A Day Trip Along Montenegro’s Coast

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On a day trip from Dubrovnik to the south we chose to drive the length of Montenegro’s Adriatic coastline.  As one of the newer countries in the world, Montenegro gained independence from Serbia in 2006.  Compared to Slovenia and Croatia, Montenegro is less developed but as tourism continues to increase here, this will likely change.  Driving in Montenegro felt like you were driving in a video game at times.  It seemed like hazard after hazard had to be avoided whether it was a pedestrian walking across the middle of a busy street, a car backing out of a driveway or an animal randomly meandering across the road.

Coastline of Montenegro just south of Budva

Coastline of Montenegro just south of Budva

Aside from the difficult driving at times, the Montenegro coast is quite a spectacle.  The coastline of Montenegro appeared to be a bit more dramatic then Croatia’s with taller mountains rising up from the glistening sea below.  The Bay of Kotor, which is just a short drive past the border as you pass from Croatia to Montenegro, is a perfect example of this dramatic topography that you see in Montenegro.

Overcast day at the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

Overcast day at the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

Besides the impressive scenery, the one thing that is readily apparent along Montenegro’s coast is the Russian influence.  Russians are flocking to Montenegro’s coast in droves with daily charters from various points in Russia.  By some accounts, Russians own more than forty percent of the properties in Montenegro and well over twenty percent of the visitors to Montenegro are Russian.  Certainly the shared orthodox faith and similar language are contributing factors to this migration.  It seemed like atleast half of the billboards were in Russian as we drove along the coastline.

Real Estate Development advertising in Russian

Real Estate Development advertising in Russian

Real estate developments catering to Russians were numerous along the coast.  It became apparent real fast that Russia intends to make Montenegro its playground.  Budva, the coastal town which is the center of Montenegro’s tourism, has benefited from the influx of tourists but the growth hasn’t been without its problems.

Beach at Budva

Beach at Budva

Infrastructure around Budva is seriously lacking at times.  Reports of shortages in tap water and electricity outages run rampant.  Traffic through Budva was definitely heavy and poor urban planning has contributed to this.  Although the Russian economic engine has spread to Montenegro and created jobs and increased wealth, the infrastructure has a long way to go to be considered world class.

Condos being built near Budva

Condos being built near Budva

What will Montenegro’s coastline look like in ten years?  Without doubt, the Russian dominance of the coast will continue to increase. One can only hope that the real estate boom doesn’t ruin the charm and beauty of Montenegro’s coast although I have my doubts.

Restaurant in Budva with a menu in Russian

Restaurant in Budva with a menu in Russian

Tips: 1. If you drive just a few kilometer’s south from Budva make sure to stop around Sveti Stefan, a small peninsula that juts into the Adriatic which is home to a five star resort.  There is a nice turn out along the road just above Sveti Stefan which makes for a nice photo opportunity.

Sveti Stefan

Sveti Stefan

2. We enjoyed the coastline just south of Budva the most.  It was less developed and there were amazing views around every curve.

Dubrovnik, Croatia: the city of orange tiled roofs

Dubrovnik- The pearl of the Adriatic

Dubrovnik- The pearl of the Adriatic

Simply stated, Dubrovnik, Croatia was one of the highlights of our trip to the Balkans and is certainly deserving of the moniker ” the pearl of the Adriatic”.  Located on the far southern coast of Croatia, Dubrovnik is aided by spectacular scenery with the sparkling Adriatic Sea on one side, rugged mountains on the other, and a smattering of orange tiled roofs that seem to illuminate in the sunshine.  In our three days there, the weather was simply outstanding.  The bright blue sky and clear water of the Adriatic combined with the high density colors of the old town provided amazing opportunities for photo-op after photo-op.

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We had no particular agenda when visiting Dubrovnik other then to soak up the atmosphere of the old town and enjoy the weather and scenery.  The centerpiece of the city is the old town which is one of the older walled cities in the world.  The Stradun is the main street that connects the two main gates to the old town.  This main pathway is lined by elegant marble tiles which reflect so brightly on a sunny day making a warm day even warmer.

The Stradun in the old town of Dubrovnik

The Stradun in the old town of Dubrovnik

Besides exploring the small alley ways of the old town, we decided to walk the walls of the old town which was around 2 km in length although you do have to pay around $16 US to enter.  Being able to walk the walls provided a nice perspective of the old town and many great views of the orange tiled roofs.

View from the walls of the old town

View from the walls of the old town

If you want an even broader view of the old town, you can take a take a cable car ($15 US) or walk to the top of Mount Srd where there is a nice viewing platform that overlooks the city and coastline.

View from Mt. Srd

View from Mt. Srd

Besides the old town, there are number of beaches located throughout the city which provide a nice place to relax and enjoy the coast.  Although the word “beaches” needs to be taken in context.  We are used to sandy long stretches of beach here in the US, but a beach is quite different in Croatia.  The beaches are really a collection of rocks.  Although not great for walking or sitting, they are certainly scenic in their own right as long as your sitting in a beach chair.

