Have you ever heard of a Montenegrin town called Bar? Located in the south of Montenegro, Bar is a small port town on the Adriatic coast. Surrounded by beautiful mountains on the one side and Adriatic sea on the other side, it is a lovely weekend getaway if you come to Montenegro! Here is a short but sweet guide for everyone who wants to visit Bar and its beautiful surroundings!
Day 1 in Bar: sea and oriental vibes
If you come to Montenegro and Bar during summer, I strongly recommend you to visit a beach called Kraljičina plaža (it literary means Queen’s beach) which is possible to approach only by a boat. Spending summer on the sea and experiencing a boat ride is a must, trust me! There are boats that go to that beach a few times every day. You can relax on the boat during one hour-ish sailing and enjoy the endless blue sea view.
When you arrive at the beach, you’ll be amazed by clearness and color of the water and picturesque scenery of rocks and trees. There’s a beach restaurant there but if you are a vegan or you just don’t feel like eating meat, my advice is to bring some food with you. Unfortunately, last time I visited this restaurant, there wasn’t fish on a menu at all. Besides that nature is beautiful and it’s a very peaceful environment without loud music. You can pay for an umbrella and two lounge chairs and you can also rent paddle boards and kayaks if you want. I recommend you to stay here as long as possible, which is around 5-6pm when the last boat arrives and sails back to Bar.
Sailing is over, you are probably hungry and ready to taste some local cuisine. Don’t worry, I have a great recommendation for you!
Eating in Bar
Just a few minutes of a car ride from the city center, there’s a gem full of history, called Stari Bar (Old town Bar). It’s located in the foothill of the mountain Rumija.
My absolutely favorite tavern in Old town Bar is Konoba Bedem. I could count so many reasons why I love this place. The food is always fresh and delicious. They use local ingredients like olives, olive oil and goat cheese. An absolute must-try is the homemade pomegranate juice and the sea food. Besides that, the ambient is beautiful and authentic, you are surrounded by olive trees and stone-paved streets and the staff from the restaurant is always very patient and kind. Prices are also more than fair for the amount and quality of the food you get. If you decide to go there, I suggest you to make a reservation in advance because this place is famous for its great food and service!
Day 2 in Bar Montenegro: history, lake and sunset on the beach
I think that finding accommodation in Stari Bar would be a great idea! You can start the second day of your trip waking up here, have a breakfast and a coffee in some local tavern and then visit the citadel. You will notice that the part of Stari Bar where the taverns are has an oriental appearance. It shows the impact that the Ottomans had on this area, where they stayed for several hundred years. When you climb the citadel you’ll witness centuries of history, different impacts and periods: Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman.
Not far away from Stari Bar, in a place called Mirovica, there’s an olive tree (Stara maslina) older than 2000 years and it’s a natural monument and a symbol of Bar.
Now that you visited one of the most beautiful beaches in Montenegro and spent some quality time in Stari Bar, I think that another must-see on this short trip would be the lake Skadar! It is a National park about 47km away from Bar. Lake Skadar is the largest lake in the Balkans and it is shared between Montenegro and Albania.
Visit Lake Skadar in Montenegro
When you arrive at a small settlement called Virpazar, your lake adventure can begin. There are a lot of authentic taverns in Virpazar which offer fresh fish, local wine and other specialties that are characteristic for this area. The lake is home to much of the flora and fauna species. Pay attention to the beautiful lotus flowers, dragonflies and mountains around the lake. All together, they make a fascinating scenery! I recommend you to book a boat tour in advance . This so you can enjoy the panorama of this beautiful lake from a nice wooden barque. Besides various types of boat cruising, there are a lot of other activities you can enjoy on the lake. Bird-watching, kayaking or fishing. Lake Skadar has so much to offer. Unfortunately one day is not enough to see all of its beauties. I’m sure that after your first visit, you’ll want to come back again!
One last thing that is absolutely worth doing and is a perfect way to say goodbye to Bar is watching the sunset on the city beach! Do it as the locals do – find a spot on the beach, grab some drinks if you want and enjoy!
I wrote this guide as a person who was born in Bar but doesn’t live there anymore, so this would be my go-to itinerary if I stayed in Bar for just two days! I hope that you will consider Bar and Montenegro in general as a travel destination because it offers enjoyment for all senses!
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