From Portonovi, a boat sped me to the Blue Cave, whose electric-turquoise waters leave Capri’s Blue Grotto in the shade. And thence, like a 1950s film star, deep into Kotor Bay, past fishing hamlets and the exclusive waterfront villas of Ljuta (Djokovic bought one of these, too), to the Unesco-listed medieval fortified town of Kotor, for a stroll after the cruise ships had left and the inhabitants emerged from hiding.
For Montenegro also shares the curse of other Mediterranean jewels, such as Venice, Dubrovnik, and Rhodes: flag-waving guides and unspeakable crowds jamming the maze of cobbled streets, taking selfies in churches, and scaring the legion of cats. The solution: go after hours, or off-season.
Privacy is one of the advantages of the new “village resort” developments – and none is more remote or more ambitious in its scope than Lustica Bay – an anticipated €1.5 billion project, covering a massive 690 hectares of forested hills, with 6km of coastline and four beaches, far from the madding crowds.
I stayed at The Chedi, integrated among houses built in vernacular style, and excellent restaurants. Unlike the blight wrought on Budva by over-development, however, Lustica has the environment at its core, pledging to develop no more than 10% of this virgin land. And the jaw-dropping views from its 18-hole Gary Player golf course, to be completed in 2028 as the first 18-hole course in Montenegro, is certain to add to the well-travelled mix, tempting a new sporting élite from the more established European links.
Source link : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/montenegro/pint-sized-montenegro-offers-best-of-europe-in-miniature/
Author :
Publish date : 2023-11-02 03:00:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.