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Where is this elusive, tiny country of Montenegro, Europe's
youngest country; and our 29th member to NATO? Montenegro is a pocket-size
country in southeastern Europe, on the sunny, southern coastline of the
Adriatic Sea. Formerly, Montenegro was part of Yugoslavia, until the break-up
in 1992, and became a sovereign state when over 55% of the population voted for independence in May 2006.
Montenegro is often called the land of six continents for
its geographic diversity. It’s a country that offers tourists, intrepid travelers,
and holidaymakers a versatile vacation destination; where you can tickle the
turquoise sea or enjoy the soaring, snow-capped mountains in the distance.
Our destination today is the UNESCO-protected town of
Kotor, the magnificent Bay of Kotor, and the enchanting Our Lady of Rocks
islet in Perast. Traveling just 95km from Dubrovnik, with our tour
guide, Tina, we find these picturesque villages and islands just waiting to be unwrapped. Luckily, our driver, Vlado, has traveled the Adriatic coastal road for over 35
years, maneuvering the sharp hairpin turns and the steep switchback curves on
this narrow road with ease, offering breathtaking views at every turn.
Kotor is a very popular European vacation destination, a real gem,
located in the southernmost fjord of the Adriatic. The most impressive
structure in Old Town Kotor, dubbed "Little Dubrovnik," is its city
walls, dating back more than 1200 years, reaching 4 km in length, and
stretching up to the San Giovanni fortress, that stands 260 meters above sea
level. Another medieval and Romanesque building worth stepping inside is the Basilica
of Saint Tryphon, constructed in 1166, with twin Baroque bell towers, and an
impressive collection of European art.
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| Kotor-Bay of Kotor, Montenegro |
The second UNESCO site is a short boat ride from the baroque shore
of Perast, in the stunning Bay of Kotor, Our Lady of the Rocks. A photogenic
Roman Catholic church, built upon the only man-made island in the Adriatic by
seamen who discovered an icon of the Madonna and child on a seaside cliff and
vowed to honor her by building a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the
patron saint of seafarers and fishermen.
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| Baroque shores of Perast, Montenegro
One significant historic treasure inside the church is the famous votive tapestry, the Holy Virgin, embroidered by
Jacinta Kunić-Mijović from the quaint village of Perast. Legend weaves the
story that it took her 25 years to finish, while waiting for her husband to
return from exotic and faraway places. A fabled story that she
embroidered this iconic piece with gold and silver fibers and finally with
strands of her own aging and greying hair.
Nowhere else can you discover so much natural beauty,
picturesque villages and pristine nature in such a compact area, as in
Montenegro, another hidden crown jewel of the Dalmatian coast.
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