Lux Adriatica Apartments

Lux Adriatica Apartments sits on Velika Plaža in Ulcinj, Montenegro's southernmost coastal town, where the sandy beach stretches for 12.5 kilometres. This particular apartment is a one-bedroom unit with a single bed and one bathroom, sleeping two — a straightforward fit for a couple or a solo traveller wanting space to settle in rather than just a room. It is one of six luxury apartments built in 2008, each with its own separate entrance and a fully equipped kitchen with air conditioning. Guests get a reserved parking space in the gated courtyard, plus satellite TV on a flat-screen, cable and satellite channels, internet, and access to the grilling area. Other units in the complex are configured for three, four, or five people, so larger groups travelling together can book alongside. Rates start from 58 EUR per night.

About the area

Velika plaža is the reason to stay at this end of Ulcinj. The beach runs in a single unbroken arc of fine dark sand for around twelve kilometres, backed by dunes and scrub rather than buildings, and the water stays shallow so far out that you can wade a long way and still stand. That gradient, plus a dependable afternoon breeze, has made the southern half of the beach one of the Adriatic's main kitesurfing grounds, with schools operating from spring into October.

Behind the sand the landscape is agricultural — maize, figs, olive rows and the occasional grazing horse — and the beach bars are spaced far enough apart that you can choose your own level of noise. The dark sand is mineral-rich and has been used for informal sand therapy here for generations. At the southern end the Bojana river reaches the sea around Ada Bojana, where restaurants built on piles serve eel and grilled sea bass. Ulcinj town, with its walled fortress, green market and the sheltered swimming at Mala plaža, is a short drive north-west, and the disused salt pans in between fill with flamingos and waders outside high summer.