Rocky beaches of Dubrovnik

Rocky beaches of Dubrovnik

The only downside to Dubrovnik was the shear amount of tourists that were visiting.  As summer months are prime cruising time, multiple cruise ships docked here each day.  The old town was extremely busy with cruise passengers although it didn’t diminish our enjoyment one bit. Our time in Dubrovnik was relaxing, pleasant and we hope to return in the future.

Bustling old town of Dubrovnik with many tourists during summer

Bustling old town of Dubrovnik with many tourists during summer

Tips: 1. During the summer months, hotels are extremely expensive near the old town.  For more reasonable accommodations look at hotels away from the center of the city.  We stayed at Hotel Lero which was reasonable and only a mile walk from the main gate of the old city.

2.  The restaurants and cafes in the main part of the old town are expensive with small portions and average quality.  For better dining experiences look away from the Old Town.  We happened to eat at Magellan Restaurant located close to our hotel (Hotel Lero) about a mile away from the old town.  Magellan has a nice outdoor patio overlooking the Adriatic and prices were reasonable. We never spent more then forty dollars on any dinner and that included drinks, entrees and a chocolate soufflé for dessert.

Magellan Restaurant near Hotel Lero

Magellan Restaurant near Hotel Lero

3.  If you want to take some great pictures of the old town and don’t want to pay to walk the walls or take the cable car to Mount Srd, then drive just south of Dubrovnik on highway 8.  Just south of the city, there is one particular lookout that had multiple parking spaces where there is a nice view of the old town as you look north along the coast line.

View from Highway 8 as you head south out of Dubrovnik

View from Highway 8 as you head south out of Dubrovnik

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia: a natural European wonder

Largest waterfall in Plitvice Lakes near entrance 1

Largest waterfall in Plitvice Lakes near entrance 1

Plitvice Lakes National Park (Plitvicka Jezera) in Croatia is situated a couple of hours drive south of the capital city of Zagreb, close to the border of Bosnia and Hercegovina.  With our whirlwind tour of the Balkans, we felt Plitvice Lakes National Park , in addition to Dubrovnik, was a must see in Croatia.  The pictures we saw of the park while researching prior to our trip were simply gorgeous, so our expectations were very high.  Reachable by only bus or car, Plitvice is slowly being discovered as one of the great natural wonders in Europe.  It is the oldest national park in southeastern Europe and now has over one million visitors every year.  The park consists of a series of sixteen lakes and waterfalls that are interconnected.  The park is further subdivided into upper lake area and lower lake area.

Terraced upper and lower lakes of Plitvice Lakes

Terraced upper and lower lakes of Plitvice Lakes

For people visiting, there are a series of walking paths that are well marked which allow easy navigation of the park.  The coral green color of the lakes is simply stunning on a clear day.

Coral green color of the lakes

Coral green color of the lakes

The natural ecosystem of the parks is preserved as no fishing or swimming is allowed in the lakes.  The only boats allowed are ones that carry visitors between the upper and lower lakes.  The lower lakes contain the largest and most impressive waterfall in the park which easily visible upon entering the park at entrance one.

Largest waterfall in the park

Largest waterfall in the park

However, the upper lakes, on average contain larger and more numerous waterfalls then the lower lakes.   Our day at Plitvice Lakes National Park was very enjoyable and spending one day at the park was the perfect amount of time there.

Waterfalls in the upper lakes

Waterfalls in the upper lakes

As with any amazing tourist attraction, more people are discovering Plitvice Lakes National Park.  As tourism continues to boom in Croatia, I would expect the influx of visitors to surge extensively over the next decade.  The only downside to the experience was battling the multitude of tour groups that were visiting.  Given the narrow walking paths that interconnect the lakes, it did feel crowded at times, especially as the morning and early afternoon progressed.

Walking paths interconnect the lakes

Walking paths interconnect the lakes

On the whole, my wife and I were impressed by Plitvice but I didn’t leave with a feeling of amazement.  Maybe it was just the day, maybe my expectations were too high, but I never felt in awe of what I was witnessing.  After having come from Lake Bled in Slovenia which exceeded every expectation, maybe a slight letdown was inevitable. Plitvice was a great and scenic place to visit but if given the choice of visiting either Lake Bled or Plitvice Lakes National Park, my heart lies with Lake Bled.

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Tips: 1.  Wear good walking shoes as the wood boards on the walking paths are uneven.  We saw atleast one person with a sprained ankle while we were there.

2.  Start at entrance 1 to the lower lakes and work your way from the lower to upper lakes.  This route will give you better views of the waterfalls.

3. Count on spending between 4-7 hours at the park, depending on how much you want to see and how fast you want to walk.  The entrance fee is around $18 US.

