Kolashin

Kolasin is a small resort located 73 km north of Podgorica on the left bank of the Tara River at an altitude of 960 m above sea level. It is surrounded by three mountain ranges - Sinjavina, Komovi, Belasica. Today, the community of Kolasin occupies 897 km2, about 3000 people live here.
 

History of the city

Here already in the early Middle Ages the settlement of the Slavs was founded. The fertile lands of Kolasin, reliably protected from winds and cold by mountain "walls," have for centuries been the cause of controversy. The city-fortress, reliably protecting mountain passes and approaches to the sea, was founded by the Turks who then owned these lands in 1652. The city circled the outpost of the caravan route through Podgorica in Bijelo Polje. A part of Montenegro, Kolasin became only in the late 19th century and almost immediately became a popular resort town.
 

Attractions of the city

From an excursion point of view, Kolasin is an unremarkable city. There are no famous monuments, old city or popular museums. However, this town is considered the center of mountain tourism in Montenegro throughout the year. And not only in winter, but also in the summer, visitors who prefer fresh forest air, mountain trails and natural beauty to the sea coast come here.
One may see in Kolasin the ruins of the Turkish arsenal (500 meters south of the city center) and a central park with memorials in honor of killed in the Second World War. In the central square is opened a historical museum (Trg Vogas, 1), where are several exhibitions - ethnographic, historical and art. In the southern part of the city there is a botanical garden, in which more than a hundred samples of mountain plants are collected.

Kolasin is a small and extremely compact city. Dimensions of Kolasin exceed many of the world's ski resorts. Its total length is 15 km. The ski tracks are located 8.5 km from the city.

Lifehack: from Kolasin to the ski resort, you can get by a taxi (according taxi meter 10-14 euros one way) or by SKI-BUS. The bus from the city to the slopes is organized by hotels Bianka and Lipka, so for the guests of these hotels it is free. In the hotels themselves they say that only their guests may take the bus. But in fact,this bus can take anyone who wants, paying about 3-4 euros. If you have not settled in one of the named hotels, ask the owner where and for how much you can take that bus. From year to year this information changes.

The ski season in Kolasin usually starts from the end of December and continues until the beginning or middle of April. However, there is a possibility that there will be very little snow in the Kolasin during the New Year holidays. Still, the height is small. But from mid-January to the end of March, snow will be for sure. Just in case, the tracks are equipped with an artificial snow machine, as in many other modern European ski resorts. In Kolasin there is good lighting, which allows you to ski in the evening. On the slopes there are two modern lifts - for children and adults. Ski lovers have the opportunity to hire a professional instructor, highly skilled specialists with international experience work there. If you did not take skis and equipment - this is not a problem, you will find everything you need at the box office right on the ski slopes.

There are 7 tracks in total, not counting the transitions from track to track. All of them are cut in the forest and intertwined, which allows each time to change the route of descent. The lowest point is at an altitude of 1450 meters above sea level. The highest is 1973 meters. In the ski resort Kolasin there are 5 lifts, not counting the children's one. Three rope tows (№4, 3, 5) and two chairlifts (№ 1, 2). Ski lift number 1 is the most popular in the resort. It is a modern 6-seater chair lift, which delivers to the top in 6 minutes. Because of the high bandwidth, it's impossible to stand for more than three minutes in a line. Rope tow № 4 works non-stop and is very popular, because all beginners ride it. With the maximum influx of people on it you can stand in line for no more than 5-7 minutes. Rope tow No. 3 usually works if there is a large number of skiers. The rope tow No. 5 at the peak is the least frequent to work. Only when there is a lot of visitors and good clear weather. Chair lift №2 - "old resident" of this resort. He lifts two on an armchair, goes slowly, has the opportunity to retreat halfway. It takes about 20 minutes to get to the peak. There are no queues for it ever. The elevator almost always works when there is clear weather on the top.

Lifehack: Also on the slopes there are two restaurants with open heated terraces. Dishes are delicious, but prices are higher than in the city.

What to do in the winter in Kolasin?

• Skiing and snowboarding
• Winter photo safari
• Rafting
• Winter hiking in the mountains
• Paragliding
• Climbing
• Camping

What to do in the summer in Kolasin?

