Top 5 things I love about Montenegro

2. Give me some Montenegrin soul

It’s got soul. Despite staggering beauty and swish new developments springing up, Montenegro’s socialist past when it was part of Yugoslavia are still evident.

The tell-tale signs of its cultural roots. Whether it is the old communist-style blocks that you spot every now and again on the outskirts of towns. Or the sun faded 20 year old Yugos without number-plates driving around.

But to me it simply shows the history of the country. It’s not a carbon copy cut out picture of perfection. There’s contrast and inconsistencies. But the country has a rich and varied history and it’s got character. And that, to me, gives it soul.

There’s contrast and inconsistencies.

3. Montenegro with children

Children are included in Montenegrin culture. The kids happily run around the squares at 11pm at night while their families drink wine or coffee and chat. You never have to think whether it is acceptable to take your child to a certain restaurant.

Children are included, and no one will look askance at you if you take them out in the evenings. The first time I visited with my daughter when she was 6 months old, my husband and I went to a local restaurant for a nightcap after our meal. It was 11pm and other customers were still around but the waitress offered to turn down the music in case it woke our daughter as she slept in her pram.

Montenegrin culture accepts and loves children. There are no ‘family restaurants’ and no children’s menus, because they expect kids simply to share meals with adults. They are included as part of the group. They are not expected to eat differently. And they are not given a curfew.

4. Montenegro & food, glorious food!

Fresh shopska salad. Fried cheese…. Yes, food makes my top 5! Anyone who knows me knows I love my food and think this is one of the great joys of going to different places.

Montenegrin food has plenty of highlights. Locally grown vegetables. Salads filled with big, sweet luscious tomatoes. Fresh in-season mussels oozing with garlic sauce. Reasonably priced and very tasty, you know the Montenegrin food won’t have travelled too far to get to your plate, as it is locally grown and not laden with chemicals. (My mother once raved on for ages about the wonderful taste of some apples and potatoes she’d had out there!)

There’s a heavy Italian influence with delicious thin crust pizzas and hard-to-choose from cakes everywhere. It’s meat and fish rich, so admittedly, it’s not ideal for vegetarians, but that’s as you would expect from a Slavonic country on the sea.

Oh, and did I mention the calamari is excellent too…

5. Slow pace of life in Montenegro

The pace of life is slow. People sit and chat or have relaxed business meetings at cafes in the day. Families hang out at cafes while the kids play. No one’s rushing around ten to the dozen.

Given its “Mediterranean” climate it’s understandable that you get a slower pace of life in Montenegro. It’s easy for us westerners to relax and slow down too. With a population about the same as a large UK city (such as Glasgow), Montenegro is not exactly bursting at the seams, which certainly helps.

But there also seems a simplicity about the place that contributes to the gentler pace. The road networks are uncomplicated. There are no motorways in Montenegro and they only built the first and only roundabout in Kotor a few years ago. There aren’t big superstores dazzling you with choice of things to buy at every corner. The shops (although increasing in recent years) are smaller and there isn’t so many of them.

So, all this makes life feel a little simpler somehow. I absolutely love that when I go to Montenegro after the hectic pace of life here in UK.

Now, where’s that plane ticket?