Lovcen National Park, Montenegro
Posted on July 31, 2023 • 10 minutes • 2096 words
The drive from Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegonia to Centije, Montenegro was supposed to be a little over 2 hours. Supposed to be…we were all optimistic with the border crossing into Bosnia and Herzegovina being 5 minutes, but not so much heading into Montenegro. At the border, times were getting dire. Kids were hungry, but we didn’t want to bust out all the food in the car and usually Harry Potter reading will suffice, but nothing worked…and 4 of us had to go to the bathroom. An hour later, we were through and heading up a road with zero spots to turn off. We kept heading up, crossed over the summit and as we were heading down had views of a stunning reservoir. We finally found a ‘restaurant’ to pull into so we could use the bathroom and get food. They had no food, just drinks, which worked out perfectly as we had lunch and now a perfect place to eat it with a table, shade and views.
We had planned to go to the Ostrog Monastery, which is the Montenegrin Monastery version of Petra, but after sitting in ‘traffic’ on a one lane winding road up, we called it quits as we realized it could take an hour to do the 7km. We figured it’s not too far, we can come back another day that’s not the weekend. As we continued our drive, we could actually see it across the valley perched high in the mountain.
When I booked the Airbnb for Centinje, I was hoping for just outside the town…I wanted some open space, but close to the town so we could check it out. Well we were not just outside the town…we were way outside the town and it was marvelous! We were in Lovcen National Park, smack in the middle of the mountains with barely anything, except nature, around. It was pure magic for our family. View from place.
On our 5th day there I mentioned to the kids that it was weird that in the last 5 days, staying at a place where they could go explore as they pleased, they hadn’t once asked to watch Wild Kratts. It was truly amazing. All they asked to do is go outside and for us to get coffee so they could jump on the trampoline at the restaurant.
After we found our Airbnb (there was no address just ‘200m from hotel’) we dumped our stuff, let the kids run around and walked to the hotel for a drink. The restaurant was on the patio above with a couple swing sets, trampoline and a play house in the back. We could sit and relax with the kids playing below. Amazing.
Zoom in of kids below.
New country, so we decided to check out the gelato situation. We walked to a cafe and were happy to find gelato and more play equipment.
We woke to Ben and Sam asking if they could go outside at play at 7am. They told us they had done their journals already and were not hungry. Nothing like open space to motivate these kids to get their work done early so they could play. Once we were all up, we had breakfast in and since it was a Monday (my big work day and we had no desire to get in a car), Dan took the kids on a hike where they reported later to me that it ‘was the best hike ever!’ They found small caves, chasms, wild food and views. The picked and ate wild onions, strawberries and raspberries. I met them right at the end for a picnic lunch and then back to our place for school.
Afternoon coffee so the kids could jump on the trampoline and dinner at a café…the only place that didn’t have a play area actually, but a dog that they threw sticks for.
The next morning (once again Ben and Sam were up with completed journals asking to go outside) we went to Kotor, a fascinating old town…the whole down is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To get there, one must drive on the serpentine that zigzags down the mountain on a one lane road.
If that wasn’t enough, add very anxious children so excited to check out some of the 7 forts Dan was reading about. AND if that wasn’t enough, add in giant tour buses coming us as we are attempting to drive down.
Lots of reversing and passing at 0.1kph.
After the serpentine, but before the bottom we turned off to check out an old fort, Fortress Gorzada. It was nothing short of fascinating for everyone! It has so countless underground passage ways that were completely in the dark that we needed flashlights for. Note: all light in this photo is from our phones
Kids kept yelling ‘lumos’ when they wanted us to turn on our phone lights. We explored the depths, talked so much about Harry Potter and engineering (‘amazing how this is still standing. How do you think it has stayed up so long?) It had a double moat, now overgrown with fig trees,
a turret, countless staircases (one with a vanishing stair) and nocks and crannies to explore.
After we exited the main fort, we climbed up on old walls for a beautiful view of Kotor and the forts defense systems. This fort was used in WWII and was the first we saw to have modern defenses.
Climbed back down and over a narrow bridge to pass the moats.
Continued the drive down, parked far from the old town as the traffic started to get terrible but got to walk past a nice canal.
Entering the old town.
We wandered the old town, found so many cats to pet and had a late lunch.
After, found more cats, more wandering, left old town over a draw bridge
and then found a small ‘beach’ so the kids could swim and we could cool off.
It had already been a day, so we found a grocery store to get stuff for dinner and breakfasts and Dan ran in. The kids and I looked for and recorded a decent amount of new license plates.
