City of Bar in Montenegro: features, weather and attractions

The city of Bar is located on the territory of Montenegro. Here in 1954 a seaport was built, which today is the largest in the country. If you look at the location of the city on the map, you can see that on one side it is washed by the Adriatic Sea, on the other it is protected by a mountain range with coniferous forests growing on it. Skadar Lake, which is a national reserve of Montenegro, is comfortably located behind the mountains in the lowland not far from the city.

The Montenegrin town of Bar traces its history back to ancient times. Historians tend to believe that the first settlements in this area began to form in the Bronze Age, around 2000. BC NS. It is known that this area was previously called Antipargal, and around the 10th century it was renamed Antibarium. There is a version that this name is associated with the neighboring Italian province of Bari.

Later, when Slavic tribes began to settle here, the city was renamed, but the root “bar” was retained.

The first inhabitants of Bar preferred to settle on higher elevations, away from water. The townspeople turned their settlement into a fortress, enclosing it with a stone wall to repel the raids of neighbors from the East. From about the 9th to the 15th century, the city was conquered by the Byzantines several times, and in 1571 the city was conquered by the Turks. The Ottoman yoke lasted for about 300 years.During this time, the Turks thoroughly rebuilt the city - in addition to mosques, the Ottomans built an aqueduct, a clock tower and saunas.

In 1878, the Montenegrins conquered their territories from the Turks, but during the fighting a gunpowder store was blown up, as a result of which the city practically turned into ruins. Today this part of the city is called the Old Bar. It is a huge open-air museum. The locals decided to build a new settlement closer to the sea, which still exists today under the name of New Bar.

Currently, the city of Bar is the administrative center of the Barskaya Riviera resort. The population of the city of Bar is small - it is only about 14 thousand people. However, this does not prevent the city from annually receiving a huge number of tourists from all over the world. The healing combination of sea air and coniferous plantations creates a unique microclimate here. That's why the city is rightfully considered a health resort, widely known outside its country.

The city of Bar has good transport links. From it you can get to almost any city in Montenegro. The most popular destinations for tourists are the routes from Bar to the capital of Montenegro, Podgorica, as well as to the resort town of Budva and vice versa. The main mode of transport that ensures the influx of tourists into the country is the plane. However, there is no airport in Bar itself. But in the vicinity of the city there are two airports at once - one in Podgorica, the other in Tivat.

These towns are located near Bar. The distance to Podgorica is about 50 km, to Tivat - just over 60 km, to Budva, popular among tourists - about 35 km. You can get from one city to another by regular bus, taxi or rent a car. In any case, it will be more profitable to book a transfer in advance - at the airport, all services are traditionally much more expensive.

You can also get to the resort from Podgorica by train. The railway station "Aerodrom" is located about a kilometer from the airport terminal. Trains run quite often - about 10 trips a day. Tickets can be purchased directly from the conductor. The carriages are kept in order - all trains are clean and serviceable. The first train starts running at 5.15 am, and the last one leaves at 21.40. The journey takes an hour.

The bar is a very democratic resort in terms of housing prices. Here you can find a hotel for any income. A lone traveler can find a hostel in the city for a small price, and families with children can rent an apartment in a 4-star hotel at a price lower than what they would ask them in neighboring Becici or Budva. Let's list some of the most popular places among the guests of the city.

A cozy guest house is located in the suburb of Bar - the town of Shushan. The hotel is popular among the guests due to the high level of services offered and the convenient location. The hotel provides transfer services on request. Also, for the convenience of guests, each room has WI-FI, a split system. The hotel has its own garden, which is especially convenient for those traveling with children.

The hotel is also located in Shushani and offers its guests comfortable studio rooms with balconies, bathroom and kitchenette. The hotel has a comfortable terrace, barbecue area and tennis court. The hotel has a guide who can advise on sightseeing and sightseeing tours.

This small hotel complex consists of only 30 rooms, but it is a great success. It is located right next to the marina, in the very center of Bar. On request, vacationers can choose a view from the window of the park or the sea coast.Spa lovers can enjoy the modern on-site wellness center.

There are also fitness instructors who conduct various sports activities every day. After your workout, you can soak up the Turkish hammam or relax under the hands of an experienced massage therapist.

The Adriatic coast, on which the town of Bar is located, is famous for its mild climate. Due to the fact that on one side the city is reliably protected by mountains and forests, strong winds rarely happen here. Winters are usually warm and short, while summers are hot and dry. The coldest month is January, and the hottest month is traditionally August.

In May, the water has not yet warmed up enough, so swimming is not very comfortable, but the tourist flow begins to revive at the end of April and continues almost until the end of October. The peak season is usually in summer, but the weather allows sunbathing here almost all year round.

Lovers of antiquity and ancient monuments should definitely visit the Old Bar. This place keeps traces of the stay of many peoples who settled here.: from the ancient Romans and Slavs to the warriors of the Ottoman Empire and, finally, the Montenegrins themselves. There are many ancient ruins and buildings that were destroyed relatively recently, during the earthquake in 1979. Both of them look so picturesque that a rare tourist will resist the temptation to take a selfie in front of them.

