As everywhere, there are destinations in this area that are simply unique. Cetinje is one such destination. The town is built on a small flat plateau, not far from the Bay of Kotor on one side, and completely in the karst sea on the other side. At about 1.5 km above sea level, above Cetinje, there is the peak of the mountain Lovćen with the mausoleum of the ruler of Montenegro, Petar II Petrović Njegoš.

There are few personalities in world history like Petar II Petrović Njegoš. He was a poet, philosopher, diplomat, visionary, statesman and church ruler of Montenegro. Njegoš laid the foundations of all Montenegrin artistic creativity. With his artistic gift for refined poetry, he attracted many European and international artists to Montenegro. And for many of them, it was Njegoš's poetry that showed the soul of this mountain people in the constant struggle for a inch of their land. Unlike the coast, here the visitor has to make a certain effort to feel the harshness and see the beauty of old Montenegro. Climbing to the top of Mount Lovćen means treating yourself after physical effort. The view from the heights of the endless expanse of sea and mountains awakens in every person the desire to enjoy this beauty forever. Njegoš deservedly rests on the most beautiful peak of Montenegro.

From the top of this mountain you can see the city of Cetinje, the Bay of Kotor, the Skadar Lake National Park and the Zeta Valley. There is a legend that the coast of Italy can be seen from the top of this mountain on a clear day. Here's a reason to climb Lovćen and check the truth of the legend. When we have already mentioned the old Montenegro, it is necessary to explain what it represented in history. Old Montenegro (Cetinje and its surroundings) was the only free territory in the Ottoman Empire for a long time. While the other tribes grumbled under the Turkish yoke in Njeguši and Cetinje, war plans were being forged to liberate the Orthodox Montenegrin people. Centuries of wars, first for freedom, then for territory, caused the economy to be neglected. There were the most basic things for life, but not large-scale production.

The relief of Montenegro (exhibited in the museum in Cetinje) leaves many speechless, because apart from the Zeta Plain and the small Grbalje Field, Montenegro does not have an inch of fertile plain. But that's why the natural beauty of canyons, mountain peaks, lakes, forests and coasts - today they form the backbone of Montenegrin's main economic branch, tourism. There are a lot of jokes about the size of Montenegro. According to one, the whole country can be visited in a week, and according to the other, if the hills were ironed, then it would be the largest country in the world!

If we leave the quadrature aside, God did not skimp on natural gifts here! You can spend your whole life and still not see all of the beauties of this small country. Since you still have to start with one beauty on the way to discover Montenegro, rafting through the canyon of the Tara River is at the top of the list. Tucked away by the mountains Durmitor, Sinjajevina, Bjelasica, Ljubišnja... flows the longest river in Montenegro. Due to the inaccessible terrain, the river has avoided human influence on its flow and water quality. That's why Tara got the epithet "Tears of Europe" because without fear of disease or infection, she is drinkable the whole time! Tara Canyon is the deepest in Europe!

Mountain tourism Mount Drumitor and the town of Žabljak (the capital of this region) are the center of Montenegrin mountain and winter tourism. There are ski passes, downhill runs and extreme winter sports. And during the summer, this idyllic mountain is a salvation from the heat! Recreational walks, hiking, rafting, fishing are just some of the activities offered by Durmitor National Park. In addition to the Tara River and the Durmitor mountain itself, this region is enriched with 18 lakes. The most famous is certainly the Black Lake. The oldest National Park in Montenegro is Biogradska gora, near Kolašin. It is no exaggeration to say that this region is the unique botanical garden of Europe with 26 endemic plant species, 150 bird species, 10 animal species, 86 tree species and even 3 trout species. In addition to this, at an altitude of 1094 m, there is Lake Biograd, at the highest altitude in Europe.

Lake Skadar is the largest lake in the Balkans and is one of the most attractive locations in the entire tourist offer. It used to be entirely part of Montenegro (today, Albania owns a third). Lake Skadar is the most famous bird reserve in Europe. Here is the habitat of extremely rare species of birds, including the pelican - Pelecanus crispus. Montenegrin history is permeated with legends and myths, and heroic deeds of real heroes. Anyone who wants to understand the way of thinking and life of the average Montenegrin must take for granted the fact that this nation has taken upon itself the responsibility of preserving Slavism and Orthodoxy, and not only in the Balkans. The most obvious example of self-sacrifice and loyalty of Montenegrins towards Russia was shown during the Japanese-Russian war, when thousands of Montenegrin volunteers fought on the side of Russia. Then the state of Montenegro declared war on Japan, and a truce was concluded after the declaration of Montenegrin independence.

The unbreakable bond between Montenegro and Russia can be explained by the famous sentence of the pop singer Rambo Amadeus: Us and Russia 300 million! Joking aside, Montenegrins in Russia have had a privileged status since Peter the Great. They were commanders in the Russian infantry, mayors, owners of factories and mines. In the 20th century, this union of one powerful and one small state was crowned with a kinship bond. Namely, two daughters of Montenegrin King Nikola I married princes from the famous Russian Romanov dynasty. For his services to the Montenegrin people, King Nikola received the ceremonial but important title of Marshal of the Land Units of the Russian Army in 1910. Not long after the October Revolution and the brutal murder of the Romanov imperial family, King Nicholas abdicated the crown and Montenegro became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia with the Karađorđević dynasty at the head. In the period when Montenegro itself was a kingdom, after the Berlin Congress (1878), Cetinje was the capital. Villas built then for the needs of the diplomatic corps for the countries with which Montenegro had diplomatic relations are now used by students of the Faculty of Arts. The rectorate of the Faculty of Fine Arts is located in the former residence of the ambassador of Imperial Russia, in the very center of Cetinje, near the Royal Palace. Today, the city of Cetinje is a museum, and Podgorica is the capital of the restored independent state.

And in folklore, the Montenegrin circle is similar to the Russian "circle dance". The so-called Oro circle is especially picturesque, when young men climb on each other's shoulders, thus building a mountain with their bodies! This dance shows the heroic spirit of this people in the best way. Bravery and heroism are the cornerstone of folk customs in Montenegro, as evidenced by dozens of epic songs. In search of authentic elements of Montenegrin folklore, we remembered the fiddle. It is a wooden stringed instrument with only one string. with a string made of horse hair. By pulling the bow on the string, a unique sound is created, which is more reciting than singing.

When it comes to traditional cuisine, mountainous Montenegro does not have the variety of flavors that Boka Kotorska has. However, meat lovers will especially enjoy it. Specialties of kid, lamb and mutton, with boiled greens and polenta, with local grapes and wine, represent a gastronomic delight. If you happen to be in Montenegro during Lent, or even better for Nicholas Day (December 19), then you should go to Boka for risotto, brodette, pasta fruti di mare, fish, crabs and shellfish. Every house in Montenegro will give you a warm welcome with homemade sweets, honey or dried figs, regardless of whether it is by the sea or in the mountains. This is our answer to the question: What is Montenegro! Written by: Igor Kossich