During the Spring a funny thing happens in Montenegro. Almost overnight, the Winter freeze seems to vanish. The temperature rises to leave the landscape blossoming with verdant forests that blanket the mountains and, as a result of the warmer climate, many of the indigenous herbs and vegetables used in Montenegrin cooking absorb even more flavour. In short, spring is prime time to experience two of Montenegro’s defining features – scenery and cuisine – at their brilliant best.
Book a Montenegro holiday for next Spring and you’ll be doing yourself a huge favour. Read on to discover how getting over the post-Christmas blues will be much easier with a Montenegro break to look forward to.
Despite the having an area 25 times the size of Leeds, Montenegro has a smaller population with only 620,000 inhabitants. That should be music to the ears of travellers seeking a hidden refuge this Spring. But while this empty space is all well and good, what to do on your holiday to Montenegro?
Montenegro is a hiker’s dream. Head out into the countryside during the Spring and discover a blossoming woodland canvas. To witness the seasonal colours at their most majestic, Brogradska Gora is highly recommended. This is arguably Montenegro’s most spellbinding national park and is home to Lake Biograd, a glacial lake that perches dramatically on Bjelasica Mountain.
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Top tip: Hire a bike to access the views too difficult to reach on foot.
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Prefer to do your exploring on two wheels? Montenegro is a cyclist’s paradise.
When you aren’t trekking through forests or cycling mountain paths, the coast is waiting to welcome you to a more sedate pace of life. Dotted up and down Montenegro’s 100 kilometre coastline are a series of quaint towns the characters of which can be more easily seen once the majority of tourists have gone.
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Top Tip: Visit Ulcinj, the country’s southernmost city. It used to be one of the pirate capitals of the Adriatic Sea and today has a unique feel due to its large Albanian community.
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The flavours of Montenegrin cuisine are really allowed to shine during Spring. Baking is something of a national passion and it doesn’t take much searching to find bakeries selling their goods fresh from the oven. Barley bread, which has been produced since the Iron Age, is a particular favourite as is fibre rich rye bread.
Ulcinj, Montenegro’s southernmost city, is home to a large Albanian community meaning the food and culture are distinct from the rest of the country.
If you find sanctuary in a warming stew Montenegro could well become one of your favourite food destinations. Broths are thickened with rice or pasta to provide a hearty texture and come in many varieties. A particular favourite is Kuvani Brav which is very similar to a traditional Irish Stew. Your palette will perhaps be less accustomed to Čorba od Koprive, a thick and creamy nettle chowder.
Much of Montenegro’s food takes influence from other cultures. Eastern flavours have slowly found their way into the country via Serbia and so finding a good Turkish baklava or musaka isn’t difficult. Italian cooking is also practised with cured meats, fine wines and cheeses taking pride of place on many menus.
Give your Montenegro holiday a glamorous backdrop courtesy of the Regent Porto Montenegro
Staying in the right hotel enhances the pleasure in exploring Montenegro’s scenery and food even more. Found on one of Montenegro’s most glamorous marinas, Regent Porto Montenegro fits the bill perfectly.
After a day of exploration treat yourself to The Dining Room’s dégustation menu. This amazing experience takes guests on a six course culinary journey featuring John Dory crusted with wild garlic, pan seared foie gras and much more. There’s also the hotel’s spa, a sanctuary of Turkish hammams, vitality pools with air jet benches and treatments from across the globe.
If you’d like to learn more about holidays in Montenegro, give one of our expert travel advisers a call today on 020 7749 9220. Alternatively, visit the Kenwood Travel website where you’ll find more information about this charismatic nation.