Road Trip Through One of Europe's Smallest Countries to Understand the True Meaning of Leisure

As a WASP from New England, I have a psyche deeply marked by the Protestant work ethic that equates productivity with self-worth. Yet, as I sipped a glass of vranac, a rich red wine native to the Balkans, and watched the sun sink into the Adriatic behind the ancient walls of Kotor, I began to grasp the Montenegrin philosophy of dolce far niente: the sweetness of doing nothing. With such beauty before me — the smell of the ocean, the colors of the sunset, the balmy evening breeze — I would be a damn fool to worry about my to-do list.

Montenegro gained independence in 2006, making it one of Europe’s youngest nations, but it’s an old culture. The land that is now Montenegro has changed hands between the Roman, Venetian, Ottoman, Soviet, and many other empires over millennia. I poured another glass of wine and mused about how other cultures shun the rat race in favor of slowed-down, mindful living. Kotor’s lighthouse flickered on and illuminated the bay, and I began to think that Montenegrins, despite the ribbing from their Balkan neighbors, figured out the secret to the good life.

A week is enough time to sink your teeth into Montenegro, one of Europe’s smallest nations. The glittering coast (the setting for the Bond movie, Casino Royale) lends the most iconic images of Montenegro, but the mountains promise just as much charm and far fewer tourists. Starting in Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital, this itinerary showcases the highlands and beaches. Rent a car and drive to both the highlands and beaches to see as much as possible and enjoy some of Europe’s most stunning drives.

Illyrian tribes were the first inhabitants of Podgorica, and their settlement later became a Roman fortress and then an Ottoman stronghold. Modern Podgorica is a sleepy capital, but its historical sites, restaurants, and wine bars warrant a 24-hour sojourn.

Photo: S.Tatian /Shutterstock

Fuel up on sugar and caffeine with a cup of Montenegrin coffee, poured from a cezve like Turkish coffee, and a slice of fresh baklava before meandering through Podgorica’s winding streets. Noteworthy sites include the Ribnica Bridge, a picturesque stone bridge built by the Romans, and the Sahat Kula Clock Tower, a relic of Ottoman rule.

Oblun Eco Resort. Photos: Johnny Motley

After a day of sightseeing and wine-tasting, retire to Oblun Eco Resort, a recently opened glamping property 15 minutes from Podgorica. Within the bounds of Lake Skadar National Park, Eco Resort Oblun lodges guests in sumptuous tents, complete with plush mattresses, private bathrooms, and outdoor wooden decks. In the morning, the views of limestone mountains and invigorating aromas of sagebrush rouse the spirit even better than fresh coffee.

Drive about an hour from Podgorica into Montenegro’s mountainous heart and to the village of Kolašin, the gateway to Bjelasica Mountain Range and Biogradska Gora National Park. While coastal Montenegro was frequently fought over by foreign empires, the rugged highlands and the people who lived there remained largely unconquered.

Photo: Johnny Motley

For a horseback tour of the mountains, drive to Vranjak, a small ranch set against rolling, grassy mountains reminiscent of eastern Wyoming. Horseback rides last around two hours, with each turn of the trail offering views more breathtaking than the last.

Left, pouring rakija; right, Proscuitto and priganice at Konoba Amanet. Photos: Johnny Motley

After working up an appetite on the trails, head to Konoba Amanet for plates of kahamac (mashed potatoes fortified with molten cheese), artisanal prosciutto, and priganice (pillowy balls of fried dough). Wash down the hearty mountain fare with a glass of robust vranac, or do as the Montengrins do and order a bottle of rakija — a distilled fruit spirit popular across the Balkans often infused with berries and astringent herbs.

