2024 Balkans Overland Adventure, Touring Montenegro...

I was up early and out along the shore of Kotor Bay looking for reflection shots and there were plenty.  In the Orthodox Christian Church today is Easter Sunday and many businesses are closed. Our Guide Milos met us at the hotel, and we left for Budva.  Along the way we stopped for a photo of Lake Skadar and Jaz Beach. From this vantage point, we could see the Budva Fortress, a 19th century fortress.  We arrived in new Budva and parked the van.  Located on the Adriatic Sea and part of the Budva Riviera, Budva is famous for its nightlife and sandy beaches.  The Old Town Budva streets are only accessible by foot.  Stone walls built by the Venetians surround the narrow streets of the medieval old town (Stari Grad) with its 15th century medieval fortification system, city gates, defense walls and towers. The Old Town consists of narrow streets and alleys and small squares and monuments to different Mediterranean cultures that have marked the development of this town. In the historic district we found the seaside citadel and the Church of Santa Maria in Punta.  Old Town feels a world away from the beach bars and dance clubs that sit just outside the fortified walls. The medieval town dates back more than 2,000 years, and walking through the labyrinth of alleys, squares and corridors is like a step back in time. Much of it was ruined by two earthquakes in 1979, but it has since been completely rebuilt. Leaving charming Budva, we drove one kilometer high into the mountains towards Cetinje.  Cetinje was the former Old Royal Capital of the Old-World Kingdom.  The town was built in 1483. We walked the promenade passing the official residence of the President of Montenegro, the former British and German embassies, the main town square, Billiard House, the former Royal Residence and Cetinje Monastery.  The Monastery is now a museum, where the right hand of John the Baptist is held and also the fragment of the Holy Cross along with the relics of Saint Peter of Cetinje.  The monastery is the most prominent site in the city, it also served as the seat of the former Montenegrin rulers.  As an added stop, we followed the Rijeka River that goes to Skadar Lake. We travelled a really narrow and winding road to the village of Rijeka in the heart of the Skadar Lake National Park.  So far, the scenery was the best of the days outing.  The beauty of the Rijeka River, it can hardly be imagined by anyone until one gets there and sees it for themselves…. how the river winds its way to the Skadar Lake was breathtaking.  Arriving in the village of Rijeka we walked along the waterfront with the Rijeka Bridge in the distance…the village relies on fishing and tourism and has started revitalization of the waterfront…a picturesque setting.  Our next stop was to visit a smokehouse in Njegusi, unfortunately, the owners were preparing for a wedding and were not open for tours.  Traveling on the old Serpentine Road en route to Kotor, we could see Njegusi, a village in southern Montenegro located on the slopes of Mount Lovcen within the Lovcen National Park. It is part of the historical territory of the Njegusi tribe.  For our finale on today’s tour, we took the 25 kilometer road from Njegusi to Kotor. This road cuts through Mount Lovcen National Park and offers magnificent panoramic views of the Bay of Kotor. The road is not so easy with 25 switchbacks but it's definitely worth the ride. The views were awesome, we made many stops to capture the spectacular scenery.  We had a great tour today with our Guide Milos, 4 towns and 2 National Parks…Montenegro is an absolutely stunning country and well exceeded our expectations. We will be back soon!