Montenegro ("Black Mountain") gained independence from Serbia in 2006 and is one of Europe's newest countries. It is also one of its most dramatically beautiful — a country the size of Connecticut that manages to contain Adriatic beaches, a fjord-like bay (the Bay of Kotor, often confused with an actual fjord), the medieval walled city of Kotor, the glacial lakes of Durmitor National Park, and a wilderness interior that still feels genuinely remote.
Montenegro ("Black Mountain") gained independence from Serbia in 2006 and is one of Europe's newest countries. It is also one of its most dramatically beautiful — a country the size of Connecticut that manages to contain Adriatic beaches, a fjord-like bay (the Bay of Kotor, often confused with an actual fjord), the medieval walled city of Kotor, the glacial lakes of Durmitor National Park, and a wilderness interior that still feels genuinely remote.
The Bay of Kotor is the country's showpiece: surrounded on three sides by steep limestone mountains that plunge directly into the water, it contains a string of historic towns (Kotor, Perast, Herceg Novi) that were ruled by Venice for centuries and retain their Venetian architecture. The Lovćen National Park above the coast is wild and largely unvisited. Montenegro is currently one of Europe's best-value destinations — infrastructure investment is ongoing, but prices remain low and the landscape is extraordinary.
