Montenegro
Montenegro - meaning Black Mountain, is beautiful tiny country of South-eastern Europe, and the Central Mediterranean country of rich natural and architectural and cultural heritage. Montenegro features diversity of stunning landscapes and climates, and well preserved natural environment of “black” mountains, awesome canyons, blue Adriatic sea and green blossoming meadows and idyllic lakes. Montenegro is country where the mountains descend almost directly into the sea, creating a surreal atmosphere and one of the undiscovered gems of the former Yugoslavia. Montenegro has wonderful coast to the Adriatic Sea, and borders Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the southeast. Total surface of Montenegro is 13,812 km2 and its sea coast is 293 km long comprising 117 beaches. It includes Boka Kotorska Bay, one of the ten most beautiful bays in the world and it is the most southerly fyord in Europe. Montenegro is a still rather unknown place in the southern part of the Balkans often referred to as the "Hidden Pearl of the Mediterranean".The name Crna Gora (Montenegro) referred in the late 14th century only to a small strip of land of the Pastrovići tribe in the coastal region, but came to be used for a wider mountainous region after the Crnojević family in Upper Zeta. This region became known as Old Montenegro by the 19th century to distinguish it from the newly acquired territory of Brda /the Highlands/. Podgorica is the capital of Montenegro and Cetinje is the old royal capital and historic and cultural center. The Central Region of Montenegro, harboring both the capital city of Podgorica which is administrative and economic center of the country and the old royal Montenegrin capital of Cetinje, a town museum in which at times, because of its multitude of old buildings, you have the feeling that time has come to a stand-still - contain a remarkable natural and cultural heritage. Podgorica is located in the fertile Zeta River plain from where in half an hour of drive you can get to the mountains or the stunning Skadar Lake and in an hour, the seaside. Podgorica used to be called Titograd after the infamous Yugoslav dictator Marshal Tito.