Days in Black Mountain

Crna Gora as the locals call it, Black Mountain, is just a three hour bus ride south of Dubrovnik, but a whole different country. The country was dubbed Montenegro - Black Mountain - during the time the Venetians ruled the coast of the country (14th to 18th century). For once the Venetians weren’t the invading hordes. Instead the locals in the coastal regions decided to align with the mighty Venice as protection from the invading mighty Ottomans - choosing the lesser of two mighty evils. And this turned out to be fortuitous in hindsight, since most of the stunning old architecture is from the Venetian era.

Legend has it that the country got its name because its mountains were covered in dense dark forests, making them appear black. 

There may be less forests nowadays, but Montenegro’s mountains still seem more rugged and lofty than the seaside mountains in Croatia or Greece, where generations of sheep have nibbled away most of the greenery. In fact the mountains look more like the foothills of the Alps or even some minor Norwegian fjords.

Montenegro is a small country, only a third of the size of Switzerland, and there are only some 600 000 Montenegrins. And like that fabled land of cheese fondue, Montenegro is mostly mountains. But this country also has a coastline - and quite a stunning one at that. Apparently the bay of Kotor is the crown jewel - and I have no reason to doubt that!

The town of Kotor itself boasts a beautiful triangle of old town 

surrounded by old defensive walls, which climb the steep mountainside. 

The building of these walls was so costly for the Venetians, that they still have a saying in Venice: ”Mi costa come le mura di Cattaro” - when something ”costs ”as much as the walls of Kotor”.

The hike up to the highest fortress is a good workout and the views are very decent.

However walking down the same way is just a repetition of the same highlights. Luckily there is an alternative exit plan: you just squeeze through the scenic window and scramble down on the other side using a bit of wood balanced under the window as a foot rest, 

and you get to mountain meadows, old churches

and finally a shepherd’s hut-slash-café, where you can get murky Turkish-style coffee, Italian amaro and warm bread with tomatos and fresh goat cheese. The fare may be simple but one appreciates the views.

From here one just zigzags ones way merrily downhill, back to Kotor and 21st century civilization for some artisanal ice cream. 

The town itself is the usual jumble of narrow winding streets and lots of stairs.

Kotor isn’t the only pretty town on Kotor bay. On the bus ride from Croatia, I spotted many old villages and scenic views. Perast village, for example, looks pretty good even on a rainy day.

But my stay in Black Mountain was all too short this time. It’s a country that deserves more time. However, it’s time to return to Croatia and islands in the sun.