• Jeep Safari
• Rafting
• Mountain biking 
• Kayaking
• Canoeing
• Speleology
• Fishing
• Paragliding
• Hiking
• Eco tourism
• Horseback riding
• Pilgrimage tourism (Culture tourism)
• Excursions
• Climbing
• Camping
• Photo safari
• Gathering of forest berries and herbs
 

What to see in the vicinity of the city?

It is worth paying attention to the Monastery of Moraca, a sample of architecture of the 13th century. It is a stone throw from the center of Kolasin, on the highway E80. The Orthodox Monastery of Moraca is located on the high bank of the same name mountain river Moraca, which forms the famous canyon of Moraca, sometimes reaching a height of 1000 meters. The famous monastic complex is an important monument of medieval architecture and consists of a large Church of the Assumption of the Virgin, a small Church of St. Nicholas, buildings with monastic cells and a rich subsidiary farm (you will see apiary, sheep herds, and turkeys with ducks) - all against the serene murmur of the mountain river, which swiftly carries its emerald waters somewhere below. It is worth visiting the Djurdjevic Bridge over the Tara River on the way to Zabljak. Plavskoje lake is best visited in the summer.

Also, you can spend time exploring the National Park, the territory of which extends to the city. Especially appreciate the natural beauty of lovers of ecotourism, because in walking distance are the oldest forests in Europe. Epicenter of forest resources is Belasica, and the pearl of the reserve is Biogradsko Lake, one of the largest among the 5 glacial lakes, on the shore of which it is possible to rent a cottage for several days.
 

How to get to the city?

The distance from Podgorica airport to the city is 80 km, and from Tivat airport - 160 km. From the airports to the city one can get by taxi. It is better to book a car in advance, since a taxi in the airport itself is usually 2-3 times more expensive than the standard taxi tariffs. The railway connects the city with Belgrade.

Lifehack: hotels Bianka and Lipka organize a free transfer for their guests.

You can also rent a car and ride the to the slopes by yourself. If you have a big company and besides the skiing in Kolasin, you are interested in the rest of Montenegro, then this will be the most profitable option. Moreover, having a rented car in Montenegro, you can ride to the slopes of Zabljak, living in Kolasin. The journey takes about 2 hours one way.

Lifehack: if you rent a car, be sure to check that there is a set of snow chains on the wheels in the trunk.
 

Accommodation

There are different accommodation options in the city of Kolasin. A lot of positive feedback was received by the four-star hotel "Bianca Resort & Spa" with a stone and wood interior and a spa complex, as well as a small three-star Hotel Cile with a good location in the center. Also you can always rent an apartment.

Lifehack: should be aware that the prices for the New Year, namely from 25.12 to 14.01 higher at 1.5-2 times and find something free becomes difficult already from the middle of November.
 

Cafes and Restaurants

In the first minutes of acquaintance, Kolasin strikes with comfort and tranquility. This is especially noticeable for those who come to the ski resort in the morning. It’s difficult to believe that there can be secular and night life there. Such a first impression is erroneous. Kolasin is a secular resort. There are many cafes and restaurants of different price level. But especially it is necessary to allocate 2 restaurants: Savardak and Konoba. The very word "savardak" means something like the tepee of local residents. The restaurant inside and outside looks exactly like the Savardaks built in the old times by local people. The menu is rather modest, only a few dishes. And this assortment has been preserved for many years. Because these dishes, firstly, are prepared only in this region (even on the coast you will not find them), and secondly, they are prepared terrifically delicious. For a couple of visits you can try the whole menu, but remember the delicious taste of them for a long time. Restaurant Konoba is located in the center of Kolasin. This restaurant has a richer menu. Preparation is very tasty to. But the atmosphere of the restaurant is most appealing here. It is like an old wooden house of a local resident. Very warm, cozy and original. Especially when candles are placed on tables in the evening. There are two well-known night clubs in Europe - Select and 66.

The advantages of the ski holidays in Kolasin are the high quality of the slopes (two of which have been certified by FIS, allowing to hold international competitions here), as well as modern equipment and high quality of service. In Kolasin an annual cup of skiers "Golden ermine" is held in February - competitions for snowboarders. The ski base in Kolasin was completely modernized in 2008, which makes the resort town no less attractive than Zabljak or any other European ski resort. Together with the unique healing air, it is an excellent choice for winter outdoor activities.