Cruising the Coast of Montenegro

Cruising the Coast of Montenegro Overview

Peter Sommer Travels’ very first tour in Montenegro: an expert-led cruise aboard a traditional gulet, exploring historic and cultural sites from the Adriatic Coast to the Bay of Kotor, fabulous food and beautiful landscapes and seascapes.

Montenegro is by no means the largest country we visit, but for cultural richness, historical depth and the sheer beauty of its natural environment and built heritage, it can proudly join the ranks of our gulet cruise tours as an equal. Indeed, the concentration of memorable views and visits, sparkling waters and superb local dishes in such a relatively short coast makes for a remarkably rich experience. And this is a coast made for exploration by gulet: the seascapes are ethereally beautiful, strewn with islands and headlands that make for ever-changing views in addition to the remarkable fjord-like Bay of Kotor. There are beaches with jewel-like clear waters behind which are green wooded hills hemmed in by wonderfully atmospheric mountains; and here and there lie the intricate inlets where we can explore the interior, each hidings its wonders till the last concealing hills are passed. The narrow margin of this coast has meant that a lot has happened in these mountain-fenced boundaries: history has had to be made and remade in the same places, giving Montenegro a profoundly multi-layered history, especially when one considers the places its coast gives access to: ships, traders and battle-fleets making their way to and from Greece and Italy and up and down the Adriatic have constantly made their way here: merchants, conquerors and pirates have made much of its history, and given us much to see. This tour will take you from the ancient Illyrians, one of the great peoples of the European Iron Age, whose raids assailed Macedonia and brought the Roman Republic to make her first intrusion into the Greek east, through the cities and villas of the Roman Empire and on into the medieval world. Here, mercantile city republics gave way to the unmistakable imprint of Venice on their heartbreakingly perfect walled cities, and then the overwhelming domination of the Ottomans. And all of these write their tale in the fabric of the country, in its towns and villages – and its food and wine. You’ll find intricate Roman mosaics, imposing Italianate palazzi and baroque churches here, Ottoman mosques and fountains there. There’ll be fabulous food in beloved family restaurants with sublime views, wine in wooded hills and views over expansive lakes filled with surpassingly varied birdlife. Once again, we bring you a trip that will bring you the finest vistas, the best of traditional, authentic cuisine and, of course, absorbing histories brilliantly told. You’ll spend a week with us exploring and a lifetime remembering.