MONTENEGRO

Just a short drive from Dubrovnik’s Rudjer Boskovic Airport, a narrow strip of beaches outlining the Balkan Peninsula separate the Adriatic from the lands of Montenegro. Inland, medieval villages hold on to their past. Budva, for those who come for sun, sand, and, in between, to wander the winding lanes of the quaint walled town center. Perast, whose Venetian Baroque architecture is well-preserved and well-known. And of course, Kotor, whose fjord-like bay attracts landscape lovers and whose timeless town enchants with cobblestone streets and piazzas, while a dramatically steep cliff pours into the waters below.

But in this small country, even more wonders await away from the coast. Freshwater Lake Skadar enjoys national park status, as does Durmitor National Park, which boasts limestone peaks and glacial lakes. The Tara River Canyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holds the proud title of the thirdlongest canyon in the world, and the Black Lake is known for its mountain tourism. In fact, Montenegro has been developing for years now into an adventure tourism destination, aided by dry summers and mild winters in the south and the Continental climate of hot summers and snow sport-ready winters in the central region and north. In other words, between the borders of Montenegro, it really is possible to choose your own adventure in every possible way.