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Declared independent from Serbia in 2006, the small country of Montenegro features the best of both summer and winter vacation possibilities, including fabulous beaches.

Because of its geographical diversity—the Adriatic Sea lies at its southern border, and 70 mountain peaks are scattered inland—Montenegro's landscape varies tremendously, creating a great opportunity to explore many natural phenomena, including deep canyons, caves, lakes and bays, sandy beaches and the sea.

Montenegro has been a popular tourist destination for many years. Previously, vacationers from the former Yugoslavia populated the area heavily; more recently, visitors from Germany, the Czech Republic, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom frequent the region.

The country is known for its friendly locals and for its well-organized holiday resorts. Montenegro's currency is the euro, which is readily available and makes shopping and traveling within the country easy for visitors.

Since its independence, Montenegro has been developing its tourist industry rapidly and renovating its infrastructure, including roads, buildings and public utilities.

Travelers who are looking for a quieter, yet still active, tourist destination will enjoy Montenegro.

Geography

Called Crna Gora (which means "black mountain") by the locals, Montenegro derives its name from its location, which is engulfed by rocky hills and high mountains.

Montenegro lies southwest of Serbia, southeast of Bosnia and Herzegovina and north of Albania, and it borders the Adriatic Sea. It is a small—only about 5,350 sq mi/13,800 sq km—and mountainous country. However, the coastline stretches 182 mi/293 km, and there are approximately 70 mountain peaks reaching 6,562 ft/2,000 m.

History

The original inhabitants of Montenegro were Illyrian and covered the present-day region of Montenegro and northern Albania. Romans, most notably the Docleats, were present in the country until the seventh century when Slavic bands arrived in the region. The location where they settled became known as Duklja (also referred to as Zeta) in the 11th century.

During this time, Macedonia's King Samuil defeated Prince Vladimir of Duklja, and when Samuil's reign ended in 1018, Zeta came under Byzantine rule. The country was finally liberated from the Byzantines by Stefan Vojislav, whose successors proclaimed the region a kingdom in 1099. Future descendants further extended the territory by unifying Raska and Bosnia with Zeta. However, during the 1280s, the leader of Raska gained control of Zeta and held it for 180 years.

Zeta eventually regained its power, and the country's name became Montenegro in the 15th century. During this time, Ivan Crnojevic, who ruled 1465-1490, established a new capital city that was besieged by the Turks but was defended successfully. When Ivan's son Durad took control in 1490, he faced constant attacks from the Turks. He eventually fled to Italy, and the Petrovic-Njegos dynasty ruled the country for some time. During this period, Montenegrin tribes were unified.

During the late 18th century and early 19th century, Petar I established the foundations for a state. His heir, Petar II, created the state's administration, and successor Danilo II further strengthened existing state institutions and established the border between Montenegro and Turkey.

When Nikola Petrovic came to office in 1860, Montenegro and the Turks were warring. However, Petrovic was able to get Montenegro officially recognized as an independent state at the Congress of Berlin in 1878. This also expanded Montenegro's territory and gave it an outlet on the Adriatic Sea. In 1910, Petrovic proclaimed himself the king of Montenegro (Nikola I).

During World War I, Montenegro invaded Albania and declared war on Austria. However, in 1915, the country was overrun by Austrian-German forces and ceased fighting. Nikola I fled to France, and the country declared a union with Serbia in 1918. This was the forerunner to the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which in 1929 became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

During World War II, Montenegro fought on the side of the Allies but was invaded by the Germans. At the end of the war, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was established and included Montenegro as one of its six republics. This union lasted for decades and extended Montenegro's territory to part of the Dalmatian coast.

In 1991, the Parliament of Montenegro adopted a declaration that proclaimed Montenegro as the first ecological state in the world. In 1992, when the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was dissolved, Montenegro reunited with Serbia as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In February 2003, Montenegro and Serbia joined to form the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, strengthening the region politically and economically. Then, the Referendum for the Independence of Montenegro was held in 2006. After many years as part of other countries, 55.5% of the voters voted for a totally independent Montenegro, leading the country to officially declare its independence from Serbia.

The future looks bright for Montenegro as it works toward strengthening its government, economy and infrastructure. It is also a candidate for membership of the European Union.

Snapshot

The country's main attractions are historical sites, beaches, pretty lakes, spas, rafting, fishing, skiing, gorges, marvelous churches and monasteries, folk arts, fascinating culture, good prices, and spectacular coastal and mountain scenery.

Montenegro appeals to travelers who have already been to Europe once or twice and are ready to get off the beaten track.

Potpourri

The settlement of Medun, located approximately 7.5 mi/12 km northeast of Podgorica, is the oldest in the area and dates back to Illyrian times.

Established in 1952, the Durmitor National Park is listed twice on the World Heritage List—once as a UNESCO reserve and once as a Natural World Heritage site.

Tara Canyon is the second-largest canyon in the world (following the Grand Canyon in Arizona).

Skadar Lake, home to the largest bird reserve in Europe, contains 270 different bird species.

The city of Kolasin was once a Turkish military watchtower. Over time, the tower developed into a town and was liberated from Ottoman rule in 1878.

Located north of Bar, the town of Canj features a pebble beach called the "Golden Coast" because of the sand's bright gold color.

Located in Ulcinj, Montenegro's "Great Beach" is 42,651 ft/13,222 m in length.

Montenegrins are among the tallest people in Europe, with the average man's height at 73 in/185 cm.

In the 1960s and '70s, Montenegro's best-known landmark, the island resort of Sveti Stefan, was a fashionable playground for Hollywood and British royalty, with Princess Margaret, Sophia Loren and Kirk Douglas among the regular starry guests.