Journey through the Balkans

September 2022

A photojournal of travelling through Montenegro, the bottom of Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina, and then Dubrovnik in Croatia with Explore Travel. Read more

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- Sep 17, 2022, 2:00pm
- 🌧 22 °C
- Altitude: 5 m
- Montenegro Kotor Škurda 42.425324, 18.76949442°25’31” N 18°46’10” E
Day 1
Montenegro; Kotor Old Town
September 17, 2022 in Montenegro ⋅ 🌧 22 °C
Kotor is an old port lying beneath the slope of Mount Lovcen; it is surrounded by fortifications built onto the slope that date from the Venetian period. It is now a World Heritage Site and getting popular with large cruise ships that stop off for the night.

We explore the triangular shaped Old Town (Stari Grad) at the Sea Gate (aka Wesr Gate) which was the original entrance from the port. We head to the Gurdic Gate (aka South Gate) and walk through the beautiful old town, seeing St Tryphon Cathedral and reaching the more cental St Luke's Church (which is both Orthodox and Catholic) and the Church of St Nicholas. After more lovely old streets, we reach the Church of St Mary and the River Gate (aka North Gate) on the other side of the Old Town.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidi We loved Kotor, enjoy this trip!
9/20/22Reply
Wolfgang und Heidi Nice place. We enjoyed it very much. Best in the evenings when the cruisers have gone
9/21/22Reply
Traveler Yes, we enjoyed it very much as well.
9/22/22Reply
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- Sep 18, 2022, 9:00am
- ☀️ 15 °C
- Altitude: 236 m
- Montenegro Kotor Špiljari 42.42215, 18.77507942°25’20” N 18°46’30” E
Day 2
Kotor City Walls and Fortress
September 18, 2022 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
We access the walls from the Sea Gate after passing the Kampala Tower on the way. Walking up towards the open air theatre area there are good views if the town before entering town close to the North Gate and accessing the official walking route.

It is a steep path, but after 650 steps we soon reach the Church of Our Lady of Remedy perched on the slope of St John Mountain. There are great views from here and as we climb up to the fortress itself. An excellent morning.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidi have you been to the very top?
9/21/22Reply
Traveler Hi, we did go to the top by the flag. Great place.
9/22/22Reply
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- Sep 18, 2022, 3:00pm
- ☀️ 23 °C
- Altitude: 8 m
- Montenegro Kotor Perast Rt Peševo 42.486305, 18.69862242°29’11” N 18°41’55” E
Day 2
Kotor Bay and Perast
September 18, 2022 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
We're on a boat trip from Kotor around part of the beautiful Bay of Kotor; surrounded by steep mountains, it is reminiscent of a fjord (although it isn't).

We soon arrive at two, small picturesque islets; the natural St George's Island and the man-made Our Lady of the Rock Island (15th century). The former houses a Benedictine Monastery and the latter a Church.

We cross over to Prevast for a quick explore; after visiting St Nicholas Church, we have a walk around this beautiful, small town.Read more
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- Sep 19, 2022, 10:00am
- ☀️ 18 °C
- Altitude: 4 m
- Montenegro Budva Komoševina Uvala Pod Fratre 42.277894, 18.83770642°16’40” N 18°50’16” E
Day 3
Budva
September 19, 2022 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
This beautiful town has grown to become the focal point of the Montenegran Riviera, a 35 km strip of the Adriatic coast, but the Old Town and the beaches still retain their charm.

We explore the Old Town, a mini Dubrovnik with marbled streets and Venetian walls, which has been rebuilt after two earthquakes in 1979. We visit the churches and the Citadel before strolling off to the beach and a paddle.Read more
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- Sep 19, 2022, 3:00pm
- ☀️ 22 °C
- Altitude: 13 m
- Montenegro Bar Virpazar Orahovštica 42.246607, 19.09048342°14’48” N 19°5’26” E
Day 3
To Virpazar and Lake Skadar NP
September 19, 2022 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
We leave Budva and stop at Sveti Stefan; this tiny island is connected to the shore by a narrow isthmus and was once a luxurious tourist resort - it is now closed.

We drive to the small town of Virpazar, the gateway to the Lake Skadar National Park. We have a quick walk round and see the town monument before walking up to Besac Fortress - this has now been converted to a wine museum and restaurant. There are great views of the lake from here and we come down again in a golf cart!

Lake Skadar is the largest lake in the Balkans; it is 44 km long and some of it is in Albania. We explore it on a boat trip; it is extremely pretty, with meadows of lilies, views of monasteries, birds etc.

Later that evening, we enjoy an excellent dinner at Hotel Pelikan.Read more
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- Sep 20, 2022, 9:00am
- ☀️ 2 °C
- Altitude: 1,417 m
- Montenegro Opština Žabljak Razvršje Crno Jezero 43.147755, 19.09669243°8’52” N 19°5’48” E
Day 4
To Zjabljak and Durmitor NP
September 20, 2022 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 2 °C
We leave Virpazar and drive via the Moraca Gorge to the 13th century Orthodox monastery at Moraca (dedicated to the Assumptionof Mary); originally Serbian, it has been rebuilt . There is also a minor Chapel dedicated to St Nicholas.

