Bar

The city of Bar has been very popular with tourists coming to Montenegro for many years. The main town of the Bar Riviera is ideal for families with children. It is one of the sunniest cities in Europe, it has more than 270 sunny days per year. The city is located in the southern part of Montenegro, between the Adriatic Sea and Skadar Lake, at a distance of 40 km from Budva.
 

City`s history
 

The first chronicle of the Bar relates to the 9th century, with the name Antibarium, that is, the antipode of the ancient Bari, located on the other side of Mediterranean Sea, in Italy. The name Bar appeared already at the time of the migration of the Slavs to the Adriatic coast and the creation of the state of Dukla. The important strategic position of Bar determined its eventful history. In 1077, the first King Dukli Mihailo Voislavlevic was enthroned here, and a few years later, the city became the residence of the archbishop. From 1166 to 1180, Bar belonged to the Byzantine Empire, and then became part of the Serbian state under the control of the Nemanjic dynasty. The heyday of the medieval Bar took place occurs to the 13th century. During Nemahic rule the city gained independence and had its own coat of arms, charter and coins.

In the XV century during the feuds, the city passed from one hands to another. In 1443 it was conquered by the Venetian Republic, and in 1571 it was retroceded to the Ottoman Empire and remained under its control for more than 300 years. In 1878 Bar was returned to Montenegro. By decision of King Nikola I in the coastal region of Pristan, New Bar was founded, which began to flourish as a trade and port center.
 

Sights

The new Bar is a quite modern city, drowning in tropical vegetation, the coast itself is surrounded by cypress and coniferous trees. Once there, walk along the promenade of Bar - this is a continuation of the embankment of Susanj. The long and flat promenade is suitable for hiking, cycling and rollerblading. Due to the fact that the coastline, although not wide, but very long, there is always a lot of space for recreation. One of the most important cultural and historical attractions of New Bar is the Palace of King Nikola, built in the district of Toplica in 1885 and was the summer residence of the monarch. You will notice it for sure, as the embankment runs through a small park, where the palace complex is located, it includes: the Great and Small palaces, a chapel and a winter garden. Not far from the palace there is the Cathedral Church of St. Vladimir (one of the newest churches) and the monument to the liberators of Bar from the Ottoman rule.

Behind the embankment, there is the main modern landmark of the New City - the largest port in the Adriatic. Every year five million tons of various cargoes passes through it. On its territory there is a passenger terminal and a port pool, where more than 1,000 small sea vessels are located.

Lifehack: in the city of Bar there is a huge number of clothing stores. And since the city is connected with Italy (Bari) by sea, then, often, in the stores absolutely different designs of different brands are sold. You can go deeper into the search and find something really worthwhile at an attractive price.

Also in Bar there is the largest market on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro - Topolica. You can buy here whatever your heart desires, from products to souvenirs. Approximately 1 km from the port there is a bus station, where are many rides to various cities of Montenegro, and not far from it, there is a railway station.

The main attraction of the Bar is Old Bar. This is the largest ancient urban settlement of Montenegro, partially preserved till our days.
 

What to see in the vicinity of the city?
 

In the vicinity of Bar there are too many attractions. Start with olive groves. In the Bar, olive oil has long been produced and exported to Germany, France, and the USA. Many years of experience in this area, local residents demonstrate at the November Olive Oil Festival - Maslinade. During the celebration, the best producers of this product are determined, and also the fair of local agricultural products is held. The oldest representative of local olives is the olive tree in Mírovnice - one of the most respected in Europe. Its age is more than 2000 years, and the diameter of the trunk is more than 10 m!

Lifehack: you can admire the tree over the low fence or nearby, but to come up to the tree, you have to pay 1 euro for an adult and 0.5 euro for a child.

In the Bar community there are several tourist cities, among them is Sutomore, famous for its wonderful sandy beaches. The community is also known for the fact that on 7 October, 1042, there was a battle between the Serbian army, led by Stefan Vojislav and the Byzantine Empire, in which the Serbs gained a significant victory.

Near the port of the city of Bar is a natural bay, protected from the winds, due to that fact it has served as a winter dock for a long time. Now it is a hydroarcheological monument of the Bay of Bigovica. Here, the remnants of ships of the 4th century, fragments of amphorae and other archaeological finds were discovered. A few kilometers from Bar, in the village of Zupci, there is the monastery Rybnjak. According to legend, it was founded on the site of a church built by Helena Anjou in the 13th century. At some distance in the mountains there is a monastery Horni Brceli, founded in the beginning of the XVIII century, by Prince Danilo I Petrovich Negosh. Once there was a winter residence of the prince, and now the convent is located. In 1832 Peter II Petrovich Negosh founded here the first school in Montenegro. At a distance of about 1 km from it, a more ancient monastery of Donja Brčeli is located, built by Elena Balsić. It houses the grave of Stephen Maly, an impostor who pretended to be the Russian Emperor Peter III, thanks to which, from 1767 to 1773, he successfully managed Montenegro.
 

