Look at the photos. Just look at them!
You can't ignore that!
Montenegro has mountains, forests, beaches, nature, getaways and countryside, cities, history, and Balkan food (ermagherd nom nom nom).
One day through my hostel in Kotor I took a tour. By the way, this hostel is called Montenegro Hostel and I totally recommend it. We drove through villages and on winding roads with beautiful views of the rivers and mountains.
For some adventure, we stopped at Tara River Canyon and did the world's largest zip line! There were other activities here, too, and the views were spectacular.
We stopped to walk in a forest and toured a historical monastery.
We ate at a quiet restaurant where we sat on the outdoor patio right on the edge of a huge hill overlooking the mountains. There we ate traditional Montenegrin food and if I knew the name of it I would tell you! It was a mixture of mashed potato and cheese topped with a sour cream/yogurt. It's the equivalent to bacon and eggs with biscuits and gravy. Traditionally, this food was cooked by hardworking women for the men to work outside and have the necessary energy all day from a filling meal. Now, anyone cooks these dishes and we enjoy indulgently :)
On the tour, we made our way to Durmitor National Park. Durmitor National Park is the epitome of a getaway.
It has the Black Lake and Europe's deepest gorge. In the summer, there is hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, canoeing and kayaking, and more. There are cabins and the fresh mountain air is cool. The lush trees are skinny and tall and everything smells sweet. Local vendors collect herbs and flowers for tea, wild berries, and honey for purchase. Durmitor also holds Europe's largest ski resort.
Have I sold you on visiting yet?
While I loved Kotor, I must visit Durmitor again. I was so torn because we arrived to Durmitor, hiked around the lake, and had to leave to make it back to Kotor before midnight.
I told myself that this park is too pleasant a getaway to only visit for a few hours and never return so I will come back but this time with hiking shoes, a bathing suit, and a bicycle. And you know what's so great about being in Montenegro and visiting this park? You can easily hop on over to another Balkan country! You are right next to Croatia and Albania which have incredible beaches.
Enjoy the photographs. I hope they stir that beautiful wanderlust inside you and inspire you to visit national parks to unplug and breathe in that fresh, natural air.
