OVERVIEW

Admire the coastal beauty while traveling to Budva, one of the oldest cities on the Adriatic Sea, near which you will find the exclusive town of Sveti Stefan. While meandering through Budva’s medieval Old Town – known as Stari Grad – you can’t help but be struck by the gorgeous setting. English poet Lord Bryon described it as “the most beautiful meeting of land and sea.” As you will discover while meandering its labyrinthine streets, Budva is still remarkable, especially its idyllic location overlooking an island-dotted bay. You can expect to see historical churches, 15th-century ramparts and charming squares lined with boutiques. A bit farther down the coast, you will come upon Sveti Stefan, another gorgeous town of red-roofed buildings. It once attracted the likes of celebrities such as Orson Welles, Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren, and as you will discover while pausing for photos it too is a star.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the medieval Old Town of Budva with a local guide and on your own.
• Be enamored by the gorgeous setting and the architectural treasures throughout town.
• Snap pictures of Sveti Stefan, whose photogenic Old Town crowns a small peninsula.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Explore the oldest section of Bar that lies a few miles inland and enjoy free time along the lively seaside promenade in the newer part of town. Deserted since the late 19th century, the Old Town – known as Stari Bar – is the largest, most important medieval archaeological site in the Balkans. As you meander about the well-preserved buildings and excavated ruins, you may see Turkish baths, a Roman aqueduct and a stone mosque with a towering minaret. Excavations have unearthed the footprint of a Roman fortress that may date to the 6th century, the time this area was first settled. Nearby, you will find another ancient landmark, an olive tree said to be 2,000 years old. You will notice that one side of it is completely scorched from a near-disastrous lightning strike. Back in the newer section of Bar, you will stroll the lively palm-lined promenade that runs along the sea.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See the medieval landmarks in the Old Town of Bar, a now deserted open-air museum.
• Behold one of Europe’s oldest olive trees, a specimen that may be 2,000 years old.
• Spend free time strolling modern Bar’s seaside promenade and shop if you wish.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Spend free time discovering the charms of Montenegro’s capital and pause for pictures of the photogenic resort town Sveti Stefan. Podgorica lies a bit inland, directly across Lake Skadar from Bar, so you will follow a circuitous route to reach the city, whose name reflects the hill Gorica that it blankets. After the collapse of Communism in the early 1990s, Podgorica has flourished and today is a delightful mix of historical and modern attractions. Depending on your interests, you might stop at the Museum of Podgorica for an overall understanding of the area or see the colorful frescoes in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. As you continue your journey, you will head to restaurant "Konak," nestled nearby Old Royal Cetinje. Here, savor a delightful traditional snack, combined with few more facts of the area. Take a scenic route to Sveti Stefan, where you will pause for photos of the exclusive resort area that is connected to the mainland by a thin, sandy spit of land.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Independently explore the dynamic city of Podgorica, Europe’s youngest.
• Enjoy delicious snack made of local specialties at ‘’KONAK’’ restaurant
• Snap pictures of Sveti Stefan, whose photogenic Old Town crowns a small peninsula.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Sample a selection of premium Montenegrin wines in an exceptionally unusual cellar and browse a church whose frescoes depict controversial contemporary themes. The country’s largest wine company, Plantaže may be best known for its rather bizarre wine cellar – a long tunnel that was once an underground airplane hangar. Although bombed in the Kosovo War in late 1990s, the cellar has been revamped to accommodate wine tastings. The wines that will be served may include a white varietal made from Krstač grapes, which have been grown in the vineyards of Podgorica since ancient times. Plantaže also produces numerous reds, including a superior red blend from Vranac and Petit Verdot grapes. In Montenegro’s capital of Podgorica, you will visit the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, an Orthodox church that opened in 2013. The extraordinarily ornate interior features many gilded frescoes, including one that portrays several former Communist leaders burning in hell.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Learn about the terroir of the Plantaže vineyards and how it affects the resulting wines.
• Enjoy a tasting in a wine cellar that was once a secret underground airplane hangar.
• View a church with frescoes that reflect contemporary anti-Communist themes.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Cruise the sheltered waters of Skadar Lake – which straddles the borders of Albania and Montenegro – and enjoy a sampling of local wines. Skadar is the largest lake in the Balkans and attracts huge numbers of indigenous and migratory birds of various species. There may be little white egrets, spoonbills and especially cormorants as the lake supports one of the world’s most important cormorant colonies. Skadar Lake is also home to a colony of endangered Dalmatian pelicans, one of the world’s largest freshwater birds. More natural beauty awaits you on the drive to the Kopitović family residence in the village of Brčeli. The family has lived there since the 15th century and has produced wine and brandy throughout the centuries, primarily from indigenous vranac grapes. The tasting may include a robust wine made from those grapes, which goes well with local specialties such as smoked ham, fried sausage and tomato-topped bruschetta.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Admire the surrounding natural beauty while cruising the largest lake in the Balkans.
• Observe countless species of birds that flock to the pristine protected lake.
• Sample local wines at a winery that the Kopitović family has owned since the 15th century.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.