Beaches of the city Bar

Besides numerous sights and olive groves, the Bar Riviera will delight you with its diverse beaches. The beaches here are more extended and sandy, the water is crystal clear and turquoise, there is fewer guests. The most famous city beach is Crvena Plaza in the center of Bar: pebble, very picturesque, it stretches along the sea shore for almost a kilometer.
 

Cafes and restaurants of Bar
 

Restaurants, konobas, cafes and bars are located here at every step, so you can choose a place to taste. At seaside restaurants, there is often a Russian menu, written with funny mistakes.

Lifehack: keep in mind that in Montenegro it is considered absolutely normal to ask to wrap the rest of the food with you. Having seen the size of portions, you will understand how relevant this is.

The restaurant of the national Montenegrin cuisine Kaldrma in Bar with an appropriate interior also offers vegetarian dishes. The cozy atmosphere, delicious homemade food and location in close proximity to the Old Town - all this makes it one of the best and most colorful restaurants on the coast, which must be visited. You can spend the evening at the bar Las Ramlas - the first Spanish tapas bar in Montenegro. It looks like an ordinary city cafe with a laconic interior made of glass and wood. Things are humming around the clock: in the morning guests come for breakfast, and in the evening - for a cocktail, listen to live music or watch sports matches. You can grab a bite in Pulena Pizzeria, which is famous for its impeccable service, pleasant atmosphere and delicious dishes of Italian and national cuisine.

A full list of bars and restaurants you can see by clicking on the link.
 

Entertainment and recreation
 

After sunset, not all just want to walk along the embankment or relax on the balcony. In many seaside towns cafes and bars are open until late night, and lovers of dancing will find where to have a good time.

Lifehack: not all establishments have a dance floor, because there is a strong tradition to dance right at the table. In addition, there are not only European and world hits, but also by Balkan music at the discos, which at first may seem specific.

The large club Illusion in Bar is decorated in a futuristic style, pleases guests with various performances, laser shows and even a disco for children.
A full list of nightclubs you can see by clicking on the link.
 

How to get to Bar?
 

1. By bus.
Buses of various auto companies are constantly running around Montenegro. Their schedule, route, tickets price, travel time you can see by clicking on the link. Almost all cities of Montenegro are connected by bus with Bar, the cost of tickets is from 1.5 to 5 €. Along the coast across Montenegro there is the Adriatic Highway (Jadranski Put). On this route you can also stop the bus going to the desired city or resort.

2. Transfer and taxi.
At airports (Tivat or Podgorica), as in any other city of Montenegro, you can order a taxi. However, before ordering a taxi, we recommend to see the approximate price of the trip or a fixed transfer price (depending on the city of departure and destination) on our website or in our free application "Your way to Montenegro" on the Apple Store or Google Play.

3. By your own or rented car.
The option of renting a car is the most attractive, although not the most budgetary one. A rental company will be able to deliver your rented car immediately to the airport (Tivat or Podgorica) at your arrival or to your place of residence in Montenegro. The advantages of this method are obvious - you choose the route, the departure time, the cities to visit and the time of sightseeing and historical places during the trip. The car can be rented by clicking on the link.

4. By train.
For fans of rail travel, the presence of trains in Bar is a real find. The railway line Bar-Belgrade runs through 254 tunnels (total length of them is 114 km) and 435 bridges (14 km), including the Sozin tunnel (6.1 km) and the highest in the world (!) Bridge-viaduct Mala Reka, with height of 198 m and length - 498 m. The trip by train Bar-Belgrade costs about 4-5 € in the second class and 5-6 € in the first (524 km, travel time about 7.5 hours). Traveling on an unusual highway is one of the most unforgettable events for fans of railway voyages. In addition, up to five daily commuter trains run between Bar and Podgorica, the trip time is about 1 hour. The ticket price from Bar to Podgorica is about 3 €.

Hotels in Bar

In the coastal part of Montenegro, there are many different options for living: from luxury five-star hotels to private apartments (apartmani) and rooms (sobe). Apartments usually differ from rooms in including a small kitchen set: a stove, a frige, a sink. The average cost of a standard room in the season is from 30 to 250 € per night depending on the class of the hotel. For those who prefer a more budget accommodation, the private sector is suitable. Prices vary depending on the season and the quality of housing, as well as its distance from the sea. The price ranges from 10 to 150 € a day.

Lifehack: be sure to specify by what principle the price is assigned: daily or per person. And the longer the lease term, the lower the cost is.

Hotel Princess4 * is located on the beach and offers its guests fully equipped modern rooms, own pebble beach, two restaurants, a wellness and spa center, as well as three conference rooms.

A full list of hotels you can see by clicking on the link

The modern city of Bar is surrounded by dense forests and olive groves, attracts tourists from different regions of the world, beckons them with the beauty of landscapes, gentle climate and historical values. Resting in Bar and its surroundings, you can always choose entertainment that suits your taste and mood.