Real estate in Montenegro - a new luxurious destination for sustainable tourism amid the sea, history, and festivals

Montenegro, a small stretch of Southern Europe and the Balkan Peninsula, was described by Byron as "the most beautiful meeting of sea and land". Today, after difficult years, it is becoming the new Azure Riviera (according to The Times), an elite tourist destination with a beautiful sea and a fascinating history.

Montenegro, the first ecological state in the world by its constitution, is striking for its nature and greenery. Medieval fortresses, mountains sloping down to the sea, forests, Austro-Hungarian fortresses and kilometers of beaches that were already attractive to the jet set of the time in the 60s: Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, Sophia Loren, Richard Burton, Sidney Poitier, Kirk Douglas and Elizabeth Taylor were regular guests.

But in the 80s, after the death of President Tito, Yugoslavia (which included Montenegro) faced growing internal conflicts that escalated into war in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 90s. The country experienced dark years and isolation. The season of violence and international interventions ended only in 2006, when the Republic of Montenegro found peace and won its independence.

But especially in the last decade, and now after the pandemic, Montenegro is starting to shine again with traditional events as well as the opening of designer bars and cafes, gourmet restaurants, spas, casinos and exclusive hotels that are already fully or almost fully booked this summer. A vibrant calendar of events, confirmed after months of restrictions, also helps. It starts on July 10 (until July 20) with the international festival "Days of Music" in Herceg Novi, which, following the trends of world classical festivals and important anniversaries, attracts performers from all continents on the stage of Herceg Novi. And on July 14, the day of the celebration of the National Day of Montenegro, begins the Kotor Art Festival, one of the most important events in the country and the region, which in summer gathers a huge number of international artists with more than 200 performances (the name of the program for 2021 is "Planet Boca") in the market in front of the Cathedral of St. Tripun in Kotor. And finally, on July 22, the stage, or should I say sea, hosts Fasinada, a unique event related to the origin of the island of Our Lady of the Rock, one of the places not to be missed during a trip to Montenegro. It is said that the island was created after the Mortesici brothers from Perast (July 22, 1452) found an icon of Our Lady with the baby Jesus in their arms on a rock. In the 15th century, a small church was built here, insufficient for the number of parishioners who attended it. Then it was decided to start dumping rocks into the

Such amazing and curious possibilities may encourage you to go to this new, chic and authentic riviera destination opposite Italy. On its 293 kilometers of coastline there are 117 beaches (the longest is Velika Plaža in Ulcinj, 13 kilometers), beautiful bays and advanced ports, where excellent yachting tourism is developing, which is profitable here due to the fact that Montenegro, not being a member of the European Union (although it uses the euro as currency), has favorable legislation.

We are located in the beautiful bay of Kotor (also called Kattaro), a huge Adriatic basin surrounded by thousand-meter cliffs and considered the largest natural harbor in Southern Europe. It is no coincidence that the Kotor/Boka Bay (the southernmost part of the historical region of Dalmatia) was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 due to its unique panorama. The bay has been inhabited since antiquity. Its well-preserved medieval towns of Kotor, Risan, Tivat, Perast, Prcanj and Herceg Novi, together with their natural environment, are major tourist attractions.

In this ancient yet modern setting has emerged One&Only Portonovi, Europe's first unique hotel, opened last May, which in itself makes Montenegro an even more attractive place to visit. Among the offerings of this new charm are suites with their own wine cellar, rooms with all the traditional fireplaces that are present in every Montenegrin house, a private sandy beach, areas and activities dedicated to children and teenagers (KidsOnly and One Trib), a tennis club led by Serbian champion Janko Tipsarevic, organized jogging, yoga on the bay and a 4,000 square meter spa space signed by Chenot (whose pioneering approach to well-being combines the latest scientific advances with the best methods of traditional Chinese medicine).

One of the separate chapters is gastronomy. Guests will be welcomed by Giorgio Locatelli, star chef and favorite MasterChef judge, invited to create and design Sabia by Giorgio Locatelli, his first restaurant in the region, which honors the culinary traditions of Southern Italy with an abundance of seasonal vegetables and fresh local fish. The food is also served "raw" in the raw fish area. You can also enjoy some of the best modern Japanese cuisine and enjoy a live music set by international artists (at the Tapasake Club) before unforgettable sunsets. While Montenegrin cuisine and the richness of local raw materials become protagonists at the stations at La Veranda restaurant.

Open all year round, it can be visited at any time of the year, because Montenegro is one of those rare places where you can swim in the sea in the morning and ski in the afternoon (with an altitude of 2,500 meters, Bobotov Cook in Durmitor National Park is the highest peak), so a trip here is worthwhile at any time of the year, including after summer. And not only sea or snow: you can go on an excursion with ibis and pelicans on the waters of Lake Skadar, the largest lake in the Balkans, or choose a rafting adventure on the Tara River, which flows in the canyon of the same name, the second deepest after the Grand Canyon in Arizona. From Italy, Portonovi is easily accessible by car from Dubrovnik (1 hour), Tivat (50 minutes) and Podgorica (2.5 hours) airports. Especially in summer there are daily direct flights of low cost airlines fromRome andMilan.