4.  Hotels are limited around the park.  The best and newest hotel around the park area is Hotel Degenija which is located under 10 kilometers from entrance 1.  In addition, dining is limited in the area and this hotel has a nice restaurant just adjacent to it.

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Lake Bled, Slovenia: An Alpine Treasure

Pristine Lake Bled with Bled Caste in the middle

Pristine Lake Bled with Bled Castle in the middle

If there is one word to describe Lake Bled it would be pristine.  Nestled among the peaks of the Julian Alps, Lake Bled is located in the northwestern part of Slovenia.  A mere 25 minutes from Ljublana International Airport, it is easily accessible by car, bus or train.  Although Lake Bled is a popular destination, it is not overrun with tourists and has a very calm feel to it which was very appealing to us.  This alpine lake is surrounded by mountains, but the centerpiece is an island in the middle of the lake that houses Bled Castle.  The opportunity for an amazing photograph was seemingly limitless during our time there.  Besides the amazing scenery, a very nice 3.5 mile walking path was constructed around the lake which we walked around five times during our two days in Lake Bled.

Part of the 3.5 mile walking path around Lake Bled

Part of the 3.5 mile walking path around Lake Bled

The lake has such a serene feel to it, in part because there are no motorized boats allowed on the lake.  There are plenty of opportunities to rent rowboats if you want to go out on the lake.

Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

During our second day in Lake Bled we took a short drive to another alpine lake, Lake Bohinj.  Here we took a short, but strenuous, hike to Slap Slavica Waterfall.

Slap Savica Waterfall

Slap Savica Waterfall

After this hike we enjoyed sitting on the shores of Lake Bohinj watching people parachute from the mountains surrounding the lake. After all the exercise during our two days in Bled, we decided to enjoy a traditional Bled Cream Cake our last night while sitting at one of the cafes that overlooked the lake.

Traditional Bled cream cake

Traditional Bled cream cake

Overall, Lake Bled offered a wonderful starting point for our trip to the Balkans.  I would highly recommend visiting it to anybody looking for a wonderful, reasonable and extremely scenic place to spend a couple of days while visiting Europe.  Lake Bled was easily one of the most surprising and enjoyable parts of our trip to the Balkans.

Another great shot of Lake Bled

Another great shot of Lake Bled

Tip:  For a place to stay while visiting Lake Bled, consider the Best Western Hotel Lovec.  This hotel is located just a block from the lake and offers nice views of the lake from the patios just off the rooms.  Along with an excellent location, the hotel offers free  parking, modern accommodations, inclusive buffet breakfast, free wi-fi and an extremely accommodating staff.

Planning a Trip to the Balkans: My Thought Process

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Logistically, planning a trip to countries of the Balkans was difficult.  This region has emerged from the depths of communism and then war to become a burgeoning region for tourists.  With only ten days (including flights) available for this trip, we had to be selective about what we wanted to see.  Out of the whole region a must see on our list was Dubrovnik, Croatia, located on the shores of the Adriatic along the Croatian Riviera.  However, we didn’t want to spend the whole week there and we didn’t want to back track.  We figured a general north to south or south to north route would probably work best.  After realizing how close Sarajevo was to Dubrovnik, this became an interesting option as a place to visit.  Air fares were more reasonable out of Sarajevo than Dubrovnik, so we picked Sarajevo as our endpoint.  Then the question became where to start the trip.  Neither capitol city in Slovenia (Ljubjlana) or Croatia (Zagreb) made our list of places in which we wanted to spend time.  However, when researching Slovenia we came across the Lake Bled area located in the Julian Alps.  Lake Bled, and its beautiful mountain backdrop, is located very close to Ljubjlana and is easily accessible by car, bus or train.  Thus, Lake Bled, Slovenia became our staring point by flying into Ljubjlana.  In Croatia, in addition to Dubrovnik, we were set on visiting Plitvicka Jezera National Park.  Unfortunately, Plitvicka Jezera National Park and Dubrovnik can only be reached by bus or car with no train service to either destination.  At this point, with the limited time and our general route established, we decided to rent a car for at least part of the trip.

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Then the question became, do we drop the car off in Split, Dubrovnik or Sarajevo?  With limited time, we didn’t want to take a long bus ride from Split to Dubrovnik, so we decided to at least drive the car to Dubrovnik. While researching transportation within Bosnia from Mostar to Sarajevo, it became apparent that the car would be the best option.  I read reports on the internet that people are allowed to smoke on the trains in Bosnia which is intolerable in my opinion.  The best option for our trip was to rent a car from from Slovenia and drop it off in Sarajevo.  By renting a car we had the flexibility to travel when and where we wanted with no time schedule.  The only downside to the rental car was the drop off fee that was incurred by starting in Slovenia and dropping off in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  So our final route was established from Lake Bled, Slovenia to Plitvicka Jezera National Park in Croatia to Dubrovnik, Croatia and finally ending in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Hercegovina.

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