but softened with splashes of autumn colour.
Until 1946 Cetinje was the capital of Montenegro, before Podgorica took over the mantle, although the small town still remains the country’s cultural and royal capital.
It’s a pretty place with a quiet air about it dotted with small embassies and museums.
We visit the State Museum, on King Nicholas' Square, which is the former residence of Nikola Petrovic I, king of Montenegro. The palace is set out with beautiful period rooms as they would have been when the palace was in use.
I loved the Princesses' bedrooms and it would seem little girls liked pink just as much then as they do now! Displays of uniforms, medals, flags and weaponry fill the building but photography wasn’t allowed. If you’d like to know more check the museum’s official website where you’ll find a virtual tour and photographs.
We leave the peacefulness of Cetinje for the thirty minute drive to the coastal town of Budva where we'll have lunch and a wander. As the sea comes into view so does Sveti Stefan in the distance, an exclusive holiday hideaway only accessable nowadays to the rich and famous.Budva's a pretty little fortified town and worthy of its own photo tour so for now I'll just leave you with a taster...
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Many thanks to Celebrity Cruises UK for hosting my first cruise. As always views and opinions; good, bad or otherwise are entirely my own.
We are going to arrive Oct 2 on Celeberty cruise ship for the day.Thanks Victor Bloom. we are 4 people and would like to know your charge to be our guide do you have a car?Please let us know.?
Hi - I'm not a guide and I'm not based in Montenegro. You should contact Celebrity Cruises excursion department. Enjoy your trip!
Suzanne, you've certainly captured Montenegro's beauty with these panoramic captures. We only spent time in Kotor and Herceg Novi, but you make the case for visiting some of the other spots. We encountered some particularly special Old World cheese in Kotor at the outdoor market, some blended with herbs, some aged in wheat. I would love to go back.
It's such a beautiful country it'd be hard not to! We sampled some fabulous cheeses near Kotor up in the mountains - delicious. We didn't make it to Herceg Novi - do you have any posts coming up so I can take a peek?
Gorgeous pictures. Montenegro looks so beautiful!
Thank you Monica - it's such a pretty place that it's difficult to take a bad photo!
Nice post and beautiful pictures! I went to Montenegro a couple of year ago and loved it!
It's a lovely country - so many hidden gems!
I'm enjoying this trip very much - thanks for taking us along!
Thanks for joining me Meg! 🙂
Photo no. 2 is my hot favourite, Suze. You're almost convincing me with this cruise malarky, excepting I can't afford it 🙂 I thought you'd been to Budva before, and Lucy did a good hike up from Kotor not too long ago. It's definitely an area I'd like to see but Split and the Croatian islands are also on the list. I didn't realise Sveti Stefan was private now- what a cheek! 🙂
That's my favourite too Jo. Do you know I surprised even myself with the cruise - I'd always pooh poohed them without even having experienced one - I'd definitely go on another one. Maybe the Norwegian fjords or somewhere cold. I have been to Budva before and we took the bus from there to Kotor but didn't get up into the mountains that time. I've visited Split and the islands and they're just as lovely - so much world, so little time....!
Christmas plans, Suze? And then you usually like a skiing holiday? I'm Algarve bound 2nd January. It's been too long. Have a wonderful Christmas, whatever 🙂
Home with the family for Christmas Jo (my favourite!). We usually visit friends for skiing in Mar/Apr but we're off on the 5th Jan next year - hope it's not too cold. I'll be thinking of you in the Algarve. Have a wonderful one too and a very happy year in 2014.
We may be visiting relatives in Yorkshire next year and I understand Hartlepool's not much further up - may have to plan something....? 🙂
That would be lovely 🙂
I love this post! Montenegro is a country with which I am completely unfamiliar and loved seeing it's beauty through your excellent photos! Can't wait to see more!
Thank you Deirdre! It's a stunning country and together with Croatia one I'd like to get to know better - a post on Budva coming up 🙂
Great post and stunning photos! I went to Montenegro in September and I particularly enjoyed Cetinje. I did enjoy Kotor and Budva, too, but because I hadn't heard of Cetinje before I found myself very pleasantly surprised!
Cetinje is lovely - I'd like to have had more time there and will definitely head back to Montenegro to explore more...
This brought back many childhood memories - we went to Budva several times (both pre and post earthquake), and they even let us plebs in to Sveti Stefan in those days! This has definitely convinced me that I need to revisit Montenegro and Croatia as soon as possible 🙂
I'd go back tomorrow - I'd also love to have a little nose around Sveti Stefan do you remember much about it? Croatia is also somewhere I'd like to expolore more especially Trogir and the islands. Thanks for dropping in 🙂
That top photo is amazing - almost as good as your 'hot air balloons in Turkey' pic!
Thanks Rich - can't go wrong with that scenery really!
Gorgeous views Suzanne! The last shot looks like a painting!
Thanks Madhu - as I mentioned before you really can't go wrong with scenery as gorgeous as that!
Lovely pictures. When I went there it was so hot that it was hazy!
Sun came out for Budva but generally it was very warm for November...
What an amazing tour you had. And the first photo is just breathtaking. Eager to read more abou Montenegro because I might pass by it next year. 🙂
It was incredible and all in one day! More to come on Budva soon 🙂
Suzanne, what stunning photos over the Bay - incredible views! We haven't been to Montenegro yet and you've certainly enticed me. 🙂 Thanks! ~Terri
That little area has so much to see and is stunningly beautiful - and easy to get to Kotor from Budva by bus (just 30 mins).
Lovely to see photos of places I went to way back in 1971 (hitch-hiking around Europe), but I never got high enough to see that marvellous view of Kotor. Wow!
Jude xx
Hey! I hope it hasn't changed too much since you were there - fantastic to have been there in the 70s.
Lovely - brings back lots of good memories of being in Montenegro earlier this year!
It's so beautiful - did you ever get to Budva while you were there?
Just on a daytrip along the coast, beaches looked lovely along there though
We had a few days there are couple of years ago - a lovely place to just chill for a while... There are a few nice beaches tucked out of the way in the area.