Back up the serpentine, not fun, but flew by quicker than the way down. Once we were close to the top, I pulled over so I could get a real look. There happened to be a stall selling stuff and I couldn’t not by the fruit wine…Herb Hertlinger would have been so disappointed. It was kinda good.
We had a magical dinner outside as the kids played before and after.
We knew my Uncle Roy was somewhere in the Balkans and when we were sitting at lunch in Kotor I checked my email to see that he was going to be in Kotor the next day. Ugh! Had I read that email before, we would have postponed the trip. With him being so close, we decided to go back the next day too…and there were things we didn’t get to see.
After a breakfast at home, we got an early start to try to avoid the buses coming up and to do the fortress hike before too much sun. Well, that turned out to not be an issue as it starting raining on the way down and we were in a full down pour by the time we parked. For those of you who know me very well, I can not handle wet socks. We put on our rain jackets and started towards the town. We were soaked to the bone within 3 minutes…everywhere except where our rain jackets covered.
Well not Dan’s, his decided to finally fail as the membranes separated slowly over the last couple years. We took some breaks under arch ways and decided to go to the maritime museum to hopefully wait out the storm.
This was one way to get an overcrowded tourist area to yourself. :)
We get there, strip off out soaking jackets, shake off our shoes as much as we could, only to find out they had lost power and were closed. We sat in the lobby for half an hour (there was really no where to go and we needed a rain break) as Dan read Harry Potter and finally the power came back on. We loved the museum! It was done so well, not just charts and documents, but a lot of model boats, navigation equipment, artillery.
The kids were totally into it. We stayed about 1.5hrs, clearly with no rush, and when the kids were ready to leave the skies had parted and the sun started to peak through. We took off our socks, wrung them out and made our way over to the fortress climb we had wanted to do. As you drive into town, it looks like a mini Great Wall of China, snaking its way up the side of the mountain.
The internet said 1350 steps, but Ben counted 1359.
It was not hot and we were not sweating and putting on sun block, even though 2hrs before we were soaked. The views easily made the climb worth it and it was pretty cool to see all the ruins.
Kids all made it and were rewarded/bribed with some chocolate breaks.
We headed down with perfect timing to meet Uncle Roy for lunch at 1pm. He had just finished up his morning tour with his group. Good lunch and lots of talking about our travels.
After we wandered around a bit with him as we looked for gelato and the clock tower where he had to meet back up with his tour. Kids were so excited to see someone we knew again and there was even minor fighting over who got to hold Uncle Roy’s hand. :)
We chatted with his tour guide Lily for a bit and she shared a package of her favorite candy from when she was a kid with the kids. Hugs all around!
We filed up our water bottles once again (water fountains are the coolest in these old towns!)
and walked on the top of the old city walls back to the North Gate and then made it back to our car.
Easy drive back and thrilled to be done with the serpentine. I didn’t feel like cooking so we had a great dinner at the nearby hotel as the kids got to play and jump on the trampoline again.
The next day I went for a morning run of the trail the kids and Dan did without me a few days back. Wooded at times and views at others.
And I found some wild strawberries and raspberries and cool looking flowers/plants. The strawberries were so small but packed a huge flavor punch.
That day we planned for nothing major…school and playing outside, because that’s really what the kids wanted to do. Dan and the kids found and watched a bee kill and then break up and fly away with parts of a fly. I was good with the commentary and didn’t need to see it. Then Dan gave Max a haircut.
The finished product and probably the only time it will be brushed in 3 months.
With a lot accomplished before 3pm, we decided to check out the Adventure Park where the kids got to climb and zip-line through the trees. They of course loved it and even though Max wasn’t old enough, we was entertained enough running below them.
With our last night in the area and 5 days of looking at the mausoleum on the mountain opposite our place, we finally made the drive up to check it out. You drive up, but then you hike up! So many stairs but this never seems to bother the kids.
The views at the top were unmatchable, looking 360deg to the bay, the sea, valleys and the mountains.
If you look close enough, you can see our place!
We didn’t stay long…a short trip through the mausoleum, a gelato to share and we were driving back to our place for our last dinner in this magical place.
It was painful for the kids to finally be told to come in to bed, as they had fallen in love with the area and the freedom they had to roam free.
I keep saying ‘magical’, but really that is the best way to describe it. Our Airbnb was so perfect for us, the hosts were on the floor above and she was always waving hi and giving the kids treats. Sam was hugging her by the end.