Montenegro regions

Montenegro or Crna Gora (as she is called in her mother tongue) located between 41.52-43.32 latitude North and 18.58-21.21 longitude East. Check it out on Google Earth! Montenegro is characterised by the geographically diverse elements of narrow coastal plains and lofty high mountains, a limestone constituent of the Dinaric range that extends from the Alps and stretches parallel with the Adriatic coast forming the backbone to the Balkan peninsula.

The northern region of the country is theatrically mountainous and alpine, intersected by deep and fast-flowing river valleys, ravines and narrow plateau, glacial lakes and virgin forests. The highest mountain is Mount Durmitor at 2,522m, in the Durmitor National Park with its 200km of marked hiking trails, challenging mountain climbing and some advantageously priced skiing and snowboarding. For its well preserved natural beauty, the 32,000 hectares of land constituting Durmitor National Park are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Tara river at 144km long is the longest river in Montenegro, and has an awe-inspiring canyon 1,300m deep, the second deepest in the world after the Colorado. The Tara river canyon is a jewel of nature with a variety of plant and animal species, and the river itself is perfect for white-water rafting.

Southern costal region stretches 293km from the border with Croatia, and starts with the Boka Bay continuing to the southern most town, Ulcinj and Ada Bojana beach bordering with Albania. The seashore offers 73km of beaches, providing excellent facilities for bathing, diving, sailing and almost all water sports. Beaches are mainly a mix of white pebble in the north, and in the far south beyond Ulcinj, over 13km of unbroken sandy beach. The mild Mediterranean climate enjoyed by the entire coast makes for long hot summers and a five to six month swimming season.

When to visit: the optimum season to visit Montenegro are spring and autumn, between late March and the beginning of July; or September and October after the summer tourists have dispersed, when deciduous trees will be turning copper but the sea will still be warm enough for bathing. July and August are a peak season, good for those who like family fun and crowds. In the mountains July and August can be guaranteed to be temperate.