Cultural landscapes of Montenegro

Arrive in Tivat on Montenegro's Adriatic coast. Transfer to Kotor for a 2 night stay.

Spend the day on a private tour of the old town of Kotor and the surrounding Boka Bay area. Wander the marble streets with your guide and discover shady piazzas flanked by bustling cafes and Venetian Palaces. Admire the impressive city walls, snaking high up the surrounding hillside and perhaps stop for a coffee in the Square of Arms and a spot of the favoured Balkan past time of people watching. Continue around the Boka Bay, where the brooding black mountains meet the sea. Visit the small baroque town of Perast and take a boat tour to the Island of Our Lady of the Rocks, which came to be from the purposeful sinking of seized ships. Continue to the town of Risan, passing the narrowest part of the bay by ferry and visit one of the newest and biggest developments in the Adriatic - Porto Montenegro in Tivat. (B)

Today will be spent travelling northwards towards the mountain town of Zabljak. The first stop of the day will be at the extraordinary Ostrog Monastery. The drive up is an exhilarating experience and the views once at the top are stunning. The monastery itself was built in the 17th Century by one of the four Montenegrin Saints, Vladika St. Vasilije and today is a popular pilgrimage site for followers of the Orthodox religion. Continue on past the lakes and peaks located along the ring of Durmitor, one of the most scenic routes in Montenegro. Arrive in Zabljak and check-in to hotel for an overnight stay. (B)

Embark on a walk this morning around the sparkling Black Lake of Durmitor National Park. The lake is the central focal point of Durmitor and looks beautiful reflecting in the changing seasonal light and can vary quite vastly in colour because of its varying degrees of depth. After lunch in the park, move on towards Kolasin via the Tara River Canyon and the impressive Djurdjevica Bridge. The canyon is the deepest in Europe at 4,265 foot. From the bridge, watch rafters float by below, whilst daredevils wizz past on the canyon spanning zip wire. Continue onwards towards Kolasin, the gateway to Biogradska Gora National Park, for a walk around Biograd Lake.. On arrival, check-in to your hotel for a two night stay. (B,L,D)

Today you will explore the Bjelasica Mountain Massif by jeep safari. Bjelasica surrounds Biogradska Gora National Park, which is one of the last remaining primeval forests in Europe. Travel through mountain villages, stopping for lunch at a local village restaurant. Drive past vast forests, rippling rivers, glacial fed lakes and meadows covered with wild flowers. Return to Kolasin and overnight. (B,L,D)

After breakfast, head back towards the coast via the beautiful Lake Skadar, the largest lake in the Balkans. First stop will be the Moraca Monastery, surrounded by a garden of hydrangeas and roses and on to the nation's compact capital, Podgorica. Take a walk through the town before moving on to Lake Skadar. Enjoy a leisurely 2 hour boat trip on the lake before making a stop at a local winery in Virpazar. Sample the local wine that the Lake Skadar region is famous for producing and receive a demonstration in wine making techniques. On the way back to Tivat pass the iconic island of Sveti Stefan, now home to an exclusive Aman resort (photo stop). Check-in to the hotel in Tivat for a 2 night stay. (B)

Start the day with a visit to Montenegro’s most famous town, Budva. Explore the charming Old Town with its mediaeval walls, cobbled lanes and small shady piazzas. Afterwards head to the old capital city of Cetinje at the foot of Lovcen national park. Take a look around King Nicola’s Museum, which is home to many interesting artefacts documenting Montenegro’s tumultuous history, followed by a walk up the 461 steps to the mausoleum of the national hero Petar II Petrovic-Njegos, located on top of Jezerski Vrh, Montenegro’s second highest peak. Return to Tivat, stopping in Njegusi village, where you will sample the delicious, locally produced meats and cheeses that the village is famous for. (B,L)