Attractions ... in Montenegro
Montenegro is one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the world over the past five years. It is listed annually in recent years by prestigious international tourist guides as a top tourist destination alongside old-time favourites like Greece, France and Spain. National Geographic, for example, lists Montenegro among the “50 Places of a Lifetime” to visit. The friendly and open people, the many cultural sites, adventure holidays and beautiful beaches are some of the reasons why people like to visit.
The Government of Montenegro has set the development of the country as an elite tourist destination a top priority and it is a national strategy to make tourism a major contributor to the Montenegrin economy. A number of reforms have been taken to attract foreign investors, and some large projects aimed at the international premium tourist market have already been completed or are under way, such as Porto Montenegro and the One and Only project, both on the Bay of Kotor.
Among the places of interest to visit are the various National Parks, religious shrines, monuments and heritage sites such as –
Ostrog Monastry, containing beautiful frescos and ancient manuscripts
Negushi village, the birthplace of King Peter the Second
Cetinje Monastry which houses the relics of Jovan Baptist
Cathedral of St Tryphon and the Basilicia of St Lukas, both in Kotor
Savina Monastry and the Church of Our Lady of the Rocks, both on the Bay of Kotor
Tara River Canyon, the deepest canyon in Europe and the second deepest in the world
The coastal region has many well-preserved ancient old towns such as Kotor, Perast and Budva Old Town. Some of the towns have magnificent walled fortifications and old castles dating from the medieval and Venetian periods.
The National Parks of Durmitor, Lovcen and Biogradska Gora, together with Skadar Lake are all places of outstanding natural beauty and provide amenities for recreational and sporting activities. Durmitor National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site, for example.
Montenegro has some wonderful beaches along its 295 km Adriatic coastline from Budva in the north to the beautiful beach at Ulcinj in the south.
The town of Budva is the party-town of the coastal region, each summer tens of thousands of visitors flock to this town to enjoy the beaches and attend concerts. The exclusive and iconic Sveti Stefan hotel and resort is on the outskirts of Budva and is a favourite with international celebrities.