Bar has a large number of ancient churches - Orthodox and Catholic, which peacefully coexist with the Muslim mosques left over from the Turkish invasion. Deserves close attention turkish aqueductbuilt in the 16th century. It supplied water to the city from nearby rivers. In the Old Bar, the fortress walls and the main gate are well preserved, which made it possible to keep the defense from numerous attacks from uninvited neighbors.

Many excursions are taken here, but you can get to this place on your own... In Montenegro, there is public transport that runs between cities, but seasoned travelers are advised to rent a car, especially if you are traveling with your family or company. This way you can see more interesting places.

One of the attractions of Bar is considered olive Tree... Locals respect these plants with great respect.

But there is one special olive - a long-liver. Local residents claim that her age has passed 2000 years. The tree is considered the oldest in the world, therefore it is guarded in a special way - it is surrounded by a reliable fence, and in order to look at it closer, you need to pay for a ticket.

As for the New Bar, it is worth a visit here King Nikola's palace, built in 1885. Now it is a museum, where many different thematic exhibitions are constantly held. A wonderful botanical garden is laid out in the vicinity of the palace, so the museum is immersed in the greenery of exotic plants that were carefully collected along the entire Mediterranean coast.

But the main city attraction is Church of St. John Vladimir... He was the ruler of the state of Duklja, and after his martyrdom he was ranked among the saints. Now he is considered the patron saint of the city, pilgrims come to the place of his burial. The temple looks very majestic - its entire territory occupies about 1200 sq. m, and the height of this structure is 41 m.

In Bar itself, all the main entertainment, as in any sea city, is concentrated on the waterfront. Life is in full swing here both day and evening. During the season, there are many cafes where you can taste not only national cuisine, but also dishes of other nations. For children there is amusement park. Nightlife in the city is not very active. Only a few beaches hold foam discos.

There are several beaches in the vicinity of Bar. They are covered with small pebbles or sand. The descent to the sea is gentle, which is especially comfortable for small children. Most of the beaches are equipped with sun loungers and parasols.

• Directly in the Bar itself there are small pebbles Topoplitsa beach and sandy Sutomore and Golden beach, so named because of the special color of the sand. It is yellow here with a bright, beautiful shade. You can also visit the Red Beach, famous for the abundance of small stones of an unusual terracotta shade.

• A little further away from him is Zukotrlica beach with large pebbles, otherwise called Shushania.

• About 10 km from the city there are beaches called Big and Small sands. It is worth waiting for the evening here to admire the sun hiding behind the centuries-old oak trees growing right on the coast.

• Located nearby Utienne beach. It is unique in that it has a fresh spring that flows into the sea. As a result of this fusion, the water has a beautiful turquoise hue.

• As part of the Bar Riviera there are also a few more beaches, but they are located at some distance from Bar itself.

Like any other resort town, Bar is replete with small souvenir shops and large shops. Olive oil is considered a favorite among gifts - it is of the highest quality. For local delicacies, go to the Topolitsa market, where you can find literally everything: from aromatic local cheeses to Chinese wallets. Locals prefer to shop in large shopping malls such as Discont Conto, where an excellent selection of products at affordable prices is presented.

For clothes and shoes it is worth taking a walk in the mall. Ulica Vladimira Rolovicawhere you can buy things of excellent Italian quality. Jewelry connoisseurs may be advised to visit the boutique Golden point... Here you can also buy leather goods made from natural and artificial materials.

In addition to oil, they bring from Bar tablecloths and hand-embroidered towels, items of national clothing, wooden crafts, musical instruments, for example, gusli. There are delicious and organic fruits here. The most popular of these are figs, dates and zinzula (a cross between a pear and a date-sized apple).

If you are traveling in the company of little fidgets, the question will certainly arise of how to organize children's leisure time when you are not on the beach. In this respect, the New Bar has a well-developed infrastructure. For example, it is very popular among children and their caring parents. Disney children's center. There is a huge number of play labyrinths and trampolines for different age categories.

For those who are tired, wonderful Disney cartoons and other children's programs are shown. If your child is already out of toddler age, then he will certainly appreciate Lovcen park. It successfully connects a protected area with natural springs and a play area with rope ladders. In the park you can rent a bicycle or ATV, go rollerblading. There is also a barbecue area next to which you can pitch a tent.

For those who are older, it is recommended to visit another park, which is a national treasure - Durmitor. It is considered a protected area and is included in the top 100 sites under the protection of UNESCO. Here, wild nature harmoniously coexists with the benefits of civilization.In the park you can and should pick berries, ride horses.

Young people and families with children prefer to spend their leisure time in the amusement park by the Black Lake. There are many natural lakes in the park where you can swim and underground caves, which will take more than one day to see. In Durmitor everyone, regardless of age, will find something to their liking. Therefore, it is recommended to come here for a few days.

The bar leaves an ambiguous impression of itself. The old part of the city is very colorful and interesting. But the new part of the Bar is unremarkable for tourists. Since it is a port city, the nearby beaches and the sea are very muddy, and it is necessary to get to the comfortable bathing areas. Therefore, swimming in the Bar itself is not recommended, especially for young children.

But thanks to the close proximity of Italy, there is excellent shopping here, and the price level, according to the reviews of tourists, is lower than in neighboring cities. Here everyone will find something interesting for themselves.

For more information about the city of Bar in Montenegro, see the next video.