Goran Radevic, owner of Radevic Estate, during a winery tasting. Photo: Johnny Motley

Radevic Estate Winery, a boutique mountainside winery, treats guests to exquisite tastings paired with history lessons on Montenegrin viticulture, a tradition harkening back to Roman and Greek colonies in the Adriatic. After touring the vineyards with Goran Radevic, the owner, I relished pours and light bites in his cozy cellar bar. Radevic’s expressions of Montenegro’s two flagship grapes — vranac, an ancient red related to zinfandel; and krstač, a crisp, floral white — are masterful. Pomegranates and olives grow alongside the vines, a coexistence that makes it easy to conjure the fruity and briny notes in the wines. Radevic’s brandy, aged in Slavonian oak barrels, is also superb.

Photo: Bianca Resort

Bianca Resort & Spa in Kolašin is a comfy and convenient base camp for mountain adventures. The hotel’s decor evokes an Alpine chalet, with rooms embellished with exposed wood and plush blankets. The breakfast buffet of charcuterie, pickles, and yogurts is not to be skipped. Find a commendable selection of Montenegrin wines and international spirits in the lobby bar.

From Kolašin, it’s a two-hour car ride from the mountains to the small town of Kotor. Rather than a gradual decline, the mountains collide headlong into the sea, and panoramic views of Kotor Bay grace every turn of the high-altitude road. Like the northern section of the Pacific Coast Highway or Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, the drive is so sublime as to make two hours feel too brief.

Photo: Nancy Pauwel /Shutterstock

Kotor’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a polished limestone warren interspersed with flagstone plazas, stately churches, and al fresco cafes. Kotor was part of the Roman province of Dalmatia, and like the Dubrovnik and Zadar Dalmatian ports in Croatia, Kotor is surrounded by thick ramparts segmented by magnificently decorated gates.

Spend the morning getting lost in Kotor’s twisting alleys, a medieval maze animated with bakeries, cafes, and craft shops. Kotor Cathedral (or the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon), a church built in 1166, and the Church of St. Luke, also from the 12th century, are postcard-worthy landmarks. The bounty of the Adriatic defines Kotor’s cuisine, and notable delicacies include buzara (a fisherman’s stew of mussels, prawns, and clams simmered in white wine broth) and crni rižot (squid ink risotto).

Left, Captain Ivan; right, Our Lady of the Rocks. Photos: Johnny Motley

The Bay of Kotor — a narrow harbor with watery fingers snaking into the interior mountains — is often compared to a Scandinavian fjord. However, the geological formation is technically a ria, which is a bay formed by oceanic activity. You’ll need a boat to explore Kotor Bay’s fishing outposts, islets, and villages, and you can’t go wrong with the Kotor Boat Cruise with Captain Ivan. Ivan is a well-known fishing guide, but even when the fish don’t bite, the views and onboard cooler of beer and rakija make the excursion a blast. The boat tour concludes at Our Lady of the Rocks, a picturesque chapel on an islet where 15th-century fishermen allegedly saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary.

Photo: Johnny Motley

“When you dip your finger in Perast harbor, you touch the entire world.” The proverb alludes to Perast’s former life as a thriving Adriatic entrepôt, where busy markets attracted merchants from every nook of the Mediterranean and beyond. The city’s elegant towers, leonine statuary, and Baroque architecture harken back to an era when the Venetian Empire controlled the city.

Even after a road trip in Japan, I ate some of the most delicious raw fish of recent memory in Perast at Fish Restaurant Đardin. Grab a table next to the water, order a chilled bottle of krstač, and relish a crudo platter of octopus, shrimp, tuna, and clams — fruits of the sea caught hours before hitting your plate.

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Mingle with European celebrities and aristocrats at The One&Only Portonovi, arguably the most opulent hotel in the Balkans. In the same elite echelon as Aman and Ritz-Carlton Reserve, The One&Only blends impeccable luxury with local design and artwork. Every detail at The One&Only is meticulously considered, from the local gin served at the bars, to the first-in-class espresso machines in the rooms, to the expertly curated wine lists in the restaurants. The One&Only has three gourmet restaurants on their property that focus on Italian, Japanese, and Montenegrin cuisines. If you need a respite from rich indulgences, the One&Only’s gym, a facility worthy of the Olympic Training Center, awaits.