1. Old Town Ulcinj
Today's Old Town rises above the city's 360 m long, sandy Mali Beach, which is teeming with beehives in the summer. The fortification, from which you can best see the seasonal vr
1. Old Town Ulcinj
Today's Old Town rises above the city's 360 m long, sandy Mali Beach, which is teeming with beehives in the summer. The fortification, from which you can best see the seasonal bustle, was built by the Venetians.
There are two entrances: from the sea side and the land side. Inside the Old Town is the church of St. Mary from the 13th century, which was converted into a mosque in 1639. The native museum is located in the Church-Mosque - in the church according to the architecture, and the mosque according to the attached, visibly chipped minaret.
The former bishop's palace from the 13th century serves as an Ethnographic Museum, and in the building of the Venetian Customs House (Administrative building of the museum) there is a beautiful model of the city of Ulcinj. In the Balšica tower, from the 15th century, the Jew Sabetha Zwi, a false prophet, lived at one time, for whom the end of the world did not happen in 1666, as he prophesied.
Outside the walls is the Orthodox Church of St. Nikola, built in 1890 on the site of a medieval monastery. There is also the Pasha Mosque completed in 1719, with Turkish baths, the Namzgah Mosque from 1828 and the Clock Tower, built in the 18th century.
2. Big beach
After a long journey from the center of Ulcinj, you will find the true paradise of Velika Plaža. The beach is 12.5 km long, the longest on the Adriatic and one of the longest in Europe. It is divided into several smaller beaches and beach bars of all kinds where you can rent sunbeds, umbrellas and get a good cocktail or coffee, and in the restaurants you can enjoy local specialties.
The beach is ideal for children, because of the soft sand and clean water, which is tens of meters shallow. Adventure seekers, this is one of the premier kiteboarding and waterskiing locations in the area. The atmosphere is relaxing, and during the season when the local beaches are usually too crowded, you will always find a free parking space here. A great beach for campers, kiters and fans of electronic music.
3. The old town of Svac
The old town of Svac (Shas) is located on the top of a hill (85m) called Svac hill, which stretches on the northern part of Lake Svac, and offers a wonderful view of the lake and the entire area of the Bojana Delta. According to legend, there were as many churches in Svac as there were days in the year.
However, only about ten old churches were found in the area, two of which can be registered as monumental, although they were in a dilapidated state. Church of St. Johna was built inside the fortress and dates back to the 13th century. The second church, St. Mary's, was built in the 14th century outside the fortress to the north-east. The church was 16.6 m long, 7.1 m wide in the Gothic style.
Due to the different style of construction, experts believe that it was actually a monastery. Svec experienced its culmination in the Middle Ages, although it was conquered several times by different peoples. Serbian ruler Stefan Nemanja conquered Svac in 1183. while in 1242 it was conquered by the Mongols, and in 1571 Svac was conquered and destroyed by the Ottoman Empire. Since that period, Svac was considered a "dead city". At the time when the Ulcinj - Svac - Skadar road passed through it, it was considered the center of this area. Like the other medieval cities of Skadar and Ulcinj, Svac produced its own money. This coin has a special value and shows how the old town looked in the Renaissance style, with three-story houses, vaults and towers.
4. Ada Bojana
Ada Bojana is certainly an extraordinary gift of nature; surrounded by the blue Adriatic Sea on one side and the Bojana River on the other two sides, forming the shape of a triangle.
The sandy beach, which is known for its beautiful sunsets, is decorated with fine-grained sand, is about 3 km long and faces the sea. Favorable winds that create perfect waves for all kinds of extreme water sports, especially windsurfing and kitesurfing, make this place one of the best for this type of sports on the Adriatic. Advanced surfers are delighted by the strong mistral that blows in the afternoon hours, and for amateurs, this place boasts a windsurfing school.
Namely, there, at the mouth of the border river Bojana, on the island of Ada Bojana, there has been a nudist paradise for decades. The whole island is devoted to naturism. Sand dunes and untouched sandy beaches are occupied by nudist guests from all over the world. At night, they find entertainment either in the city, or in restaurants - sojenice, so typical of the Ulcinj Riviera. And it is good to feast on fish or oriental specialties.
5. Ulcinj Salt Lake and flamingos
The Ulcinj Saltworks is one of the largest saltworks in the Mediterranean and one of the rare places in Europe where wild flamingos live. It was declared a wetland of international importance in 2019 and included in the Ramsar world list of wetlands. It is considered the most important habitat for birds on the eastern coast of the Adriatic, suitable for nesting and wintering, but also as a resting place during their migration to Africa and vice versa.
The unusual combination of an industrial zone and a unique bird reserve make this experience special. Ulcinjska Solana is 15 km2 long and the entrance is free, and you also get a bicycle so that you can get around the place in a simpler way, while walking takes 3-4 hours at a leisurely pace. The salt pan is a habitat for over 250 different bird species, and is located on the site of a natural lagoon in the Ada Bojana delta.
For more than 80 years, salt has been produced here from seawater pumped from the Adriatic Sea. From 1935 to 2013, salt was collected here, but production stopped due to bankruptcy.
To see fantastic specimens of flamingos, you have to go to the very end of the salt pan. After about 5 km of cycling, you will come across a bird observatory where flamingos are mostly stationed. The view of these beautiful and rare birds is really fascinating and much better than in the photos. In the end, you will certainly be surprised by the protected nature and bird life of this wonderful place.