Montenegro, on the Balkan Peninsula, faces the Adriatic Sea with a coastline of 200 kilometers. With its capital Podgorica, it has a predominantly mountainous territory. The Dinaric Alps, which reach peaks of an average of 2000 meters, separate the coast from the hinterland. The beaches, with a total length of 73 kilometers, are in total 117. The maritime area enjoys the Mediterranean climate and the vegetation consists of palms, mimosas, agaves, oleanders, while the crops are those of olive trees, vines, figs.
On the coastal strip there are promontories, bays, islets and the deepest inlet in the Mediterranean, the Gulf of Kotor (Boka Kotorska), which penetrates inland forming various basins surrounded by wonderful natural and cultural landscapes. The bay and the city, which in Serbo-Croatian is called Kotor, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor). This medieval town on the slopes of Mount Lovćen was also part of the Republic of Venice, of which the fortifications bear witness. The 12th century Cathedral of Saint Tryphon is in Romanesque style. In a bend of the Boka Kotorska there is the archipelago of Krtoli, with the three islets (Island of Flowers, Sveti Marko Island and Our Lady of Mercy). From the village of Perast, in the innermost basin, the small Sveti Juraj Island and the artificial islet Our Lady of the Rocks are visible.
The Budva Riviera is the most visited area of the entire Montenegrin coast. There are 35 total kilometers of coastline, of which about 12 are made up of beaches, most of which are located near the cities of Budva, Bečići and Petrovac. On the southern coast of Montenegro there are the cities of Bar, where there is the largest port in the country, and Ulcinj, with the pristine and long (13 kilometers) beach of Velika Plaža. In this area, between the Adriatic Sea and Lake Skadar (the largest in the Balkans), the climate is subtropical.
The capital Podgorica is located in central Montenegro (where the climate becomes more and more continental), on the banks of six rivers. In the old town there are buildings dating back to the Ottoman period, such as the clock tower and the old bridge over the Ribnica River. Royal Palace was built by Nicholas I of Montenegro. The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ is the main religious building (Orthodox church). Cetinje, the former capital, is also located in the central region of the country. Here the palace of King Nicholas has become a National Museum. The Biljarda palace, an ancient royal seat, is also a museum. The headquarters of the old embassies are also places of interest. In one of these there is the National Library.
Northern Montenegro is characterized by the Dinaric Alps, where the Durmitor massif, the canyons of the Tara, Sušica and Draga rivers and the highest part of the valley created by the Komarnica River, are a National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the glacial lakes and the virgin black pine forest of Crna Poda. Žabljak, on the slopes of the mountain, is an important winter tourist resort. It holds, as well as Plužine, monumental medieval tombstones graveyards, the so-called Stećci, registered in the List of World Heritage Sites.
In addition to that of Durmitor, in Montenegro there are four other important protected natural areas, which in total occupy 10% of the entire Montenegrin surface: the national parks are that of Prokletije (the mountain group with the highest peak, Zla Kolata), Biogradska Gora (a forest) and those of Lake Shkoder and Mount Lovćen.
The cuisine is heavily based on lamb or kid meat (prepared under the grill), on pivski kajmak (particular milk cream transformed into cheese), on sea broth, on boiled, fried or grilled fish and on freshwater fish (fried carp and smoked sapwood on all). Olive oil is used a lot as a condiment and berries, aromatic herbs and mushrooms are almost never missing in the dishes. Among the drinks stand out Vranac red wine, Krstac white wine, plum brandy Rakija and Nikšić beer.