We then drive to the impressive concrete arch Djurdjevica Bridge spanning the gorge over the Tara River; this is the deepest gorge in Europe at 1300 metres deep and the second deepest gorge in the world (after the Grand Canyon). Ziplining is also very popular here now.

We then head towards Zabljak, a town lying amongst the towering peaks, and close to the Durmitor National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Here we walk round the Black Lake (both the Big Lake and the Small Lake, separated by a narrow strait that dries up in the Summer); it was 6.5 km, and quite challenging at times but well worth the effort.

Another lovely meal followed later.Read more
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- Sep 21, 2022, 9:00am
- ⛅ 6 °C
- Altitude: 862 m
- Serbia Central Serbia Opština Čajetina Sirogojno 43.688851, 19.88009343°41’20” N 19°52’48” E
Day 5
Serbia; to Sirogojno
September 21, 2022 in Serbia ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
We cross the border into Serbia and head towards the Mt Zlatibor Massif and the 13th century Mileseva Monastery, near to Prijepdie. This is one of Serbia's most important spiritual centres and is famous for its "White Angel" fresco painting depicting an angel visiting thr the grave of Christ.

We then drive to the mountain village of Sirogojno, famous for its "Old Village" open air museum, a collection of 19th century buildings assembled from around the area (reminiscent of the Weald and Downland open air museum in the UK). The main exhibits are two Zlatibor house-yards, complete with residential and commercial buildings. We stay in an authentic guest cottage here tonight and enjoy a hearty meal with beers in the evening.

After breakfast we walk into the village past the Church of Saints Peter and Paul and visit the Knitting Museum. In 1962, Dobrila Smiljanic recognised that the quality and motifs used on local knitwear could be of interest to the fashion industry; it was, and Sirogojno knitwear is still available to, albeit at a price. Her initiative with local cultural heritage led to the eventual establishment of the Sirogojno Open Air Museum.Read more
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- Sep 22, 2022, 2:00pm
- ⛅ 12 °C
- Altitude: 563 m
- Serbia Central Serbia Zlatibor Presedo 43.793983, 19.51211743°47’38” N 19°30’44” E
Day 6
Mokra Gora and Mecavnik (Kustendorf)
September 22, 2022 in Serbia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
We travel to Mokra Gora ("wet mountain"), a beautiful area between the slopes of three mountains (Zlatibor, Sargan and Tara).

Here we ride on the Sargan Eight narrow gauge railway; this was built after WWI to link Mokra Gora and Sargan, enabling a railway link between Belgrade, Sarajevo and Dubrovnik - the problem was the 300m rise in height between the towns which are only 3.5km apart. This was solved via a 15km "figure of eight" railway line running through 22 tunnels! It stopped running in 1974, but was revived for tourism purposes in 1999. A wonderful experience, 45m each way with stops between.

Next we travel to Mecavnik, a traditional Serbian village created by the Serbian film director Emir Kusterica for his film "Life is a Miracle". The streets are named after film directors and it is interesting to see. This village, more popularly known as Kustendorf, after the director's name, is now a popular tourist resort.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidi „Kustendorf“ is probably an old German word. Meaning: „Village at the shore“
9/27/22Reply
Traveler Thanks!
9/27/22Reply
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- Sep 23, 2022, 10:00am
- ⛅ 11 °C
- Altitude: 307 m
- Bosnia and Herzegovina Srspka Višegrad Jablanica 43.783513, 19.29234543°47’1” N 19°17’32” E
Day 7
Bosnia and Herzegovina; Visegrad
September 23, 2022 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Visegrad is a town located at the confluence of the Drina and Rzav rivers; its main attraction is the 10 arch Ottoman era Mehmed Pasa Sokolovic Bridge, which was popularised by the Nobel prize winning Ivo Andric in his novel "The Bridge on the Drina".

After seeing this, we walk back to town to explore Andricgrad, a stone walked mini "old-town" built as a cultural/historical museum built by Emir Kusterica (him again) as a dedication to Ivo Andric and opened on 28 June 2014. It was very interesting to walk around.Read more
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- Sep 23, 2022, 2:00pm
- ⛅ 13 °C
- Altitude: 551 m
- Bosnia and Herzegovina Federation of B&H Hrid Begova Džamija 43.859282, 18.42907443°51’33” N 18°25’45” E
Day 7
Sarajevo 1; Bascarsija (Turkish Quarter)
September 23, 2022 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and is located on the Sarajevo valley, by the Miljscka River and surrounded by the Dinaric Alps.

A group of villages was founded as a city in the 15th century by the Turks of the Ottoman Empire and developed further by Gazi Huzrev Bey with the building of mosques and bazaars. Sarajevo was destroyed in 1697 by Austrians, rebuilt in the form of a Citadel and became part of the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1878. Sarajevo is known as the Jerusalem of Europe as it has mosques, Catholic churches, Eastern Orthodox churches and synagogues in the same area.

This post focuses on Bascarsija, the bustling old Turkish Quarter in the centre of town (see captions).Read more
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